When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail system, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience generally. After virtually a decade helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been looking for just a device– I was hunting for a proper partner Notion To Beehiiv.
Which’s just how Beehiiv went into the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack option?” I believed that also in the beginning. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a great deal to say– both the success and the unusual peculiarities. If you’re attempting to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal system for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that might in fact assist expand my list and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I began comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its perks, however I was taking a look at this via the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
Yet dig a little much deeper, and fractures begin showing. The biggest one? You do not actually own your followers.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re essentially renting an audience you can never ever fully reach.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just switch on if the venue decides to let the crowd see you. Does not really feel great.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You would certainly assume they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Too Good to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
Initially, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter checklist development devices, and no system charges (apart from the usual Stripe cut). Yet assurances are simple. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like crawlers or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– migrating to a brand-new system generally feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing forms? No disasters. Linking my personalized domain name? A few minor missteps, however nothing that called for swearing at the display.
One thing I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Also, their assistance content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and said, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our users today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Notion To Beehiiv
Now below’s where things got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, yet don’t expect it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each type can just be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome series based on just how someone subscribed.
I ended up going full investigator setting– tinkering with segments, making use of different landing pages, reviewing rare Reddit threads– simply to build a few customized workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. But if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like going back a bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Wonderful, Yet Not Perfect
I have actually got a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, preview– it seems like it was developed by a person who’s really created an e-newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message might obtain sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this the hard way– after that dropped a bunny hole of screening devices to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My best strategy?
- Downloading examination emails from Gmail and inspecting dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email viewer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Bit of a manual process, but it works. I also reached out to Beehiiv concerning adding far better size cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a substantial distinction since changing to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new clients to a pretty specific niche newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I had not been even running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s built-in tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can really track what’s working and where clients are coming from. Makes tweaking your method a great deal simpler.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak money because for many designers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Just Stripe’s cost. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network links developers with brand names in a manner that does not really feel disgusting or forced. It’s integrated income potential, ordinary and simple Notion To Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to introduce a premium membership? I know exactly what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What really 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 transform your visitors into supporters without hanging uncomfortable swag or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to be successful. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Assistance can be slow-moving when you struck a strange bug or need deep aid.
Some automations still feel also basic.
Email dimension monitoring requires far better in-app informs (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (long face if you like FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re offering physical products or desire deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a list, or simply tired of outdated systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your target market
You’re seeking to expand quickly without paying platform tax
You desire something that feels developed by creators, for designers
Will it resolve every trouble? No. But in three months, it’s helped me expand much faster, make more, and stress and anxiety less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit resolving and in fact scale your newsletter with actual tools that value your work and target market– yeah, I assume it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You simply may fall in love like I did.