When it came time to pick a brand-new email system, I really did not desire “good enough.” I required something better– something built for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After almost a decade assisting others with email marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been searching for simply a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Git Cute Beehiiv.
Which’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply an additional Substack alternative?” I thought that also initially. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a great deal to state– both the victories and the strange peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, clear up in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email company (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a tool that might really help grow my listing and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply had not been sufficing any longer.
So I began contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was checking out this with the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and web content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
However dig a little much deeper, and fractures begin revealing. The most significant one? You don’t really own your fans.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re primarily renting out a target market you can never ever completely reach.
It’s like carrying out on a stage where the lights just turn on if the location decides to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a bar, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
At first, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development tools, and absolutely no system fees (in addition to the normal Stripe cut). But pledges are simple. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new platform usually feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No disasters. Connecting my personalized domain? A couple of minor hiccups, but nothing that required swearing at the display.
Something I actually valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their support content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not frustrate the hell out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Git Cute Beehiiv
Now below’s where points got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, but don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each kind can only be connected to a single automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome sequences based upon just how somebody registered.
I ended up going full detective mode– playing with sectors, making use of separate landing pages, reading unknown Reddit strings– simply to build a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Definitely. But if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could seem like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Fantastic, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a little a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, style, preview– it feels like it was developed by somebody who’s really composed an e-newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your beautifully crafted message might obtain sliced in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– then went down a bunny opening of testing devices to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading and install examination e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a manual procedure, yet it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding including much better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That In Fact Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In just 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new clients to a quite specific niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
Most 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 originating from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal easier.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money because for a lot of makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far 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 marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects developers with brands in a way that doesn’t really feel disgusting or required. It’s built-in income potential, plain and straightforward Git Cute Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to release a costs membership? I understand specifically what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Growth Tools
What actually sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your viewers right into advocates without hanging awkward swag or single tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to succeed. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow when you struck an unusual pest or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel too basic.
Email size surveillance needs much better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or desire abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best option.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or just tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your audience
You’re looking to grow fast without paying platform tax obligation
You desire something that feels constructed by developers, for developers
Will it fix every trouble? No. But in 3 months, it’s aided me expand quicker, gain much more, and stress much less regarding the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop settling and in fact range your e-newsletter with real devices that value your job and audience– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Provide it a spin. You simply might fall in love like I did.