When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail platform, I didn’t want “adequate.” I required something much better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a decade helping others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been searching for just a tool– I was searching for a correct companion Beehiiv Hiring.
Which’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I thought that too at first. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a lot to claim– both the wins and the weird peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could in fact help expand my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was taking a look at this with the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks start revealing. The greatest one? You do not really have your fans.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re essentially leasing an audience you can never ever fully get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just activate if the venue chooses to allow the crowd see you. Does not feel fantastic.
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 income– 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 Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development tools, and absolutely no system costs (apart from the usual Stripe cut). But guarantees are very easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews 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 jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new system generally feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Attaching my custom domain name? A couple of minor missteps, however nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One thing I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Also, their support web content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person sat down and claimed, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Hiring
Now right here’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each form can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it challenging to individualize welcome sequences based upon how a person subscribed.
I wound up going full investigator setting– dabbling with segments, making use of different landing pages, reading rare Reddit threads– simply to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Excellent, But Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was developed by somebody who’s really composed a newsletter or two.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That implies your magnificently crafted message might obtain chopped in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– after that dropped a bunny opening of testing devices to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that dreaded clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a manual procedure, but it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding adding far better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference because switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just three months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a rather particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your method a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money since for most creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network links makers with brand names in such a way that doesn’t really feel nasty or forced. It’s integrated revenue potential, simple and basic Beehiiv Hiring.
And when I prepare to release a costs membership? I understand precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers right into supporters without hanging awkward swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to succeed. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Assistance can be slow when you hit a strange insect or need deep help.
Some automations still feel also fundamental.
Email size tracking requires much better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re offering physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a list, or just tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re looking to expand quickly without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels constructed by makers, for designers
Will it solve every issue? No. However in 3 months, it’s helped me grow much faster, gain more, and anxiety less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop clearing up and actually range your newsletter with genuine tools that respect your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.