When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I needed something much better– something built for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a decade assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I had not been searching for simply a tool– I was searching for a correct companion Beehiiv WITB.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack option?” I thought that as well initially. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to claim– both the wins and the strange quirks. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the appropriate 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 straightforward– most email provider (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a device that can in fact aid expand my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, however I was considering this through the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired complete control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little much deeper, and splits begin revealing. The biggest one? You do not in fact have your followers.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re generally leasing a target market you can never completely reach.
It’s like carrying out on a phase where the lights just activate if the location chooses to allow the group see you. Does not feel terrific.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth tools, and no platform costs (aside from the usual Stripe cut). However guarantees are easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit strings didn’t seem like robots or brand 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 new system generally feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing forms? No disasters. Attaching my customized domain name? A couple of minor hiccups, but nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One thing I actually appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and said, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv WITB
Now below’s where things got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, but do not expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can just be linked to a single automation. That makes it difficult to individualize welcome sequences based upon exactly how a person registered.
I ended up going full detective mode– playing with sectors, making use of different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit strings– just to build a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. But if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Terrific, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was designed by a person who’s in fact composed a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your perfectly crafted message could obtain sliced in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this the hard way– then went down a rabbit hole of screening devices to optimize HTML dimension and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My go-to method?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email customer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning including much better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction because changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new clients to a quite specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been also running paid ads.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal simpler.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash since for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects developers with brands in such a way that does not feel sickening or forced. It’s integrated income potential, plain and easy Beehiiv WITB.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs membership? I understand exactly what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your readers into advocates without hanging uncomfortable boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you struck a weird pest or need deep aid.
Some automations still feel as well basic.
Email size tracking requires better in-app informs (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a list, or just tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your target market
You’re seeking to grow fast without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels built by makers, for developers
Will it resolve every trouble? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s helped me expand faster, gain much more, and stress and anxiety less regarding the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop clearing up and in fact range your newsletter with genuine devices that value your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.