When it came time to choose a new email system, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I needed something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience generally. After virtually a years aiding others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been looking for simply a tool– I was searching for a proper partner Beehiiv Jobs.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack choice?” I thought that also initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a whole lot to say– both the victories and the weird peculiarities. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the best platform 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 required a device that could actually help expand my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it anymore.
So I began contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, but I was considering this via the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and fractures start revealing. The greatest one? You don’t really have your followers.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially leasing an audience you can never ever completely get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just activate if the location decides to let the group see you. Does not feel excellent.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly think they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth tools, and absolutely no platform fees (besides the typical Stripe cut). However pledges are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not sound like bots 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 platform generally feels like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing types? No meltdowns. Connecting my custom-made domain? A few small missteps, but absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One point I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their assistance material– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and stated, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Jobs
Currently here’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome series based upon exactly how someone joined.
I ended up going full detective mode– playing with sections, utilizing separate landing pages, checking out obscure Reddit strings– just to develop a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Excellent, However Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was created by someone who’s in fact composed an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That implies your magnificently crafted message may obtain chopped in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– then went down a bunny opening of testing devices to enhance HTML size and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email customer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hand-operated process, but it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding including far better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 new customers to a quite specific niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid ads.
A lot of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a whole lot less complicated.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash because for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches developers with brand names in a manner that does not really feel disgusting or compelled. It’s integrated earnings possibility, ordinary and straightforward Beehiiv Jobs.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs subscription? I understand specifically what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your viewers right into supporters without dangling awkward swag or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to succeed. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be sluggish when you hit a strange pest or require deep help.
Some automations still feel also fundamental.
Email dimension tracking requires better in-app signals (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical products or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a checklist, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to grow quick without paying platform tax
You want something that feels developed by makers, for creators
Will it fix every problem? No. But in 3 months, it’s aided me expand faster, make much more, and stress and anxiety less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit working out and actually range your newsletter with actual tools that respect your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.