I have actually used a lot of different e-mail list systems over the years. In the last couple of years, I’ve been a significant proponent of digital sovereignty and having your own system. For that reason (and the incredible features), I have actually been using Beehiiv SEO.
So, it is indeed an odd move for me to determine to use BeeHiiv. After all, it is a held application and I am paying regular monthly for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv review, I wish to look at why I made the switch to BeeHiiv for my newsletters. I intend to attend to the issue of digital sovereignty while utilizing the platform and I would certainly also like to deal with why I selected to use it over Substack.
Allow’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Built For E-newsletters
In Problem # 435 of my newsletter called My Pastime + A Huge Shift In Approach, I spoke about exactly how and why I decided to transform my RV blog site right into largely a newsletter. I determined that was business model I wished to go after with that said building.
But, to purposefully pursue it as an e-newsletter, I wanted a platform that was purpose-built for that. I was using FluentCRM for the email listing for Happily RV, however FluentCRM is not a newsletter platform. It is constructed to be a CRM and marketing automation device and, truthfully, using it for newsletters is a bit of a waste. A lot more on that in a bit.
As I claimed in that problem of the newsletter …
Put simply, BeeHiiv is a platform with devices developed into it particular to my function. Things such as:
- Capacity to publish (to the blog site) and send the email all at once without having it be 2 different activities.
- Integrated in e-newsletter referral program. FluentCRM does not have that and I would certainly require a third-party tool like Sparkloop.
- Built-in capacity to do cross-promotions with other newsletters on the BeeHiiv system.
- ” Magic Links”, which are primarily one-click subscription web links. Great for promotion in various other newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Hyperlinks, though, so there are means to do that.
- Capacity to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to advertise your newsletter.
- Built-in advertisement network, if I choose to generate income from with ads in the newsletter. And I may.
- Integrated capacity to run a paid newsletter upgrade and primarily run a costs newsletter. And BeeHiiv does not take a cut.
Basically, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for newsletter publishers with features aimed at growth. The platform was essentially developed by the people that accumulated the modern technology for Morning Mixture. They recognize what they’re doing.
That is the point below. BeeHiiv is developed from scratch for the purpose of running a newsletter. FluentCRM has a various function.
And I ended off with this:.
I might without a doubt be moving The Side over to BeeHiiv also. A minimum of, I’m highly considering it.
Well, I really did not consider it for long. Actually, I simply went for it. And in fact, The side was re-branded over to The Morning WP, triggered as it’s very own property so that I can grow it extra purposefully as well.
The objective is that each newsletter has the capability to be branded as it’s very own media entity and expanded individually. Gladly RV was young, so simple to shift. But, The Morning WP (previously The Side) was buried in a sea of stuff right here at the Blog Site Marketing Academy. By dividing it off, I can do what I can to expand it on it’s very own. It will obviously constantly be very closely connected with the Blog site Marketing Academy, however does not have to be a part of it.
I switched over to BeeHiiv since it was built for this objective. FluentCRM was not.
E-newsletters Versus Just A Normal Email Listing
There’s a distinction between a newsletter platform and just an email list.
You can host your email checklist just about anywhere you want and there are a number of them available, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted options like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the difference?
The main distinction is that, with a newsletter system, the act of posting indicates that it is mosting likely to your site and to your e-mail clients simultaneously.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a web site. You are releasing to that internet site. However, you are additionally dispatching to all customers at the same time. The site and it’s customers are done in one. This makes administration of the platform much less complex.
With many e-mail platforms, any type of e-newsletter you set up is done as an email campaign. It is developed totally individually from your site. So, for example, you could publish a short article to WordPress yet then you would require to independently build and send an e-mail to your checklist to send it to subscribers. These are then two separate sets of archives and two separate activities due to the fact that post and your e-mails are not inherently connected.
The closest point that transforms WordPress into a true e-newsletter system is Newsletter Glue.
It is a fitting name because it practically “adhesives” your newsletter to your WordPress posts and permits them to be the very same thing. Certainly, something like E-newsletter Glue would certainly be a strong alternative if I wished to remain to self-host everything. Nevertheless, you ‘d shed the development tools that include a system like BeeHiiv.
Posting an e-newsletter inherently includes a different collection of needs than a common e-mail checklist.
You do not usually require much marketing automation. You do not typically need autoresponder series, occasion monitoring, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation platform.
What you DO need, however, is one smooth posting experience and growth devices to aid you build your subscriber base that specify to e-newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I revealed to my clients that I was going to switch the e-newsletter over to BeeHiiv, I had many individuals ask me why I was selecting it over Substack.
To be clear, also besides the reality that I chose to go with BeeHiiv, that doesn’t indicate I believe Substack draws. As a matter of fact, because Substack has been about longer, it is elder and has even more features.
Although BeeHiiv is more youthful, there are a pair things that initially got my interest:.
- BeeHiiv is especially customized to newsletter publishers. Actually, it is literally built by the same individuals who constructed the innovation behind Early morning Brew. On the other hand, SubStack targets writers. In the real world, does not matter. Yet, the apparent positioning of BeeHiiv toward e-newsletter growth called me out over the more generic positioning of being a “designer”. Growth is what I want here.
- That branding and differentiation additionally implies that BeeHiiv has some fairly big brand names and huge publications using it. Whereas SubStack is intended more at solo creators. Again, it just tells me the consumer character distinction in between both companies.
Sending our my e-newsletter via FluentCRM didn’t exactly draw. The only reason I would consider drinking things up is if I assumed I could GROW the list much faster. And BeeHiiv spoke precisely to that objective.
Because of the targeting, I actually do not watch BeeHiiv and Substack as direct competitors. I think BeeHiiv is targeting a various kind of consumer. Actually, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being more direct competitors.
But, let’s dive much deeper than just the placing below.
Things That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
On the whole, BeeHiiv seems like it was developed by people that comprehending email marketing. On the other hand, SubStack appears much more tailored toward creators.
For instance, BeeHiiv offers personalized areas on customers. Currently, it isn’t as created as something like FluentCRM. However, it has it. Substack doesn’t.
BeeHiiv supplies Automations. In fact, it is a visual automation builder that functions a great deal like what we have inside of FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation capability is still early-phase. It is still rather limited in triggers and the only action is the ability to send out an email. Nonetheless, enhancements are coming. Quickly enough, automations will certainly have new triggers along with brand-new actions, such as customizing customized fields, sending out webhooks, etc. I’ve currently seen improvements to their automations just since I began using the system. For example:
- Capacity to activate automations based on which certain embed type they can be found in on.
- Ability to immediately do re-engagement (and take care of individuals based upon opens and non-opens).
- Capacity to do basic conditional reasoning branches.
Substack does not have automations similar to this. Likely, it never will. Substack simply can’t do this due to the fact that the target market of Substack simply wouldn’t believe to approach this like an e-mail marketing professional.
When it comes to composing your e-newsletters, the writing user interface of BeeHiiv is simply a lot more tailored towards e-newsletters. In fact, it actually has similarities to the WordPress block builder in exactly how it functions. I find it to be a lot more intuitive, personally.
Substack’s composing user interface behaves and clean, yet it would be more comparable to the traditional editor for WordPress. Toolbar on top.
This difference is greater than simply type. For instance, with BeeHiiv you can place a “Section” and then put anything you desire in it. After that, you can place Presence options on that particular area to reveal it only to paid clients, hide it from e-mail, hide from clients, reveal just to customers, and so on. Substack uses absolutely nothing like this.
And when/if the time comes that I begin a premium subscription model, BeeHiiv does not take any revenue. Actually, you actually connect as much as your own Stripe account and it charges straight to it. With Substack, they will take 10% of your income. Depending on how many subscribers you get, that 10% can be quite a bit even more money than the monthly price of BeeHiiv.
Finally, BeeHiiv has an API. This might seem unpopular, however what it indicates is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can in fact make BeeHiiv collaborate with the outdoors utilizing tools like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack essentially has … absolutely nothing. No integrations at all.
In general, I simply felt like BeeHiiv was more built towards actual e-mail marketing. It was constructed by people that “get it”. Even the opt-in types and the landing page designs appear far better developed for conversions. Development is the name of the game with BeeHiiv.
Even though there are still features I wish to see BeeHiiv include, I such as the direction it is going more than Substack.
Points That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have actually said, Substack placements itself towards “creators” greater than email marketers and newsletter owners. Because of that, you see some things geared a lot more toward people who just assume in regards to web content production.
For instance, Substack supports podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Likewise, while BeeHiiv does sustain multiple publications, they are dealt with rather separately. Whereas Substack does have the capability to cross-post to numerous publications at the same time. This isn’t something I need, yet … awesome for individuals who may need it.
Substack also has even more social performance built-in. For instance, it has a chat function to host chats with clients. It likewise has a “Notes” function which functions kind of like a social media sites newsfeed where you can share points from other “Stacks” you’re reading. Intriguing. In general, Substack is set up to be much more like a social network which supports long-form material.
Generally, Substack is also a lot more … minimalist. You either take care of that or don’t. Personally, I do not. Nevertheless, if the goal is simpleness of interface and, frankly, features … Substack functions quite well.
Yet, I’ll be clear right here …
When it comes to actual marketing, I don’t assume there’s much doubt that BeeHiiv is much better matched. I tried to find even more factors that make Substack better than BeeHiiv, yet truthfully … I have a difficult time finding them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are frequently via to be the closest competitors, I in fact see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer competitors. Both are going after the exact same target audience and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is additionally placed at makers (like Substack), but it is far more strongly satisfying people who do it for business. ConvertKit has good aesthetic automation building, it’s own business system, and a lot more. ConvertKit is an actually wonderful system.
I’m not going to bore you with a complete feature-by-feature breakdown below. ConvertKit is popular currently. But, below’s exactly how I really feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit compare …
Points ConvertKit Is Better At …
Currently, ConvertKit has more versatility when it involves it’s automations. I will certainly likewise say that I locate ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a little bit a lot more intuitive than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit supports tagging. This is simply a standard feature of e-mail checklists that makes it possible for division in a much more adaptable method than BeeHiiv currently does. I anticipate BeeHiiv to support tagging at some time soon, frankly. It seems like an oversight that it is missing Beehiiv SEO.
ConvertKit does now offer the ability to sell points by means of their very own system. BeeHiiv does not. If that is necessary to you, it might be a big deal for you. For me, however, I would certainly always select a more straight choice anyway. For me, I like to use my very own system powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has been around much longer and therefore has way much more integration options. Tons of web-based tools and WordPress plugins incorporate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit even has their own WordPress plugin that is fairly powerful. As an example, their plugin now also sustains member-gated material along with auto-embed of your newsletter archives right into your site. Basically, this much more carefully places ConvertKit into straight competition by having you be able to release to your website and your e-mail checklist at the same time.
BeeHiiv is drastically lacking in these type of third-party integrations right now. It’ll get there. Yet, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is also hectic dealing with the growth tools of BeeHiiv. For example, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Suggestion Engine where you can not only incentivize individuals to share your newsletter with rewards, however you can additionally pay per lead within the inner ad network of BeeHiiv to grow your listing. These are actually amazing features of BeeHiiv. But …
Did you understand ConvertKit obtained Sparkloop? Sparkloop is just one of one of the most popular viral promo platforms for e-newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the composing on the wall surface for what this indicates for the platform going forward.
Points BeeHiiv Is Better At … Beehiiv SEO
BeeHiiv is a lot earlier in it’s item cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that indicates much less features and less integrations, which is all-natural for this phase of the cycle. Nonetheless, it also implies that they are quickly establishing.
In the short time that I have actually been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have seen almost regular release of brand-new features right into the system. And these aren’t weak little features … but big features that are rather vital. Their speed of advancement at this point has gone over.
I additionally significantly appreciate just how receptive they are. Actually, one of their item news concerning some design enhancements to the website design features in fact consisted of a tiny trouble with the material size. I merely replied to that e-mail to tell them. I rapidly obtained a reply directly from the chief executive officer:.
That exact same day, the problem was fixed.
Few days later, I gave them one more idea …
Indeed, in a little bit over a week of that exchange, the capability to cause automations based upon the embed kind made use of was added to the system.
That type of responsiveness and straight involvement of the group is something I actually appreciate.
One more major factor of differentiation below is the cost. Both systems use free plans, nevertheless the BeeHiiv free plan uses a lot more capability and more customers (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
As soon as you go to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is likewise FAR more beneficial. ConvertKit appears more affordable at first glimpse since their pricing page reveals lower numbers, however the customer restrictions are FAR reduced and your cost swiftly enhances as your list expands.
With BeeHiiv, your initial degree paid plan starts at $42/mo (paid yearly), however you can have up to 10,000 subscribers. That exact same dimension checklist is mosting likely to run you $100/month with ConvertKit.
If you update to the “Range” plan with BeeHiiv (their best plan and the one I personally use), you can grow your checklist approximately 100,000. A list of that size would certainly 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 every year, also. With BeeHiiv, you can get all that for simply $84/month if you pay every year.
BeeHiiv remains in a completely various league when it comes to pricing (in a great way).
Will BeeHiiv at some point enhance rates? They might as time goes on. Yet, I’m presuming people like myself that are already in will be locked-in. We’ll see how points continue.
Things I Would Like BeeHiiv To Add
Among things you certainly need to remember is that BeeHiiv is fairly young. They do appear to evolve rather promptly and make brand-new product announcements somewhat frequently, yet there are some basic features I really desire they had that I require to simply wait for.
One is that they need to have a setup on registration kinds where I could select an automation to run right at the kind level. That would certainly be incredible for a lot of factors. Currently, subscription kinds look OK, but there’s really little settings for them to aid in division.
It would certainly behave to have labeling at the subscriber degree. This would be effective.
I think webhooks ought to become part of automations to make built-in automations less complicated and reduce reliance on outdoors tools like Zapier.
There are likewise some small management user interface changes that would be handy. For instance:
- Capability to mass edit/remove subscribers.
- Capacity to bulk edit blog posts (for example, to mark a number of them at the same time).
- Having a couple of standard areas as basic on clients (like the name).
- Some more modification choices for the web site (such as more flexible shade choices, headline control, etc).
So, yeah … there are some imperfections. Points I wish they finish with it in the near future. BeeHiiv is pretty good, however it isn’t best and absolutely not virtually as created as something like FluentCRM or any other actual CRM item.
It possibly never will be, either. As I stated, the objective is different so it wouldn’t a lot a great deal of feeling for BeeHiiv to come to be a complete marketing automation system. I presume you never ever know, though.
Final Ideas On This BeeHiiv Testimonial
I like BeeHiiv fairly a great deal. Enough 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 owning my own system.
Simply put, for the newsletter posting model specifically, I saw sufficient worth in their system to necessitate the adjustment.
Bear in mind, I do not utilize BeeHiiv as my unique email checklist. I utilize BeeHiiv for what it is good at, yet I intentionally have things set up to ensure that I likewise keep my list “in residence” inside of FluentCRM.
If you make use of BeeHiiv, I suggest you do the very same. It is just an excellent insurance policy, for one. But, having a full-featured marketing automation system for your checklist will certainly be of high usage (FluentCRM is a full marketing automation system and BeeHiiv is not and likely never will be).
So, the concern is … should YOU use BeeHiiv?
In my opinion, if you are making use of Substack right now, I ‘d definitely think about switching to BeeHiiv. It will merely be a lot more business-friendly. It is targeting various abilities and various demands. And also, BeeHiiv even has import tools for Substack, so the switch ought to be pretty straightforward.
If you are on ConvertKit now, I ‘d possibly stay put unless you have a big e-mail list and are therefore being wooled with their high monthly bill. You will certainly not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, however they are iterating rapidly. There’s likewise a pretty good possibility you’re not even utilizing a few of those fancier functions of ConvertKit and you do not even require them. Therefore, BeeHiiv might conveniently be a far better and extra inexpensive fit.
Lastly, if you plan to be very deliberate about expanding a newsletter, I believe BeeHiiv is THE platform to think about and maintain and eye on for you.
If you use BeeHiiv with eyes wide open regarding what it is developed to be, it is just one of the very best video games in the area right now. This is the platform to enjoy.
BeeHiiv offers a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It is worth having a look at on your own. And if you end up not sticking to the paid plan, you’ll discover the complimentary account to be rather feature abundant.