When it came time to select a new email platform, I really did not want “good enough.” I needed something better– something developed for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a decade helping others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I had not been looking for simply a device– I was hunting for a proper companion Beehiiv Deck.
Which’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack alternative?” I assumed that also at first. But 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 trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could really assist grow my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I began comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, yet I was looking at this with the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little much deeper, and splits begin revealing. The largest one? You don’t actually have your followers.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re primarily renting out a target market you can never fully get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights only turn on if the place decides to let the group see you. Doesn’t really feel fantastic.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly think they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It As well Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth devices, and zero platform charges (besides the typical Stripe cut). However promises are simple. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like robots or brand name 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 usually feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing types? No crises. Linking my personalized domain? A few small hiccups, but absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the display.
Something I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their assistance content– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like someone took a seat and stated, “Let’s not annoy the heck out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Deck
Currently below’s where things obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome sequences based upon how someone signed up.
I ended up going complete investigator mode– playing with sectors, making use of different landing pages, reading unknown Reddit strings– simply to develop a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. However if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Excellent, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by somebody who’s actually written an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That means your beautifully crafted message might obtain chopped in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– then went down a rabbit opening of testing tools to optimize HTML size and prevent that feared clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email audience
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hand-operated process, yet it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning adding much better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a rather particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (think 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 whole lot less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money since for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links makers with brands in a manner that does not really feel sickening or required. It’s integrated revenue capacity, plain and easy Beehiiv Deck.
And when I’m ready to release a premium registration? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your viewers right into supporters without dangling unpleasant boodle or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to do well. Not one that just wants an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow when you hit an unusual insect or need deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel too standard.
Email size monitoring requires much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a checklist, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete ownership of your target market
You’re aiming to grow quickly without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that really feels developed by designers, for designers
Will it fix every problem? No. But in 3 months, it’s assisted me expand faster, earn much more, and stress much less regarding the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop clearing up and in fact scale your e-newsletter with real devices that respect your work and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.