When it came time to pick a brand-new email system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I needed something much better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After nearly a decade aiding others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I had not been looking for simply a tool– I was searching for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Vs Substack Vs Mailchimp.
Which’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack option?” I assumed that too at first. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to state– both the success and the weird quirks. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email provider (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that can in fact assist expand my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, yet I was checking out this with the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin revealing. The greatest one? You do not in fact have your followers.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially leasing a target market you can never completely get to.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights just activate if the venue decides to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It As well Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
In the beginning, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter checklist growth devices, and no platform costs (other than the typical Stripe cut). Yet assurances are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new platform typically feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing forms? No meltdowns. Linking my custom domain? A few minor hiccups, but nothing that needed swearing at the display.
Something I really appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Also, their support content– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like somebody sat down and stated, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our users today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Vs Substack Vs Mailchimp
Currently below’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome series based on just how a person registered.
I wound up going complete detective mode– dabbling with sectors, utilizing different landing pages, checking out obscure Reddit strings– simply to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by someone who’s actually created a newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your beautifully crafted message may get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this the hard way– after that decreased a rabbit hole of screening tools to optimize HTML size and avoid that dreaded clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hand-operated process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv about including far better size warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Actually Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference considering that switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply three months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a quite particular niche newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a lot simpler.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money due to the fact that for many creators, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects designers with brands in such a way that doesn’t really feel icky or forced. It’s built-in earnings possibility, simple and simple Beehiiv Vs Substack Vs Mailchimp.
And when I prepare to release a premium subscription? I know exactly what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your readers right into advocates without dangling unpleasant boodle or single tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to succeed. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be slow when you hit an unusual insect or need deep aid.
Some automations still feel also standard.
Email dimension surveillance requires much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re offering physical items or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Final Thought
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a listing, or simply tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete possession of your audience
You’re looking to grow fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that really feels developed by developers, for creators
Will it solve every issue? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me expand quicker, make a lot more, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop working out and actually range your newsletter with actual devices that value your work and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.