When it came time to choose a brand-new email platform, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I required something much better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a decade assisting others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find just a device– I was hunting for a correct companion How Much Can You Make From Beehiiv.
Which’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack alternative?” I believed that too at first. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to say– both the success and the unusual quirks. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, clear up in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that could actually assist expand my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was considering this through the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little deeper, and splits start showing. The largest one? You don’t actually have your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re basically renting out a target market you can never totally get to.
It’s like performing on a phase where the lights only activate if the location decides to allow the crowd see you. Does not feel fantastic.
And then there’s the money 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 platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth devices, and no platform fees (apart from the usual Stripe cut). But guarantees are simple. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not sound like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new platform normally seems like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No disasters. Linking my customized domain? A few minor hiccups, but nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
One thing I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox companies, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their support content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like someone took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our users today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: How Much Can You Make From Beehiiv
Currently here’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each form can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it challenging to customize welcome series based upon exactly how a person joined.
I ended up going complete detective setting– dabbling with segments, utilizing separate landing pages, checking out rare Reddit strings– just to construct a couple of customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Fantastic, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was made by somebody who’s actually written an e-newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That suggests your beautifully crafted message may get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– then went down a rabbit hole of screening tools to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a manual procedure, yet it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv about adding better size warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That Really Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new clients to a pretty specific niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your method a whole lot easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash due to the fact that for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches makers with brand names in a manner that does not feel sickening or required. It’s integrated revenue potential, simple and straightforward How Much Can You Make From Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to launch a costs registration? I understand specifically what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your viewers into advocates without dangling unpleasant swag or single tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that desires you to prosper. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Assistance can be slow when you struck an odd bug or require deep aid.
Some automations still really feel also fundamental.
Email dimension tracking needs much better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re offering physical products or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a developer 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 solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your target market
You’re looking to expand quickly without paying platform tax
You desire something that really feels constructed by makers, for designers
Will it address every issue? No. Yet in three months, it’s assisted me expand much faster, gain a lot more, and stress less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop settling and really scale your e-newsletter with actual devices that respect your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.