When it came time to pick a new email system, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I required something much better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After nearly a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t looking for just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Demo.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack alternative?” I thought that too at first. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a lot to state– both the victories and the weird peculiarities. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, clear up in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that can really assist expand my checklist and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was taking a look at this via the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and material.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little much deeper, and splits begin showing. The largest one? You don’t actually possess your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re primarily renting an audience you can never ever completely reach.
It resembles performing on a stage where the lights just turn on if the location decides to let the crowd see you. Does not feel fantastic.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list development devices, and no platform fees (apart from the usual Stripe cut). But pledges are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a brand-new system typically seems like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Attaching my custom-made domain name? A few small missteps, however nothing that needed swearing at the display.
One point I truly valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their support web content– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like someone took a seat and stated, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Demo
Currently here’s where points got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, but do not expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can only be connected to a single automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome sequences based upon just how somebody signed up.
I wound up going full investigator mode– dabbling with segments, making use of separate landing pages, reading rare Reddit strings– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Wonderful, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, preview– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s actually written a newsletter or two.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message could obtain cut in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– after that went down a bunny opening of screening tools to enhance HTML size and prevent that feared clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail audience
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hand-operated process, but it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding including much better dimension cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction because changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just three months, I added over 160 brand-new customers to a pretty specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
A lot of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash because for the majority of creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects creators with brands in a way that does not feel disgusting or forced. It’s integrated earnings capacity, plain and straightforward Beehiiv Demo.
And when I prepare to introduce a premium registration? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to succeed. Not one that simply wants a piece 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 odd pest or require deep aid.
Some automations still really feel also fundamental.
Email size tracking requires much better in-app informs (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a creator who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or simply tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete possession of your target market
You’re looking to grow quick without paying platform tax obligation
You desire something that feels developed by developers, for designers
Will it fix every problem? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me grow faster, make extra, and stress and anxiety much less about the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop clearing up and really scale your newsletter with actual devices that value your job and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.