When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I required something much better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a years helping others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find just a tool– I was hunting for a correct partner Beehiiv Payments.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack choice?” I believed that as well initially. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to say– both the wins and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, work out in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that might in fact assist grow my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its perks, but I was looking at this with the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s preferred.
However dig a little much deeper, and cracks start showing. The most significant one? You do not actually have your fans.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially leasing a target market you can never completely reach.
It’s like executing on a phase where the lights only activate if the location makes a decision to let the crowd see you. Does not feel terrific.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
Initially, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter checklist growth devices, and zero system charges (aside from the typical Stripe cut). But promises are very easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit strings didn’t seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new system normally seems like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No crises. Attaching my custom-made domain name? A few small hiccups, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
Something I actually valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Also, their support web content– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like a person sat down and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our users today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Payments
Currently here’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, but do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it challenging to personalize welcome sequences based on exactly how somebody signed up.
I wound up going complete investigator mode– playing with sections, making use of separate landing pages, reviewing obscure Reddit strings– simply to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, But Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, format, sneak peek– it feels like it was created by somebody who’s actually composed an e-newsletter or two.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That implies your wonderfully crafted message could obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this by hand– then dropped a bunny hole of screening devices to maximize HTML size and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a hand-operated process, however it works. I even connected to Beehiiv about including better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction given that switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In simply three months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a pretty niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been even running paid ads.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s working and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash because for a lot of creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches creators with brands in a way that doesn’t feel sickening or forced. It’s integrated earnings potential, ordinary and simple Beehiiv Payments.
And when I’m ready to release a costs registration? I recognize specifically what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers right into advocates without dangling awkward boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that desires you to be successful. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck an odd bug or need deep help.
Some automations still feel as well standard.
Email dimension monitoring needs better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re offering physical items or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your audience
You’re aiming to grow fast without paying system tax obligation
You want something that feels built by creators, for creators
Will it address every problem? No. But in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow much faster, make much more, 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 scale your e-newsletter with real devices that value your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.