When it came time to choose a new email system, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a decade aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been seeking simply a device– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Report Spam.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack option?” I thought that too initially. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a lot to say– both the success and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the appropriate platform for you, resolve in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could really help grow my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it any longer.
So I began contrasting options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its benefits, but I was checking out this through the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s preferred.
However dig a little deeper, and cracks start revealing. The greatest one? You do not actually have your fans.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting an audience you can never fully get to.
It resembles executing on a stage where the lights only activate if the place chooses to let the group see you. Does not feel fantastic.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development tools, and zero system costs (other than the common Stripe cut). But promises are very easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system typically feels like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No meltdowns. Attaching my custom-made domain name? A couple of small hiccups, but absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
One thing I actually appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Likewise, their assistance content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Report Spam
Now below’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it challenging to individualize welcome sequences based on how a person joined.
I ended up going full investigator setting– playing with sections, making use of separate landing pages, checking out odd Reddit threads– simply to construct a couple of customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Great, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, style, sneak peek– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s actually composed a newsletter or two.
But default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your perfectly crafted message may get chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– then dropped a rabbit opening of testing tools to maximize HTML size and avoid that feared clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail audience
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hands-on process, yet it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding adding far better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction because switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just three months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a rather niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
A lot of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money since for a lot of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects creators with brands in such a way that does not really feel icky or forced. It’s built-in earnings possibility, simple and simple Beehiiv Report Spam.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs subscription? I know specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers into advocates without hanging unpleasant swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Assistance can be sluggish when you hit an odd pest or require deep help.
Some automations still feel too basic.
Email size tracking needs far better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a checklist, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to expand quick without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels developed by creators, for developers
Will it address every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s aided me grow quicker, gain much more, and tension much less about the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit resolving and actually scale your e-newsletter with genuine devices that respect your work and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.