When it came time to select a brand-new e-mail platform, I really did not desire “good enough.” I needed something much better– something developed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience in general. After virtually a decade helping others with email marketing (and 2 years running my own e-newsletter), I had not been trying to find just a device– I was searching for a correct partner Where Is Beehiiv Located.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Currently, I understand what you’re thinking: “Isn’t Beehiiv just another Substack alternative?” I thought that as well in the beginning. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I have actually obtained a whole lot to state– both the victories and the weird peculiarities. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the right platform for you, settle in. You will get the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Tool Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email service providers (ESPs) are developed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a tool that could in fact help expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
So I started comparing options. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the normal suspects. Each had its perks, but I was looking at this via the lens of somebody who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my audience and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Good Till You Look Closer
Substack was my initial stop. It’s polished. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s preferred.
But dig a little much deeper, and fractures start revealing. The largest one? You do not in fact possess your followers.
That “follow” switch you see on Substack? It’s primarily smoke and mirrors. Those followers live behind a wall surface– inside the Substack application or on their website. You can’t email them directly. Can’t export them. You’re generally leasing a target market you can never ever totally reach.
It’s like executing on a stage where the lights only turn on if the location chooses to let the crowd see you. Doesn’t really feel excellent.
And after that there’s the money side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes an additional 3%. That’s 13% of your revenue– gone. You ‘d think they were running a nightclub, not an email platform.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, Yet Was It Too Great to Be Real?
So what made Beehiiv stand apart?
At first, it was the guarantee of creator-first features– like better money making, smarter list growth devices, and no system charges (besides the common Stripe cut). Yet promises are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it obtains real.
Still, the testimonials were encouraging. The Reddit strings really did not seem like bots or brand name plants. And the onboarding? Surprisingly smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new system usually feels like pulling teeth. But Beehiiv? Surprisingly painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing forms? No disasters. Linking my customized domain name? A couple of minor hiccups, yet nothing that needed swearing at the display.
Something I really valued was the “domain name warming” feature. Beehiiv progressively presents your domain name to inbox carriers, piggybacking off their own sending out domain name. Translation? Less spam folder problems.
Additionally, their assistance content– video clips, aid docs, and walkthroughs– actually really felt human. Like somebody took a seat and claimed, “Let’s not discourage the heck out of our customers today.” Refreshing.
Automation on Beehiiv: Where Is Beehiiv Located
Currently below’s where things got a little … intriguing.
Beehiiv’s automation system is respectable, however don’t anticipate it to take on heavyweight platforms like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. For example, each type can just be attached to a single automation. That makes it tricky to personalize welcome series based upon just how somebody signed up.
I ended up going full investigator setting– tinkering with sectors, using different landing pages, checking out rare Reddit threads– just to develop a few tailored workflows.
Is it workable? Absolutely. Yet if you’re used to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this could feel like going back a little bit.
Email Builder: Mainly Terrific, However Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a bit of a love-hate partnership with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Aesthetically? It’s glossy. Drag, go down, layout, sneak peek– it feels like it was developed by someone who’s actually composed a newsletter or more.
But default templates took a couple of tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That suggests your perfectly crafted message may obtain chopped in half if you’re not careful. I discovered this the hard way– after that went down a rabbit hole of testing tools to optimize HTML size and stay clear of that dreadful clipping.
My go-to strategy?
- Downloading test e-mails from Gmail and checking dimension
- Running the HTML with Parcel.io’s email customer
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little a hands-on process, yet it functions. I also connected to Beehiiv regarding including better dimension warnings. Fingers crossed.
The Stuff That Really Relocations the Needle
Alright, let’s enter into the meat of it– what’s made a tangible difference given that switching over to Beehiiv?
Audience Growth
In simply 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a pretty niche newsletter. That’s about 60% greater than what I was seeing in the past– and I wasn’t even running paid advertisements.
A lot of that development originated from Beehiiv’s integrated tools: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and natural reach. You can actually track what’s working and where subscribers are originating from. Makes tweaking your technique a whole lot easier.
Money Making That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s speak cash because for many makers, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid subscriptions. Simply Stripe’s fee. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% far better than Substack (actually).
However there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was already fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network links creators with brands in a manner that doesn’t feel icky or forced. It’s integrated income possibility, ordinary and basic Where Is Beehiiv Located.
And when I’m ready to release a costs subscription? I know precisely what cut I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What truly sets Beehiiv apart is that growth isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually got adjustable referral programs. Boosts for newsletter cross-promotion. Several landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your readers into advocates without hanging awkward boodle or one-time gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv seems like a system that wants you to prosper. Not one that simply wants an item of your pie.
Things I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No platform is excellent, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow when you struck a strange insect or require deep help.
Some automations still feel too basic.
Email size monitoring needs much better in-app alerts (please and thank you).
No integrated countdown timers (long face if you love FOMO e-mails).
Ecommerce integrations? Basically missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or desire deserted cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best option.
Verdict
If you’re a creator who’s serious about newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a listing, or simply tired of obsolete systems– Beehiiv’s a strong choice.
You’ll like it if:
You want full ownership of your audience
You’re aiming to grow fast without paying system tax
You desire something that really feels constructed by designers, for designers
Will it address every trouble? No. However in 3 months, it’s helped me grow quicker, earn much more, and tension much less about the little points.
So, should you try Beehiiv?
If you’re ready to stop working out and actually scale your newsletter with actual devices that appreciate your work and target market– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Give it a spin. You just might fall in love like I did.