When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years aiding others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t seeking just a tool– I was hunting for a proper partner Beehiiv Email Recommendations.
And that’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I assumed that as well initially. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a whole lot to say– both the success and the strange peculiarities. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email provider (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that can really help grow my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing any longer.
So I began comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, yet I was checking out this with the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s preferred.
However dig a little deeper, and splits start showing. The most significant one? You don’t really possess your followers.
That “follow” switch 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 straight. Can’t export them. You’re primarily renting a target market you can never totally reach.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just switch on if the place makes a decision to allow the group see you. Doesn’t really feel fantastic.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and no system charges (in addition to the usual Stripe cut). But pledges are easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new system usually feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No disasters. Connecting my custom-made domain? A few small missteps, yet nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One thing I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Likewise, their support content– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and said, “Let’s not annoy the heck out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Email Recommendations
Currently below’s where things got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each form can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome series based upon how somebody registered.
I ended up going complete investigator mode– tinkering with segments, making use of different landing pages, checking out unknown Reddit threads– just to build a couple of customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a little a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, style, preview– it seems like it was created by a person who’s actually created a newsletter or 2.
But default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your perfectly crafted message may get chopped in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– then went down a rabbit hole of screening tools to enhance HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading and install examination e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on process, however it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv about including far better dimension cautions. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction since changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a pretty particular niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal much easier.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash since for many designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
But there’s even more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches designers with brand names in a way that doesn’t really feel sickening or compelled. It’s built-in earnings capacity, ordinary and basic Beehiiv Email Recommendations.
And when I prepare to release a costs subscription? I understand exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your visitors into advocates without dangling awkward swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to do well. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Support can be slow when you hit a strange pest or require deep help.
Some automations still feel as well basic.
Email dimension tracking requires far better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical items or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a checklist, or just tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to expand quick without paying system tax
You want something that feels developed by makers, for makers
Will it fix every issue? No. However in three months, it’s assisted me grow much faster, gain a lot more, and stress less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop working out and really scale your newsletter with real tools that respect your work and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.