I have utilized a great deal of different email list systems for many years. In the last number of years, I have actually been a massive supporter of digital sovereignty and possessing your very own platform. For that reason (and the awesome features), I have been using Does Beehiiv Send Emails.
So, it is undoubtedly a weird move for me to decide to use BeeHiiv. Nevertheless, 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 look at why I made the button to BeeHiiv for my newsletters. I want to address the concern of digital sovereignty while utilizing the platform and I ‘d likewise like to attend to why I selected to use it over Substack.
Allow’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Built For Newsletters
In Concern # 435 of my newsletter called My Pastime + A Huge Shift In Method, I discussed exactly how and why I determined to transform my motor home blog site right into mainly an e-newsletter. I chose that was the business model I wanted to pursue keeping that home.
However, to intentionally pursue it as a newsletter, I desired a system that was purpose-built for that. I was using FluentCRM for the email listing for Gladly recreational vehicle, however FluentCRM is not an e-newsletter system. It is constructed to be a CRM and marketing automation tool and, honestly, utilizing it for newsletters is a little a waste. Much more on that particular in a bit.
As I claimed in that problem of the e-newsletter …
Basically, BeeHiiv is a system with devices constructed into it certain to my objective. Things such as:
- Capability to publish (to the blog site) and send out the e-mail simultaneously without having it be 2 different actions.
- Constructed in newsletter referral program. FluentCRM does not have that and I would certainly have needed a third-party tool like Sparkloop.
- Integrated capability to do cross-promotions with other e-newsletters on the BeeHiiv platform.
- ” Magic Hyperlinks”, which are generally one-click membership web links. Great for promotion in other newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Hyperlinks, however, so there are ways to do that.
- Capability to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to advertise your e-newsletter.
- Integrated ad network, if I select to generate income from with advertisements in the newsletter. And I may.
- Built-in capacity to run a paid newsletter upgrade and essentially run a premium e-newsletter. And BeeHiiv does not take a cut.
Basically, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for newsletter authors with features targeted at development. The system was literally developed by the people who accumulated the modern technology for Early morning Mixture. They understand what they’re doing.
That is the factor right here. BeeHiiv is developed from the ground up for the function of running an e-newsletter. FluentCRM has a various function.
And I ended off with this:.
I may indeed be moving The Edge over to BeeHiiv too. At the very least, I’m highly considering it.
Well, I didn’t consider it for long. As a matter of fact, I just went all out. And in fact, The side was re-branded over to The Early morning WP, set off as it’s own residential or commercial property so that I can expand it a lot more deliberately also.
The objective is that each e-newsletter has the ability to be branded as it’s very own media entity and expanded individually. Gladly recreational vehicle was young, so simple to shift. Yet, The Morning WP (previously The Side) was buried in a sea of things here at the Blog Marketing Academy. By separating it off, I can do what I can to expand it on it’s own. It will undoubtedly constantly be closely linked with the Blog Marketing Academy, however doesn’t have to belong of it.
I switched over to BeeHiiv because it was developed for this objective. FluentCRM was not.
Newsletters Versus Simply A Regular Email Checklist
There’s a difference between a newsletter system and simply an email list.
You can host your e-mail checklist anywhere you want and there are a variety of them out there, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted alternatives like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the difference?
The primary difference is that, with an e-newsletter platform, the act of publishing means that it is mosting likely to your internet site and to your e-mail subscribers at the same time.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a site. You are publishing to that internet site. Yet, you are likewise sending off to all clients at the same time. The internet site and it’s clients are all in one. This makes monitoring of the system much less complex.
With most e-mail systems, any type of e-newsletter you established is done as an e-mail campaign. It is constructed totally individually from your internet site. So, for instance, you could release a write-up to WordPress yet then you would require to independently develop and send out an email to your checklist to send it to subscribers. These are after that two different sets of archives and 2 separate activities because post and your e-mails are not inherently connected.
The closest point that turns WordPress into a real e-newsletter system is E-newsletter Glue.
It is a fitting name because it basically “adhesives” your newsletter to your WordPress messages and enables them to be the same thing. Certainly, something like E-newsletter Glue would certainly be a strong option if I wished to continue to self-host whatever. Nevertheless, you ‘d lose the growth devices that feature a platform like BeeHiiv.
Publishing an e-newsletter inherently includes a different set of requirements than a normal email list.
You don’t usually need much marketing automation. You do not generally need autoresponder series, occasion tracking, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation system.
What you DO demand, however, is one smooth posting experience and development devices to assist you develop your subscriber base that are specific to newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I introduced to my customers that I was going to change 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 choose BeeHiiv, that doesn’t suggest I assume Substack draws. As a matter of fact, since Substack has actually been around much longer, it is more mature and has more features.
Although BeeHiiv is more youthful, there are a couple points that at first obtained my interest:.
- BeeHiiv is specifically tailored to e-newsletter publishers. In fact, it is literally developed by the very same folks that constructed the technology behind Morning Mixture. On the other hand, SubStack targets writers. In the real life, does not matter. But, 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 have an interest in here.
- That branding and distinction additionally suggests that BeeHiiv has some fairly huge brands and big publications utilizing it. Whereas SubStack is intended more at solo makers. Once again, it just tells me the customer character difference in between both companies.
Sending our my e-newsletter using FluentCRM really did not precisely suck. The only factor I would consider drinking things up is if I assumed I might expand the list faster. And BeeHiiv spoke specifically to that goal.
Due to the targeting, I in fact don’t watch BeeHiiv and Substack as direct competitors. I believe BeeHiiv is targeting a various kind of customer. Actually, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being extra straight competitors.
However, allow’s dive much deeper than just the positioning here.
Things That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
On the whole, BeeHiiv feels like it was built by individuals who comprehending email marketing. On the other hand, SubStack seems more geared towards makers.
As an example, BeeHiiv offers customized fields on clients. Currently, it isn’t as created as something like FluentCRM. Yet, it has it. Substack does not.
BeeHiiv offers Automations. Actually, it is a visual automation builder that functions a great deal like what we have within FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation performance is still early-phase. It is still quite restricted in triggers and the only activity is the capacity to send an e-mail. However, improvements are coming. Quickly sufficient, automations will have brand-new triggers in addition to brand-new actions, such as changing customized fields, sending out webhooks, and so on. I have actually currently seen improvements to their automations simply given that I started making use of the platform. For example:
- Capacity to activate automations based on which particular embed type they came in on.
- Ability to instantly do re-engagement (and handle individuals based on opens and non-opens).
- Capacity to do standard conditional logic branches.
Substack does not have automations like this. Likely, it never ever will. Substack simply can’t do this because the target market of Substack just wouldn’t think to approach this like an email marketing expert.
When it concerns creating your e-newsletters, the writing interface of BeeHiiv is just much more tailored toward e-newsletters. As a matter of fact, it really has resemblances to the WordPress block builder in exactly how it functions. I find it to be a lot more user-friendly, directly.
Substack’s composing user interface is nice and tidy, but it would be more equal to the classic editor for WordPress. Toolbar at the top.
This distinction is more than simply form. For example, with BeeHiiv you can put a “Section” and after that put anything you want in it. Then, you can put Visibility options on that section to reveal it just to paid customers, conceal it from e-mail, conceal from subscribers, show just to customers, and so on. Substack supplies absolutely nothing such as this.
And when/if the time comes that I begin a premium membership version, BeeHiiv doesn’t take any profits. As a matter of fact, you essentially attach up to your own Stripe account and it bills straight to it. With Substack, they will take 10% of your profits. Depending upon how many subscribers you get, that 10% can be quite a bit even more money than the monthly cost of BeeHiiv.
Finally, BeeHiiv has an API. This might appear unpopular, but what it implies is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can really make BeeHiiv deal with the outdoors utilizing tools like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack actually has … nothing. No integrations in any way.
In general, I simply seemed like BeeHiiv was extra built toward actual email marketing. It was built by people who “get it”. Also the opt-in types and the landing page makes appear better developed for conversions. Development is the name of the game with BeeHiiv.
Even though there are still features I wish to see BeeHiiv add, I such as the instructions it is going greater than Substack.
Points That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have claimed, Substack positions itself towards “developers” greater than email online marketers and newsletter owners. Because of that, you see some points geared more towards people who just assume in regards to web content creation.
For instance, Substack supports podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Additionally, while BeeHiiv does support numerous magazines, they are treated fairly separately. Whereas Substack does have the capability to cross-post to multiple magazines at the same time. This isn’t something I require, however … amazing for individuals that could require it.
Substack additionally has even more social performance built-in. As an example, it has a conversation feature to host talks with customers. It likewise has a “Notes” function which works sort of like a social media sites newsfeed where you can share things from various other “Stacks” you read. Interesting. Generally, Substack is established to be a lot more like a social network which sustains long-form content.
Generally, Substack is likewise more … minimalist. You either take care of that or don’t. Personally, I don’t. However, if the goal is simpleness of user interface and, frankly, features … Substack works pretty well.
But, I’ll be clear below …
When it involves actual marketing, I do not believe there’s much uncertainty that BeeHiiv is much better suited. I searched for even more points that make Substack far better than BeeHiiv, however honestly … I have a difficult time finding them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are typically through to be the closest competitors, I actually see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer rivals. Both are pursuing the same target market and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is additionally positioned at developers (like Substack), however it is far more highly accommodating people that do it for organization. ConvertKit has great aesthetic automation structure, it’s very own commerce system, and extra. ConvertKit is a truly wonderful platform.
I’m not going to bore you with a full feature-by-feature breakdown right here. ConvertKit is popular already. Yet, right here’s exactly how I really feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit compare …
Points ConvertKit Is Much Better At …
As of now, ConvertKit has more flexibility when it pertains to it’s automations. I will certainly likewise say that I find ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a bit a lot more intuitive than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit sustains identifying. This is simply a standard function of e-mail listings that enables segmentation in an even more adaptable way than BeeHiiv currently does. I anticipate BeeHiiv to support tagging at some point quickly, truthfully. It feels like an oversight that it is missing Does Beehiiv Send Emails.
ConvertKit does now offer the ability to market things through their very own platform. BeeHiiv does not. If that’s important to you, it may be a big deal for you. For me, nevertheless, I would always choose a more direct choice anyway. For me, I favor to use my very own system powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has been around much longer and therefore has way a lot more integration alternatives. Lots of web-based tools and WordPress plugins integrate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit also has their very own WordPress plugin that is quite powerful. For instance, their plugin currently even sustains member-gated content in addition to auto-embed of your e-newsletter archives right into your site. Basically, this more carefully places ConvertKit right into direct competitors by having you have the ability to release to your site and your email listing at the same time.
BeeHiiv is drastically doing not have in these kinds of third-party integrations currently. It’ll arrive. However, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is also hectic taking on the growth devices of BeeHiiv. For example, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Recommendation Engine where you can not only incentivize individuals to share your e-newsletter with benefits, however you can likewise pay per lead within the internal advertisement network of BeeHiiv to expand your list. These are actually outstanding features of BeeHiiv. Yet …
Did you know ConvertKit acquired Sparkloop? Sparkloop is one of the most well known viral promotion platforms for e-newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the creating on the wall surface for what this indicates for the platform moving forward.
Things BeeHiiv Is Much Better At … Does Beehiiv Send Emails
BeeHiiv is a lot previously in it’s item cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that suggests less features and much less integrations, which is all-natural for this stage of the cycle. Nevertheless, it likewise suggests that they are rapidly developing.
In the short time that I have been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have observed practically weekly release of brand-new features right into the system. And these aren’t undersized little features … yet big features that are quite crucial. Their rate of advancement now has gone over.
I additionally quite appreciate exactly how receptive they are. Actually, among their product announcements concerning some layout improvements to the website design features actually had a small problem with the web content width. I simply replied to that email to tell them. I rapidly got a reply straight from the CEO:.
That very same day, the concern was dealt with.
Few days later, I gave them one more recommendation …
Indeed, in a little bit over a week of that exchange, the capability to set off automations based upon the embed type utilized was contributed to the system.
That kind of responsiveness and straight participation of the team is something I truly value.
An additional major factor of differentiation here is the rate. Both platforms offer complimentary plans, nevertheless the BeeHiiv free plan uses much more ability and even more customers (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
Once you go to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is additionally much more beneficial. ConvertKit appears cheaper initially look because their pricing web page shows reduced numbers, nevertheless the subscriber limitations are FAR reduced and your cost promptly raises as your list expands.
With BeeHiiv, your initial level paid plan starts at $42/mo (paid each year), nonetheless you can have up to 10,000 customers. That exact same dimension checklist is mosting likely to run you $100/month with ConvertKit.
If you upgrade to the “Range” plan with BeeHiiv (their ideal plan and the one I personally use), you can expand your listing up to 100,000. A list of that dimension would run you $566/month with ConvertKit. If you want their referral network, as well, that places you at the $733/month plan. That’s if you pay every year, too. With BeeHiiv, you can get all that for just $84/month if you pay every year.
BeeHiiv remains in a totally various league when it involves pricing (in a good way).
Will BeeHiiv at some point boost costs? They may as time goes on. Yet, I’m thinking individuals like myself that are currently in will certainly be locked-in. We’ll see how points continue.
Points I Would Certainly Like BeeHiiv To Include
Among the things you definitely need to keep in mind is that BeeHiiv is reasonably young. They do appear to progress instead rapidly and make new product statements rather usually, yet there are some basic features I really desire they had that I need to simply wait on.
One is that they require to have a setting on subscription kinds where I can choose an automation to run right at the form level. That would certainly be incredible for many reasons. As of now, membership forms look OK, however there’s very little settings for them to assist in division.
It would behave to have labeling at the customer level. This would be effective.
I assume webhooks must belong to automations to make integrated automations much easier and decrease reliance on outside devices like Zapier.
There are likewise some minor management interface adjustments that would certainly be handy. For example:
- Ability to bulk edit/remove subscribers.
- Capacity to bulk edit articles (as an example, to tag a lot of them at the same time).
- Having a few basic areas as typical on subscribers (like the name).
- Some even more personalization alternatives for the web site (such as even more flexible color selections, headline control, and so on).
So, yeah … there are some imperfections. Points I wish they finish with it in the future. BeeHiiv is pretty good, however it isn’t ideal and certainly not nearly as created as something like FluentCRM or any other actual CRM item.
It probably never will be, either. As I said, the function is different so it would not a lot a great deal of sense for BeeHiiv to become a full marketing automation platform. I guess you never ever understand, however.
Last Ideas On This BeeHiiv Testimonial
I such as BeeHiiv quite a whole lot. Sufficient where I decided to change my very own e-newsletters over to the system despite my individual choice for digital sovereignty and possessing my very own system.
Basically, for the newsletter posting design especially, I saw sufficient worth in their system to necessitate the modification.
Bear in mind, I do not make use of BeeHiiv as my exclusive email list. I utilize BeeHiiv of what it is efficient, however I purposefully have points establish to ensure that I likewise keep my list “in residence” within FluentCRM.
If you utilize BeeHiiv, I recommend you do the same. It is just a great insurance coverage, for one. Yet, having a full-featured marketing automation system for your list will certainly be of high use (FluentCRM is a complete marketing automation system and BeeHiiv is not and likely never ever will certainly be).
So, the concern is … should YOU utilize BeeHiiv?
In my viewpoint, if you are utilizing Substack now, I ‘d absolutely consider switching to BeeHiiv. It will just be much more business-friendly. It is targeting different capabilities and different needs. And also, BeeHiiv also has import devices for Substack, so the button ought to be pretty uncomplicated.
If you get on ConvertKit currently, I ‘d possibly stay put unless you have a large e-mail listing and are consequently being wooled with their high regular monthly costs. You will not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, yet they are iterating promptly. There’s likewise a pretty good opportunity you’re not also utilizing some of those fancier features of ConvertKit and you do not even need them. Because of that, BeeHiiv might quickly be a much better and much more budget-friendly fit.
Finally, if you plan to be extremely willful concerning growing a newsletter, I assume BeeHiiv is THE system to take into consideration and keep and eye on for you.
If you use BeeHiiv with eyes wide open regarding what it is designed to be, it is one of the very best games in the area now. This is the platform to watch.
BeeHiiv supplies a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It is worth looking into on your own. And if you end up not sticking with the paid plan, you’ll discover the complimentary account to be rather feature rich.