When it came time to select a new e-mail platform, I really did not desire “good enough.” I required something much better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After nearly a decade assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a tool– I was searching for a proper partner Beehiiv Q4 Beach Club.
Which’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack choice?” I thought that also initially. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a lot to say– both the victories and the unusual traits. If you’re attempting to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, resolve in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a device that might in fact assist grow my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it anymore.
So I began comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was looking at this through the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s brightened. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little deeper, and cracks begin revealing. The greatest one? You do not actually possess your followers.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting out a target market you can never ever fully reach.
It’s like executing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the place makes a decision to let the crowd see you. Does not feel great.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a club, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Also Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and zero platform costs (besides the usual Stripe cut). Yet promises are simple. Execution? That’s where it obtains 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 brand-new platform generally seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing types? No crises. Linking my personalized domain? A couple of small hiccups, however absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
Something I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their assistance content– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like a person sat down and said, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Q4 Beach Club
Now below’s where points got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, yet don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each form can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it difficult to individualize welcome sequences based on how somebody subscribed.
I ended up going complete investigator setting– dabbling with segments, using different landing pages, checking out rare Reddit strings– just to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Excellent, But Not Perfect
I’ve got a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, format, preview– it feels like it was made by someone who’s in fact created an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That means your beautifully crafted message could obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– then decreased a rabbit hole of testing devices to maximize HTML dimension and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a hand-operated process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv about including much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference considering that switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new customers to a rather niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid ads.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal easier.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money due to the fact that for the majority of designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches makers with brands in a manner that does not really feel sickening or forced. It’s integrated revenue potential, ordinary and basic Beehiiv Q4 Beach Club.
And when I prepare to release a costs membership? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your visitors right into supporters without hanging uncomfortable swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to prosper. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Support can be slow when you struck an unusual insect or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel as well fundamental.
Email dimension tracking requires far better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical products or want 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, growing a list, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to grow quickly without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that really feels constructed by makers, for developers
Will it solve every problem? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me expand faster, gain much more, and stress and anxiety less regarding the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and really scale your e-newsletter with real devices that appreciate your job and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.