I have used a great deal of various e-mail list systems throughout the years. In the last couple of years, I’ve been a significant proponent of digital sovereignty and possessing your very own platform. Therefore (and the remarkable features), I have actually been utilizing Kevin Chambers Beehiiv.
So, it is without a doubt an odd move for me to decide to make use of BeeHiiv. Besides, it is a hosted application and I am paying regular monthly for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv evaluation, I intend to look at why I made the button to BeeHiiv for my e-newsletters. I intend to resolve the problem of digital sovereignty while using the system and I would certainly also like to attend to why I selected to use it over Substack.
Let’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Built For E-newsletters
In Issue # 435 of my e-newsletter called My Pastime + A Big Change In Method, I talked about how and why I chose to turn my RV blog right into primarily an e-newsletter. I made a decision that was the business design I wanted to pursue keeping that residential property.
However, to deliberately pursue it as a newsletter, I desired a platform that was purpose-built for that. I was utilizing FluentCRM for the e-mail list for Happily motor home, yet FluentCRM is not an e-newsletter platform. It is constructed to be a CRM and marketing automation device and, truthfully, using it for e-newsletters is a bit of a waste. Much more on that particular in a bit.
As I stated because concern of the newsletter …
Basically, BeeHiiv is a platform with tools built right into it particular to my objective. Points such as:
- Capacity to publish (to the blog site) and send out the email simultaneously without having it be two different activities.
- Built in e-newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would have needed a third-party tool like Sparkloop.
- Built-in capability to do cross-promotions with various other e-newsletters on the BeeHiiv system.
- ” Magic Hyperlinks”, which are basically one-click registration links. Great for promo in other newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Hyperlinks, though, so there are ways to do that.
- Capacity to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to promote your newsletter.
- Integrated ad network, if I choose to generate income from with ads in the e-newsletter. And I may.
- Built-in capacity to run a paid e-newsletter upgrade and primarily run a premium newsletter. And BeeHiiv doesn’t take a cut.
Essentially, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for e-newsletter publishers with features targeted at growth. The platform was essentially developed by the individuals who built up the modern technology for Morning Brew. They recognize what they’re doing.
That is the factor below. BeeHiiv is built from the ground up for the purpose of running a newsletter. FluentCRM has a different function.
And I ended off with this:.
I might indeed be moving The Edge over to BeeHiiv too. At the very least, I’m highly considering it.
Well, I really did not consider it for long. Actually, I just went for it. And as a matter of fact, The side was re-branded over to The Early morning WP, set off as it’s own residential property so that I can grow it extra deliberately as well.
The objective is that each newsletter has the capacity to be branded as it’s very own media entity and expanded individually. Happily recreational vehicle was young, so very easy to shift. Yet, The Early morning WP (previously The Side) was buried in a sea of things here at the Blog Marketing Academy. By dividing it off, I can do what I can to grow it on it’s own. It will clearly constantly be carefully linked with the Blog site Marketing Academy, however does not need to be a part of it.
I changed to BeeHiiv due to the fact that it was built for this function. FluentCRM was not.
E-newsletters Versus Just A Typical Email Listing
There’s a distinction between a newsletter system and just an email checklist.
You can organize your e-mail list just about anywhere you desire and there are a number of them out there, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted alternatives like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the distinction?
The main difference is that, with a newsletter system, the act of posting means that it is mosting likely to your internet site and to your e-mail subscribers concurrently.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have an internet site. You are publishing to that site. Yet, you are likewise sending to all customers at the same time. The web site and it’s clients are done in one. This makes management of the platform much easier.
With many email systems, any e-newsletter you established is done as an email campaign. It is built completely independently from your internet site. So, as an example, you could publish a short article to WordPress yet after that you would need to separately build and send out an e-mail to your listing to send it to customers. These are after that two different collections of archives and two different actions since article and your e-mails are not naturally linked.
The closest point that turns WordPress right into a real newsletter platform is E-newsletter Glue.
It is a suitable name because it virtually “adhesives” your newsletter to your WordPress articles and allows them to be the same thing. Absolutely, something like E-newsletter Glue would certainly be a strong alternative if I wished to continue to self-host everything. However, you ‘d shed the development devices that come with a platform like BeeHiiv.
Posting a newsletter inherently comes with a different set of needs than a regular e-mail list.
You do not normally need much marketing automation. You don’t normally need autoresponder series, occasion monitoring, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation platform.
What you DO requirement, however, is one seamless publishing experience and development tools to aid you develop your client base that are specific to newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I introduced to my clients that I was mosting likely to change the e-newsletter over to BeeHiiv, I had lots of people ask me why I was selecting it over Substack.
To be clear, also besides the truth that I picked to go with BeeHiiv, that doesn’t imply I think Substack draws. In fact, because Substack has been about much longer, it is more mature and has more features.
Despite the fact that BeeHiiv is more youthful, there are a couple points that initially obtained my attention:.
- BeeHiiv is specifically customized to newsletter authors. Actually, it is literally constructed by the very same individuals that built the technology behind Morning Mixture. On the other hand, SubStack targets writers. In the real world, does not matter. However, the noticeable positioning of BeeHiiv towards newsletter development called me out over the more generic positioning of being a “creator”. Development is what I’m interested in right here.
- That branding and distinction also suggests that BeeHiiv has some fairly huge brands and big magazines utilizing it. Whereas SubStack is intended more at solo creators. Once more, it simply tells me the customer avatar difference in between the two companies.
Sending our my e-newsletter by means of FluentCRM really did not specifically draw. The only reason I would ponder drinking points up is if I thought I can expand the listing faster. And BeeHiiv talked precisely to that goal.
Due to the targeting, I really do not view BeeHiiv and Substack as direct competitors. I assume BeeHiiv is targeting a different type of consumer. As a matter of fact, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being more direct competitors.
However, allow’s dive deeper than simply the placing here.
Things That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
On the whole, BeeHiiv feels like it was built by people that recognizing e-mail marketing. On the other hand, SubStack appears more geared toward developers.
For instance, BeeHiiv provides customized fields on customers. Now, it isn’t as developed as something like FluentCRM. Yet, it has it. Substack does not.
BeeHiiv uses Automations. In fact, it is a visual automation builder that functions a whole lot like what we have inside of FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation functionality is still early-phase. It is still rather restricted in triggers and the only activity is the ability to send an e-mail. However, enhancements are coming. Soon enough, automations will have brand-new triggers along with brand-new activities, such as changing personalized fields, sending out webhooks, and so on. I have actually currently seen improvements to their automations simply because I started utilizing the system. As an example:
- Capacity to activate automations based on which certain embed kind they came in on.
- Ability to immediately do re-engagement (and take care of people based on opens up and non-opens).
- Ability to do standard conditional reasoning branches.
Substack does not have automations like this. Likely, it never ever will. Substack simply can’t do this because the target audience of Substack simply wouldn’t think to approach this like an email marketer.
When it concerns creating your e-newsletters, the composing interface of BeeHiiv is simply much more tailored towards newsletters. Actually, it in fact has resemblances to the WordPress block builder in exactly how it functions. I locate it to be more user-friendly, directly.
Substack’s creating interface behaves and tidy, but it would be much more comparable to the timeless editor for WordPress. Toolbar at the top.
This distinction is more than just type. For example, with BeeHiiv you can place a “Section” and then placed anything you want in it. After that, you can place Presence options on that particular area to show it just to paid customers, hide it from email, hide from clients, show only to subscribers, and so on. Substack offers nothing like this.
And when/if the time comes that I begin a costs subscription model, BeeHiiv doesn’t take any profits. In fact, you literally attach as much as your own Stripe account and it charges straight to it. With Substack, they will certainly take 10% of your earnings. Depending on the number of customers you get, that 10% can be quite a bit even more cash than the regular monthly expense of BeeHiiv.
Finally, BeeHiiv has an API. This could appear unpopular, but what it means is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can actually make BeeHiiv work with the outside utilizing devices like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack actually has … nothing. No integrations in all.
On the whole, I simply seemed like BeeHiiv was much more constructed toward real e-mail marketing. It was developed by individuals that “get it”. Even the opt-in forms and the landing page creates appear much better built for conversions. Growth is the name of the game with BeeHiiv.
Although there are still features I would love to see BeeHiiv include, I like the instructions it is going greater than Substack.
Points That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have said, Substack settings itself towards “makers” greater than email online marketers and e-newsletter owners. Therefore, you see some points geared a lot more towards people who just believe in regards to material creation.
For example, Substack supports podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Additionally, while BeeHiiv does support multiple publications, they are dealt with rather separately. Whereas Substack does have the capacity to cross-post to multiple magazines at the same time. This isn’t something I need, however … cool for individuals who might require it.
Substack additionally has more social performance built-in. For instance, it has a chat function to host talks with clients. It additionally has a “Notes” feature which functions sort of like a social networks newsfeed where you can share things from other “Stacks” you’re reading. Intriguing. Generally, Substack is set up to be more like a social media which sustains long-form content.
On the whole, Substack is likewise much more … minimal. You either take care of that or do not. Personally, I do not. However, if the goal is simplicity of interface and, honestly, features … Substack works pretty well.
Yet, I’ll be clear here …
When it concerns real marketing, I don’t believe there’s much question that BeeHiiv is better fit. I looked for even more factors that make Substack better than BeeHiiv, yet frankly … I have a difficult time discovering them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are frequently via to be the closest competitors, I actually see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer competitors. Both are pursuing the very same target market and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is also placed at designers (like Substack), however it is far more highly accommodating individuals that do it for company. ConvertKit has nice aesthetic automation building, it’s own business system, and a lot more. ConvertKit is a really wonderful system.
I’m not going to bore you with a full feature-by-feature break down right here. ConvertKit is popular already. But, below’s just how I feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit compare …
Things ConvertKit Is Much Better At …
Already, ConvertKit has a lot more flexibility when it comes to it’s automations. I will additionally state that I discover ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a bit more intuitive than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit sustains tagging. This is simply a standard function of e-mail checklists that enables segmentation in a far more flexible method than BeeHiiv currently does. I expect BeeHiiv to support labeling at some time soon, truthfully. It feels like an oversight that it is missing out on Kevin Chambers Beehiiv.
ConvertKit does currently provide the capacity to sell things via their own system. BeeHiiv does not. If that is essential to you, it may be a big deal for you. For me, nevertheless, I would constantly pick an extra direct alternative anyhow. For me, I prefer to use my very own system powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has been around much longer and because of that has way a lot more integration alternatives. Lots of web-based devices and WordPress plugins incorporate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit even has their very own WordPress plugin that is rather effective. For example, their plugin currently also supports member-gated content in addition to auto-embed of your newsletter archives right into your website. Essentially, this much more closely puts ConvertKit right into direct competition by having you have the ability to release to your website and your e-mail checklist at the same time.
BeeHiiv is seriously doing not have in these kinds of third-party integrations right now. It’ll get there. However, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is also active tackling the growth tools of BeeHiiv. For instance, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Recommendation Engine where you can not only incentivize individuals to share your e-newsletter with perks, however you can additionally pay per lead within the inner ad network of BeeHiiv to grow your listing. These are actually remarkable features of BeeHiiv. However …
Did you know ConvertKit obtained Sparkloop? Sparkloop is just one of one of the most well known viral promo platforms for e-newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the composing on the wall surface of what this means for the system moving forward.
Points BeeHiiv Is Better At … Kevin Chambers Beehiiv
BeeHiiv is a lot earlier in it’s item cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that suggests much less features and much less integrations, which is all-natural for this stage of the cycle. However, it additionally means that they are swiftly developing.
In the short time that I have actually been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have actually observed nearly regular release of new features into the platform. And these aren’t weak little features … yet large features that are fairly crucial. Their rate of growth now has gone over.
I likewise significantly appreciate how responsive they are. In fact, one of their product announcements regarding some style enhancements to the website design features in fact contained a tiny problem with the content width. I merely responded to that email to tell them. I swiftly obtained a reply straight from the CEO:.
That exact same day, the issue was taken care of.
Few days later, I provided an additional recommendation …
Sure enough, in a little bit over a week of that exchange, the ability to activate automations based upon the embed type used was added to the system.
That sort of responsiveness and direct involvement of the team is something I really value.
One more major point of differentiation below is the cost. Both platforms supply complimentary plans, however the BeeHiiv free plan uses more capability and more subscribers (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
Once you most likely to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is also FAR more positive. ConvertKit seems cheaper at first look because their pricing page shows lower numbers, nevertheless the subscriber restrictions are FAR lower and your rate rapidly enhances as your list grows.
With BeeHiiv, your initial level paid plan begins at $42/mo (paid yearly), nevertheless you can have up to 10,000 customers. That same size list is mosting likely to run you $100/month with ConvertKit.
If you update to the “Range” plan with BeeHiiv (their ideal plan and the one I directly utilize), you can expand your checklist up to 100,000. A listing of that size would run you $566/month with ConvertKit. If you desire their referral network, also, that places you at the $733/month plan. That’s if you pay yearly, also. With BeeHiiv, you can get all that for just $84/month if you pay yearly.
BeeHiiv remains in a completely various league when it pertains to pricing (in a great way).
Will BeeHiiv ultimately enhance costs? They may as time takes place. Yet, I’m guessing people like myself who are currently in will certainly be locked-in. We’ll see exactly how points proceed.
Points I Would Certainly Like BeeHiiv To Include
One of things you certainly require to remember is that BeeHiiv is reasonably young. They do seem to advance instead quickly and make brand-new item news rather frequently, but there are some fundamental features I really want they had that I need to simply await.
One is that they require to have a setting on membership kinds where I could choose an automation to run right at the form degree. That would be outstanding for so many factors. Already, subscription forms look OK, yet there’s extremely little settings for them to aid in division.
It would certainly behave to have labeling at the subscriber degree. This would be powerful.
I think webhooks need to become part of automations to make built-in automations simpler and lower reliance on outdoors tools like Zapier.
There are also some minor administrative interface modifications that would certainly be handy. As an example:
- Capacity to mass edit/remove customers.
- Capacity to bulk edit articles (for example, to mark a lot of them at the same time).
- Having a few standard fields as common on clients (like the name).
- Some even more modification options for the internet site (such as more versatile shade choices, headline control, etc).
So, yeah … there are some imperfections. Points I wish they make with it in the near future. BeeHiiv is respectable, however it isn’t best and absolutely not nearly as developed as something like FluentCRM or any other real CRM item.
It most likely never ever will be, either. As I stated, the objective is different so it wouldn’t much a lot of feeling for BeeHiiv to become a complete marketing automation platform. I think you never know, however.
Last Ideas On This BeeHiiv Review
I like BeeHiiv fairly a great deal. Sufficient where I made a decision to switch my very own newsletters over to the system in spite of my individual preference for digital sovereignty and having my own platform.
Basically, for the e-newsletter publishing version especially, I saw sufficient worth in their platform to necessitate the modification.
Remember, I do not use BeeHiiv as my exclusive email list. I make use of BeeHiiv of what it is efficient, however I purposefully have things establish to ensure that I additionally keep my list “in house” within FluentCRM.
If you use BeeHiiv, I suggest you do the same. It is just a great insurance plan, for one. Yet, having a full-featured marketing automation platform for your list will be of high use (FluentCRM is a complete marketing automation system and BeeHiiv is not and likely never ever will be).
So, the concern is … should YOU use BeeHiiv?
In my viewpoint, if you are utilizing Substack now, I ‘d most definitely think about changing to BeeHiiv. It will merely be more business-friendly. It is targeting different capacities and different needs. Plus, BeeHiiv also has import devices for Substack, so the switch must be quite simple.
If you get on ConvertKit now, I ‘d probably stay unless you have a big e-mail listing and are as a result being wooled with their high month-to-month expense. You will certainly not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, however they are repeating promptly. There’s additionally a pretty good possibility you’re not also utilizing a few of those fancier functions of ConvertKit and you do not even require them. Therefore, BeeHiiv can quickly be a better and much more inexpensive fit.
Last but not least, if you plan to be extremely willful regarding growing a newsletter, I think BeeHiiv is THE system to take into consideration and keep and eye on for you.
If you use BeeHiiv with eyes wide open about what it is designed to be, it is among the most effective video games around today. This is the platform to enjoy.
BeeHiiv offers a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It is worth checking out for yourself. And if you end up not sticking to the paid plan, you’ll locate the totally free account to be fairly feature abundant.