When it came time to pick a new e-mail platform, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something constructed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After nearly a decade aiding others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t searching for simply a tool– I was hunting for a proper companion Beehiiv Vs Flodesk.
Which’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I believed that as well in the beginning. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to say– both the success and the weird peculiarities. If you’re attempting to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, clear up in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that can actually aid expand my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its perks, however I was considering this with the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and cracks begin showing. The most significant one? You don’t actually have your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re basically renting out an audience you can never fully get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just turn on if the venue chooses to allow the group see you. Doesn’t feel great.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a nightclub, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development tools, and absolutely no platform fees (aside from the normal Stripe cut). But pledges are very easy. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t sound like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a brand-new platform normally seems like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No crises. Linking my customized domain? A couple of minor missteps, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
Something I actually appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their support material– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Vs Flodesk
Currently here’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet do not expect it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it challenging to personalize welcome series based on exactly how somebody registered.
I ended up going complete detective setting– dabbling with segments, using separate landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– just to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Excellent, But Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was created by a person who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or two.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your beautifully crafted message could get sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this the hard way– after that decreased a bunny hole of testing devices to optimize HTML size and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a manual process, but it works. I also connected to Beehiiv concerning adding far better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That In Fact Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction because switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In simply three months, I added over 160 brand-new customers to a pretty niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been also running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s working and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a lot less complicated.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money because for most makers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
However there’s even more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches creators with brands in a way that does not really feel nasty or required. It’s built-in earnings potential, simple and basic Beehiiv Vs Flodesk.
And when I prepare to release a premium subscription? I recognize exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth 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 sources. You can transform your viewers right into supporters without dangling unpleasant boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to be successful. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow when you struck an unusual bug or require deep aid.
Some automations still really feel also standard.
Email dimension monitoring needs much better in-app informs (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical products or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a designer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to grow quickly without paying system tax obligation
You want something that feels constructed by designers, for creators
Will it resolve every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s aided me grow quicker, make a lot more, and anxiety much less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop resolving and really scale your e-newsletter with actual tools that respect your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.