When it came time to choose a brand-new e-mail platform, I didn’t want “good enough.” I needed something better– something developed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a years helping others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I wasn’t searching for just a tool– I was hunting for a correct companion Newsletter Operator.
Which’s how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack option?” I assumed that as well initially. However after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to claim– both the success and the odd traits. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the best system for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I needed a device that might in fact assist grow my list and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply had not been cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was considering this through the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and web content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my first stop. It’s polished. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little deeper, and fractures start showing. The largest one? You do not really possess your followers.
That “adhere to” button 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’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re essentially renting out a target market you can never totally get to.
It’s like executing on a phase where the lights just activate if the location decides to allow the group see you. Doesn’t feel excellent.
And after that there’s the cash 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 club, not an e-mail platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist growth devices, and no platform charges (aside from the usual Stripe cut). Yet promises are easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were motivating. The Reddit threads didn’t seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system generally feels like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing forms? No crises. Linking my custom domain name? A couple of minor hiccups, yet nothing that needed swearing at the screen.
Something I really appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Also, their assistance web content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like a person took a seat and said, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our customers today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Newsletter Operator
Now right here’s where points obtained 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 type can just be connected to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to individualize welcome sequences based upon exactly how somebody signed up.
I ended up going complete investigative setting– playing with sections, making use of different landing pages, reviewing rare Reddit strings– simply to construct a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Great, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it seems like it was made by a person who’s really created a newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That suggests your perfectly crafted message might get cut in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this the hard way– then dropped a rabbit opening of testing tools to optimize HTML dimension and prevent that dreadful clipping.
My best technique?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Ascertaining with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated process, however it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv regarding including better dimension cautions. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Really Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction because switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new customers to a rather niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% more than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t even running paid ads.
The majority of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can actually track what’s working and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your method a whole lot simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money because for most designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (literally).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects makers with brands in a way that does not feel icky or required. It’s built-in revenue capacity, ordinary and simple Newsletter Operator.
And when I’m ready to launch a costs membership? I recognize precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers right into advocates without hanging unpleasant swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that desires you to do well. Not one that just desires an item of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its peculiarities.
Assistance can be sluggish when you hit a strange insect or need deep aid.
Some automations still really feel as well basic.
Email dimension surveillance needs better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially nonexistent.
So if you’re offering physical items or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Conclusion
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a listing, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire complete possession of your audience
You’re looking to expand quick without paying system tax
You want something that feels developed by makers, for makers
Will it solve every issue? No. However in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow much faster, gain extra, and stress and anxiety much less concerning the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you prepare to stop working out and in fact scale your e-newsletter with genuine devices that respect your work and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.