When it came time to choose a new e-mail platform, I didn’t want “good enough.” I required something much better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience overall. After nearly a decade aiding others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t searching for simply a device– I was searching for an appropriate partner Does Beehiiv Provide an SSL Certificate.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I believed that too in the beginning. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a great deal to state– both the victories and the unusual traits. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, resolve in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that could really assist expand my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was considering this via the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little much deeper, and fractures begin showing. The largest one? You don’t actually have your followers.
That “comply with” button 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 not export them. You’re primarily leasing a target market you can never fully reach.
It resembles performing on a stage where the lights only switch on if the location makes a decision to allow the group see you. Does not feel wonderful.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly believe they were running a nightclub, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
In the beginning, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter checklist development devices, and no platform fees (besides the typical Stripe cut). But promises are easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t seem like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new system normally seems like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing forms? No disasters. Attaching my custom-made domain name? A couple of small hiccups, however absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
One point I actually appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their support content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like somebody took a seat and said, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Does Beehiiv Provide an SSL Certificate
Currently here’s where points got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, yet don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can just be linked to a single automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome sequences based upon exactly how a person signed up.
I wound up going full investigator mode– tinkering with sections, making use of different landing pages, reviewing rare Reddit strings– simply to build a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. But if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may seem like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Wonderful, But Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, drop, format, preview– it seems like it was created by somebody who’s really created an e-newsletter or more.
Yet default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message could get chopped in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this by hand– after that decreased a rabbit hole of testing tools to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and checking size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated process, yet it functions. I even connected to Beehiiv regarding adding far better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference given that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just three months, I added over 160 new customers to a rather specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (assume newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal simpler.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash since for a lot of developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects creators with brand names in a manner that doesn’t really feel disgusting or forced. It’s built-in income capacity, plain and simple Does Beehiiv Provide an SSL Certificate.
And when I’m ready to release a premium subscription? I understand specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers into advocates without dangling unpleasant swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to do well. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you struck an odd pest or require deep aid.
Some automations still really feel also basic.
Email size monitoring needs far better in-app informs (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or desire deserted cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a designer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a checklist, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your target market
You’re seeking to grow quick without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that feels built by makers, for designers
Will it resolve every problem? No. However in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow much faster, earn extra, and stress and anxiety less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit clearing up and in fact scale your newsletter with genuine devices that value your job and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.