When it came time to select a brand-new email system, I didn’t want “adequate.” I needed something better– something constructed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After almost a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been searching for simply a tool– I was searching for a correct partner Beehiiv Subscription.
Which’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I assumed that too initially. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a whole lot to claim– both the success and the strange peculiarities. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a device that could in fact assist grow my list and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, but I was considering this through the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little much deeper, and splits begin revealing. The biggest one? You do not really own your fans.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re generally leasing an audience you can never ever totally reach.
It resembles doing on a stage where the lights just turn on if the place decides to let the crowd see you. Does not feel terrific.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d think they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist growth devices, and no system fees (aside from the typical Stripe cut). Yet guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new system generally seems like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No crises. Attaching my personalized domain name? A couple of small missteps, yet absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One thing I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their support material– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like someone took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Subscription
Currently right here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, yet do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome sequences based on how someone registered.
I wound up going full detective mode– dabbling with sectors, using different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit threads– just to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it doable? Definitely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was made by a person who’s in fact written a newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That implies your beautifully crafted message could obtain cut in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this the hard way– after that went down a bunny hole of testing devices to optimize HTML size and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hand-operated procedure, yet it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding adding much better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction since switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a rather specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
Most of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash because for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network links developers with brands in a way that does not really feel disgusting or required. It’s built-in earnings capacity, simple and basic Beehiiv Subscription.
And when I prepare to release a premium subscription? I recognize specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers into supporters without dangling awkward boodle or single tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that desires you to do well. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you hit an unusual pest or require deep aid.
Some automations still feel also basic.
Email dimension tracking needs much better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or desire deserted cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or simply tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to expand fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that really feels developed by designers, for makers
Will it solve every issue? No. Yet in three months, it’s assisted me expand quicker, make much more, and stress much less about the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop clearing up and really scale your e-newsletter with genuine devices that respect your job and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.