When it came time to select a brand-new email platform, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After virtually a decade assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t seeking just a device– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Can I Sell Products on Beehiiv.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack alternative?” I thought that too in the beginning. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a great deal to say– both the victories and the odd traits. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that could really help grow my checklist and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it any longer.
So I began contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its rewards, but I was looking at this with the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and cracks start showing. The biggest one? You don’t in fact possess your fans.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly 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’t export them. You’re primarily leasing a target market you can never ever totally reach.
It’s like performing on a stage where the lights just turn on if the location makes a decision to allow the group see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and zero system costs (aside from the common Stripe cut). Yet promises are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system typically feels like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Linking my customized domain? A few small hiccups, however absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the display.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder nightmares.
Likewise, their assistance content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like someone sat down and stated, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Can I Sell Products on Beehiiv
Currently right here’s where points obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, yet do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be attached to a single automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome series based on how a person signed up.
I ended up going complete investigative mode– tinkering with sectors, making use of separate landing pages, reviewing obscure Reddit threads– simply to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, format, sneak peek– it seems like it was created by a person who’s actually written an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your perfectly crafted message might get sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this the hard way– then went down a rabbit opening of testing tools to optimize HTML dimension and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My go-to method?
- Downloading and install examination emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a hands-on process, however it works. I even connected to Beehiiv about including much better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In just 3 months, I included over 160 new subscribers to a rather particular niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s working and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your technique a whole lot easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash due to the fact that for the majority of designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects makers with brand names in such a way that doesn’t really feel disgusting or required. It’s built-in revenue possibility, simple and simple Can I Sell Products on Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs registration? I recognize specifically what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your visitors right into supporters without hanging awkward boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to do well. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you hit an unusual insect or need deep help.
Some automations still really feel as well standard.
Email dimension tracking requires better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical products or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a listing, or simply tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your audience
You’re wanting to expand fast without paying platform tax
You desire something that feels built by makers, for creators
Will it solve every problem? No. But in three months, it’s aided me expand quicker, gain a lot more, and tension much less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop working out and really scale your newsletter with actual tools that appreciate your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.