When it came time to choose a brand-new email platform, I really did not want “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After nearly a years aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I had not been searching for simply a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate companion How To Get Paid on Beehiiv.
And that’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I thought that as well at first. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to say– both the wins and the weird quirks. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, clear up in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that could actually aid expand my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was checking out this with the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and cracks start showing. The biggest one? You do not really possess your followers.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting out a target market you can never ever fully get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights only activate if the location determines to let the group see you. Does not really feel terrific.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
Initially, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development tools, and no platform fees (aside from the usual Stripe cut). But promises are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new system typically seems like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No crises. Linking my personalized domain? A few small missteps, however absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the display.
Something I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their support content– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and said, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: How To Get Paid on Beehiiv
Currently below’s where points got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome series based on how someone subscribed.
I ended up going complete detective mode– dabbling with sections, making use of separate landing pages, reading unknown Reddit strings– simply to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could feel like stepping back a little 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 slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was designed by someone who’s in fact composed a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your perfectly crafted message might obtain chopped in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a bunny opening of screening tools to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that feared clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated procedure, however it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding including far better dimension cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference because switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a quite specific niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
A lot of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money since for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches makers with brands in such a way that does not really feel icky or required. It’s integrated earnings capacity, simple and easy How To Get Paid on Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to launch a costs subscription? I understand precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your readers into supporters without dangling unpleasant boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to succeed. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a weird insect or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel too standard.
Email size monitoring requires better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical items or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a checklist, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to expand quickly without paying platform tax
You want something that feels built by developers, for designers
Will it resolve every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s helped me expand much faster, earn a lot more, and stress less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit resolving and actually scale your newsletter with real devices that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.