When it came time to select a new e-mail system, I really did not want “sufficient.” I needed something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter money making, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a decade assisting others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my very own e-newsletter), I had not been trying to find just a tool– I was hunting for a proper partner What Companies Use Beehiiv.
And that’s just how Beehiiv got in the picture.
Currently, I recognize what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just an additional Substack alternative?” I believed that as well at first. Yet after three months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually got a lot to state– both the success and the unusual traits. If you’re attempting to determine whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, clear up in. You’re about to get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be sincere– most email company (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a tool that might in fact help grow my list and make some cash while I was at it. My old ESP simply wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started comparing alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the usual suspects. Each had its rewards, however I was taking a look at this through the lens of someone who takes e-mail seriously– and who desired full control over my target market and material.
The Substack Problem: Looks Good Until You Look Closer
Substack was my very first quit. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and fractures begin revealing. The biggest one? You do not in fact own your fans.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers 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 essentially leasing a target market you can never ever completely get to.
It resembles executing on a phase where the lights just switch on if the place determines to allow the crowd see you. Does not really feel great.
And after that there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid memberships. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You would certainly think they were running a club, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Excellent to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
Initially, it was the promise of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development tools, and absolutely no platform costs (aside from the common Stripe cut). Yet promises are easy. Execution? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like robots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– moving to a brand-new system typically feels like pulling teeth. However Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up types? No disasters. Attaching my personalized domain? A few small hiccups, however absolutely nothing that needed swearing at the display.
One thing I really valued was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually introduces your domain to inbox suppliers, piggybacking off their own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their assistance content– video clips, help docs, and walkthroughs– actually felt human. Like someone sat down and said, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our users today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: What Companies Use Beehiiv
Now right here’s where points got a little … interesting.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, however do not anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For instance, each kind can only be attached to a single automation. That makes it challenging to customize welcome sequences based upon just how someone joined.
I wound up going complete detective setting– tinkering with segments, utilizing different landing pages, reviewing unknown Reddit strings– just to build a few customized workflows.
Is it manageable? Definitely. However if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional reasoning, this might feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Excellent, However Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s slick. Drag, go down, format, sneak peek– it seems like it was made by a person who’s actually composed a newsletter or more.
However default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And right here’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get large. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb huge.
That means your beautifully crafted message may get cut in half if you’re not mindful. I learned this the hard way– after that dropped a rabbit hole of testing devices to optimize HTML dimension and avoid that dreadful clipping.
My go-to method?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML through Parcel.io’s email audience
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little bit of a hand-operated process, yet it works. I also connected to Beehiiv about adding far better dimension cautions. Fingers went across.
The Stuff That Actually Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter the meat of it– what’s made a concrete distinction given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 new clients to a pretty particular niche e-newsletter. That’s about 60% more than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been also running paid ads.
The majority of that development originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe e-newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can in fact track what’s functioning and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a lot less complicated.
Monetization That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash since for most makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% much better than Substack (actually).
However there’s more: their ad network is intuitive and passive. Within 3 months, I was already fielding interest from advertisers. Beehiiv’s companion network connects creators with brands in such a way that doesn’t really feel sickening or compelled. It’s integrated revenue possibility, ordinary and basic What Companies Use Beehiiv.
And when I prepare to introduce a costs membership? I recognize precisely what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Tools
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained customizable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can turn your readers right into advocates without dangling uncomfortable boodle or one-time tricks.
I’ll say this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that wants you to be successful. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Things I would certainly Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s got its traits.
Support can be slow when you struck a strange bug or require deep assistance.
Some automations still really feel too basic.
Email size surveillance requires much better in-app signals (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re selling physical items or desire abandoned cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best bet.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a listing, or just tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a solid choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want complete ownership of your target market
You’re aiming to grow fast without paying platform tax obligation
You desire something that feels built by makers, for designers
Will it solve every issue? No. But in three months, it’s assisted me expand quicker, make extra, and stress much less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit resolving and actually range your newsletter with genuine devices that appreciate your work and audience– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Provide it a spin. You just could fall in love like I did.