When it came time to pick a brand-new e-mail system, I really did not want “good enough.” I required something much better– something constructed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After virtually a decade assisting others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I wasn’t seeking simply a tool– I was hunting for a proper companion Powered By Beehiiv.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack choice?” I believed that too initially. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a great deal to state– both the wins and the strange peculiarities. If you’re trying to choose whether Beehiiv is the ideal platform for you, clear up in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be truthful– most email provider (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a device that could really assist grow my checklist and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I began contrasting choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the common suspects. Each had its rewards, however I was taking a look at this with the lens of a person who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and material.
The Substack Issue: Looks Excellent Till You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s polished. It’s basic. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little deeper, and splits start revealing. The largest one? You do not really possess your followers.
That “adhere to” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re primarily leasing an audience you can never ever completely get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just activate if the location makes a decision to allow the crowd see you. Does not really feel excellent.
And afterwards there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes another 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You would certainly think they were running a nightclub, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It Also Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development devices, and zero platform costs (apart from the normal Stripe cut). But assurances are easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a new system usually seems like drawing teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Establishing forms? No disasters. Attaching my customized domain name? A few small missteps, but absolutely nothing that required swearing at the screen.
One thing I actually appreciated was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively introduces your domain name to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their own sending domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance material– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like a person took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not annoy the hell out of our individuals today.” Revitalizing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Powered By Beehiiv
Currently here’s where points obtained a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, yet don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can only be linked to a solitary automation. That makes it tricky to individualize welcome series based on how somebody registered.
I ended up going complete investigative setting– dabbling with sections, utilizing different landing pages, checking out rare Reddit threads– simply to construct a few customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Great, However Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, go down, format, sneak peek– it feels like it was created by a person who’s in fact created a newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That means your magnificently crafted message may get sliced in half if you’re not mindful. I discovered this the hard way– then dropped a bunny hole of screening devices to maximize HTML dimension and prevent that feared clipping.
My go-to method?
- Downloading test emails from Gmail and examining dimension
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail visitor
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hands-on procedure, however it works. I even reached out to Beehiiv about adding better size warnings. Fingers crossed.
Right Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction since changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In simply three months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a pretty specific niche newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I had not been also running paid ads.
Most of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can really track what’s working and where customers are coming from. Makes tweaking your strategy a great deal simpler.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat money because for the majority of 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% better than Substack (literally).
However there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects designers with brand names in a way that does not feel nasty or forced. It’s integrated income potential, ordinary and simple Powered By Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to release a costs subscription? I know specifically what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What actually establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve obtained personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can turn your readers right into supporters without hanging unpleasant boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to be successful. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is perfect, and Beehiiv’s got its peculiarities.
Assistance can be slow when you hit an odd bug or require deep help.
Some automations still really feel as well basic.
Email size tracking needs much better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, expanding a list, or simply tired of out-of-date systems– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re seeking to expand quickly without paying platform tax obligation
You desire something that feels constructed by designers, for creators
Will it resolve every trouble? No. But in 3 months, it’s helped me expand quicker, earn more, and stress much less concerning the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to quit resolving and actually scale your newsletter with actual tools that respect your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.