When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail system, I really did not desire “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience overall. After nearly a decade assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find simply a device– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Vs Brevo.
And that’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack choice?” I assumed that too initially. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a lot to claim– both the success and the unusual traits. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that might actually assist expand my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was taking a look at this through the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and splits start revealing. The biggest one? You don’t in fact possess your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re primarily leasing an audience you can never ever fully reach.
It resembles carrying out on a phase where the lights only turn on if the location chooses to allow the group see you. Doesn’t feel wonderful.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development devices, and no system fees (other than the usual Stripe cut). However pledges are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not sound like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new system usually seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing types? No meltdowns. Linking my personalized domain name? A few minor missteps, yet absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their assistance material– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Vs Brevo
Now here’s where points got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but don’t expect it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each form can just be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to personalize welcome series based on how somebody signed up.
I ended up going full detective mode– dabbling with segments, using separate landing pages, reviewing obscure Reddit strings– simply to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it doable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Excellent, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, style, sneak peek– it feels like it was created by somebody who’s really composed an e-newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That means your perfectly crafted message could obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this by hand– after that dropped a rabbit opening of testing devices to enhance HTML size and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email audience
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a manual procedure, however it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding adding better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction considering that changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a quite specific niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been also running paid advertisements.
A lot of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a lot easier.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money since for a lot of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (actually).
But there’s even more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches makers with brands in a manner that doesn’t really feel icky or required. It’s integrated earnings potential, simple and easy Beehiiv Vs Brevo.
And when I prepare to introduce a premium registration? I recognize specifically what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers into advocates without hanging awkward swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to succeed. Not one that just wants an item of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a weird pest or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel too fundamental.
Email size surveillance needs better in-app signals (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly 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 obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re wanting to expand quick without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels constructed by makers, for developers
Will it fix every trouble? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s helped me grow quicker, earn a lot more, and stress less about the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop clearing up and actually range your newsletter with real tools that appreciate your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.