When it came time to pick a brand-new email platform, I didn’t want “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After almost a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t trying to find just a tool– I was hunting for an appropriate partner Matt Mcgarry GrowLetter.
And that’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack choice?” I believed that also at first. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a lot to claim– both the victories and the odd peculiarities. If you’re trying to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, settle in. You will obtain 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 stuck in 2013. I required a tool that might really help grow my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was taking a look at this via the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my audience and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Excellent Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first stop. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and fractures start showing. The greatest one? You do not in fact have your fans.
That “follow” button you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re primarily renting out a target market you can never ever fully get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just switch on if the place chooses to allow the crowd see you. Does not feel excellent.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a bar, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Also Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv attract attention?
In the beginning, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter checklist growth tools, and absolutely no platform charges (apart from the common Stripe cut). Yet pledges are simple. Execution? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit strings really did not sound like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new platform typically feels like pulling teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up forms? No disasters. Attaching my personalized domain? A few small missteps, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the display.
One point I truly appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain name to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Also, their support material– video clips, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like someone took a seat and stated, “Let’s not discourage the hell out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Matt Mcgarry GrowLetter
Now below’s where points got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is decent, however do not expect it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each kind can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it complicated to individualize welcome series based upon exactly how someone joined.
I ended up going complete investigator setting– tinkering with sections, utilizing different landing pages, reviewing odd Reddit threads– simply to build a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it achievable? Absolutely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, But Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, format, preview– it feels like it was developed by somebody who’s in fact created an e-newsletter or two.
Yet default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That suggests your beautifully crafted message might obtain sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this by hand– after that went down a bunny opening of testing tools to enhance HTML dimension and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a manual procedure, yet it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding adding far better size warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference since changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Development
In simply 3 months, I added over 160 brand-new clients to a rather particular niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I had not been also running paid advertisements.
Most of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a whole lot less complicated.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money since for many designers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (literally).
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 attaches makers with brands in a manner that does not feel sickening or forced. It’s integrated income capacity, ordinary and simple Matt Mcgarry GrowLetter.
And when I’m ready to release a premium subscription? I recognize specifically what reduced I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Devices
What truly establishes 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 readers into supporters without dangling unpleasant boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to succeed. Not one that just desires a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be sluggish when you struck a strange bug or need deep help.
Some automations still feel as well standard.
Email size surveillance requires better in-app notifies (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or want deserted cart flows, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Final Thought
If you’re a designer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a checklist, or simply tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re aiming to expand fast without paying system tax
You want something that feels developed by makers, for makers
Will it address every trouble? No. Yet in three months, it’s aided me grow much faster, make extra, and stress and anxiety less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop clearing up and actually range your newsletter with genuine tools that respect your work and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.