When it came time to select a new email platform, I didn’t desire “sufficient.” I required something much better– something built for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience generally. After nearly a years helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a tool– I was hunting for a proper companion Can You Sell Courses on Beehiiv.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack alternative?” I believed that as well at first. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to say– both the victories and the strange peculiarities. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a device that might in fact aid expand my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its benefits, however I was checking out this via the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and material.
The Substack Problem: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and fractures begin showing. The most significant one? You do not really own your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting out an audience you can never ever fully get to.
It resembles executing on a stage where the lights just turn on if the location makes a decision to allow the group see you. Does not feel wonderful.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development tools, and absolutely no system fees (aside from the typical Stripe cut). Yet promises are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new platform normally seems like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Attaching my customized domain name? A couple of small missteps, however absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One point I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Also, their support web content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Can You Sell Courses on Beehiiv
Now below’s where things obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, yet don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can only be linked to a single automation. That makes it complicated to customize welcome sequences based on just how someone signed up.
I wound up going complete investigative setting– dabbling with sections, using separate landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– simply to develop a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Great, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, preview– it feels like it was developed by a person who’s really composed a newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your beautifully crafted message may obtain sliced in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this the hard way– then went down a rabbit hole of testing devices to maximize HTML size and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email visitor
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a manual process, yet it works. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding including much better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference because changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I included over 160 new customers to a pretty specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been even running paid ads.
A lot of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal much easier.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money due to the fact that for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
However there’s more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects creators with brand names in such a way that does not feel sickening or compelled. It’s built-in earnings possibility, ordinary and simple Can You Sell Courses on Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs registration? I recognize exactly what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers into advocates without hanging uncomfortable boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to do well. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is perfect, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck a strange pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still feel as well standard.
Email dimension monitoring needs far better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical items or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a list, or simply tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your target market
You’re seeking to grow fast without paying system tax
You desire something that feels built by developers, for creators
Will it solve every issue? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s aided me expand faster, earn a lot more, and stress and anxiety much less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and really scale your newsletter with real devices that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.