When it came time to choose a brand-new email platform, I really did not desire “good enough.” I required something much better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After almost a decade aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t searching for simply a tool– I was hunting for a correct companion Beehiiv or Mailchimp.
Which’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack choice?” I thought that also at first. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to state– both the wins and the odd peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, resolve in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a tool that could actually help grow my list and make some cash while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I started contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, but I was taking a look at this via the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks start revealing. The greatest one? You do not actually own your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re basically renting a target market you can never ever totally get to.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights only switch on if the location makes a decision to allow the group see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d think they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist development tools, and absolutely no platform charges (besides the common Stripe cut). Yet promises are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not sound like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new platform typically seems like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No disasters. Attaching my personalized domain? A couple of small hiccups, however absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One point I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their support material– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like a person sat down and stated, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv or Mailchimp
Currently here’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, however don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can only be attached to a single automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome sequences based upon just how a person registered.
I wound up going full investigative setting– dabbling with sectors, using different landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– just to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. However if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Great, But Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, format, preview– it feels like it was developed by a person who’s in fact written a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message may obtain chopped in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this by hand– after that dropped a rabbit hole of testing devices to maximize HTML size and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail audience
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on process, yet it works. I even connected to Beehiiv about including far better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference since switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a rather specific niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
A lot of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a great deal much easier.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash because for a lot of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s even more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches makers with brands in such a way that does not really feel icky or compelled. It’s integrated revenue possibility, simple and simple Beehiiv or Mailchimp.
And when I’m ready to introduce a premium subscription? I know exactly what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers into supporters without dangling awkward swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to succeed. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow when you struck a weird pest or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel as well fundamental.
Email dimension tracking needs far better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re offering physical items or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Conclusion
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or simply tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to grow quickly without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels built by makers, for developers
Will it resolve every issue? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me expand faster, gain a lot more, and stress and anxiety much less about the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and actually range your e-newsletter with real tools that value your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.