I have used a lot of different e-mail list systems throughout the years. In the last couple of years, I’ve been a huge supporter of digital sovereignty and having your own system. Therefore (and the incredible features), I have actually been utilizing Beehiiv Build A Media Brand.
So, it is certainly a weird move for me to determine to make use of BeeHiiv. Besides, it is a hosted application and I am paying month-to-month for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv testimonial, I want to discuss why I made the button to BeeHiiv for my newsletters. I wish to address the problem of digital sovereignty while using the system and I ‘d additionally like to attend to why I selected to utilize it over Substack.
Let’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Developed For Newsletters
In Issue # 435 of my e-newsletter called My Hobby + A Huge Change In Method, I discussed exactly how and why I made a decision to turn my recreational vehicle blog site into largely an e-newsletter. I determined that was the business design I wanted to go after with that building.
Yet, to intentionally pursue it as an e-newsletter, I wanted a system that was purpose-built for that. I was using FluentCRM for the e-mail checklist for Gladly RV, however FluentCRM is not a newsletter system. It is developed to be a CRM and marketing automation tool and, frankly, using it for newsletters is a bit of a waste. More on that in a bit.
As I claimed because problem of the newsletter …
Put simply, BeeHiiv is a system with devices constructed right into it certain to my function. Points such as:
- Capability to release (to the blog site) and send the email all at once without having it be 2 different actions.
- Integrated in newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would certainly have needed a third-party device like Sparkloop.
- Integrated capacity to do cross-promotions with various other newsletters on the BeeHiiv platform.
- ” Magic Hyperlinks”, which are basically one-click registration web links. Great for promotion in various other e-newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Links, however, so there are ways to do that.
- Ability to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to advertise your newsletter.
- Integrated advertisement network, if I pick to generate income from with advertisements in the e-newsletter. And I may.
- Integrated capability to run a paid newsletter upgrade and basically run a costs newsletter. And BeeHiiv does not take a cut.
Generally, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for newsletter authors with features aimed at growth. The system was essentially built by the people who built up the innovation for Early morning Brew. They know what they’re doing.
That is the point right here. BeeHiiv is built from scratch for the objective of running an e-newsletter. FluentCRM has a different objective.
And I ended off with this:.
I might certainly be relocating The Edge over to BeeHiiv as well. A minimum of, I’m highly considering it.
Well, I didn’t consider it for long. As a matter of fact, I simply went all out. And actually, The side was re-branded over to The Morning WP, triggered as it’s own property to make sure that I can grow it extra deliberately as well.
The goal is that each newsletter has the capability to be branded as it’s very own media entity and grown independently. Gladly RV was young, so very easy to transition. Yet, The Morning WP (previously The Side) was buried in a sea of things right here at the Blog Site Marketing Academy. By separating it off, I can do what I can to expand it on it’s very own. It will obviously always be very closely linked with the Blog Marketing Academy, however doesn’t have to be a part of it.
I switched over to BeeHiiv due to the fact that it was constructed for this function. FluentCRM was not.
Newsletters Versus Just A Normal Email List
There’s a distinction between a newsletter platform and simply an e-mail checklist.
You can organize your e-mail list just about anywhere you desire and there are a variety of them available, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted alternatives like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the difference?
The key difference is that, with a newsletter system, the act of publishing indicates that it is going to your site and to your e-mail customers all at once.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a web site. You are releasing to that website. But, you are additionally sending off to all subscribers at the same time. The site and it’s customers are all in one. This makes management of the platform much easier.
With many email systems, any newsletter you established is done as an e-mail campaign. It is constructed entirely separately from your website. So, for instance, you might publish a post to WordPress yet then you would certainly need to individually build and send out an email to your listing to send it to subscribers. These are then two different collections of archives and 2 different actions since post and your emails are not naturally connected.
The closest point that turns WordPress into a true newsletter system is E-newsletter Glue.
It is a fitting name due to the fact that it basically “glues” your newsletter to your WordPress blog posts and permits them to be the exact same point. Definitely, something like Newsletter Glue would certainly be a strong option if I wished to remain to self-host everything. However, you would certainly lose the growth tools that come with a system like BeeHiiv.
Posting a newsletter inherently comes with a various collection of needs than a typical email list.
You don’t generally need much marketing automation. You do not generally require autoresponder series, event tracking, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation system.
What you DO requirement, though, is one smooth posting experience and growth tools to help you develop your client base that specify to newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I introduced to my subscribers that I was going to switch the newsletter over to BeeHiiv, I had lots of people ask me why I was selecting it over Substack.
To be clear, even besides the reality that I chose to select BeeHiiv, that doesn’t mean I assume Substack draws. In fact, due to the fact that Substack has been about much longer, it is more mature and has more features.
Although BeeHiiv is younger, there are a pair things that at first got my interest:.
- BeeHiiv is specifically tailored to e-newsletter authors. In fact, it is actually developed by the same people who built the modern technology behind Morning Brew. On the other hand, SubStack targets authors. In the real life, does not matter. Yet, the noticeable positioning of BeeHiiv toward newsletter growth called me out over the even more common positioning of being a “developer”. Development is what I’m interested in here.
- That branding and differentiation additionally indicates that BeeHiiv has some fairly large brands and big publications using it. Whereas SubStack is intended even more at solo designers. Again, it simply tells me the customer avatar distinction in between the two firms.
Sending our my newsletter using FluentCRM really did not specifically draw. The only reason I would contemplate shaking things up is if I thought I might GROW the list quicker. And BeeHiiv spoke specifically to that goal.
As a result of the targeting, I actually do not view BeeHiiv and Substack as direct competitors. I think BeeHiiv is targeting a different type of customer. As a matter of fact, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being a lot more straight competitors.
But, allow’s dive much deeper than just the positioning right here.
Points That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
In general, BeeHiiv seems like it was built by individuals that recognizing e-mail marketing. On the other hand, SubStack appears extra geared toward designers.
For example, BeeHiiv provides custom-made areas on customers. Now, it isn’t as established as something like FluentCRM. Yet, it has it. Substack doesn’t.
BeeHiiv uses Automations. Actually, it is an aesthetic automation builder that functions a lot like what we have inside of FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation capability is still early-phase. It is still fairly restricted in triggers and the only activity is the capability to send out an e-mail. Nevertheless, enhancements are coming. Quickly enough, automations will certainly have new triggers as well as brand-new actions, such as changing personalized areas, sending out webhooks, etc. I’ve currently seen enhancements to their automations simply because I began making use of the system. As an example:
- Ability to activate automations based on which details embed form they came in on.
- Ability to immediately do re-engagement (and manage 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 will. Substack just can’t do this since the target market of Substack simply wouldn’t believe to approach this like an e-mail online marketer.
When it concerns writing your newsletters, the writing user interface of BeeHiiv is just extra geared towards e-newsletters. Actually, it actually has similarities to the WordPress block builder in exactly how it functions. I find it to be a lot more user-friendly, directly.
Substack’s creating user interface behaves and tidy, however it would certainly be extra comparable to the classic editor for WordPress. Toolbar on top.
This difference is more than simply type. As an example, with BeeHiiv you can insert a “Section” and afterwards placed anything you want in it. After that, you can place Visibility alternatives on that area to reveal it just to paid subscribers, conceal it from e-mail, conceal from subscribers, reveal just to customers, and so on. Substack provides absolutely nothing such as this.
And when/if the moment comes that I begin a costs membership model, BeeHiiv doesn’t take any profits. In fact, you actually attach up to your own Stripe account and it bills directly to it. With Substack, they will certainly take 10% of your revenue. Relying on how many subscribers you obtain, that 10% can be quite a bit even more money than the regular monthly cost of BeeHiiv.
Finally, BeeHiiv has an API. This might seem unpopular, however what it implies is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can actually make BeeHiiv collaborate with the outdoors utilizing devices like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack literally has … nothing. No integrations whatsoever.
Generally, I simply felt like BeeHiiv was more built towards genuine e-mail marketing. It was constructed by people that “get it”. Also the opt-in forms and the landing page makes seem far better built for conversions. Growth is nitty-gritty with BeeHiiv.
Despite the fact that there are still features I would like to see BeeHiiv include, I like the direction it is going greater than Substack.
Points That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have stated, Substack positions itself toward “developers” greater than e-mail online marketers and e-newsletter proprietors. Therefore, you see some points geared much more towards people who just assume in regards to web content development.
For instance, Substack sustains podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Also, while BeeHiiv does support several publications, they are dealt with rather separately. Whereas Substack does have the ability to cross-post to multiple magazines at the same time. This isn’t something I call for, however … awesome for individuals who might require it.
Substack also has more social functionality built-in. As an example, it has a conversation function to host talks with clients. It also has a “Notes” function which functions kind of like a social media sites newsfeed where you can share points from various other “Stacks” you’re reading. Interesting. Overall, Substack is set up to be more like a social network which supports long-form material.
Overall, Substack is also much more … minimalist. You either take care of that or do not. Personally, I don’t. Nonetheless, if the goal is simplicity of interface and, frankly, features … Substack works pretty well.
Yet, I’ll be clear here …
When it comes to real marketing, I don’t think there’s much doubt that BeeHiiv is much better suited. I tried to find even more points that make Substack better than BeeHiiv, yet honestly … I have a hard time locating them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are often with to be the closest competitors, I really see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer competitors. Both are going after the exact same target audience and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is likewise placed at creators (like Substack), yet it is much more highly satisfying people who do it for company. ConvertKit has wonderful visual automation building, it’s own business platform, and a lot more. ConvertKit is a really nice system.
I’m not going to birthed you with a complete feature-by-feature malfunction here. ConvertKit is well known already. Yet, here’s how I feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit compare …
Things ConvertKit Is Better At …
Already, ConvertKit has more adaptability when it involves it’s automations. I will certainly additionally claim that I find ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a little bit much more instinctive than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit sustains marking. This is simply a fundamental feature of email lists that allows segmentation in a much more flexible means than BeeHiiv presently does. I expect BeeHiiv to sustain tagging eventually soon, frankly. It feels like an oversight that it is missing Beehiiv Build A Media Brand.
ConvertKit does currently provide the capacity to market things through their very own system. BeeHiiv does not. If that is essential to you, it may be a big deal for you. For me, however, I would always select a more direct option anyhow. For me, I favor to use my very own platform powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has been about much longer and for that reason has way much more integration choices. Tons of web-based tools and WordPress plugins integrate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit even has their own WordPress plugin that is quite effective. For example, their plugin now even supports member-gated content as well as auto-embed of your newsletter archives right into your website. Essentially, this extra closely places ConvertKit into straight competitors by having you have the ability to release to your site and your email listing at the same time.
BeeHiiv is badly doing not have in these sort of third-party integrations at the moment. It’ll arrive. Yet, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is also busy dealing with the development devices of BeeHiiv. As an example, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Suggestion Engine where you can not only incentivize people to share your newsletter with perks, but you can likewise pay per lead within the inner advertisement network of BeeHiiv to grow your list. These are really amazing features of BeeHiiv. Yet …
Did you know ConvertKit got Sparkloop? Sparkloop is one of the most well known viral promo platforms for newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the writing on the wall wherefore this means for the platform moving forward.
Points BeeHiiv Is Much Better At … Beehiiv Build A Media Brand
BeeHiiv is a lot earlier in it’s item cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that implies much less features and less integrations, which is all-natural for this phase of the cycle. Nevertheless, it likewise implies that they are swiftly developing.
In the short time that I have actually been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have seen nearly regular launch of brand-new features into the system. And these aren’t weak little features … but huge features that are quite essential. Their speed of development at this point has gone over.
I additionally quite appreciate just how responsive they are. Actually, among their product news about some layout improvements to the website design features really included a tiny problem with the web content size. I simply replied to that email to tell them. I quickly obtained a reply straight from the chief executive officer:.
That same day, the issue was dealt with.
Few days later, I provided an additional recommendation …
Sure enough, in a little bit over a week of that exchange, the ability to trigger automations based on the embed kind used was included in the system.
That sort of responsiveness and direct involvement of the group is something I really value.
One more major factor of distinction here is the price. Both platforms use totally free plans, nevertheless the BeeHiiv free plan supplies much more capability and even more customers (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
Once you go to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is likewise much more beneficial. ConvertKit seems more affordable initially glimpse because their pricing web page reveals lower numbers, however the customer limits are FAR lower and your price promptly raises as your listing expands.
With BeeHiiv, your initial degree paid plan starts at $42/mo (paid yearly), nevertheless you can have up to 10,000 subscribers. That very same size listing is going to run you $100/month with ConvertKit.
If you update to the “Scale” plan with BeeHiiv (their ideal plan and the one I directly use), you can expand your list up to 100,000. A list of that dimension would run you $566/month with ConvertKit. If you want their referral network, too, that puts you at the $733/month plan. That’s if you pay each year, too. With BeeHiiv, you can obtain all that for simply $84/month if you pay each year.
BeeHiiv is in a totally different league when it involves pricing (in a great way).
Will BeeHiiv ultimately increase costs? They might as time goes on. However, I’m presuming people like myself that are currently in will be locked-in. We’ll see exactly how things continue.
Things I Would Like BeeHiiv To Add
Among things you certainly need to keep in mind is that BeeHiiv is fairly young. They do seem to develop rather rapidly and make brand-new product announcements rather usually, yet there are some standard features I really want they had that I need to just wait for.
One is that they need to have a setup on membership forms where I can select an automation to run right at the kind degree. That would certainly be AWESOME for many factors. As of now, subscription types look OK, but there’s extremely little settings for them to help in segmentation.
It would certainly behave to have labeling at the client level. This would certainly be effective.
I think webhooks must belong to automations to make integrated automations simpler and reduce dependence on outside devices like Zapier.
There are also some minor administrative user interface changes that would come in handy. For example:
- Capability to bulk edit/remove clients.
- Capability to mass edit posts (for instance, to mark a bunch of them at the same time).
- Having a few basic areas as conventional on clients (like the name).
- Some even more modification choices for the web site (such as more adaptable shade options, heading control, etc).
So, yeah … there are some imperfections. Points I wish they finish with it in the future. BeeHiiv is pretty good, yet it isn’t perfect and definitely not almost as established as something like FluentCRM or any other real CRM product.
It possibly never ever will be, either. As I stated, the objective is different so it would not much a lot of sense for BeeHiiv to come to be a complete marketing automation platform. I think you never ever recognize, however.
Last Ideas On This BeeHiiv Testimonial
I like BeeHiiv fairly a lot. Enough where I determined to switch my very own e-newsletters over to the system in spite of my personal choice for digital sovereignty and owning my own platform.
Basically, for the e-newsletter posting design particularly, I saw enough value in their platform to call for the adjustment.
Bear in mind, I do not make use of BeeHiiv as my exclusive email checklist. I make use of BeeHiiv for what it is proficient at, yet I intentionally have things establish to make sure that I additionally maintain my list “in house” within FluentCRM.
If you utilize BeeHiiv, I recommend you do the same. It is just an excellent insurance coverage, for one. But, having a full-featured marketing automation system for your listing will be of high use (FluentCRM is a complete marketing automation platform and BeeHiiv is not and likely never will be).
So, the question is … should YOU make use of BeeHiiv?
In my viewpoint, if you are making use of Substack right now, I ‘d certainly take into consideration switching over to BeeHiiv. It will merely be more business-friendly. It is targeting various capabilities and various requirements. And also, BeeHiiv even has import devices for Substack, so the switch needs to be quite simple.
If you are on ConvertKit now, I ‘d probably stay unless you have a large email list and are as a result being wooled with their high regular monthly expense. You will certainly not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, yet they are iterating swiftly. There’s likewise a respectable opportunity you’re not also making use of some of those fancier functions of ConvertKit and you do not even require them. Because of that, BeeHiiv could conveniently be a much better and a lot more affordable fit.
Lastly, if you plan to be very intentional regarding expanding a newsletter, I assume BeeHiiv is THE system to think about and keep and eye on for you.
If you utilize BeeHiiv with eyes wide open about what it is created to be, it is one of the most effective video games in the area today. This is the system to watch.
BeeHiiv uses a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It deserves taking a look at on your own. And if you end up not sticking with the paid plan, you’ll locate the totally free account to be quite feature rich.