When it came time to pick a brand-new email platform, I really did not desire “good enough.” I needed something better– something constructed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I wasn’t seeking just a device– I was hunting for a proper partner Is Beehiiv Free.
Which’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack choice?” I believed that as well initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a whole lot to say– both the wins and the odd peculiarities. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the appropriate platform for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that could really aid expand my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its rewards, but I was taking a look at this with the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin showing. The biggest one? You do not in fact possess your followers.
That “follow” 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 straight. Can’t export them. You’re essentially renting out an audience you can never completely reach.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights just turn on if the place decides to let the crowd see you. Does not really feel terrific.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
In the beginning, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and no platform charges (in addition to the common Stripe cut). However pledges are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system typically feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up types? No crises. Linking my custom-made domain? A couple of small hiccups, yet absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the display.
Something I actually valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like a person sat down and stated, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Is Beehiiv Free
Currently right here’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can just be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome sequences based upon how a person joined.
I ended up going complete investigator setting– playing with sectors, using separate landing pages, reading obscure Reddit threads– simply to develop a few tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Definitely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Excellent, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, preview– it feels like it was designed by somebody who’s actually created a newsletter or two.
However 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 big.
That suggests your wonderfully crafted message could get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this the hard way– after that went down a rabbit hole of screening tools to optimize HTML dimension and prevent that feared clipping.
My go-to technique?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email visitor
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a manual procedure, yet it works. I also connected to Beehiiv concerning adding much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction given that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a quite niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
A lot of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal less complicated.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash since for a lot of designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches creators with brands in a manner that does not feel nasty or compelled. It’s built-in income possibility, ordinary and simple Is Beehiiv Free.
And when I prepare to launch a premium registration? I recognize specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers into supporters without dangling unpleasant boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to be successful. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you hit an unusual pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel also basic.
Email size surveillance requires far better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical items or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to expand fast without paying system tax obligation
You want something that feels constructed by creators, for creators
Will it resolve every problem? No. But in three months, it’s helped me grow much faster, gain more, and stress less concerning the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop resolving and actually scale your e-newsletter with actual devices that value your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.