When it came time to select a brand-new email platform, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I required something better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a years helping 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 Newsletter Ads.
Which’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack alternative?” I assumed that as well initially. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a lot to say– both the wins and the strange quirks. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, clear up in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that can really help expand my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its rewards, but I was checking out this with the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and cracks start revealing. The biggest one? You do not in fact have your fans.
That “comply with” switch 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’t export them. You’re generally renting a target market you can never completely get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just activate if the place decides to let the group see you. Does not really feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development tools, and zero system costs (aside from the usual Stripe cut). Yet pledges are simple. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a brand-new platform typically seems like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No meltdowns. Linking my custom-made domain name? A few minor hiccups, yet nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
Something I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person sat down and stated, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Newsletter Ads
Currently here’s where points got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however do not expect it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each kind can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome sequences based on how somebody joined.
I wound up going full detective mode– dabbling with sections, making use of different landing pages, reviewing rare Reddit strings– simply to develop a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Wonderful, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, style, sneak peek– it feels like it was created by somebody who’s really written an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That implies your beautifully crafted message may get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– then decreased a rabbit hole of screening tools to maximize HTML size and avoid that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading and install examination emails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hands-on process, yet it works. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding adding far better size warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just three months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a quite particular niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid ads.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money since for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t 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 ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects designers with brands in a manner that does not feel sickening or required. It’s integrated income potential, plain and easy Beehiiv Newsletter Ads.
And when I prepare to release a costs subscription? I know specifically what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers into advocates without hanging awkward boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to succeed. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be slow when you hit a weird pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel as well basic.
Email size monitoring needs much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or just tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to grow fast without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that feels built by developers, for developers
Will it fix every problem? No. However in three months, it’s assisted me expand much faster, make extra, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit clearing up and actually range your e-newsletter with genuine devices that appreciate your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.