When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I required something much better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience generally. After nearly a decade aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been seeking just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Enterprise Plan.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack alternative?” I thought that as well initially. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a lot to claim– both the success and the odd peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, resolve in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a device that can in fact assist expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its advantages, however I was considering this with the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Excellent Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits begin revealing. The greatest one? You do not actually have your followers.
That “comply with” 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 site. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting a target market you can never ever fully get to.
It resembles performing on a phase where the lights just activate if the venue makes a decision to allow the crowd see you. Does not feel wonderful.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d 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 Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development devices, and absolutely no system charges (in addition to the normal Stripe cut). But guarantees are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit strings didn’t seem like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new platform generally seems like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No crises. Attaching my customized domain? A few minor hiccups, however nothing that required swearing at the display.
Something I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their support material– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Enterprise Plan
Now here’s where points got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to individualize welcome series based upon just how someone registered.
I wound up going complete detective mode– tinkering with sectors, making use of different landing pages, checking out rare Reddit threads– just to construct a couple of customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Great, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was developed by a person who’s really composed an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message could obtain sliced in half if you’re not careful. I learned this the hard way– then went down a bunny opening of screening devices to enhance HTML size and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email visitor
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a manual process, but it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding adding far better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I included over 160 brand-new customers to a quite particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a great deal simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash due to the fact that for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches designers with brands in such a way that doesn’t really feel icky or forced. It’s built-in earnings capacity, simple and simple Beehiiv Enterprise Plan.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs registration? I understand specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your viewers right into advocates without dangling awkward swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to do well. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be sluggish when you struck a strange pest or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel too fundamental.
Email dimension monitoring needs far better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a listing, or just tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your audience
You’re aiming to grow quickly without paying system tax obligation
You want something that feels developed by designers, for makers
Will it solve every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s aided me expand quicker, make extra, and anxiety much less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and really range your newsletter with actual tools that respect your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.