When it came time to pick a brand-new email platform, I really did not desire “adequate.” I required something better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After almost a years aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t searching for just a device– I was searching for a correct companion Beehiiv Website Creator.
Which’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I thought that also at first. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to state– both the wins and the odd quirks. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, settle in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could in fact help expand my listing and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing any longer.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its benefits, yet I was looking at this through the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and cracks start revealing. The biggest one? You do not in fact possess your followers.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting out a target market you can never fully get to.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights only turn on if the place determines to let the group see you. Does not really feel great.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
In the beginning, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist development tools, and no platform fees (besides the typical Stripe cut). Yet promises are very easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system usually seems like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up types? No disasters. Attaching my customized domain? A few minor missteps, but absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the display.
One point I really appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their support content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Website Creator
Now here’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, yet do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome sequences based on exactly how somebody signed up.
I ended up going full investigative mode– dabbling with sectors, using separate landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit threads– just to build a few customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Fantastic, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, preview– it feels like it was created by a person who’s in fact composed an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message may obtain cut in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– after that decreased a rabbit opening of testing devices to maximize HTML size and prevent that feared clipping.
My go-to technique?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email audience
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on procedure, yet it works. I also reached out to Beehiiv regarding including much better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction considering that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply three months, I added over 160 new clients to a quite specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been even running paid ads.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a lot simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash due to the fact that for a lot of designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
However there’s even more: their advertisement network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches developers with brand names in a way that does not really feel icky or forced. It’s integrated income capacity, simple and basic Beehiiv Website Creator.
And when I’m ready to release a costs membership? I recognize exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers right into advocates without dangling unpleasant swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that desires you to be successful. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you hit an odd bug or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel too standard.
Email dimension surveillance needs much better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a list, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your target market
You’re looking to expand quick without paying platform tax obligation
You desire something that feels constructed by creators, for creators
Will it fix every issue? No. However in three months, it’s assisted me grow quicker, earn more, and stress and anxiety much less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop settling and in fact scale your newsletter with actual devices that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.