When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something developed for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a years aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my very own newsletter), I wasn’t searching for just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Beehiiv Email Capture.
And that’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack choice?” I assumed that too at first. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a whole lot to state– both the victories and the strange traits. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email provider (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could actually help grow my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I began contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its advantages, but I was looking at this through the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits start revealing. The most significant one? You do not actually have your fans.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re generally leasing a target market you can never ever totally reach.
It’s like executing on a stage where the lights just activate if the place makes a decision to allow the crowd see you. Doesn’t feel wonderful.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development devices, and no system costs (apart from the normal Stripe cut). Yet guarantees are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not seem like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new platform normally feels like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing types? No meltdowns. Connecting my custom-made domain? A few minor hiccups, however nothing that required swearing at the display.
One point I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain name to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Also, their assistance material– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like someone took a seat and said, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Email Capture
Now here’s where things obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, yet don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome series based upon just how a person subscribed.
I wound up going full detective setting– tinkering with sections, making use of different landing pages, reviewing odd Reddit strings– simply to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Excellent, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually got a little a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, format, sneak peek– it feels like it was created by a person who’s in fact composed an e-newsletter or more.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That implies your perfectly crafted message could obtain chopped in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– after that decreased a bunny hole of screening devices to maximize HTML size and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hand-operated process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding adding better size cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Actually Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply three months, I added over 160 new clients to a quite particular niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid ads.
Most of that growth 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 customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash because for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches creators with brand names in a way that doesn’t really feel icky or compelled. It’s integrated revenue potential, simple and basic Beehiiv Email Capture.
And when I prepare to launch a costs membership? I understand precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers into advocates without dangling unpleasant swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to do well. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow when you hit a strange pest or need deep help.
Some automations still really feel also standard.
Email size tracking needs much better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Conclusion
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a checklist, or just tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete ownership of your target market
You’re wanting to expand quick without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that really feels constructed by designers, for designers
Will it fix every problem? No. But in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow much faster, gain a lot more, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop resolving and really scale your newsletter with genuine tools that respect your job and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.