I have used a great deal of different e-mail list systems throughout the years. In the last number of years, I’ve been a huge advocate of digital sovereignty and having your own system. Therefore (and the remarkable features), I have actually been utilizing Vegan Tech Nomad Beehiiv.
So, it is without a doubt a strange move for me to determine to use BeeHiiv. Nevertheless, it is a hosted application and I am paying regular monthly for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv review, I intend to discuss why I made the button to BeeHiiv for my newsletters. I wish to address the issue of digital sovereignty while making use of the system and I would certainly also like to address why I picked to use it over Substack.
Let’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Built For Newsletters
In Concern # 435 of my newsletter called My Pastime + A Big Shift In Strategy, I talked about how and why I determined to turn my RV blog site into mainly an e-newsletter. I chose that was business model I wished to seek with that said building.
However, to intentionally seek it as a newsletter, I desired a system that was purpose-built for that. I was making use of FluentCRM for the email checklist for Happily motor home, yet FluentCRM is not an e-newsletter platform. It is constructed to be a CRM and marketing automation device and, truthfully, utilizing it for newsletters is a bit of a waste. Extra on that particular in a bit.
As I said in that issue of the e-newsletter …
Simply put, BeeHiiv is a platform with devices developed right into it specific to my purpose. Points such as:
- Capacity to release (to the blog) and send the email simultaneously without having it be 2 different activities.
- Built in e-newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would certainly require a third-party tool like Sparkloop.
- Built-in ability to do cross-promotions with various other newsletters on the BeeHiiv system.
- ” Magic Links”, which are basically one-click registration links. Great for promotion in other e-newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Links, though, so there are ways to do that.
- Ability to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to advertise your e-newsletter.
- Built-in advertisement network, if I pick to generate income from with ads in the e-newsletter. And I may.
- Integrated ability 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 authors with features focused on development. The system was essentially built by the individuals who built up the technology for Morning Mixture. They understand what they’re doing.
That is the factor right here. BeeHiiv is constructed from the ground up for the purpose of running a newsletter. FluentCRM has a different function.
And I ended off with this:.
I might undoubtedly 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. Actually, I simply went all out. And as a matter of fact, The EDGE was re-branded over to The Morning WP, set off as it’s own property to make sure that I can grow it much more purposefully as well.
The goal is that each newsletter has the capability to be branded as it’s very own media entity and grown individually. Gladly motor home was young, so simple to change. Yet, The Morning WP (formerly The Edge) was hidden in a sea of things here at the Blog Site Marketing Academy. By separating it off, I can do what I can to grow it on it’s very own. It will obviously constantly be very closely tied with the Blog Marketing Academy, however does not have to belong of it.
I switched to BeeHiiv since it was built for this objective. FluentCRM was not.
E-newsletters Versus Just A Typical Email Listing
There’s a distinction in between an e-newsletter system and simply an email checklist.
You can organize your e-mail listing everywhere you desire and there are a number of them available, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted alternatives like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the distinction?
The main distinction is that, with a newsletter system, the act of posting indicates that it is mosting likely to your web site and to your email subscribers at the same time.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a website. You are publishing to that web site. However, you are also sending to all subscribers at the same time. The website and it’s customers are done in one. This makes administration of the system much easier.
With the majority of email systems, any kind of newsletter you set up is done as an email campaign. It is constructed entirely separately from your site. So, for instance, you may publish a post to WordPress however then you would certainly require to separately construct and send an e-mail to your listing to send it to customers. These are after that two different sets of archives and two different activities since blog posts and your emails are not inherently linked.
The closest thing that transforms WordPress right into a real newsletter platform is E-newsletter Glue.
It is a suitable name because it virtually “adhesives” your newsletter to your WordPress articles and allows them to be the same thing. Definitely, something like Newsletter Glue would certainly be a solid option if I wanted to continue to self-host everything. Nevertheless, you would certainly shed the development devices that come with a system like BeeHiiv.
Posting a newsletter naturally features a different collection of needs than a normal e-mail listing.
You don’t normally require much marketing automation. You don’t usually require autoresponder series, event monitoring, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation system.
What you DO requirement, though, is one smooth posting experience and development tools to assist you develop your customer base that are specific to newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I revealed to my clients that I was mosting likely to switch the newsletter over to BeeHiiv, I had many people ask me why I was selecting it over Substack.
To be clear, also besides the truth that I picked to select BeeHiiv, that doesn’t mean I assume Substack draws. In fact, due to the fact that Substack has actually been around much longer, it is more mature and has even more features.
Even though BeeHiiv is more youthful, there are a couple points that initially obtained my focus:.
- BeeHiiv is particularly customized to newsletter publishers. Actually, it is essentially developed by the exact same people that developed the innovation behind Early morning Mixture. On the other hand, SubStack targets authors. In the real world, doesn’t matter. But, the obvious positioning of BeeHiiv towards e-newsletter development called me out over the more generic positioning of being a “creator”. Development is what I want below.
- That branding and distinction likewise indicates that BeeHiiv has some fairly large brand names and huge magazines utilizing it. Whereas SubStack is aimed more at solo developers. Once more, it just informs me the consumer avatar distinction between both companies.
Sending our my e-newsletter using FluentCRM didn’t precisely draw. The only factor I would consider drinking things up is if I assumed I might GROW the listing quicker. And BeeHiiv talked exactly to that goal.
Due to the targeting, I actually do not watch BeeHiiv and Substack as straight rivals. I believe BeeHiiv is targeting a different type of consumer. In fact, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being a lot more straight rivals.
Yet, allow’s dive much deeper than simply the placing here.
Points That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
In general, BeeHiiv feels like it was built by people who recognizing email marketing. On the other hand, SubStack appears much more geared toward designers.
For example, BeeHiiv provides personalized fields on clients. Currently, it isn’t as created as something like FluentCRM. But, it has it. Substack does not.
BeeHiiv provides Automations. In fact, it is an aesthetic automation builder that functions a great deal like what we have within FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation functionality is still early-phase. It is still fairly restricted in triggers and the only activity is the ability to send an email. However, enhancements are coming. Soon sufficient, automations will have new triggers as well as new activities, such as customizing custom fields, sending out webhooks, and so on. I have actually currently seen improvements to their automations simply given that I began using the platform. As an example:
- Ability to trigger automations based upon which specific embed type they can be found in on.
- Ability to automatically do re-engagement (and deal with people based upon opens and non-opens).
- Capability to do standard conditional logic branches.
Substack does not have automations similar to this. Likely, it never will. Substack just can not do this because the target market of Substack simply would not believe to approach this like an e-mail marketing professional.
When it pertains to creating your newsletters, the composing interface of BeeHiiv is simply a lot more geared towards e-newsletters. Actually, it really has similarities to the WordPress block builder in how it works. I find it to be a lot more instinctive, personally.
Substack’s composing user interface behaves and clean, yet it would be a lot more comparable to the classic editor for WordPress. Toolbar at the top.
This difference is greater than just kind. For instance, with BeeHiiv you can put a “Area” and afterwards put anything you want in it. After that, you can put Visibility alternatives on that section to show it only to paid clients, conceal it from e-mail, conceal 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 registration model, BeeHiiv does not take any revenue. As a matter of fact, you literally attach approximately your own Stripe account and it charges directly to it. With Substack, they will take 10% of your income. Relying on how many customers you get, that 10% can be quite a bit even more cash than the monthly price of BeeHiiv.
Lastly, BeeHiiv has an API. This might seem unpopular, yet what it suggests is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can in fact make BeeHiiv collaborate with the outside utilizing devices like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack actually has … nothing. No integrations in any way.
In general, I just seemed like BeeHiiv was more constructed toward real email marketing. It was constructed by people that “get it”. Also the opt-in types and the landing page designs appear much better built for conversions. Development is nitty-gritty with BeeHiiv.
Even though there are still features I would like to see BeeHiiv add, I such as the direction it is going more than Substack.
Points That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have said, Substack placements itself towards “creators” greater than email online marketers and e-newsletter proprietors. For that reason, you see some things geared extra towards people that simply think in regards to content production.
For example, Substack supports podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Likewise, while BeeHiiv does sustain multiple magazines, they are dealt with quite separately. Whereas Substack does have the capability to cross-post to several magazines at the same time. This isn’t something I call for, but … great for people that could require it.
Substack additionally has more social capability built-in. As an example, it has a conversation function to host talks with clients. It additionally has a “Notes” feature which functions sort of like a social networks newsfeed where you can share things from various other “Stacks” you read. Interesting. Generally, Substack is set up to be much more like a social media which sustains long-form material.
Generally, Substack is also much more … minimalist. You either care for that or don’t. Directly, I don’t. However, if the goal is simpleness of user interface and, truthfully, features … Substack works rather well.
However, I’ll be clear here …
When it involves real marketing, I don’t assume there’s much doubt that BeeHiiv is better fit. I looked for more factors that make Substack much better than BeeHiiv, but truthfully … I have a difficult time locating them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are typically with to be the closest rivals, I in fact see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer opponents. Both are pursuing the very same target audience and have similar capabilities.
ConvertKit is also positioned at makers (like Substack), however it is a lot more strongly dealing with individuals that do it for company. ConvertKit has wonderful visual automation structure, it’s own commerce system, and much more. ConvertKit is a really wonderful platform.
I’m not mosting likely to birthed you with a complete feature-by-feature break down here. ConvertKit is well known already. Yet, right here’s how I feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit compare …
Points ConvertKit Is Better At …
As of now, ConvertKit has extra adaptability when it concerns it’s automations. I will also state that I find ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a little bit extra user-friendly than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit supports marking. This is simply a fundamental feature of e-mail checklists that enables division in a far more versatile means than BeeHiiv presently does. I expect BeeHiiv to support tagging eventually quickly, frankly. It seems like an oversight that it is missing Vegan Tech Nomad Beehiiv.
ConvertKit does now supply the capacity to market points by means of their own system. BeeHiiv does not. If that is necessary to you, it may be a big deal for you. For me, nevertheless, I would always select an extra direct choice anyway. For me, I choose to use my own system powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has been about much longer and for that reason has way a lot more integration options. Lots of web-based devices and WordPress plugins incorporate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit also has their own WordPress plugin that is rather powerful. For instance, their plugin now also supports member-gated material along with auto-embed of your newsletter archives right into your site. Essentially, this more carefully places ConvertKit right into direct competitors by having you be able to publish to your website and your e-mail listing at the same time.
BeeHiiv is seriously lacking in these type of third-party integrations right now. It’ll arrive. But, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is even busy dealing with the development tools of BeeHiiv. For example, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Recommendation Engine where you can not only incentivize people to share your e-newsletter with rewards, however you can also pay per lead within the interior ad network of BeeHiiv to grow your list. These are truly amazing features of BeeHiiv. But …
Did you recognize ConvertKit got Sparkloop? Sparkloop is just one of the most well known viral promo platforms for e-newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the creating on the wall wherefore this suggests for the platform going forward.
Things BeeHiiv Is Better At … Vegan Tech Nomad Beehiiv
BeeHiiv is a lot earlier in it’s product cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that indicates less features and much less integrations, which is all-natural for this stage of the cycle. Nevertheless, it likewise implies that they are quickly creating.
In the short time that I have actually been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have actually seen almost regular release of brand-new features into the platform. And these aren’t puny little features … however huge features that are fairly crucial. Their speed of advancement at this moment has actually been impressive.
I additionally quite value just how responsive they are. Actually, among their product statements about some style improvements to the web design features in fact contained a little issue with the web content size. I merely responded to that email to tell them. I quickly got a reply straight from the chief executive officer:.
That same day, the issue was taken care of.
Few days later, I gave them an additional suggestion …
Indeed, in a little bit over a week of that exchange, the capability to activate automations based upon the embed form used was contributed to the system.
That kind of responsiveness and straight participation of the team is something I actually appreciate.
One more major point of differentiation below is the price. Both platforms offer totally free plans, nevertheless the BeeHiiv free plan provides much more capability and even more clients (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
When you go to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is also even more favorable. ConvertKit appears less expensive initially glimpse due to the fact that their pricing page reveals lower numbers, nonetheless the customer limitations are FAR reduced and your price promptly 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 clients. That very same size list 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 directly use), you can grow your listing up to 100,000. A list of that size would certainly run you $566/month with ConvertKit. If you want their referral network, too, that places you at the $733/month plan. That’s if you pay annually, also. With BeeHiiv, you can obtain all that for simply $84/month if you pay annually.
BeeHiiv is in a completely various league when it pertains to pricing (in an excellent way).
Will BeeHiiv at some point increase costs? They might as time takes place. But, I’m guessing individuals like myself that are already in will certainly be locked-in. We’ll see just how points continue.
Things I Would Certainly Like BeeHiiv To Add
One of the important things you certainly require to keep in mind is that BeeHiiv is fairly young. They do seem to develop instead quickly and make new item news somewhat usually, but there are some standard features I truly desire they had that I need to just await.
One is that they need to have a setup on membership kinds where I could pick an automation to run right at the type level. That would be remarkable for numerous factors. Currently, registration types look OK, however there’s extremely little settings for them to assist in segmentation.
It would be nice to have identifying at the subscriber level. This would be effective.
I assume webhooks must belong to automations to make built-in automations less complicated and minimize reliance on outdoors tools like Zapier.
There are also some minor management user interface adjustments that would be handy. For example:
- Ability to mass edit/remove customers.
- Capacity to bulk edit messages (for instance, to tag a number of them at the same time).
- Having a few basic fields as common on clients (like the name).
- Some even more personalization alternatives for the site (such as even more adaptable shade selections, heading control, and so on).
So, yeah … there are some imperfections. Things I hope they make with it in the future. BeeHiiv is respectable, yet it isn’t excellent and absolutely not nearly as created as something like FluentCRM or any other genuine CRM product.
It most likely never will certainly be, either. As I claimed, the function is different so it wouldn’t much a great deal of feeling for BeeHiiv to end up being a complete marketing automation platform. I think you never ever know, however.
Last Ideas On This BeeHiiv Testimonial
I like BeeHiiv fairly a lot. Enough where I determined to switch my very own e-newsletters over to the platform despite my individual choice for digital sovereignty and owning my very own platform.
Basically, for the e-newsletter posting version particularly, I saw adequate worth in their system to call for the modification.
Keep in mind, I do not use BeeHiiv as my unique e-mail checklist. I make use of BeeHiiv of what it is efficient, however I purposefully have points establish so that I likewise maintain my listing “in residence” inside of FluentCRM.
If you use BeeHiiv, I recommend you do the exact same. It is just an excellent insurance plan, for one. However, having a full-featured marketing automation system for your checklist will certainly be of high usage (FluentCRM is a full marketing automation platform and BeeHiiv is not and likely never will be).
So, the question is … should YOU use BeeHiiv?
In my opinion, if you are utilizing Substack right now, I ‘d definitely consider switching to BeeHiiv. It will just be more business-friendly. It is targeting different capacities and various needs. Plus, BeeHiiv also has import devices for Substack, so the switch should be rather uncomplicated.
If you get on ConvertKit now, I ‘d most likely sit tight unless you have a huge e-mail listing and are therefore being wooled with their high month-to-month expense. You will certainly not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, yet they are repeating swiftly. There’s also a pretty good opportunity you’re not also making use of several of those fancier functions of ConvertKit and you do not even need them. Because of that, BeeHiiv could quickly be a far better and extra economical fit.
Finally, if you plan to be really deliberate concerning expanding an e-newsletter, I assume BeeHiiv is THE system to consider and maintain and eye on for you.
If you utilize BeeHiiv with eyes wide open concerning what it is designed to be, it is one of the best games around today. This is the system to enjoy.
BeeHiiv uses a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It is worth checking out for yourself. And if you end up not sticking with the paid plan, you’ll find the free account to be quite feature rich.