When it came time to pick a brand-new email system, I didn’t want “adequate.” I required something better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After almost a decade aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t searching for simply a device– I was searching for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Themes.
And that’s just how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack alternative?” I thought that too in the beginning. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a great deal to state– both the success and the odd peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, clear up in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that might really aid expand my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its advantages, however I was taking a look at this through the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s brightened. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little deeper, and splits begin showing. The greatest one? You don’t really have your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can’t email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re basically renting a target market you can never ever completely get to.
It resembles doing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the venue decides to allow the group see you. Does not really feel fantastic.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a bar, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development devices, and absolutely no platform costs (other than the common Stripe cut). But pledges are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system usually seems like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No disasters. Connecting my customized domain name? A couple of minor missteps, but nothing that needed swearing at the display.
One point I actually valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance material– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Themes
Now here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, but don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each form can only be connected to a single automation. That makes it challenging to personalize welcome series based on exactly how somebody signed up.
I ended up going full investigative setting– playing with sectors, utilizing different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit strings– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Terrific, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was made by a person who’s in fact composed an e-newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That means your beautifully crafted message may get sliced in half if you’re not careful. I learned this the hard way– after that decreased a rabbit opening of testing tools to optimize HTML size and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a hand-operated procedure, however it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv about including better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a pretty specific niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I had not been also running paid ads.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot simpler.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money because for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches creators with brand names in such a way that does not really feel sickening or forced. It’s integrated earnings capacity, plain and straightforward Beehiiv Themes.
And when I’m ready to release a premium registration? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your visitors right into advocates without hanging uncomfortable boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to succeed. Not one that simply desires an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow when you struck an unusual bug or need deep aid.
Some automations still really feel too fundamental.
Email size surveillance needs much better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical items or desire deserted 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 list, or just tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to grow fast without paying system tax
You want something that feels developed by developers, for developers
Will it resolve every trouble? No. However in 3 months, it’s assisted me expand quicker, earn much more, and stress much less regarding the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and actually range your e-newsletter with actual devices that respect your job and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.