I have used a great deal of different e-mail list systems throughout the years. In the last couple of years, I’ve been a substantial advocate of digital sovereignty and possessing your very own system. For that reason (and the amazing features), I have been using Examples of Beehiiv Newsletters.
So, it is certainly an unusual move for me to make a decision to make use of BeeHiiv. Besides, it is a held application and I am paying monthly for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv testimonial, I wish to review why I made the switch to BeeHiiv for my e-newsletters. I want to attend to the concern of digital sovereignty while using the platform and I ‘d also such as to deal with why I chose to utilize it over Substack.
Let’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Constructed For E-newsletters
In Issue # 435 of my e-newsletter called My Pastime + A Big Change In Method, I talked about how and why I determined to turn my motor home blog site into primarily an e-newsletter. I determined that was business model I intended to pursue with that said building.
Yet, to intentionally pursue it as a newsletter, I wanted a platform that was purpose-built for that. I was using FluentCRM for the email listing for Gladly recreational vehicle, but FluentCRM is not a newsletter platform. It is constructed to be a CRM and marketing automation tool and, honestly, utilizing it for newsletters is a little bit of a waste. Much more on that in a bit.
As I claimed because problem of the e-newsletter …
Simply put, BeeHiiv is a system with tools constructed right into it particular to my objective. Things such as:
- Ability to publish (to the blog) and send out the e-mail concurrently without having it be two separate actions.
- Integrated in e-newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would require a third-party tool like Sparkloop.
- Built-in ability to do cross-promotions with other newsletters on the BeeHiiv system.
- ” Magic Links”, which are generally one-click registration web links. Great for promo in other newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Hyperlinks, though, so there are means to do that.
- Capacity to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to promote your e-newsletter.
- Built-in ad network, if I pick to generate income from with advertisements in the e-newsletter. And I may.
- Built-in capability to run a paid newsletter upgrade and generally run a costs e-newsletter. And BeeHiiv does not take a cut.
Basically, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for newsletter publishers with features focused on growth. The system was literally built by the people who accumulated the innovation for Morning Mixture. They know what they’re doing.
That is the factor below. BeeHiiv is developed from scratch for the function of running an e-newsletter. FluentCRM has a different purpose.
And I finished off with this:.
I may certainly be relocating The Edge over to BeeHiiv as well. At the very least, I’m strongly considering it.
Well, I didn’t consider it for long. Actually, I simply went all out. And in fact, The EDGE was re-branded over to The Early morning WP, set off as it’s very own residential or commercial property to make sure that I can expand it much more deliberately also.
The objective is that each e-newsletter has the capability to be branded as it’s very own media entity and expanded separately. Gladly RV was young, so easy to shift. However, The Morning WP (formerly The Side) 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 clearly constantly be closely linked with the Blog site Marketing Academy, yet doesn’t have to be a part of it.
I switched over to BeeHiiv since it was constructed for this purpose. FluentCRM was not.
Newsletters Versus Simply A Normal Email List
There’s a distinction in between a newsletter platform and simply an email checklist.
You can hold your email checklist anywhere you want and there are a variety of them out there, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted choices like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the distinction?
The key difference is that, with a newsletter system, the act of posting suggests that it is going to your web site and to your email clients at the same time.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a site. You are publishing to that internet site. However, you are also sending to all clients at the same time. The site and it’s subscribers are all in one. This makes administration of the system much easier.
With the majority of e-mail platforms, any newsletter you set up is done as an email campaign. It is developed totally individually from your site. So, as an example, you could publish a short article to WordPress however then you would certainly require to individually build and send out an e-mail to your checklist to send it to clients. These are after that 2 different sets of archives and 2 different activities because blog posts and your e-mails are not inherently linked.
The closest thing that transforms WordPress right into a true e-newsletter system is Newsletter Glue.
It is a suitable name since it pretty much “adhesives” your e-newsletter to your WordPress blog posts and enables them to be the same thing. Certainly, something like Newsletter Glue would certainly be a strong alternative if I wished to continue to self-host whatever. Nonetheless, you would certainly lose the development devices that come with a platform like BeeHiiv.
Publishing an e-newsletter naturally includes a various set of demands than a typical email checklist.
You don’t usually need much marketing automation. You don’t generally require autoresponder series, occasion monitoring, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation platform.
What you DO need, though, is one smooth publishing experience and growth devices to aid you develop your client base that specify to newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I introduced to my customers that I was mosting likely to switch the newsletter over to BeeHiiv, I had many people ask me why I was picking it over Substack.
To be clear, even besides the truth that I selected to opt for BeeHiiv, that does not indicate I assume Substack draws. As a matter of fact, due to the fact that Substack has actually been around much longer, it is more mature and has more features.
Even though BeeHiiv is more youthful, there are a couple points that originally got my focus:.
- BeeHiiv is especially tailored to e-newsletter authors. As a matter of fact, it is actually developed by the very same people who built the modern technology behind Morning Brew. On the other hand, SubStack targets writers. In the real life, doesn’t matter. However, the apparent positioning of BeeHiiv toward e-newsletter development called me out over the more generic positioning of being a “creator”. Growth is what I have an interest in right here.
- That branding and distinction additionally suggests that BeeHiiv has some fairly huge brand names and large magazines using it. Whereas SubStack is aimed more at solo developers. Once again, it just tells me the customer character difference between both firms.
Sending our my newsletter using FluentCRM didn’t precisely suck. The only reason I would ponder trembling points up is if I assumed I can GROW the listing quicker. And BeeHiiv spoke precisely to that goal.
As a result of the targeting, I actually do not watch BeeHiiv and Substack as straight rivals. I believe BeeHiiv is targeting a different type of consumer. Actually, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being more straight competitors.
Yet, allow’s dive deeper than just the placing right here.
Points That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
Overall, BeeHiiv looks like it was built by individuals that understanding e-mail marketing. On the other hand, SubStack appears much more geared toward designers.
For example, BeeHiiv offers customized areas on subscribers. Now, it isn’t as developed as something like FluentCRM. However, it has it. Substack doesn’t.
BeeHiiv uses Automations. As a matter of fact, it is an aesthetic automation builder that works a lot like what we have within FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation performance is still early-phase. It is still rather limited in triggers and the only action is the capacity to send an e-mail. However, improvements are coming. Quickly enough, automations will have new triggers in addition to new actions, such as modifying personalized fields, sending webhooks, and so on. I’ve already seen improvements to their automations just since I began using the platform. For instance:
- Ability to activate automations based on which particular embed form they came in on.
- Capacity to automatically do re-engagement (and manage individuals based on opens and non-opens).
- Capacity to do standard conditional logic branches.
Substack does not have automations similar to this. Likely, it never will. Substack simply can not do this due to the fact that the target market of Substack just would not believe to approach this like an e-mail marketing expert.
When it comes to writing your e-newsletters, the writing user interface of BeeHiiv is just extra tailored toward e-newsletters. Actually, it in fact has resemblances to the WordPress block builder in how it works. I discover it to be a lot more user-friendly, personally.
Substack’s writing interface behaves and tidy, yet it would certainly be a lot more equivalent to the traditional editor for WordPress. Toolbar at the top.
This distinction is more than simply type. For example, with BeeHiiv you can place a “Area” and afterwards placed anything you want in it. After that, you can put Presence alternatives on that area to show it only to paid customers, conceal it from e-mail, hide from customers, show only to subscribers, etc. Substack offers absolutely nothing such as this.
And when/if the time comes that I start a premium membership version, BeeHiiv does not take any type of income. Actually, you literally attach up to your own Stripe account and it charges straight to it. With Substack, they will take 10% of your revenue. Relying on the amount of clients you get, that 10% can be quite a bit even more cash than the regular monthly price of BeeHiiv.
Finally, BeeHiiv has an API. This could seem unpopular, yet what it means is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can in fact make BeeHiiv deal with the outside making use of tools like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack actually has … nothing. No integrations in any way.
Overall, I simply seemed like BeeHiiv was a lot more built towards actual e-mail marketing. It was built by individuals that “get it”. Also the opt-in kinds and the landing page develops seem much better constructed for conversions. Development is the name of the game with BeeHiiv.
Despite the fact that there are still features I would like 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 said, Substack positions itself toward “creators” greater than email marketers and newsletter proprietors. Therefore, you see some points geared more toward people who simply think in regards to content production.
For example, Substack supports podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Also, while BeeHiiv does support several publications, they are dealt with quite individually. Whereas Substack does have the ability to cross-post to multiple publications at the same time. This isn’t something I call for, however … amazing for individuals who may need it.
Substack additionally has even more social capability built-in. As an example, it has a conversation function to host chats with subscribers. It also has a “Notes” feature which works sort of like a social networks newsfeed where you can share points from other “Stacks” you’re reading. Interesting. On the whole, Substack is established to be much more like a social media which sustains long-form material.
In general, Substack is also much more … minimalist. You either care for that or don’t. 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 concerns actual marketing, I do not assume there’s much uncertainty that BeeHiiv is better suited. I looked for more points that make Substack better than BeeHiiv, yet honestly … I have a hard time finding them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are frequently through to be the closest competitors, I in fact see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer opponents. Both are pursuing the same target audience and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is likewise placed at makers (like Substack), but it is much more highly accommodating people that do it for organization. ConvertKit has great aesthetic automation building, it’s own business platform, and more. ConvertKit is a truly good platform.
I’m not mosting likely to bore you with a complete feature-by-feature break down right here. ConvertKit is popular currently. Yet, below’s exactly how I really feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit contrast …
Points ConvertKit Is Much Better At …
Already, ConvertKit has a lot more flexibility when it concerns it’s automations. I will certainly additionally claim that I discover ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a little bit extra intuitive than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit supports marking. This is simply a basic feature of e-mail lists that makes it possible for division in a much more adaptable means than BeeHiiv presently does. I anticipate BeeHiiv to sustain marking eventually quickly, truthfully. It seems like an oversight that it is missing out on Examples of Beehiiv Newsletters.
ConvertKit does currently supply the capacity to sell points by means of their very own platform. BeeHiiv does not. If that is very important to you, it may be a big deal for you. For me, however, I would certainly constantly pick a much more straight choice anyway. For me, I choose to use my own system powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has actually been about a lot longer and because of that has way more integration choices. Lots 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 currently also sustains member-gated content along with auto-embed of your e-newsletter archives right into your website. Essentially, this more very closely places ConvertKit right into straight competition by having you have the ability to publish to your site and your e-mail list at the same time.
BeeHiiv is badly doing not have in these type of third-party integrations at the moment. It’ll get there. However, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is even busy taking on the development devices of BeeHiiv. For instance, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Suggestion Engine where you can not just incentivize people to share your e-newsletter with benefits, yet you can also pay per lead within the internal advertisement network of BeeHiiv to grow your listing. These are really outstanding features of BeeHiiv. Yet …
Did you know ConvertKit acquired Sparkloop? Sparkloop is among the most popular viral promo systems for newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the writing on the wall wherefore this implies for the system moving forward.
Things BeeHiiv Is Better At … Examples of Beehiiv Newsletters
BeeHiiv is much previously in it’s item cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that means much less features and much less integrations, which is all-natural for this stage of the cycle. Nevertheless, it also means that they are swiftly creating.
In the short time that I have actually been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have experienced nearly regular launch of brand-new features into the system. And these aren’t weak little features … yet big features that are rather essential. Their rate of development at this point has been impressive.
I also quite value just how receptive they are. In fact, one of their item announcements concerning some style enhancements to the website design features really had a small problem with the material width. I merely responded to that e-mail to tell them. I quickly got a reply directly from the CEO:.
That exact same day, the concern was dealt with.
Couple of days later on, I gave them an additional tip …
Sure enough, in a bit over a week of that exchange, the ability to trigger automations based upon the embed form utilized was added to the system.
That kind of responsiveness and straight participation of the team is something I really appreciate.
An additional significant point of differentiation below is the cost. Both platforms use free plans, however the BeeHiiv free plan provides much more ability and even more clients (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
When you most likely to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is likewise even more positive. ConvertKit appears cheaper in the beginning look due to the fact that their pricing page shows reduced numbers, however the client restrictions are FAR lower and your rate quickly enhances as your listing expands.
With BeeHiiv, your first degree paid plan begins at $42/mo (paid yearly), nevertheless you can have up to 10,000 subscribers. That same size listing 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 utilize), you can expand 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 yearly, as well. With BeeHiiv, you can get all that for simply $84/month if you pay every year.
BeeHiiv is in an entirely various league when it pertains to pricing (in an excellent way).
Will BeeHiiv eventually raise rates? They may as time goes on. Yet, I’m guessing people like myself who are already in will certainly be locked-in. We’ll see exactly how points continue.
Things I Would Like BeeHiiv To Add
One of the things you certainly require to keep in mind is that BeeHiiv is fairly young. They do appear to evolve rather quickly and make brand-new item announcements somewhat usually, yet there are some fundamental features I actually want they had that I need to simply wait for.
One is that they need to have a setting on registration forms where I can select an automation to run right at the kind degree. That would be amazing for a lot of reasons. Currently, membership forms look OK, however there’s really little setups for them to help in division.
It would be nice to have labeling at the client degree. This would certainly be effective.
I think webhooks should become part of automations to make integrated automations easier and decrease reliance on outside tools like Zapier.
There are additionally some minor management user interface adjustments that would certainly be handy. As an example:
- Capability to bulk edit/remove subscribers.
- Capability to mass edit articles (for instance, to mark a bunch of them at the same time).
- Having a few basic areas as common on customers (like the name).
- Some more modification options for the site (such as more versatile color choices, headline control, and so on).
So, yeah … there are some drawbacks. Points I hope they do with it in the future. BeeHiiv is respectable, but it isn’t ideal and certainly not almost as created as something like FluentCRM or any other genuine CRM product.
It possibly never ever will certainly be, either. As I said, the purpose is different so it would not much a great deal of feeling for BeeHiiv to come to be a complete marketing automation platform. I presume you never recognize, however.
Last Ideas On This BeeHiiv Review
I like BeeHiiv rather a whole lot. Sufficient where I chose to switch my own e-newsletters over to the system regardless of my individual preference for digital sovereignty and possessing my own platform.
Basically, for the e-newsletter posting design particularly, I saw adequate value in their platform to warrant the adjustment.
Keep in mind, I do not make use of BeeHiiv as my special e-mail list. I use BeeHiiv for what it is proficient at, however I deliberately have things set up to make sure that I additionally keep my listing “in residence” inside of FluentCRM.
If you make use of BeeHiiv, I suggest you do the exact same. It is just a great insurance policy, for one. Yet, having a full-featured marketing automation platform for your listing will be of high usage (FluentCRM is a complete marketing automation system and BeeHiiv is not and likely never ever will certainly be).
So, the concern is … should YOU make use of BeeHiiv?
In my viewpoint, if you are utilizing Substack right now, I ‘d definitely consider changing to BeeHiiv. It will merely be extra business-friendly. It is targeting various capacities and different requirements. Plus, BeeHiiv also has import tools for Substack, so the button must be quite straightforward.
If you are on ConvertKit currently, I ‘d possibly stay unless you have a huge e-mail listing and are therefore being wooled with their high monthly expense. You will not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, yet they are iterating rapidly. There’s also a respectable opportunity you’re not even utilizing several of those fancier functions of ConvertKit and you do not also need them. For that reason, BeeHiiv can easily be a much better and extra affordable fit.
Lastly, if you plan to be really deliberate about expanding a newsletter, I believe BeeHiiv is THE system to think about and keep 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 best video games around right now. This is the platform to see.
BeeHiiv supplies a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It is worth taking a look at for yourself. And if you end up not sticking with the paid plan, you’ll discover the totally free account to be fairly feature abundant.