I have actually utilized a lot of different email list systems throughout the years. In the last number of years, I have actually been a big advocate of digital sovereignty and having your own platform. Therefore (and the outstanding features), I have been making use of Beehiiv Special Offer.
So, it is indeed a strange move for me to determine to utilize BeeHiiv. Nevertheless, it is a hosted application and I am paying monthly for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv testimonial, I want to discuss why I made the button to BeeHiiv for my e-newsletters. I wish to address the problem of digital sovereignty while making use of the system and I ‘d also such as to attend to why I picked to use it over Substack.
Let’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Built For E-newsletters
In Concern # 435 of my e-newsletter called My Leisure activity + A Big Change In Approach, I discussed just how and why I decided to turn my recreational vehicle blog right into mainly a newsletter. I chose that was business design I wanted to pursue with that residential property.
However, to intentionally seek it as an e-newsletter, I desired a system that was purpose-built for that. I was utilizing FluentCRM for the email checklist for Gladly RV, but FluentCRM is not a newsletter platform. It is built to be a CRM and marketing automation device and, frankly, utilizing it for e-newsletters is a little a waste. Extra on that in a little bit.
As I claimed in that concern of the e-newsletter …
Basically, BeeHiiv is a platform with tools developed right into it details to my objective. Things such as:
- Capacity to publish (to the blog) and send the email at the same time without having it be two separate activities.
- Built in e-newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would require a third-party tool like Sparkloop.
- Built-in capability to do cross-promotions with other newsletters on the BeeHiiv platform.
- ” Magic Hyperlinks”, which are basically one-click membership web links. Great for promotion in other e-newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Links, however, so there are methods to do that.
- Capacity to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to advertise your newsletter.
- Integrated ad network, if I pick to monetize with ads in the newsletter. And I may.
- Built-in ability to run a paid newsletter upgrade and essentially run a premium newsletter. And BeeHiiv does not take a cut.
Primarily, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for e-newsletter publishers with features aimed at growth. The system was actually constructed by the people who developed the technology for Morning Brew. They know what they’re doing.
That is the factor below. BeeHiiv is constructed from the ground up for the purpose of running an e-newsletter. FluentCRM has a various objective.
And I finished off with this:.
I might certainly be relocating The Edge over to BeeHiiv also. At least, I’m highly considering it.
Well, I really did not consider it for long. Actually, I just went for it. And actually, The EDGE was re-branded over to The Morning WP, set off as it’s very own residential or commercial property to make sure that I can expand it a lot more intentionally as well.
The goal is that each e-newsletter has the ability to be branded as it’s own media entity and grown independently. Gladly motor home was young, so simple to change. However, The Early morning WP (formerly The Edge) was buried in a sea of things below at the Blog Site Marketing Academy. By dividing it off, I can do what I can to grow it on it’s very own. It will certainly constantly be very closely tied with the Blog Marketing Academy, but does not have to be a part of it.
I switched over to BeeHiiv because it was developed for this objective. FluentCRM was not.
E-newsletters Versus Simply A Typical Email List
There’s a difference between a newsletter system and just an e-mail checklist.
You can host your email checklist 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 key difference is that, with a newsletter platform, the act of posting means that it is going to your web site and to your email subscribers simultaneously.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a website. You are publishing to that internet site. But, you are additionally sending off to all clients at the same time. The site and it’s subscribers are all in one. This makes monitoring of the system much simpler.
With most e-mail platforms, any kind of e-newsletter you set up is done as an email campaign. It is developed completely independently from your website. So, for example, you could release an article to WordPress yet after that you would certainly need to independently develop and send out an e-mail to your listing to send it to subscribers. These are after that 2 separate collections of archives and 2 different actions since blog posts and your e-mails are not naturally linked.
The closest point that turns WordPress right into a real newsletter platform is Newsletter Glue.
It is a suitable name since it basically “glues” your newsletter to your WordPress articles and allows them to be the very same point. Definitely, something like E-newsletter Glue would certainly be a strong alternative if I wished to continue to self-host every little thing. Nevertheless, you ‘d lose the growth devices that include a system like BeeHiiv.
Posting a newsletter inherently features a various set of requirements than a common e-mail checklist.
You do not normally require much marketing automation. You do not generally need autoresponder series, occasion monitoring, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation system.
What you DO requirement, though, is one seamless publishing experience and development tools to assist you build your client base that are specific to e-newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I revealed to my clients that I was mosting likely to switch over the e-newsletter over to BeeHiiv, I had many individuals ask me why I was choosing it over Substack.
To be clear, also besides the truth that I selected to go with BeeHiiv, that doesn’t indicate I assume Substack draws. Actually, due to the fact that Substack has been around much longer, it is elder and has even more features.
Although BeeHiiv is more youthful, there are a pair things that initially obtained my focus:.
- BeeHiiv is particularly tailored to e-newsletter publishers. Actually, it is essentially developed by the very same folks who developed the modern technology behind Morning Mixture. On the other hand, SubStack targets writers. In the real life, does not matter. Yet, the noticeable positioning of BeeHiiv toward e-newsletter development called me out over the even more common positioning of being a “maker”. Growth is what I want right here.
- That branding and differentiation additionally suggests that BeeHiiv has some fairly huge brand names and huge magazines using it. Whereas SubStack is aimed more at solo makers. Once more, it just tells me the consumer character difference in between both business.
Sending our my e-newsletter using FluentCRM really did not exactly suck. The only factor I would certainly contemplate drinking points up is if I assumed I could expand the list much faster. And BeeHiiv spoke exactly to that goal.
Because of the targeting, I really don’t check out BeeHiiv and Substack as straight competitors. I think BeeHiiv is targeting a different sort of consumer. As a matter of fact, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being a lot more direct rivals.
However, let’s dive much deeper than simply the placing below.
Points That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
In general, BeeHiiv feels like it was constructed by individuals who comprehending email marketing. On the other hand, SubStack appears extra tailored toward designers.
For example, BeeHiiv uses customized areas on customers. Now, it isn’t as created as something like FluentCRM. But, it has it. Substack doesn’t.
BeeHiiv supplies Automations. As a matter of fact, it is a visual automation builder that works a great deal like what we have inside of FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation functionality is still early-phase. It is still fairly minimal in triggers and the only action is the capability to send an e-mail. Nonetheless, improvements are coming. Quickly enough, automations will certainly have new triggers along with new activities, such as customizing personalized areas, sending webhooks, etc. I have actually currently seen enhancements to their automations just given that I started making use of the platform. For example:
- Capability to trigger automations based on which details embed form they came in on.
- Capability to immediately do re-engagement (and handle individuals based on opens and non-opens).
- Ability to do standard conditional logic branches.
Substack does not have automations such as this. Likely, it never will. Substack just can not do this since the target market of Substack simply would not believe to approach this like an e-mail marketing professional.
When it comes to composing your e-newsletters, the creating interface of BeeHiiv is just a lot more geared toward newsletters. In fact, it actually has resemblances to the WordPress block builder in exactly how it functions. I find it to be more instinctive, personally.
Substack’s composing interface behaves and tidy, but it would certainly be more equivalent to the timeless editor for WordPress. Toolbar at the top.
This difference is more than simply type. For instance, with BeeHiiv you can insert a “Section” and afterwards placed anything you desire in it. After that, you can place Visibility choices on that particular area to reveal it just to paid customers, hide it from e-mail, hide from clients, reveal just to subscribers, etc. Substack uses nothing such as this.
And when/if the moment comes that I begin a premium membership model, BeeHiiv does not take any profits. In fact, you literally attach approximately your own Stripe account and it charges directly to it. With Substack, they will take 10% of your profits. Relying on how many customers you get, that 10% can be quite a bit more cash than the regular monthly cost of BeeHiiv.
Finally, BeeHiiv has an API. This might seem unpopular, but what it indicates is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can actually make BeeHiiv deal with the outdoors utilizing devices like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack essentially has … nothing. No integrations whatsoever.
In general, I just seemed like BeeHiiv was extra built towards genuine email marketing. It was built by people who “get it”. Also the opt-in types and the landing page makes appear much better developed for conversions. Development is nitty-gritty with BeeHiiv.
Even though there are still features I wish to see BeeHiiv include, I like the instructions it is going more than Substack.
Things That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have actually claimed, Substack placements itself toward “designers” more than e-mail marketing experts and newsletter owners. For that reason, you see some points tailored extra towards people who just believe in terms of material production.
For example, Substack supports podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Also, while BeeHiiv does sustain numerous magazines, they are treated fairly separately. Whereas Substack does have the capacity to cross-post to multiple magazines at the same time. This isn’t something I need, yet … amazing for individuals that may require it.
Substack likewise has even more social functionality built-in. For example, it has a chat function to host talks with clients. It additionally has a “Notes” feature which works sort of like a social media newsfeed where you can share things from various other “Stacks” you read. Interesting. Generally, Substack is set up to be extra like a social media network which supports long-form material.
On the whole, Substack is additionally more … minimalist. You either care for that or do not. Directly, I don’t. Nevertheless, if the goal is simplicity of user interface and, frankly, features … Substack functions pretty well.
However, I’ll be clear here …
When it pertains to real marketing, I don’t think there’s much uncertainty that BeeHiiv is much better suited. I searched for even more factors that make Substack far better than BeeHiiv, but frankly … I have a tough time discovering them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are often via to be the closest rivals, I in fact see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer rivals. Both are going after the same target market and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is likewise placed at creators (like Substack), however it is far more highly catering to people who do it for organization. ConvertKit has wonderful visual automation structure, it’s very own business platform, and much more. ConvertKit is a truly great system.
I’m not mosting likely to birthed you with a complete feature-by-feature failure right here. ConvertKit is popular currently. But, below’s how I feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit contrast …
Points ConvertKit Is Better At …
As of now, ConvertKit has more flexibility when it comes to it’s automations. I will additionally claim that I find ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a bit a lot more intuitive than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit supports tagging. This is just a fundamental function of email listings that enables division in a far more adaptable method than BeeHiiv currently does. I anticipate BeeHiiv to support tagging at some time quickly, honestly. It seems like an oversight that it is missing out on Beehiiv Special Offer.
ConvertKit does currently provide the capacity to market things by means of their very own system. BeeHiiv does not. If that is necessary to you, it may be a big deal for you. For me, nonetheless, I would always choose an extra straight choice anyway. For me, I favor to utilize my own system powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has actually been about a lot longer and therefore has way a lot more integration options. Lots of web-based devices and WordPress plugins integrate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit also has their own WordPress plugin that is quite powerful. For instance, their plugin currently even supports member-gated material along with auto-embed of your e-newsletter archives right into your website. In essence, this a lot more carefully places ConvertKit right into direct competition by having you have the ability to publish to your website and your email listing at the same time.
BeeHiiv is severely doing not have in these kinds of third-party integrations right now. It’ll arrive. However, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is even active tackling the development devices of BeeHiiv. As an example, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Recommendation Engine where you can not only incentivize people to share your newsletter with advantages, yet you can additionally pay per lead within the interior advertisement network of BeeHiiv to expand your list. These are really remarkable features of BeeHiiv. However …
Did you recognize ConvertKit obtained Sparkloop? Sparkloop is among the most well known viral promo systems for e-newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the creating on the wall surface for what this means for the platform moving forward.
Things BeeHiiv Is Much Better At … Beehiiv Special Offer
BeeHiiv is much previously 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. Nevertheless, it also means that they are quickly developing.
In the short time that I have been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have actually observed practically weekly launch of new features into the platform. And these aren’t weak little features … but huge features that are quite vital. Their rate of development at this moment has been impressive.
I likewise very much value how responsive they are. Actually, among their item announcements regarding some design enhancements to the web design features really consisted of a small issue with the content size. I merely responded to that email to tell them. I swiftly obtained a reply straight from the chief executive officer:.
That same day, the issue was fixed.
Couple of days later on, I gave them an additional pointer …
Certainly, in a bit over a week of that exchange, the capacity to set off automations based upon the embed type used was contributed to the system.
That type of responsiveness and straight involvement of the team is something I really value.
An additional significant factor of distinction right here is the cost. Both systems provide free plans, nevertheless the BeeHiiv free plan provides a lot more capacity and more clients (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
Once you most likely to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is also much more favorable. ConvertKit seems less costly at first look because their pricing web page reveals lower numbers, nevertheless the customer limitations are much lower and your price promptly increases as your checklist grows.
With BeeHiiv, your very first degree paid plan starts at $42/mo (paid annually), however you can have up to 10,000 clients. That same dimension list is going to run you $100/month with ConvertKit.
If you upgrade to the “Scale” plan with BeeHiiv (their best plan and the one I directly make use of), you can grow your listing approximately 100,000. A checklist of that dimension would certainly run you $566/month with ConvertKit. If you want their referral network, also, that places you at the $733/month plan. That’s if you pay each year, too. With BeeHiiv, you can obtain all that for just $84/month if you pay each year.
BeeHiiv is in a completely various league when it comes to pricing (in an excellent way).
Will BeeHiiv ultimately enhance costs? They may as time takes place. Yet, I’m presuming individuals like myself that are already in will certainly be locked-in. We’ll see just how points continue.
Points I Would Certainly Like BeeHiiv To Include
Among the things you certainly require to bear in mind is that BeeHiiv is relatively young. They do appear to progress rather swiftly and make new product news rather typically, however there are some basic features I truly want they had that I need to just wait for.
One is that they require to have a setting on subscription kinds where I might pick an automation to run right at the kind degree. That would be amazing for so many factors. Currently, membership forms look OK, yet there’s really little setups for them to help in division.
It would behave to have marking at the client degree. This would certainly be powerful.
I assume webhooks should be part of automations to make integrated automations easier and reduce reliance on outdoors tools like Zapier.
There are also some small management user interface changes that would be handy. For example:
- Ability to mass edit/remove clients.
- Ability to mass edit blog posts (for example, to identify a number of them at the same time).
- Having a few standard fields as typical on clients (like the name).
- Some more customization options for the web site (such as more versatile color selections, headline control, etc).
So, yeah … there are some imperfections. Things I hope they do with it in the future. BeeHiiv is pretty good, however it isn’t perfect and absolutely not almost as created as something like FluentCRM or any other actual CRM product.
It possibly never ever will be, either. As I stated, the purpose is various so it wouldn’t a lot a great deal of sense for BeeHiiv to come to be a complete marketing automation system. I think you never recognize, though.
Last Ideas On This BeeHiiv Review
I like BeeHiiv rather a lot. Enough where I chose to change my own e-newsletters over to the platform in spite of my personal preference for digital sovereignty and having my own platform.
Basically, for the newsletter posting version especially, I saw enough worth in their system to call for the modification.
Bear in mind, I do not make use of BeeHiiv as my special e-mail checklist. I utilize BeeHiiv wherefore it is proficient at, however I intentionally have points set up to ensure that I likewise maintain my list “in home” inside of FluentCRM.
If you utilize BeeHiiv, I suggest you do the same. It is simply an excellent insurance policy, for one. But, 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 certainly be).
So, the inquiry is … should YOU utilize BeeHiiv?
In my opinion, if you are utilizing Substack now, I ‘d most definitely take into consideration switching over to BeeHiiv. It will simply be more business-friendly. It is targeting various abilities and different needs. Plus, BeeHiiv even has import devices for Substack, so the button should be quite simple.
If you get on ConvertKit currently, I ‘d most likely stay put unless you have a huge email checklist and are therefore being fleeced with their high month-to-month expense. You will not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, but they are iterating promptly. There’s likewise a pretty good chance you’re not even making use of a few of those fancier features of ConvertKit and you do not also need them. Because of that, BeeHiiv could conveniently be a better and much more budget friendly fit.
Last but not least, if you plan to be extremely intentional concerning expanding a newsletter, I believe BeeHiiv is THE system to think about and maintain and eye on for you.
If you utilize BeeHiiv with eyes wide open regarding what it is made to be, it is among the very best video games around right now. This is the platform to see.
BeeHiiv uses a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It deserves checking out on your own. And if you wind up not sticking to the paid plan, you’ll locate the complimentary account to be rather feature rich.