When it came time to choose a brand-new email system, I didn’t desire “good enough.” I required something better– something constructed for development, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After nearly a years helping others with email marketing (and two years running my very own newsletter), I had not been trying to find simply a tool– I was hunting for a proper companion Substack or Beehiiv.
Which’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I assumed that as well at first. But after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a whole lot to say– both the success and the unusual quirks. If you’re attempting to make a decision whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email service providers (ESPs) are built like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a device that could in fact help expand my checklist and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just wasn’t sufficing anymore.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was looking at this with the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted complete control over my target market and material.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s brightened. It’s simple. And yeah, it’s prominent.
Yet dig a little deeper, and fractures start revealing. The largest one? You don’t actually own your fans.
That “adhere to” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their site. You can not email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re primarily leasing a target market you can never ever completely reach.
It’s like executing on a stage where the lights only turn on if the venue makes a decision to allow the group see you. Does not feel great.
And then there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d believe they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, However Was It As well Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter listing growth tools, and zero platform charges (in addition to the usual Stripe cut). Yet assurances are simple. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit threads really did not seem like robots 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 system generally feels like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my checklist? Smooth. Setting up types? No disasters. Linking my personalized domain? A couple of small missteps, but absolutely nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One point I really appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly presents your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain. Translation? Fewer spam folder nightmares.
Additionally, their assistance web content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– really really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and stated, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our individuals today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Substack or Beehiiv
Now right here’s where things obtained a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, however don’t anticipate it to compete with heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each type can just be attached to a single automation. That makes it difficult to personalize welcome series based on exactly how someone signed up.
I ended up going complete investigative mode– tinkering with sections, utilizing different landing pages, checking out obscure Reddit strings– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this could feel like stepping back a little bit.
Email Builder: Primarily Great, However Not Perfect
I have actually got a bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, style, sneak peek– it seems like it was made by a person who’s really written a newsletter or two.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to solve. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get huge. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That implies your magnificently crafted message might get cut in half if you’re not cautious. I discovered this by hand– after that decreased a rabbit opening of testing tools to maximize HTML dimension and stay clear of that feared clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading and install test emails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail customer
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated procedure, however it works. I even connected to Beehiiv concerning adding better dimension cautions. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a substantial difference given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Development
In just three months, I included over 160 new customers to a pretty particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t also running paid advertisements.
Most of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a great deal simpler.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash because for most developers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid memberships. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (literally).
However there’s more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects designers with brands in a manner that does not really feel disgusting or compelled. It’s integrated revenue capacity, ordinary and basic Substack or Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to launch a costs registration? I understand precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Growth Tools
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your viewers into advocates without hanging uncomfortable swag or single gimmicks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a system that desires you to be successful. Not one that just wants a piece of your pie.
Points I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow-moving when you hit a strange pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still feel also fundamental.
Email size surveillance requires far better in-app informs (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re selling physical products or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a list, or simply tired of outdated platforms– Beehiiv’s a strong option.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete possession of your audience
You’re wanting to expand fast without paying system tax obligation
You desire something that really feels constructed by developers, for makers
Will it fix every trouble? No. But in 3 months, it’s assisted me grow quicker, make much more, and anxiety less about the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and in fact range your newsletter with real tools that value your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Give it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.