When it came time to pick a new e-mail platform, I didn’t desire “adequate.” I required something much better– something built for development, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After nearly a decade aiding others with e-mail marketing (and 2 years running my own newsletter), I had not been looking for just a device– I was hunting for an appropriate companion What Is The Difference Between Beehiiv and Medium.
Which’s how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I know what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack choice?” I assumed that too at first. Yet after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve got a great deal to state– both the wins and the unusual quirks. If you’re trying to decide whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, resolve in. You will obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still embeded 2013. I needed a tool that could actually aid expand my list and make some money while I was at it. My old ESP just had not been sufficing anymore.
So I began comparing choices. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its perks, yet I was taking a look at this with the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who desired complete control over my audience and content.
The Substack Trouble: Looks Excellent Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s popular.
But dig a little much deeper, and cracks begin showing. The most significant one? You don’t actually have your followers.
That “comply with” button you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can not email them straight. Can’t export them. You’re basically renting out an audience you can never ever fully reach.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights just turn on if the venue chooses to allow the crowd see you. Does not feel great.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid registrations. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your earnings– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a nightclub, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Also Good to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stand out?
In the beginning, it was the assurance of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing growth tools, and no system fees (apart from the normal Stripe cut). However guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the reviews were motivating. The Reddit threads really did not seem like crawlers or brand plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the jump.
Getting Set Up on Beehiiv
Let me inform you– moving to a brand-new platform generally feels like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Surprisingly pain-free.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Setting up forms? No meltdowns. Attaching my custom domain? A couple of small missteps, but nothing that called for swearing at the screen.
Something I really appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv gradually presents your domain name to inbox companies, piggybacking off their very own sending out domain name. Translation? Fewer spam folder headaches.
Likewise, their support content– videos, assistance docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like someone sat down and said, “Let’s not irritate the heck out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: What Is The Difference Between Beehiiv and Medium
Currently below’s where points got a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is suitable, however don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can only be attached to a single automation. That makes it complicated to personalize welcome series based on just how somebody subscribed.
I wound up going complete investigative mode– dabbling with segments, utilizing separate landing pages, reading odd Reddit strings– just to construct a couple of tailored workflows.
Is it manageable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re utilized to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might seem like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Great, But Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a bit of a love-hate relationship with Beehiiv’s email builder.
Aesthetically? It’s slick. Drag, drop, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was designed by a person who’s in fact written a newsletter or two.
However default templates took a few tweaks to solve. And below’s a curveball: Beehiiv emails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb large.
That indicates your magnificently crafted message could get chopped in half if you’re not careful. I learned this by hand– after that dropped a rabbit hole of testing devices to enhance HTML size and prevent that feared clipping.
My best method?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and inspecting size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail viewer
- Double-checking with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and structure
Little a hand-operated process, however it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv about including far better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That In Fact Steps the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a concrete difference because switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I added over 160 new subscribers to a rather particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing before– and I wasn’t also running paid ads.
Most of that growth came from Beehiiv’s integrated devices: the referral program, Boosts (think 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 whole lot less complicated.
Money Making That Does Not Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s chat cash since for a lot of creators, it matters.
Beehiiv does not take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Just Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their advertisement network is user-friendly and passive. Within 3 months, I was currently fielding passion from advertisers. Beehiiv’s partner network connects designers with brands in a manner that doesn’t really feel icky or compelled. It’s built-in earnings potential, plain and straightforward What Is The Difference Between Beehiiv and Medium.
And when I’m ready to launch a costs registration? I know specifically what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Integrated Development Devices
What really establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You’ve got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Multiple landing pages for tracking lead resources. You can transform your viewers right into advocates without dangling unpleasant swag or one-time tricks.
I’ll state this: Beehiiv seems like a platform that desires you to be successful. Not one that simply wants a piece of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is best, and Beehiiv’s obtained its quirks.
Support can be slow when you struck an odd pest or require deep assistance.
Some automations still feel also fundamental.
Email size surveillance requires far better in-app signals (please and thanks).
No integrated countdown timers (sad face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Generally missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want deserted cart circulations, Beehiiv most likely isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a developer who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re monetizing, growing a checklist, or just tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid option.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full possession of your target market
You’re aiming to expand fast without paying system tax
You desire something that really feels built by designers, for creators
Will it address every problem? No. But in 3 months, it’s aided me grow quicker, earn more, and anxiety less about the little points.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop settling and really range your newsletter with real devices that value your job and target market– yeah, I think it’s time.
Take place. Offer it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.