When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t want “adequate.” I required something much better– something built for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After nearly a years assisting others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Webflow.
And that’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack option?” I assumed that as well in the beginning. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a whole lot to state– both the victories and the weird quirks. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that might actually assist grow my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t sufficing any longer.
So I started comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its perks, however I was taking a look at this via the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits begin showing. The largest one? You do not really own your followers.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting out an audience you can never totally get to.
It’s like performing on a phase where the lights only switch on if the venue chooses to allow the group see you. Does not feel great.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly think they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Also Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth tools, and zero platform fees (aside from the normal Stripe cut). But promises are simple. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit strings didn’t seem like bots 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 brand-new platform normally feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing types? No crises. Attaching my custom domain? A few small missteps, however nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One thing I truly appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox companies, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their assistance material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like someone sat down and stated, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Webflow
Currently right here’s where points got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, however do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome sequences based upon exactly how somebody subscribed.
I ended up going full detective mode– tinkering with segments, utilizing separate landing pages, checking out obscure Reddit strings– just to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it doable? Absolutely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Great, But Not Perfect
I’ve got a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, sneak peek– it seems like it was developed by somebody who’s really created an e-newsletter or two.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That suggests your magnificently crafted message may obtain chopped in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– then decreased a rabbit opening of screening tools to maximize HTML size and avoid that dreaded clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading and install examination e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a manual procedure, however it works. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning including better size cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That In Fact Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction considering that switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a rather niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot easier.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money due to the fact that for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s even more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network links creators with brands in a manner that doesn’t feel icky or forced. It’s integrated earnings possibility, simple and basic Beehiiv Webflow.
And when I prepare to release a premium subscription? I understand precisely what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your viewers into advocates without dangling uncomfortable swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that desires you to do well. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you hit a strange pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel also basic.
Email dimension monitoring needs far better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a checklist, or just tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to grow quickly without paying system tax
You desire something that feels developed by developers, for creators
Will it solve every issue? No. But in 3 months, it’s assisted me expand quicker, make more, and anxiety less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and in fact range your e-newsletter with genuine devices that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.