When it came time to choose a new email platform, I really did not desire “sufficient.” I needed something better– something developed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience overall. After nearly a years assisting others with e-mail marketing (and two years running my own e-newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a tool– I was hunting for a correct partner ThriveLetter Beehiiv.
And that’s just how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re believing: “Isn’t Beehiiv simply another Substack alternative?” I believed that as well in the beginning. However after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a great deal to say– both the victories and the strange quirks. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the ideal 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 constructed like they’re still embeded 2013. I required a tool that could in fact assist grow my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t sufficing any longer.
So I started comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its advantages, yet I was considering this through the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who desired full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Problem: Looks Great Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s prominent.
However dig a little deeper, and fractures begin revealing. The biggest one? You do not in fact own your followers.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack app or on their website. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re generally renting a target market you can never ever totally reach.
It’s like doing on a stage where the lights only turn on if the place chooses to allow the group see you. Doesn’t feel great.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d think they were running a bar, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It As well Excellent to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
At first, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development tools, and no platform charges (aside from the common Stripe cut). However promises are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were encouraging. The Reddit threads didn’t sound like robots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a brand-new system generally seems like drawing teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my list? Smooth. Setting up kinds? No crises. Attaching my custom domain? A few minor missteps, however nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
One point I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain to inbox providers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Likewise, their support content– videos, help docs, and walkthroughs– really felt human. Like somebody sat down and claimed, “Let’s not irritate the hell out of our individuals today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: ThriveLetter Beehiiv
Currently right here’s where things obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, but do not anticipate it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each form can only be attached to a single automation. That makes it tricky to customize welcome series based upon how a person joined.
I ended up going full investigative mode– playing with sections, making use of different landing pages, checking out odd Reddit strings– simply to develop a couple of customized workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. However if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this may feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Fantastic, Yet Not Perfect
I’ve obtained a little a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, style, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by somebody who’s really created an e-newsletter or more.
But default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can obtain large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That suggests your beautifully crafted message may obtain chopped in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this by hand– after that went down a bunny hole of screening tools to optimize HTML size and stay clear of that dreaded clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email visitor
- Verifying with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hands-on procedure, but it functions. I even reached out to Beehiiv concerning including far better dimension warnings. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction because changing to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new clients to a quite particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
A lot of that development came from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (think e-newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where customers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a great deal easier.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk cash due to the fact that for most developers, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid registrations. Simply Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (actually).
But there’s even more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s companion network attaches creators with brands in a manner that doesn’t feel icky or forced. It’s built-in income possibility, ordinary and basic ThriveLetter Beehiiv.
And when I’m ready to release a costs registration? I recognize exactly what cut I’ll get: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What really sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got personalized referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers right into supporters without hanging awkward boodle or single tricks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply desires a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s obtained its traits.
Support can be slow when you hit an unusual pest or require deep aid.
Some automations still feel too basic.
Email size monitoring needs much better in-app signals (please and thanks).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Essentially missing.
So if you’re marketing physical products or want abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv possibly isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a maker who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, growing a list, or just tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re looking to grow quick without paying platform tax obligation
You desire something that really feels constructed by creators, for creators
Will it resolve every trouble? No. But in three months, it’s assisted me grow faster, earn a lot more, and stress and anxiety less about the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and actually range your e-newsletter with genuine devices that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.