When it came time to choose a new e-mail platform, I really did not desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a tool– I was searching for a correct companion Footnotes in Beehiiv.
And that’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply one more Substack choice?” I assumed that also at first. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a whole lot to state– both the victories and the weird peculiarities. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, resolve in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are built like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that might really aid expand my checklist and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its rewards, however I was looking at this through the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks start showing. The most significant one? You do not really possess your fans.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mainly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re primarily renting out an audience you can never ever fully reach.
It’s like carrying out on a stage where the lights only turn on if the location chooses to let the group see you. Does not feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a club, not an e-mail system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth devices, and zero system costs (in addition to the normal Stripe cut). However guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system generally seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up types? No crises. Attaching my custom domain? A couple of small hiccups, however nothing that required swearing at the display.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Likewise, their assistance web content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like someone took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Footnotes in Beehiiv
Currently below’s where things got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, yet do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each kind can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it challenging to personalize welcome sequences based upon just how somebody joined.
I wound up going full investigative mode– playing with sectors, using different landing pages, reading unknown Reddit threads– simply to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it achievable? Definitely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this may feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Great, However Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, layout, preview– it feels like it was developed by someone who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or more.
But default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message could get cut in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this by hand– then dropped a bunny hole of testing tools to optimize HTML dimension and prevent that feared clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading and install test e-mails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated process, but it functions. I also reached out to Beehiiv about adding far better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction because switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just three months, I included over 160 brand-new subscribers to a rather specific niche newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that development came from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal much easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for most creators, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (essentially).
Yet there’s more: their ad network is instinctive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects designers with brand names in a manner that doesn’t really feel sickening or forced. It’s built-in earnings possibility, ordinary and simple Footnotes in Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to introduce a premium subscription? I understand precisely what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Tools
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 e-newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers into advocates without hanging unpleasant swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to prosper. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you hit an odd pest or require deep aid.
Some automations still feel as well basic.
Email dimension monitoring needs better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re offering physical items or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best bet.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or just tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full possession of your audience
You’re looking to grow quickly without paying system tax
You desire something that really feels constructed by makers, for developers
Will it address every problem? No. Yet in 3 months, it’s aided me grow faster, earn much more, and stress and anxiety much less concerning the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit working out and actually scale your newsletter with actual devices that respect your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.