When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t want “good enough.” I required something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After almost a decade helping others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I had not been seeking just a tool– I was searching for a proper companion Beehiiv Investors.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack choice?” I assumed that also in the beginning. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to state– both the wins and the odd peculiarities. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, clear up in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that can actually assist expand my listing and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its advantages, but I was considering this via the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks start revealing. The largest one? You don’t really have your fans.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re essentially renting an audience you can never ever totally reach.
It resembles carrying out on a phase where the lights only activate if the venue makes a decision to allow the crowd see you. Does not feel great.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a nightclub, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth devices, and no system charges (aside from the common Stripe cut). But pledges are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not sound 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 new system typically seems like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing forms? No disasters. Attaching my custom domain? A couple of minor hiccups, however nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One point I truly valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Likewise, their assistance material– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like someone took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Investors
Now here’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, however don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to individualize welcome sequences based on just how a person joined.
I ended up going full investigative mode– tinkering with segments, utilizing separate landing pages, reading unknown Reddit threads– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it doable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Terrific, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was designed by a person who’s in fact created a newsletter or 2.
But default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your magnificently crafted message might get sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a bunny hole of testing devices to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that dreaded clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hands-on process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning including better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction since changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new customers to a rather specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
Most of that development came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash since for many creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects creators with brands in a manner that does not feel icky or forced. It’s integrated revenue possibility, plain and straightforward Beehiiv Investors.
And when I prepare to launch a costs subscription? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that development 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 sources. You can turn your viewers right into supporters without hanging unpleasant swag or single tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to be successful. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you hit an unusual insect or require deep aid.
Some automations still really feel as well basic.
Email dimension tracking requires better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re marketing physical products or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Conclusion
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a list, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your target market
You’re seeking to expand quick without paying system tax obligation
You want something that really feels developed by developers, for makers
Will it solve every problem? No. However in three months, it’s helped me expand quicker, gain a lot more, and anxiety much less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop working out and actually range your newsletter with real tools that value your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.