When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t want “good enough.” I needed something much better– something developed for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I wasn’t seeking simply a device– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Graze Beehiiv.
Which’s just how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack alternative?” I thought that as well in the beginning. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to state– both the success and the odd peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the best platform for you, settle in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be honest– most email company (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a device that can really aid expand my listing and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it any longer.
So I began contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, but I was looking at this through the lens of somebody who takes e-mail seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s brightened. It’s easy. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin revealing. The biggest one? You don’t actually have your fans.
That “adhere to” button 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 straight. Can’t export them. You’re basically renting out a target market you can never completely get to.
It resembles executing on a stage where the lights just activate if the venue determines to let the crowd see you. Does not feel excellent.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly think they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It As well Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter list development tools, and no platform costs (other than the normal Stripe cut). However guarantees are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not sound like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a new system typically seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up types? No meltdowns. Attaching my customized domain name? A couple of small missteps, however nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One point I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Also, their support content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like a person sat down and stated, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Graze Beehiiv
Now below’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, yet don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be connected to a single automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome series based on just how somebody signed up.
I ended up going complete investigative setting– dabbling with sections, using different landing pages, reading unknown Reddit strings– simply to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a little a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was created by someone who’s actually created an e-newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That indicates your beautifully crafted message could get cut in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this the hard way– after that decreased a bunny hole of screening devices to maximize HTML dimension and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a hand-operated procedure, but it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv about including far better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Actually Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction because switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new customers to a quite specific niche newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money because for most makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects creators with brands in a way that does not really feel nasty or required. It’s built-in earnings possibility, plain and straightforward Graze Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to release a costs subscription? I understand exactly what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers right into supporters without hanging unpleasant boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to do well. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck an odd bug or need deep help.
Some automations still feel also basic.
Email size surveillance requires better in-app notifies (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you like FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re selling physical items or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a list, or just tired of obsolete platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete ownership of your target market
You’re looking to grow fast without paying platform tax obligation
You want something that feels developed by makers, for designers
Will it resolve every issue? No. However in three months, it’s aided me grow much faster, earn more, and stress much less concerning the little things.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit working out and actually range your newsletter with genuine tools that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You simply could fall in love like I did.