I have actually used a lot of different email list systems for many years. In the last couple of years, I’ve been a significant proponent of digital sovereignty and possessing your very own system. For that reason (and the remarkable features), I have actually been using What Is The Annual Revenue of Beehiiv.
So, it is indeed a weird move for me to choose to utilize BeeHiiv. After all, it is an organized application and I am paying month-to-month for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv testimonial, I want to go over why I made the switch to BeeHiiv for my e-newsletters. I intend to address the problem of digital sovereignty while making use of the platform and I ‘d also such as to deal with why I chose to use it over Substack.
Allow’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Constructed For Newsletters
In Concern # 435 of my newsletter called My Hobby + A Large Shift In Technique, I spoke about exactly how and why I chose to transform my recreational vehicle blog into mostly an e-newsletter. I made a decision that was the business model I wished to seek with that said building.
However, to intentionally pursue it as an e-newsletter, I wanted a platform that was purpose-built for that. I was making use of FluentCRM for the e-mail list for Happily recreational vehicle, but FluentCRM is not an e-newsletter platform. It is built to be a CRM and marketing automation device and, truthfully, using it for e-newsletters is a little a waste. Much more on that in a bit.
As I said in that problem of the newsletter …
Basically, BeeHiiv is a platform with devices built right into it particular to my function. Things such as:
- Ability to publish (to the blog site) and send the email all at once without having it be two different actions.
- Integrated in newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would have needed a third-party device like Sparkloop.
- Integrated capability to do cross-promotions with various other e-newsletters on the BeeHiiv platform.
- ” Magic Links”, which are primarily one-click membership web links. Great for promo in various other newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Hyperlinks, though, so there are means to do that.
- Ability to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to advertise your newsletter.
- Built-in ad network, if I choose to monetize with advertisements in the newsletter. And I may.
- Built-in capability to run a paid e-newsletter upgrade and generally run a premium e-newsletter. And BeeHiiv doesn’t take a cut.
Essentially, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for newsletter authors with features focused on development. The platform was literally developed by the people that built up the modern technology for Morning Brew. They know what they’re doing.
That is the factor here. BeeHiiv is constructed from scratch for the objective of running an e-newsletter. FluentCRM has a various objective.
And I finished off with this:.
I may undoubtedly 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. In fact, I just went for it. And actually, The side was re-branded over to The Early morning WP, set off as it’s own property to make sure that I can expand it extra deliberately also.
The objective is that each e-newsletter has the ability to be branded as it’s very own media entity and expanded independently. Gladly recreational vehicle was young, so easy to transition. But, 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 expand it on it’s very own. It will undoubtedly always be carefully connected with the Blog Marketing Academy, however doesn’t have to be a part of it.
I switched over to BeeHiiv because it was constructed for this purpose. FluentCRM was not.
Newsletters Versus Just A Regular Email List
There’s a difference in between an e-newsletter system and just an email listing.
You can host your e-mail list just about anywhere you desire and there are a number of them around, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted choices like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the distinction?
The main difference is that, with an e-newsletter system, the act of posting indicates that it is going to your web site and to your email customers all at once.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a site. You are publishing to that internet site. But, you are likewise dispatching to all clients at the same time. The site and it’s customers are all in one. This makes management of the platform much easier.
With the majority of e-mail systems, any type of e-newsletter you established is done as an e-mail campaign. It is developed completely independently from your website. So, for example, you could publish a short article to WordPress yet after that you would need to independently construct and send out an e-mail to your checklist to send it to clients. These are then 2 different sets of archives and two separate actions due to the fact that post and your e-mails are not naturally linked.
The closest thing that turns WordPress into a true newsletter system is E-newsletter Glue.
It is a suitable name because it basically “adhesives” your e-newsletter to your WordPress messages and permits them to be the very same point. Certainly, something like Newsletter Glue would be a solid choice if I wished to remain to self-host whatever. However, you would certainly shed the development devices that include a system like BeeHiiv.
Posting an e-newsletter inherently includes a different collection of needs than a typical e-mail list.
You don’t generally require much marketing automation. You do not usually require autoresponder series, event monitoring, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation system.
What you DO demand, however, is one smooth publishing experience and growth devices to aid you construct your client base that specify to newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I announced to my subscribers 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 fact that I picked to choose BeeHiiv, that doesn’t indicate I think Substack draws. Actually, due to the fact that Substack has been about longer, it is elder and has more features.
Even though BeeHiiv is more youthful, there are a couple points that originally got my interest:.
- BeeHiiv is especially tailored to e-newsletter authors. As a matter of fact, it is actually developed by the very same people who developed the modern technology behind Morning Brew. On the other hand, SubStack targets authors. In the real world, does not matter. However, the apparent positioning of BeeHiiv towards newsletter growth called me out over the even more common positioning of being a “developer”. Growth is what I have an interest in below.
- That branding and differentiation likewise indicates that BeeHiiv has some relatively huge brand names and big publications using it. Whereas SubStack is aimed even more at solo makers. Once again, it just tells me the consumer character difference between both companies.
Sending our my e-newsletter by means of FluentCRM really did not exactly suck. The only reason I would contemplate trembling points up is if I assumed I could expand the checklist faster. And BeeHiiv spoke specifically to that objective.
Because of the targeting, I in fact don’t check out BeeHiiv and Substack as straight rivals. I think BeeHiiv is targeting a various type of customer. As a matter of fact, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being much more direct competitors.
However, allow’s dive much deeper than just the positioning below.
Things That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
In general, BeeHiiv feels like it was built by individuals who recognizing e-mail marketing. On the other hand, SubStack seems a lot more tailored towards designers.
As an example, BeeHiiv uses custom areas on clients. Currently, it isn’t as created as something like FluentCRM. But, it has it. Substack doesn’t.
BeeHiiv uses Automations. In fact, it is a visual automation builder that functions a whole lot like what we have inside of FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation functionality is still early-phase. It is still fairly restricted in triggers and the only action is the ability to send an email. Nevertheless, enhancements are coming. Quickly enough, automations will have brand-new triggers in addition to new actions, such as modifying customized areas, sending out webhooks, etc. I’ve already seen improvements to their automations just given that I started utilizing the platform. As an example:
- Capability to cause automations based on which specific embed type they came in on.
- Capability to instantly do re-engagement (and manage individuals based on opens up and non-opens).
- Capability to do standard conditional reasoning branches.
Substack does not have automations like this. Likely, it never ever will. Substack just can not do this due to the fact that the target audience of Substack simply would not believe to approach this like an e-mail marketing professional.
When it pertains to creating your e-newsletters, the composing interface of BeeHiiv is just a lot more tailored toward e-newsletters. In fact, it in fact has similarities to the WordPress block builder in just how it works. I find it to be a lot more intuitive, personally.
Substack’s composing user interface is nice and tidy, but it would be a lot more comparable to the timeless editor for WordPress. Toolbar on top.
This distinction is more than simply kind. For example, with BeeHiiv you can insert a “Area” and after that placed anything you desire in it. After that, you can place Presence options on that particular area to reveal it only to paid customers, conceal it from e-mail, hide from clients, reveal only to clients, and so on. Substack offers absolutely nothing such as this.
And when/if the time comes that I start a costs membership version, BeeHiiv does not take any type of profits. In fact, you essentially connect approximately your very own Stripe account and it bills directly to it. With Substack, they will certainly take 10% of your earnings. Depending on the number of subscribers you get, that 10% can be a fair bit more money than the monthly price of BeeHiiv.
Finally, BeeHiiv has an API. This might appear nerdy, yet what it implies is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can really make BeeHiiv collaborate with the outdoors utilizing tools like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack literally has … absolutely nothing. No integrations in any way.
Overall, I just seemed like BeeHiiv was extra built towards real e-mail marketing. It was constructed by people that “get it”. Even the opt-in types and the landing page creates appear better developed for conversions. Growth is nitty-gritty with BeeHiiv.
Even though there are still features I would love to see BeeHiiv include, I such as the instructions it is going greater than Substack.
Points That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have actually stated, Substack positions itself towards “designers” greater than email marketing professionals and e-newsletter owners. Because of that, you see some things geared more towards individuals that simply believe in regards to material development.
For instance, Substack sustains podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Likewise, while BeeHiiv does support numerous magazines, they are dealt with fairly independently. Whereas Substack does have the capability to cross-post to multiple magazines at the same time. This isn’t something I call for, yet … cool for individuals who might require it.
Substack additionally has even more social capability built-in. As an example, it has a chat function to host talks with subscribers. It additionally has a “Notes” function which functions kind of like a social networks newsfeed where you can share things from other “Stacks” you read. Interesting. On the whole, Substack is set up to be a lot more like a social media which supports long-form content.
Overall, Substack is also a lot more … minimalist. You either look after that or don’t. Directly, I do not. Nonetheless, if the goal is simpleness of user interface and, truthfully, features … Substack works pretty well.
Yet, I’ll be clear below …
When it involves real marketing, I don’t assume there’s much question that BeeHiiv is better fit. I searched for more factors that make Substack far better than BeeHiiv, yet truthfully … I have a difficult time discovering 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 opponents. Both are going after the same target audience and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is likewise placed at makers (like Substack), however it is far more strongly satisfying individuals that do it for service. ConvertKit has great aesthetic automation building, it’s very own business platform, and a lot more. ConvertKit is a really good platform.
I’m not mosting likely to birthed you with a full feature-by-feature break down right here. ConvertKit is well known currently. Yet, here’s exactly how I really feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit contrast …
Points ConvertKit Is Much Better At …
Currently, ConvertKit has a lot more flexibility when it pertains to it’s automations. I will certainly also say that I locate ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a little bit a lot more user-friendly than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit supports tagging. This is just a standard feature of email lists that enables division in a much more versatile method than BeeHiiv currently does. I anticipate BeeHiiv to support tagging eventually quickly, frankly. It feels like an oversight that it is missing out on What Is The Annual Revenue of Beehiiv.
ConvertKit does currently offer the capability to sell points through their own system. 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 direct option anyway. For me, I like to use my own system powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has actually been around much longer and because of that has way more integration choices. Tons of web-based tools and WordPress plugins integrate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit even has their own WordPress plugin that is quite effective. As an example, their plugin now even sustains member-gated content in addition to auto-embed of your newsletter archives right into your website. Basically, this much more very closely puts ConvertKit into direct competitors by having you have the ability to publish to your website and your e-mail listing at the same time.
BeeHiiv is drastically lacking in these sort of third-party integrations right now. It’ll arrive. However, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is even hectic taking on the growth devices of BeeHiiv. For example, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Referral Engine where you can not just incentivize people to share your e-newsletter with perks, however you can also pay per lead within the inner advertisement network of BeeHiiv to expand your list. These are truly remarkable features of BeeHiiv. However …
Did you understand ConvertKit got Sparkloop? Sparkloop is one of the most well known viral promo platforms for newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the composing on the wall of what this implies for the system moving forward.
Points BeeHiiv Is Better At … What Is The Annual Revenue of Beehiiv
BeeHiiv is much previously in it’s product cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that means much less features and much less integrations, which is natural for this phase of the cycle. Nonetheless, it likewise indicates that they are rapidly developing.
In the short time that I have actually been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have actually witnessed virtually regular launch of new features into the system. And these aren’t puny little features … but large features that are fairly crucial. Their speed of advancement at this moment has actually been impressive.
I likewise quite value how receptive they are. In fact, one of their item statements about some design enhancements to the website design features really had a little issue with the content width. I just responded to that email to tell them. I promptly got a reply straight from the CEO:.
That very same day, the problem was taken care of.
Few days later on, I provided an additional suggestion …
Indeed, in a bit over a week of that exchange, the ability to cause automations based on the embed form used was added to the system.
That kind of responsiveness and direct involvement of the team is something I actually appreciate.
Another significant point of differentiation here is the rate. Both systems offer totally free plans, nonetheless the BeeHiiv free plan offers a lot more ability and more customers (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
As soon as you most likely to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is likewise FAR more beneficial. ConvertKit seems more affordable at first glimpse because their pricing page reveals reduced numbers, however the customer limitations are FAR reduced and your rate swiftly raises as your listing expands.
With BeeHiiv, your initial degree paid plan begins at $42/mo (paid yearly), however you can have up to 10,000 subscribers. That very same dimension listing is mosting likely to run you $100/month with ConvertKit.
If you update to the “Scale” plan with BeeHiiv (their finest plan and the one I personally use), you can expand your checklist as much as 100,000. A listing of that size would certainly run you $566/month with ConvertKit. If you desire their referral network, as well, that puts you at the $733/month plan. That’s if you pay yearly, as well. With BeeHiiv, you can get all that for just $84/month if you pay annually.
BeeHiiv is in a completely different league when it pertains to pricing (in a great way).
Will BeeHiiv at some point boost prices? They might as time takes place. Yet, I’m thinking individuals like myself that are already in will be locked-in. We’ll see exactly how points proceed.
Things I Would Certainly Like BeeHiiv To Include
Among things you absolutely need to remember is that BeeHiiv is relatively young. They do appear to evolve rather swiftly and make brand-new product statements somewhat often, however there are some basic features I truly wish they had that I require to just await.
One is that they need to have a setting on registration kinds where I could select an automation to run right at the form level. That would certainly be incredible for numerous factors. Currently, membership forms look OK, yet there’s very little settings for them to aid in segmentation.
It would certainly behave to have labeling at the customer level. This would certainly be effective.
I believe webhooks should become part of automations to make integrated automations much easier and reduce reliance on outdoors tools like Zapier.
There are also some small management user interface modifications that would certainly be handy. As an example:
- Ability to mass edit/remove clients.
- Ability to bulk edit articles (as an example, to tag a lot of them at the same time).
- Having a couple of fundamental areas as common on customers (like the name).
- Some even more modification alternatives for the site (such as even more flexible color choices, heading control, and so on).
So, yeah … there are some shortcomings. Points I wish they perform with it in the near future. BeeHiiv is pretty good, yet it isn’t excellent and absolutely not virtually as created as something like FluentCRM or any other genuine CRM product.
It possibly never will be, either. As I said, the objective is various so it wouldn’t a lot a great deal of feeling for BeeHiiv to become a complete marketing automation system. I think you never ever know, though.
Final Thoughts On This BeeHiiv Review
I like BeeHiiv quite a lot. Enough where I decided to change my very own e-newsletters over to the platform in spite of my individual choice for digital sovereignty and possessing my very own system.
Put simply, for the e-newsletter posting design especially, I saw sufficient worth in their system to warrant the change.
Keep in mind, I do not utilize BeeHiiv as my special email list. I use BeeHiiv wherefore it is efficient, yet I intentionally have points establish so that I also keep my checklist “in house” inside of FluentCRM.
If you make use of BeeHiiv, I recommend you do the same. It is just a good insurance plan, for one. Yet, having a full-featured marketing automation platform for your listing 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 viewpoint, if you are making use of Substack today, I ‘d definitely take into consideration switching to BeeHiiv. It will just be more business-friendly. It is targeting different capabilities and various needs. And also, BeeHiiv also has import tools for Substack, so the switch needs to be quite uncomplicated.
If you get on ConvertKit now, I ‘d most likely stay unless you have a big e-mail checklist and are for that reason being wooled with their high monthly expense. You will not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, but they are iterating promptly. There’s also a respectable chance you’re not even utilizing several of those fancier features of ConvertKit and you do not also require them. For that reason, BeeHiiv could easily be a better and more budget friendly fit.
Finally, if you plan to be extremely deliberate regarding growing a newsletter, I believe BeeHiiv is THE platform to think about and maintain 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 games in the area today. This is the system to watch.
BeeHiiv supplies a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It is worth looking into on your own. And if you wind up not sticking to the paid plan, you’ll discover the cost-free account to be rather feature abundant.