When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I really did not want “good enough.” I needed something better– something developed for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience generally. After nearly a decade aiding others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been looking for simply a device– I was searching for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Vs Competitors.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack alternative?” I assumed that as well initially. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to say– both the victories and the odd peculiarities. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, resolve in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be honest– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a device that can in fact help grow my listing and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its advantages, but I was checking out this through the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little deeper, and fractures start showing. The biggest one? You do not really own your fans.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them straight. Can not export them. You’re basically renting an audience you can never totally reach.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights only switch on if the location makes a decision to let the group see you. Doesn’t really feel wonderful.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a club, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development devices, and no system charges (other than the common Stripe cut). But pledges are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new system normally feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No disasters. Connecting my customized domain name? A few small missteps, yet nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One point I truly valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their support material– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact 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 Vs Competitors
Currently here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, but don’t expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be linked to a single automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome series based upon how a person joined.
I ended up going full investigator setting– playing with sections, using separate landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit threads– just to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it doable? Absolutely. However if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, But Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by somebody who’s really created a newsletter or 2.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That implies your wonderfully crafted message might obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– then went down a bunny hole of screening devices to optimize HTML dimension and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated process, however it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding adding much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction because switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply three months, I included over 160 brand-new subscribers to a pretty niche newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a whole lot easier.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money because for the majority of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches designers with brands in a manner that doesn’t feel disgusting or required. It’s integrated income capacity, ordinary and straightforward Beehiiv Vs Competitors.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs registration? I know specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers into supporters without dangling awkward swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to prosper. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be sluggish when you hit a weird insect or need deep aid.
Some automations still really feel too fundamental.
Email dimension surveillance requires better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your target market
You’re aiming to grow fast without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that feels developed by makers, for developers
Will it address every issue? No. However in three months, it’s aided me expand much faster, gain more, and anxiety much less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop settling and in fact scale your e-newsletter with real devices that respect your work and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.