When it came time to pick a new email system, I really did not desire “good enough.” I needed something much better– something built for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After almost a decade helping others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find just a device– I was hunting for a proper companion Beehiiv Omid G.
Which’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack alternative?” I assumed that as well initially. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a great deal to say– both the wins and the odd peculiarities. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the appropriate platform for you, work out in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a device that could in fact help grow my list and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t sufficing any longer.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was checking out this via the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little much deeper, and splits begin revealing. The greatest one? You don’t actually own your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re basically renting out an audience you can never fully get to.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights only activate if the place decides to let the group see you. Doesn’t really feel terrific.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list growth tools, and zero platform charges (apart from the common Stripe cut). However pledges are easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not seem like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new platform normally seems like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up forms? No meltdowns. Linking my custom-made domain? A few minor missteps, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One point I truly appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain name to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Omid G
Now below’s where things got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can only be connected to a single automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome sequences based on just how someone signed up.
I wound up going complete investigator setting– tinkering with sectors, utilizing separate landing pages, checking out rare Reddit strings– just to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, However Not Perfect
I’ve got a bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, format, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by a person who’s really written an e-newsletter or two.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That means your beautifully crafted message might obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– then dropped a rabbit opening of testing devices to maximize HTML size and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hand-operated process, but it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv about including better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference because switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 new customers to a pretty particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been also running paid ads.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-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 Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash since for most creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
But there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network links developers with brand names in such a way that doesn’t really feel disgusting or compelled. It’s built-in revenue possibility, ordinary and easy Beehiiv Omid G.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs subscription? I recognize exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers right into supporters without dangling uncomfortable boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to do well. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you hit an unusual bug or need deep aid.
Some automations still feel also basic.
Email dimension tracking needs better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a checklist, or just tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re looking to grow fast without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels built by creators, for developers
Will it resolve every issue? No. But in three months, it’s aided me grow much faster, earn a lot more, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop resolving and in fact range your e-newsletter with real devices that value your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.