When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I required something better– something built for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a years assisting others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t seeking just a tool– I was searching for an appropriate companion Beehiiv Vs Mailchimp.
Which’s just how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack choice?” I assumed that too in the beginning. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a whole lot to say– both the victories and the weird peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, work out in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email provider (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could really assist grow my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its perks, but I was looking at this with the lens of a person who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired complete control over my target market and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Good Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and cracks begin showing. The biggest one? You don’t actually own your followers.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re generally renting an audience you can never ever totally get to.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights only turn on if the location determines to allow the crowd see you. Doesn’t feel terrific.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list growth tools, and no platform costs (besides the typical Stripe cut). Yet promises are easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not sound like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new platform typically seems like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing kinds? No meltdowns. Attaching my personalized domain name? A couple of minor missteps, however absolutely nothing that required swearing at the display.
One thing I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Also, their support web content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like somebody sat down and stated, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Vs Mailchimp
Now here’s where points got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, however do not expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can just be linked to a single automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome series based upon just how somebody joined.
I wound up going full investigator mode– dabbling with sectors, utilizing different landing pages, reading rare Reddit threads– simply to develop a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Fantastic, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, format, sneak peek– it seems like it was made by a person who’s actually written a newsletter or 2.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your perfectly crafted message may obtain cut in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this the hard way– after that dropped a rabbit hole of testing tools to optimize HTML size and avoid that feared clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s email audience
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a manual process, but it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning adding much better dimension cautions. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new subscribers to a pretty specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s functioning and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money due to the fact that for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network links creators with brand names in a way that doesn’t really feel nasty or forced. It’s integrated revenue potential, plain and simple Beehiiv Vs Mailchimp.
And when I prepare to release a premium registration? I recognize exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers into supporters without hanging uncomfortable boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to be successful. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck a strange pest or need deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel also basic.
Email dimension surveillance requires better in-app informs (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or just tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your target market
You’re wanting to grow quick without paying system tax obligation
You want something that really feels built by developers, for designers
Will it address every issue? No. But in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow quicker, gain extra, and stress and anxiety much less about the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit clearing up and in fact scale your e-newsletter with actual devices that value your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.