When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail system, I really did not want “adequate.” I needed something better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After nearly a years helping others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been seeking just a tool– I was searching for a proper partner Beehiiv Talent.
And that’s how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack alternative?” I assumed that also at first. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a whole lot to say– both the wins and the weird peculiarities. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, clear up in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email provider (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that could actually assist grow my checklist and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was checking out this via the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little much deeper, and cracks start revealing. The greatest one? You do not really own your followers.
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 site. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re essentially renting a target market you can never totally get to.
It’s like executing on a stage where the lights just switch on if the location makes a decision to let the group see you. Doesn’t feel terrific.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d think they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
Initially, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and zero system charges (other than the common Stripe cut). However assurances are simple. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system generally feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up types? No meltdowns. Connecting my custom-made domain? A few small missteps, yet absolutely nothing that required swearing at the display.
One thing I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their support content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like someone took a seat and said, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Talent
Now below’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can only be connected to a single automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome sequences based on just how someone registered.
I ended up going complete detective setting– playing with sections, making use of separate landing pages, reading unknown Reddit threads– just to build a few customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Fantastic, But Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was designed by a person who’s actually composed a newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message could obtain chopped in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this by hand– after that dropped a rabbit hole of testing tools to optimize HTML size and prevent that feared clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hands-on process, however it works. I also reached out to Beehiiv about including better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference considering that switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a rather specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
The majority of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s working and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal much easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money since for many developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
However there’s even more: their advertisement network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects designers with brands in a way that doesn’t feel sickening or forced. It’s integrated income capacity, ordinary and basic Beehiiv Talent.
And when I prepare to launch a premium membership? I know exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your viewers right into advocates without dangling unpleasant swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to prosper. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Assistance can be sluggish when you hit a strange bug or require deep help.
Some automations still feel as well fundamental.
Email size monitoring needs better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical products or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a checklist, or simply tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your target market
You’re aiming to grow fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that really feels developed by creators, for creators
Will it fix every issue? No. However in three months, it’s helped me grow quicker, gain extra, and tension less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop working out and actually range your e-newsletter with genuine devices that value your work and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.