When it came time to choose a new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I needed something much better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After almost a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I had not been looking for simply a device– I was hunting for a proper partner Beehiiv Income.
Which’s just how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack alternative?” I assumed that too in the beginning. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to claim– both the wins and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the appropriate system for you, resolve in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that might in fact aid grow my listing and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing any longer.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, however I was looking at this via the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and cracks begin revealing. The greatest one? You do not actually have your fans.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting out an audience you can never totally reach.
It resembles doing on a stage where the lights just switch on if the place chooses to allow the group see you. Doesn’t really feel fantastic.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly think they were running a nightclub, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Too Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
Initially, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development devices, and zero platform fees (aside from the typical Stripe cut). Yet guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not 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 inform you– moving to a brand-new platform normally seems like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up forms? No crises. Connecting my custom-made domain name? A couple of small hiccups, yet nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
One point I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their assistance material– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and stated, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Income
Now here’s where points got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, however don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome series based upon how somebody joined.
I wound up going full investigator mode– tinkering with sectors, utilizing different landing pages, reading obscure Reddit strings– simply to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it doable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Excellent, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, format, preview– it seems like it was designed by a person who’s actually composed a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That implies your perfectly crafted message could get sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a rabbit hole of testing devices to maximize HTML size and stay clear of 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 email customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hands-on process, yet it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv concerning adding much better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference given that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just three months, I included over 160 brand-new subscribers to a rather niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot less complicated.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash because for the majority of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links designers with brands in a manner that does not really feel nasty or compelled. It’s built-in earnings potential, simple and straightforward Beehiiv Income.
And when I prepare to release a costs membership? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your visitors right into supporters without hanging unpleasant swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to do well. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Assistance can be slow when you struck an unusual bug or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel also fundamental.
Email dimension surveillance needs far better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a checklist, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to grow fast without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that feels developed by designers, for designers
Will it solve every trouble? No. But in 3 months, it’s helped me grow quicker, make much more, and stress much less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and actually range your e-newsletter with real devices that value your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.