When it came time to choose a new email system, I didn’t want “adequate.” I required something better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After virtually a years aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t seeking simply a device– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Vs EmailOctopus.
Which’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I assumed that as well in the beginning. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to say– both the success and the strange peculiarities. If you’re attempting to choose whether Beehiiv is the appropriate platform for you, resolve in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that could really assist expand my checklist and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, however I was looking at this through the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little deeper, and fractures start revealing. The greatest one? You do not actually possess your followers.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re primarily leasing a target market you can never completely reach.
It’s like executing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the place makes a decision to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel terrific.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly think they were running a club, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list development tools, and zero system fees (besides the usual Stripe cut). But guarantees are simple. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new system usually feels like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No meltdowns. Attaching my custom-made domain name? A couple of small hiccups, yet nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One thing I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their assistance material– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Vs EmailOctopus
Currently right here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, but don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each kind can just be linked to a single automation. That makes it tricky to individualize welcome series based upon how a person signed up.
I ended up going full investigative setting– dabbling with sectors, making use of different landing pages, reading unknown Reddit strings– simply to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, preview– it seems like it was developed by a person who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or two.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That suggests your magnificently crafted message might get chopped in half if you’re not careful. I learned this the hard way– then decreased a bunny hole of screening tools to maximize HTML dimension and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My go-to method?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email customer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a hand-operated procedure, yet it works. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning including better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That In Fact Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction considering that changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 new clients to a quite particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
A lot of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a lot easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects creators with brands in a way that does not really feel nasty or forced. It’s integrated revenue capacity, simple and easy Beehiiv Vs EmailOctopus.
And when I prepare to release a premium registration? I recognize specifically what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers right into advocates without hanging awkward boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to do well. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Assistance can be slow when you struck a weird bug or need deep help.
Some automations still really feel too basic.
Email size surveillance requires much better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a list, or just tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re seeking to expand quickly without paying system tax
You want something that feels developed by creators, for developers
Will it fix every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s helped me grow faster, earn much more, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and actually scale your e-newsletter with real tools that respect your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.