When it came time to pick a new e-mail system, I really did not want “adequate.” I required something much better– something constructed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After virtually a decade aiding others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been seeking simply a tool– I was searching for a proper companion Beehiiv Embed Video.
And that’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack option?” I thought that as well initially. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to claim– both the victories and the odd quirks. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, work out in. You will obtain 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 can in fact aid expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing any longer.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was taking a look at this via the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little deeper, and splits begin revealing. The greatest one? You don’t in fact possess your fans.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re essentially leasing a target market you can never fully reach.
It’s like executing on a stage where the lights only switch on if the location chooses to let the crowd see you. Does not feel great.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly think they were running a bar, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
Initially, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter checklist development devices, and no system fees (other than the common Stripe cut). But promises are easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a new platform typically seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing forms? No disasters. Linking my personalized domain name? A couple of small hiccups, yet nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One point I actually valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their assistance material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like somebody sat down and stated, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our users today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Embed Video
Currently here’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can just be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to individualize welcome series based on exactly how someone subscribed.
I ended up going full investigator mode– dabbling with sectors, making use of different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit threads– simply to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, format, preview– it seems like it was made by a person who’s really created a newsletter or 2.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message could get chopped in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this the hard way– after that dropped a bunny hole of testing devices to optimize HTML size and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hands-on process, but it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv concerning including far better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference since changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a quite specific niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
A lot of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money due to the fact that for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
However there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches creators with brands in a way that doesn’t feel disgusting or required. It’s integrated earnings capacity, ordinary and straightforward Beehiiv Embed Video.
And when I’m ready to introduce a premium subscription? I know exactly what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What truly 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. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your visitors into supporters without hanging awkward boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to prosper. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a weird bug or require deep help.
Some automations still feel as well standard.
Email size monitoring requires much better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical items or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or just tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to grow fast without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels constructed by developers, for makers
Will it address every problem? No. However in 3 months, it’s assisted me expand faster, gain much more, and stress and anxiety much less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and really range your newsletter with actual tools that value your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.