When it came time to pick a new e-mail system, I really did not want “adequate.” I required something better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a decade assisting others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t seeking just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Beehiiv The News.
Which’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack alternative?” I assumed that also at first. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to state– both the success and the weird traits. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, clear up in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that might really assist expand my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing any longer.
So I began comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its rewards, however I was checking out this with the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little deeper, and fractures start revealing. The greatest one? You don’t really have your fans.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re primarily renting an audience you can never totally reach.
It’s like carrying out on a phase where the lights just switch on if the place decides to let the crowd see you. Does not feel terrific.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a nightclub, 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 attract attention?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development devices, and absolutely no platform fees (other than the usual Stripe cut). But guarantees are easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new system generally feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Linking my custom domain name? A couple of minor hiccups, however absolutely nothing that required swearing at the display.
One thing I truly appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their assistance content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv The News
Now right here’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, yet don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be attached to a solitary automation. That makes it challenging to individualize welcome series based upon how a person joined.
I ended up going complete investigator setting– tinkering with sectors, utilizing separate landing pages, reading rare Reddit threads– simply to construct a few customized workflows.
Is it doable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Wonderful, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was developed by somebody who’s actually created a newsletter or more.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That means your perfectly crafted message could get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a bunny opening of testing devices to maximize HTML dimension and avoid that dreaded clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hands-on process, yet it works. I also connected to Beehiiv about including far better size cautions. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new clients to a pretty particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash since for the majority of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s more: their advertisement network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network links makers with brand names in such a way that does not really feel disgusting or compelled. It’s built-in earnings potential, simple and simple Beehiiv The News.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs membership? I know exactly what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What actually 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 turn your visitors right into supporters without hanging awkward swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to be successful. Not one that just wants an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you struck a strange bug or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel as well basic.
Email dimension tracking needs far better in-app signals (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical items or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Final Thought
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a checklist, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to grow quickly without paying system tax
You desire something that feels built by developers, for designers
Will it fix every problem? No. Yet in three months, it’s helped me expand quicker, gain a lot more, and anxiety less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop clearing up and actually range your newsletter with genuine tools that value your job and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.