When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t want “good enough.” I required something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a years helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t looking for just a device– I was searching for a proper companion Beehiiv Paywall.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack option?” I thought that as well initially. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a whole lot to claim– both the success and the strange peculiarities. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the appropriate system for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that can actually assist expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing anymore.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, however I was considering this via the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little deeper, and cracks start showing. The greatest one? You do not really have your fans.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re primarily renting an audience you can never ever fully get to.
It’s like executing on a stage where the lights only activate if the location decides to allow the group see you. Does not really feel fantastic.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a bar, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth devices, and absolutely no platform fees (besides the typical Stripe cut). Yet pledges are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t sound 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– migrating to a new system generally feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up forms? No meltdowns. Attaching my custom-made domain? A few small hiccups, however nothing that required swearing at the display.
One point I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Likewise, their support web content– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Paywall
Now here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, but do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it challenging to individualize welcome sequences based upon just how somebody joined.
I ended up going full detective setting– playing with sections, making use of different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit strings– simply to develop a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Great, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, style, preview– it feels like it was designed by someone who’s actually written an e-newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That implies your wonderfully crafted message could get cut in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– after that dropped a rabbit opening of screening tools to optimize HTML size and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email visitor
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a manual process, but it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv about including far better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction considering that changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In just three months, I included over 160 new customers to a pretty niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal easier.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash because for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network links developers with brand names in such a way that doesn’t feel sickening or required. It’s integrated earnings capacity, simple and straightforward Beehiiv Paywall.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs subscription? I recognize exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What truly 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. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your viewers right into supporters without dangling uncomfortable boodle or single tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to be successful. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you struck a weird bug or require deep aid.
Some automations still really feel also standard.
Email size monitoring needs far better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a listing, or simply tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want full possession of your target market
You’re seeking to grow quick without paying platform tax
You desire something that really feels developed by designers, for creators
Will it resolve every problem? No. But in three months, it’s assisted me grow faster, make much more, and stress and anxiety less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit clearing up and really scale your e-newsletter with real devices that appreciate your job and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.