When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail system, I really did not desire “good enough.” I needed something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After almost a decade aiding others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t searching for simply a device– I was hunting for a proper companion Beehiiv Lifetime Subscriptions.
And that’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack alternative?” I thought that too initially. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a lot to say– both the wins and the weird quirks. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, work out in. You will obtain 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 tool that might in fact assist expand my listing and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its benefits, but I was checking out this through the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little deeper, and fractures start showing. The largest one? You do not in fact own your fans.
That “comply with” 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 site. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re basically renting out a target market you can never ever totally reach.
It’s like executing on a phase where the lights just activate if the venue decides to let the crowd see you. Does not feel great.
And after that 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 nightclub, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth devices, and zero system charges (besides the common Stripe cut). But pledges are easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system typically seems like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No crises. Attaching my custom domain name? A few minor hiccups, however absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One thing I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their support web content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Lifetime Subscriptions
Currently below’s where things obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each form can just be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome series based on exactly how somebody registered.
I ended up going complete detective setting– tinkering with sections, using separate landing pages, reviewing obscure Reddit threads– simply to construct a couple of 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 stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Great, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, format, sneak peek– it feels like it was made by a person who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or two.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That implies your beautifully crafted message could obtain sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– then dropped a rabbit opening of testing tools to maximize HTML size and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best approach?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a manual process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning adding better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference considering that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In simply three months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a quite niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s working and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal simpler.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for a lot of creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links creators with brand names in a manner that doesn’t really feel nasty or required. It’s built-in income possibility, simple and easy Beehiiv Lifetime Subscriptions.
And when I prepare to launch a premium membership? I understand exactly what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What really 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. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers right into supporters without hanging awkward boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to prosper. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Support can be sluggish when you struck a weird pest or require deep aid.
Some automations still really feel too basic.
Email dimension surveillance requires far better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical items or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or just tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to grow quick without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that really feels constructed by designers, for creators
Will it fix every trouble? No. However in three months, it’s aided me grow quicker, make extra, and stress less regarding the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop working out and really scale your newsletter with genuine tools that respect your job and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.