When it came time to choose a new email platform, I didn’t want “adequate.” I needed something better– something built for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a decade aiding others with email marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t looking for just a device– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Beehiiv Vs Marketo.
And that’s 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 at first. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to say– both the success and the odd peculiarities. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, work out in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email provider (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that can in fact assist expand my checklist and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been cutting it any longer.
So I began contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its advantages, however I was looking at this with the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little deeper, and splits start showing. The most significant one? You do not actually possess your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting out a target market you can never completely reach.
It resembles doing on a stage where the lights just turn on if the venue determines to allow the crowd see you. Doesn’t feel excellent.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes another 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 Also Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing growth tools, and zero system costs (aside from the common Stripe cut). However pledges are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t sound 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 tell you– moving to a brand-new system typically seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Linking my custom-made domain name? A few small missteps, yet absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
Something I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Also, their support web content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like somebody sat down and stated, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Beehiiv Vs Marketo
Now below’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, however don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each form can only be attached to a single automation. That makes it challenging to customize welcome sequences based on just how somebody signed up.
I ended up going full detective setting– playing with sections, making use of separate landing pages, reading rare Reddit strings– just to develop a few customized workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, layout, preview– it feels like it was created by someone who’s in fact composed a newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That suggests your wonderfully crafted message could obtain chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a bunny hole of testing devices to maximize HTML dimension and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My best approach?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Bit of a hands-on procedure, yet it works. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning adding far better size warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction because switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a pretty specific niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (assume e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash because for most developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s even more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network links developers with brand names in a way that does not really feel disgusting or required. It’s built-in income capacity, ordinary and straightforward Beehiiv Vs Marketo.
And when I’m ready to launch a costs registration? I understand exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your visitors into supporters without dangling uncomfortable boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a platform that wants you to prosper. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you hit a strange bug or need deep help.
Some automations still really feel as well basic.
Email dimension tracking requires far better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a creator who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a checklist, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your target market
You’re wanting to grow quick without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that really feels built by makers, for creators
Will it fix every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s helped me expand quicker, make much more, and anxiety much less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit settling and actually scale your newsletter with real tools that appreciate your work and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.