When it came time to select a new email system, I really did not desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After almost a decade assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I had not been seeking simply a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Beehiiv Boosts.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I assumed that also initially. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to say– both the wins and the odd traits. If you’re trying to decide 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 sincere– most email provider (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that can in fact assist grow my list and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was checking out this with the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little deeper, and splits start showing. The greatest one? You don’t in fact own your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re basically renting a target market you can never totally reach.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights just activate if the location determines to allow the crowd see you. Doesn’t 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 income– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a club, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
In the beginning, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist development tools, and no system charges (other than the common Stripe cut). But guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new platform generally feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up forms? No meltdowns. Attaching my customized domain name? A couple of small missteps, yet absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One thing I truly valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Additionally, their support web content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person sat down and said, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Boosts
Currently right here’s where points got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, yet do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome series based on how a person subscribed.
I wound up going full investigator setting– playing with segments, utilizing different landing pages, checking out rare Reddit threads– just to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it doable? Definitely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Great, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s actually composed an e-newsletter or 2.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That suggests your perfectly crafted message might get chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– then dropped a rabbit opening of screening tools to maximize HTML size and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail audience
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a manual procedure, but it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv about including better size warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a quite niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money since for a lot of designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding passion from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches designers with brands in a manner that does not feel nasty or required. It’s integrated earnings capacity, ordinary and basic Beehiiv Boosts.
And when I prepare to launch a premium registration? I understand exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your visitors into supporters without dangling awkward swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Support can be sluggish when you struck an odd bug or need deep help.
Some automations still feel too standard.
Email dimension tracking needs better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a list, or simply tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete possession of your audience
You’re wanting to grow fast without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels built by creators, for makers
Will it address every problem? No. But in 3 months, it’s helped me grow quicker, gain extra, and stress and anxiety less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop settling and actually scale your e-newsletter with actual tools that respect your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.