I have made use of a lot of different email list systems throughout the years. In the last number of years, I’ve been a massive proponent of digital sovereignty and having your own platform. For that reason (and the incredible features), I have been using Beehiiv Footer.
So, it is certainly an odd move for me to decide to use BeeHiiv. Besides, it is a hosted application and I am paying monthly for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv review, I want to review why I made the switch to BeeHiiv for my e-newsletters. I intend to address the concern of digital sovereignty while utilizing the platform and I would certainly additionally such as to deal with why I picked to utilize it over Substack.
Let’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Built For E-newsletters
In Concern # 435 of my newsletter called My Pastime + A Large Shift In Technique, I spoke about just how and why I made a decision to turn my motor home blog site into mostly an e-newsletter. I determined that was business version I intended to seek with that residential property.
But, to intentionally pursue it as a newsletter, I wanted a platform that was purpose-built for that. I was utilizing FluentCRM for the email checklist for Gladly RV, however FluentCRM is not a newsletter system. It is built to be a CRM and marketing automation device and, honestly, using it for newsletters is a bit of a waste. Much more on that particular in a little bit.
As I stated because issue of the e-newsletter …
Basically, BeeHiiv is a platform with devices built right into it specific to my function. Things such as:
- Capability to release (to the blog) and send out the email all at once without having it be two different actions.
- Constructed in newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would have needed a third-party tool like Sparkloop.
- Integrated ability to do cross-promotions with other e-newsletters on the BeeHiiv platform.
- ” Magic Hyperlinks”, which are generally one-click registration links. Great for promotion in various other e-newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Hyperlinks, though, so there are means to do that.
- Capability to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to promote your e-newsletter.
- Built-in advertisement network, if I choose to generate income from with ads in the newsletter. And I may.
- Integrated ability to run a paid e-newsletter upgrade and essentially run a premium newsletter. And BeeHiiv does not take a cut.
Essentially, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for newsletter publishers with features targeted at growth. The system was essentially developed by the people who developed the technology for Early morning Mixture. They recognize what they’re doing.
That is the factor below. BeeHiiv is constructed from the ground up for the function of running an e-newsletter. FluentCRM has a various purpose.
And I finished off with this:.
I might certainly be relocating The Side over to BeeHiiv also. At least, I’m highly considering it.
Well, I really did not consider it for long. As a matter of fact, I simply went for it. And actually, The side was re-branded over to The Early morning WP, set off as it’s own property to make sure that I can grow it a lot more deliberately too.
The objective is that each newsletter has the capacity to be branded as it’s very own media entity and expanded independently. Gladly motor home was young, so simple to change. However, The Early morning WP (formerly The Side) was buried in a sea of things below at the Blog Marketing Academy. By dividing it off, I can do what I can to expand it on it’s very own. It will clearly always be very closely linked with the Blog Marketing Academy, yet doesn’t have to belong of it.
I switched to BeeHiiv because it was built for this objective. FluentCRM was not.
Newsletters Versus Just A Regular Email Listing
There’s a distinction between an e-newsletter system and simply an email listing.
You can hold your email checklist just about anywhere you desire and there are a number of them around, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted alternatives like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the distinction?
The main distinction is that, with an e-newsletter platform, the act of posting implies that it is going to your website and to your email subscribers concurrently.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a website. You are releasing to that internet site. Yet, you are likewise sending off to all customers at the same time. The web site and it’s customers are done in one. This makes management of the system much easier.
With many e-mail platforms, any kind of newsletter you set up is done as an email campaign. It is developed completely separately from your web site. So, for example, you might release an article to WordPress but then you would certainly require to separately develop and send out an email to your checklist to send it to clients. These are after that two different sets of archives and 2 separate activities due to the fact that post and your emails are not naturally connected.
The closest thing that turns WordPress right into a real newsletter platform is Newsletter Glue.
It is a suitable name due to the fact that it virtually “adhesives” your e-newsletter to your WordPress blog posts and permits them to be the exact same thing. Definitely, something like Newsletter Glue would be a solid choice if I wanted to continue to self-host whatever. However, you ‘d shed the growth devices that feature a system like BeeHiiv.
Posting a newsletter inherently features a various collection of needs than a normal email list.
You don’t normally require much marketing automation. You don’t usually require autoresponder sequences, occasion monitoring, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation system.
What you DO need, though, is one seamless posting experience and growth devices to aid you develop your customer base that specify to newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I revealed to my clients that I was mosting likely to switch over the newsletter over to BeeHiiv, I had many individuals ask me why I was picking it over Substack.
To be clear, even besides the truth that I picked to select BeeHiiv, that does not imply I assume Substack draws. As a matter of fact, since Substack has been around much longer, it is more mature and has more features.
Although BeeHiiv is younger, there are a pair things that initially got my interest:.
- BeeHiiv is particularly customized to newsletter publishers. Actually, it is literally built by the exact same folks who developed the technology behind Early morning Brew. On the other hand, SubStack targets authors. In the real world, doesn’t matter. However, the evident positioning of BeeHiiv toward newsletter development called me out over the even more generic positioning of being a “developer”. Growth is what I want here.
- That branding and differentiation also means that BeeHiiv has some rather large brands and big publications using it. Whereas SubStack is aimed even more at solo designers. Again, it just tells me the consumer avatar distinction between the two firms.
Sending our my e-newsletter by means of FluentCRM didn’t specifically suck. The only reason I would certainly contemplate trembling points up is if I believed I can expand the listing quicker. And BeeHiiv talked specifically to that objective.
Due to the targeting, I in fact do not view BeeHiiv and Substack as straight competitors. I assume BeeHiiv is targeting a various type of consumer. Actually, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being much more straight competitors.
But, allow’s dive deeper than just the placing below.
Things That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
On the whole, BeeHiiv looks like it was constructed by individuals that recognizing e-mail marketing. On the other hand, SubStack seems extra geared towards designers.
For example, BeeHiiv provides custom-made areas on clients. Currently, it isn’t as created as something like FluentCRM. However, it has it. Substack does not.
BeeHiiv uses Automations. Actually, it is an aesthetic automation builder that works a whole lot like what we have within FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation functionality is still early-phase. It is still rather minimal in triggers and the only action is the capability to send an e-mail. However, improvements are coming. Soon enough, automations will have brand-new triggers as well as new activities, such as changing customized areas, sending webhooks, and so on. I’ve already seen enhancements to their automations just considering that I began making use of the system. For instance:
- Ability to cause automations based upon which specific embed kind they was available in on.
- Capacity to automatically do re-engagement (and deal with people based on opens and non-opens).
- Capacity to do basic conditional logic branches.
Substack does not have automations such as this. Likely, it never will. Substack simply can not do this because the target market of Substack just wouldn’t believe to approach this like an e-mail marketing professional.
When it comes to writing your newsletters, the writing user interface of BeeHiiv is just extra geared toward newsletters. As a matter of fact, it really has resemblances to the WordPress block builder in how it works. I find it to be much more user-friendly, personally.
Substack’s composing user interface behaves and clean, yet it would certainly be a lot more equivalent to the traditional editor for WordPress. Toolbar at the top.
This difference is greater than just type. For instance, with BeeHiiv you can insert a “Area” and afterwards placed anything you want in it. Then, you can put Visibility alternatives on that particular section to show it just to paid customers, conceal it from e-mail, hide from customers, show only to clients, etc. Substack supplies absolutely nothing like this.
And when/if the time comes that I start a premium registration model, BeeHiiv doesn’t take any kind of revenue. Actually, you essentially connect approximately your own Stripe account and it charges directly to it. With Substack, they will take 10% of your earnings. Depending on the number of subscribers you obtain, that 10% can be a fair bit even more cash than the regular monthly price of BeeHiiv.
Last but not least, BeeHiiv has an API. This may appear nerdy, yet what it means is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can actually make BeeHiiv work with the outdoors utilizing tools like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack literally has … absolutely nothing. No integrations at all.
Generally, I just felt like BeeHiiv was more constructed toward genuine email marketing. It was developed by individuals who “get it”. Also the opt-in forms and the landing page creates appear better developed for conversions. Development is nitty-gritty with BeeHiiv.
Even though there are still features I would love to see BeeHiiv add, I such as the direction it is going greater than Substack.
Points That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have actually claimed, Substack placements itself toward “creators” more than email marketing professionals and newsletter proprietors. Because of that, you see some points geared much more toward individuals that just think in terms of web content development.
For example, Substack supports podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Additionally, while BeeHiiv does sustain several magazines, they are treated quite independently. Whereas Substack does have the capacity to cross-post to several magazines at the same time. This isn’t something I require, yet … cool for people who might need it.
Substack likewise has even more social functionality built-in. As an example, it has a conversation function to host talks with customers. It likewise has a “Notes” function which functions sort of like a social media newsfeed where you can share points from other “Stacks” you read. Intriguing. On the whole, Substack is established to be much more like a social media network which supports long-form content.
In general, Substack is likewise more … minimalist. You either look after that or do not. Personally, I don’t. However, if the objective is simplicity of interface and, frankly, features … Substack functions pretty well.
Yet, I’ll be clear here …
When it pertains to actual marketing, I don’t think there’s much doubt that BeeHiiv is much better matched. I looked for more points that make Substack better than BeeHiiv, but frankly … I have a hard time finding them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are typically via to be the closest rivals, I in fact see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer opponents. Both are pursuing the exact same target market and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is additionally placed at creators (like Substack), yet it is a lot more highly catering to individuals who do it for business. ConvertKit has great visual automation structure, it’s very own business platform, and extra. ConvertKit is an actually nice system.
I’m not mosting likely to birthed you with a complete feature-by-feature failure below. ConvertKit is popular currently. However, right here’s exactly how I feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit contrast …
Points ConvertKit Is Better At …
Already, ConvertKit has a lot more adaptability when it comes to it’s automations. I will certainly also claim that I find ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a bit a lot more user-friendly than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit sustains marking. This is simply a basic feature of email listings that allows division in an even more flexible means than BeeHiiv currently does. I expect BeeHiiv to support labeling at some point quickly, frankly. It seems like an oversight that it is missing out on Beehiiv Footer.
ConvertKit does currently offer the ability to offer points via their own system. BeeHiiv does not. If that is very important to you, it may be a big deal for you. For me, nevertheless, I would certainly always pick an extra direct option anyhow. For me, I prefer to utilize my very own platform powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has actually been about much longer and for that reason has way a lot more integration choices. Lots of web-based devices and WordPress plugins integrate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit even has their very own WordPress plugin that is rather effective. As an example, their plugin now also supports member-gated content in addition to auto-embed of your e-newsletter archives right into your website. Essentially, this much more very closely places ConvertKit into straight competition by having you have the ability to release to your website and your email checklist at the same time.
BeeHiiv is seriously lacking in these type of third-party integrations currently. It’ll arrive. However, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is even busy taking on the growth tools of BeeHiiv. For example, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Suggestion Engine where you can not just incentivize individuals to share your newsletter with benefits, but you can additionally pay per lead within the internal advertisement network of BeeHiiv to expand your checklist. These are actually remarkable features of BeeHiiv. Yet …
Did you understand ConvertKit got Sparkloop? Sparkloop is just one of one of the most popular viral promo systems for newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the composing on the wall surface of what this means for the system going forward.
Things BeeHiiv Is Better At … Beehiiv Footer
BeeHiiv is much earlier in it’s item cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that suggests less features and less integrations, which is natural for this phase of the cycle. Nonetheless, it also indicates that they are quickly creating.
In the short time that I have been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have observed almost once a week release of brand-new features right into the system. And these aren’t undersized little features … but huge features that are quite essential. Their speed of growth now has been impressive.
I additionally significantly value how receptive they are. Actually, one of their item announcements about some style enhancements to the website design features actually consisted of a tiny trouble with the content size. I just responded to that email to tell them. I swiftly got a reply directly from the chief executive officer:.
That exact same day, the issue was dealt with.
Couple of days later on, I provided one more pointer …
Indeed, in a bit over a week of that exchange, the capacity to set off automations based on the embed kind used was added to the system.
That sort of responsiveness and direct participation of the group is something I actually appreciate.
One more major factor of differentiation here is the rate. Both platforms use cost-free plans, nevertheless the BeeHiiv free plan supplies more capability and even more clients (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
As soon as you most likely to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is likewise FAR more desirable. ConvertKit seems cheaper in the beginning look due to the fact that their pricing web page shows reduced numbers, however the subscriber restrictions are much lower and your rate swiftly boosts as your listing grows.
With BeeHiiv, your initial degree paid plan begins at $42/mo (paid every year), nonetheless you can have up to 10,000 subscribers. That very same size listing is mosting likely to run you $100/month with ConvertKit.
If you upgrade to the “Scale” plan with BeeHiiv (their best plan and the one I personally utilize), you can expand your list approximately 100,000. A checklist of that dimension would run you $566/month with ConvertKit. If you desire their referral network, too, that places you at the $733/month plan. That’s if you pay yearly, too. With BeeHiiv, you can obtain all that for simply $84/month if you pay annually.
BeeHiiv is in a totally various organization when it comes to pricing (in an excellent way).
Will BeeHiiv ultimately raise prices? They might as time takes place. Yet, I’m guessing people like myself who are already in will certainly be locked-in. We’ll see just how points proceed.
Things I Would Like BeeHiiv To Include
One of the important things you most definitely require to bear in mind is that BeeHiiv is fairly young. They do appear to advance instead promptly and make brand-new product announcements rather typically, but there are some basic features I truly wish they had that I need to simply wait on.
One is that they need to have a setup on subscription types where I might choose an automation to run right at the type degree. That would be remarkable for numerous factors. As of now, subscription forms look OK, however there’s extremely little setups for them to help in segmentation.
It would be nice to have identifying at the subscriber degree. This would be powerful.
I believe webhooks ought to be part of automations to make integrated automations easier and reduce dependence on outside tools like Zapier.
There are also some small management interface changes that would certainly be handy. For instance:
- Ability to mass edit/remove subscribers.
- Ability to bulk edit messages (as an example, to identify a number of them at the same time).
- Having a couple of fundamental fields as conventional on clients (like the name).
- Some more customization alternatives for the website (such as more versatile shade choices, heading control, and so on).
So, yeah … there are some imperfections. Things I hope they finish with it in the future. BeeHiiv is respectable, yet it isn’t best and definitely not almost as created as something like FluentCRM or any other genuine CRM item.
It probably never ever will be, either. As I claimed, the purpose is various so it would not a lot a lot of feeling for BeeHiiv to become a complete marketing automation system. I presume you never understand, though.
Final Ideas On This BeeHiiv Review
I like BeeHiiv rather a great deal. Sufficient where I chose to change my very own newsletters over to the system regardless of my individual choice for digital sovereignty and possessing my own system.
Put simply, for the newsletter posting design especially, I saw adequate value in their platform to call for the change.
Keep in mind, I do not use BeeHiiv as my special email list. I use BeeHiiv wherefore it is efficient, yet I deliberately have things establish to ensure that I additionally keep my list “in residence” inside of FluentCRM.
If you use BeeHiiv, I recommend you do the same. It is simply a good insurance plan, for one. But, having a full-featured marketing automation system for your listing will be of high usage (FluentCRM is a complete marketing automation system and BeeHiiv is not and likely never will certainly be).
So, the question is … should YOU use BeeHiiv?
In my opinion, if you are using Substack now, I ‘d definitely think about switching to BeeHiiv. It will merely be much more business-friendly. It is targeting different abilities and different requirements. And also, BeeHiiv also has import devices for Substack, so the button must be pretty straightforward.
If you are on ConvertKit now, I ‘d most likely stay put unless you have a big e-mail checklist and are consequently being wooled with their high regular monthly bill. You will not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, but they are repeating rapidly. There’s likewise a respectable chance you’re not even using a few of those fancier functions of ConvertKit and you do not even require them. Therefore, BeeHiiv might easily be a better and extra budget friendly fit.
Lastly, if you plan to be really deliberate concerning growing a newsletter, I believe BeeHiiv is THE system to consider and maintain and eye on for you.
If you make use of BeeHiiv with eyes wide open concerning what it is designed to be, it is just one of the most effective video games around now. This is the system to enjoy.
BeeHiiv provides a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It is worth having a look at for yourself. And if you wind up not sticking with the paid plan, you’ll discover the totally free account to be quite feature abundant.