When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail platform, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I required something much better– something built for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been seeking simply a device– I was searching for a correct partner Beehiiv For Food Creators.
And that’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I assumed that also initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a whole lot to state– both the wins and the strange peculiarities. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best 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 straightforward– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a device that can actually assist grow my list and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing any longer.
So I started contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its rewards, however I was looking at this through the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s preferred.
Yet dig a little deeper, and cracks start revealing. The most significant one? You do not in fact own your followers.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting a target market you can never fully reach.
It resembles performing on a stage where the lights only turn on if the place decides to allow the crowd see you. Doesn’t feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly think they were running a bar, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Too Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing growth devices, and absolutely no system fees (other than the usual Stripe cut). Yet pledges are easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a brand-new platform normally feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up forms? No meltdowns. Linking my custom domain name? A couple of minor hiccups, yet absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
Something I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their support material– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not annoy the heck out of our users today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv For Food Creators
Currently below’s where points got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, however don’t expect it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to individualize welcome series based upon just how somebody subscribed.
I ended up going complete investigator mode– dabbling with sections, utilizing different landing pages, reading odd Reddit threads– simply to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was designed by somebody who’s in fact composed a newsletter or 2.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That suggests your perfectly crafted message might get chopped in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– then dropped a rabbit opening of testing tools to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on process, however it works. I also reached out to Beehiiv regarding adding much better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference considering that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a quite specific niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money due to the fact that for a lot of 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% much better than Substack (literally).
However there’s even more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects creators with brands in a way that does not really feel nasty or required. It’s built-in earnings possibility, ordinary and simple Beehiiv For Food Creators.
And when I’m ready to launch a costs subscription? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What actually 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. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your viewers into advocates without dangling awkward boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that desires you to do well. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be slow-moving when you hit a weird pest or need deep aid.
Some automations still feel too standard.
Email size surveillance requires much better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re marketing physical products or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a list, or just tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You want full possession of your target market
You’re seeking to grow quick without paying platform tax
You desire something that really feels built by creators, for designers
Will it resolve every trouble? No. Yet in three months, it’s aided me grow faster, gain a lot more, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit working out and actually scale your newsletter with real tools that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.