When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience generally. After almost a years aiding others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been searching for simply a tool– I was hunting for a proper companion Beehiiv News.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack alternative?” I believed that too in the beginning. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to say– both the victories and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the appropriate system for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a tool that could in fact aid expand my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing anymore.
So I started contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its perks, yet I was considering this via the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired complete control over my target market and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin showing. The biggest one? You do not really own your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can not export them. You’re primarily renting out a target market you can never fully get to.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights just turn on if the location determines to let the group see you. Does not feel excellent.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d think they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist growth devices, and no platform costs (in addition to the normal Stripe cut). But promises are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system typically feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up forms? No disasters. Linking my customized domain? A few small missteps, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Likewise, their assistance content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and said, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv News
Currently right here’s where points got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however don’t expect it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each kind can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome series based on exactly how a person joined.
I wound up going complete investigative setting– playing with sections, utilizing separate landing pages, checking out obscure Reddit strings– just to construct a few customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Excellent, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, style, preview– it seems like it was developed by a person who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message could get chopped in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– after that decreased a rabbit opening of screening devices to optimize HTML size and avoid that feared clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email visitor
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on process, yet it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv about including far better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction since switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just three months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a quite specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot simpler.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash because for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s even more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network links creators with brand names in such a way that doesn’t really feel sickening or required. It’s built-in income potential, ordinary and simple Beehiiv News.
And when I prepare to launch a premium registration? I recognize exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your visitors right into advocates without dangling unpleasant boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to prosper. Not one that just wants an item of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you struck a strange insect or need deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel also basic.
Email size tracking requires better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re marketing physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a listing, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to expand quick without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels built by designers, for designers
Will it solve every issue? No. However in three months, it’s assisted me grow quicker, earn more, and stress much less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit resolving and actually range your newsletter with actual devices that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.