When it came time to pick a new e-mail platform, I really did not desire “adequate.” I required something better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After almost a decade aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a tool– I was hunting for a correct companion Beehiiv Partner Program.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I believed that also initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to state– both the victories and the strange peculiarities. If you’re attempting to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, resolve in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could in fact assist expand my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I began comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was taking a look at this through the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and fractures begin revealing. The greatest one? You don’t in fact own your followers.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re generally leasing an audience you can never fully get to.
It resembles executing on a stage where the lights just activate if the venue chooses to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel great.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development devices, and zero system fees (other than the usual Stripe cut). Yet assurances are easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a brand-new platform typically feels like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up forms? No crises. Connecting my custom domain name? A few small hiccups, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
Something I really appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance web content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and stated, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Partner Program
Currently below’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can only be attached to a single automation. That makes it complicated to individualize welcome sequences based upon just how a person registered.
I ended up going full investigator setting– playing with segments, making use of different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit strings– simply to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, layout, preview– it seems like it was designed by somebody who’s actually composed a newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your beautifully crafted message might get sliced in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– after that went down a bunny opening of testing devices to optimize HTML dimension and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading and install examination emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on procedure, but it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv concerning adding much better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That Actually Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction considering that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new customers to a pretty particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash since for most developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects creators with brand names in a way that doesn’t really feel icky or required. It’s built-in income potential, ordinary and basic Beehiiv Partner Program.
And when I’m ready to release a costs subscription? I know precisely what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your viewers right into supporters without hanging awkward boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to succeed. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you hit an unusual bug or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel as well standard.
Email size surveillance needs much better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical products or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a list, or just tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your target market
You’re looking to grow quickly without paying system tax obligation
You want something that feels developed by creators, for designers
Will it address every trouble? No. But in three months, it’s helped me grow much faster, gain much more, and stress much less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and really scale your e-newsletter with genuine devices that appreciate your job and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.