When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I really did not desire “good enough.” I required something much better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After virtually a decade helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been trying to find just a device– I was hunting for a proper partner Beehiiv Vs Klaviyo.
Which’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack choice?” I believed that also at first. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to say– both the victories and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, work out in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a device that can actually aid grow my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, however I was considering this through the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and fractures start showing. The biggest one? You do not actually possess your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re primarily renting out an audience you can never totally get to.
It’s like doing on a stage where the lights only turn on if the place chooses to allow the crowd see you. Does not really feel wonderful.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an e-mail 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?
In the beginning, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing development tools, and absolutely no system costs (apart from the typical Stripe cut). However assurances are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not seem like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a new system normally feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing forms? No crises. Attaching my personalized domain name? A few minor missteps, yet nothing that needed swearing at the display.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Also, their assistance web content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person sat down and claimed, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Vs Klaviyo
Currently right here’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, however don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome series based upon exactly how a person subscribed.
I ended up going full investigator setting– tinkering with sections, making use of separate landing pages, reviewing odd Reddit threads– simply to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, format, sneak peek– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s actually written an e-newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That suggests your wonderfully crafted message might get sliced in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– then went down a rabbit hole of testing devices to optimize HTML size and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hands-on procedure, however it works. I also connected to Beehiiv concerning adding much better size cautions. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That Actually Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new clients to a quite niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money because for most developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (essentially).
But there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network links developers with brands in a way that does not really feel sickening or required. It’s integrated earnings possibility, plain and simple Beehiiv Vs Klaviyo.
And when I prepare to release a premium membership? I understand precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your readers into supporters without hanging unpleasant swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to prosper. Not one that just wants an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be slow when you hit an unusual bug or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel as well standard.
Email dimension monitoring requires far better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re marketing physical products or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a listing, or simply tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to grow fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that feels developed by designers, for designers
Will it solve every problem? No. However in three months, it’s aided me grow much faster, gain more, and tension much less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop clearing up and really scale your newsletter with genuine devices that appreciate your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.