When it came time to select a new e-mail platform, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I required something better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After almost a years aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I had not been looking for simply a device– I was hunting for a proper partner Beehiiv Beach Club.
Which’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack choice?” I thought that too in the beginning. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a lot to state– both the wins and the weird peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, resolve in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a tool that could really help expand my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing any longer.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was considering this with the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and cracks start showing. The most significant one? You do not actually possess your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re generally leasing an audience you can never totally get to.
It’s like carrying out on a phase where the lights only activate if the location chooses to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel terrific.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly think they were running a nightclub, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
Initially, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development tools, and no system charges (in addition to the common Stripe cut). Yet guarantees are simple. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not sound like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new platform typically seems like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No disasters. Attaching my personalized domain name? A few small missteps, yet nothing that called for swearing at the display.
Something I truly valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their support web content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not annoy the heck out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Beach Club
Now below’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, however don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome series based on how a person joined.
I wound up going complete investigative setting– tinkering with sectors, utilizing separate landing pages, reading odd Reddit strings– just to develop a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by a person who’s in fact composed an e-newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your perfectly crafted message could get cut in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– after that went down a rabbit opening of screening devices to enhance HTML dimension and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install examination e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a hands-on process, but it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv about including far better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That In Fact Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction because switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply three months, I included over 160 new clients to a quite particular niche newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been also running paid ads.
A lot of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal easier.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash because for many developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links developers with brands in a way that doesn’t really feel nasty or forced. It’s built-in revenue potential, simple and simple Beehiiv Beach Club.
And when I prepare to release a premium subscription? I understand exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your visitors into advocates without hanging uncomfortable boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to be successful. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Assistance can be slow when you struck an unusual pest or need deep help.
Some automations still feel too basic.
Email size monitoring needs much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your target market
You’re looking to expand fast without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels built by developers, for developers
Will it resolve every issue? No. However in 3 months, it’s assisted me expand faster, earn much more, and anxiety less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and actually scale your newsletter with real devices that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.