When it came time to select a new e-mail platform, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I required something better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After almost a decade helping others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t looking for just a tool– I was hunting for a proper companion Beehiiv Terms of Service.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack alternative?” I thought that as well at first. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a whole lot to state– both the wins and the odd quirks. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, resolve in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that can really aid 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 started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its perks, yet I was considering this via the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits start revealing. The largest one? You don’t really have your fans.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can not export them. You’re basically leasing an audience you can never ever totally reach.
It resembles executing on a stage where the lights just switch on if the location chooses to let the crowd see you. Does not feel wonderful.
And afterwards 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 would certainly believe they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
Initially, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and zero platform costs (other than the common Stripe cut). But guarantees are very easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not sound like bots 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 system generally feels like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing types? No crises. Attaching my custom-made domain name? A couple of minor missteps, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One point I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance material– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like someone sat down and stated, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Terms of Service
Now here’s where things obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, yet do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome sequences based upon how somebody subscribed.
I wound up going full investigative mode– dabbling with sectors, utilizing different landing pages, reviewing rare Reddit threads– just to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Fantastic, However Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, format, preview– it seems like it was designed by a person who’s really composed an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your magnificently crafted message might obtain chopped in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this the hard way– then decreased a bunny opening of testing devices to optimize HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading and install examination e-mails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a manual process, yet it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv about adding much better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction since changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just 3 months, I included over 160 new clients to a pretty particular niche newsletter. That’s about 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 integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money due to the fact that for a lot of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects makers with brand names in a way that does not feel sickening or forced. It’s integrated earnings capacity, plain and easy Beehiiv Terms of Service.
And when I’m ready to launch a premium subscription? I know exactly what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained personalized 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 tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to prosper. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Assistance can be sluggish when you struck a weird insect or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel as well standard.
Email dimension monitoring requires much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical products or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing 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 expand quick without paying platform tax
You want something that really feels built by designers, for makers
Will it solve every issue? No. But in 3 months, it’s aided me expand much faster, make a lot more, and tension less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit clearing up and really scale your newsletter with real devices that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.