When it came time to pick a new email system, I didn’t want “adequate.” I needed something better– something developed for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience overall. After almost a years helping others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been looking for just a device– I was searching for a proper companion Beehiiv Vs Braze.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack alternative?” I thought that as well in the beginning. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to claim– both the success and the strange peculiarities. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the appropriate system for you, clear up in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that could in fact help grow my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing any longer.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its rewards, but I was checking out this through the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and material.
The Substack Problem: Looks Good Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little deeper, and splits begin showing. The biggest one? You don’t actually have your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting a target market you can never ever totally reach.
It’s like doing on a phase where the lights only turn on if the place decides to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t feel excellent.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly think they were running a nightclub, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development tools, and zero platform fees (in addition to the normal Stripe cut). But guarantees are very easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not sound like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new platform usually feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing forms? No disasters. Attaching my custom-made domain? A few minor hiccups, yet absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One point I actually valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Likewise, their support content– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like someone sat down and said, “Let’s not annoy the heck out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Vs Braze
Now here’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, however do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it complicated to individualize welcome series based on exactly how a person registered.
I wound up going complete investigative setting– playing with sections, making use of different landing pages, reviewing rare Reddit strings– just to build a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Excellent, But Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, format, preview– it seems like it was made by someone who’s really composed a newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That means your wonderfully crafted message may get chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a bunny hole of testing devices to enhance HTML dimension and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email audience
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on process, but it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv about including much better size cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That In Fact Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction considering that switching to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply three months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a rather particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been also running paid ads.
A lot of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal simpler.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money due to the fact that for many designers, 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 (actually).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches designers with brands in a manner that does not really feel disgusting or required. It’s integrated income possibility, plain and basic Beehiiv Vs Braze.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs subscription? I know precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your readers into supporters without dangling awkward swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to be successful. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow when you struck a weird pest or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel also standard.
Email size surveillance requires much better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a list, or just tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your target market
You’re looking to grow quick without paying system tax
You want something that feels built by makers, for creators
Will it solve every issue? No. But in three months, it’s assisted me grow faster, make more, and stress and anxiety much less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit resolving and in fact range your newsletter with genuine tools that respect your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.