When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I required something much better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience on the whole. After nearly a decade assisting others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I had not been trying to find just a device– I was hunting for an appropriate companion Generative AI Beehiiv.
And that’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack alternative?” I believed that too at first. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a whole lot to state– both the victories and the odd quirks. If you’re trying to determine whether Beehiiv is the appropriate platform for you, clear up in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email service providers (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that might actually help grow my listing and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I started comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its perks, however I was considering this through the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s prominent.
But dig a little deeper, and splits begin revealing. The largest one? You do not actually have your fans.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re generally leasing an audience you can never completely reach.
It resembles executing on a stage where the lights only turn on if the venue makes a decision to let the group see you. Does not really feel wonderful.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a club, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter checklist growth tools, and absolutely no platform costs (besides the normal Stripe cut). Yet guarantees are simple. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not 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 tell you– moving to a new platform typically seems like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing forms? No crises. Connecting my customized domain name? A couple of minor hiccups, however absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
One point I truly valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their assistance content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like someone took a seat and stated, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Generative AI Beehiiv
Currently below’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, but don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each form can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome series based upon just how a person registered.
I wound up going complete investigator setting– playing with segments, using different landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– simply to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it doable? Definitely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might seem like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Great, However Not Perfect
I’ve got a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was developed by someone who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your wonderfully crafted message may obtain cut in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this by hand– after that decreased a bunny hole of testing tools to maximize HTML dimension and avoid that feared clipping.
My go-to technique?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a manual process, but it works. I also connected to Beehiiv about adding much better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference given that changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new customers to a quite niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s functioning and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot less complicated.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash since for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
But there’s more: their advertisement network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links creators with brands in a way that doesn’t really feel icky or required. It’s integrated earnings capacity, ordinary and easy Generative AI Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs membership? I recognize exactly what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers into advocates without dangling unpleasant boodle or single tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to be successful. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow when you hit an odd pest or require deep aid.
Some automations still really feel also basic.
Email size monitoring requires far better in-app alerts (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Final Thought
If you’re a designer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a checklist, or simply tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to grow quickly without paying platform tax
You desire something that feels built by developers, for makers
Will it solve every trouble? No. However in 3 months, it’s aided me grow quicker, earn more, and stress and anxiety much less regarding the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit settling and in fact scale your e-newsletter with actual tools that appreciate your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.