When it came time to select a new email platform, I really did not desire “adequate.” I needed something better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After nearly a decade aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been trying to find just a device– I was hunting for a proper partner Can I Use Beehiiv For Free.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack choice?” I assumed that too initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a whole lot to claim– both the victories and the strange traits. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, settle in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that might in fact aid grow my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I began comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its advantages, but I was looking at this with the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and splits begin revealing. The most significant one? You do not in fact own your fans.
That “follow” 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 not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re primarily renting out an audience you can never completely get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the place determines to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel fantastic.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly think they were running a club, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth tools, and zero platform costs (other than the common Stripe cut). But assurances are very easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not seem like robots 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– migrating to a new system usually seems like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing forms? No crises. Attaching my customized domain name? A few small missteps, however nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
One point I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their assistance content– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like someone sat down and stated, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Can I Use Beehiiv For Free
Currently right here’s where things obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, yet don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each kind can just be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it challenging to personalize welcome series based upon exactly how somebody signed up.
I wound up going full investigator setting– playing with segments, utilizing different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit threads– simply to build a few customized workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Wonderful, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was designed by a person who’s really composed an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That means your beautifully crafted message might obtain sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this by hand– after that decreased a rabbit hole of screening tools to optimize HTML dimension and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email customer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hand-operated process, however it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv concerning including much better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference considering that switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just three months, I included over 160 new clients to a quite specific niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
A lot of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s working and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal simpler.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money because for most developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
However there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches creators with brands in a manner that does not feel nasty or compelled. It’s integrated earnings capacity, ordinary and easy Can I Use Beehiiv For Free.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs subscription? I understand specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your visitors right into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to be successful. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Support can be sluggish when you hit a strange pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still feel too basic.
Email size tracking requires far better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a checklist, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full possession of your target market
You’re looking to expand quickly without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that feels developed by designers, for creators
Will it resolve every trouble? No. But in three months, it’s aided me expand faster, gain more, and tension less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and really scale your e-newsletter with real tools that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.