I have utilized a great deal of various email list systems throughout the years. In the last number of years, I have actually been a substantial proponent of digital sovereignty and possessing your own system. For that reason (and the outstanding features), I have actually been utilizing Beehiiv For Pop Culture.
So, it is undoubtedly an unusual move for me to determine to use BeeHiiv. After all, it is a held application and I am paying monthly for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv testimonial, I want to review why I made the switch to BeeHiiv for my newsletters. I want to address the issue of digital sovereignty while utilizing the platform and I ‘d also like to address why I selected to use it over Substack.
Allow’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Built For E-newsletters
In Problem # 435 of my e-newsletter called My Hobby + A Large Change In Method, I spoke about exactly how and why I determined to transform my motor home blog right into mainly a newsletter. I chose that was business design I wished to go after with that residential or commercial property.
Yet, to purposefully pursue it as an e-newsletter, I desired a platform that was purpose-built for that. I was using FluentCRM for the email list for Gladly RV, however FluentCRM is not an e-newsletter system. It is developed to be a CRM and marketing automation tool and, frankly, using it for e-newsletters is a little a waste. Much more on that particular in a bit.
As I said because issue of the e-newsletter …
Put simply, BeeHiiv is a system with devices built right into it details to my function. Things such as:
- Ability to release (to the blog) and send out the email at the same time without having it be two different activities.
- Integrated in e-newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would certainly have needed a third-party device like Sparkloop.
- Built-in capacity to do cross-promotions with various other e-newsletters on the BeeHiiv system.
- ” Magic Links”, which are essentially one-click registration web links. Great for promotion in various other newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Links, though, so there are means to do that.
- Capacity to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to promote your e-newsletter.
- Integrated ad network, if I pick to monetize with advertisements in the newsletter. And I may.
- Built-in capability to run a paid e-newsletter upgrade and generally run a costs newsletter. And BeeHiiv does not take a cut.
Basically, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for newsletter authors with features aimed at development. The system was actually constructed by the individuals who accumulated the innovation for Early morning Brew. They understand what they’re doing.
That is the factor here. BeeHiiv is built from scratch for the purpose of running an e-newsletter. FluentCRM has a various function.
And I ended off with this:.
I might certainly be relocating The Side over to BeeHiiv too. A minimum of, I’m highly considering it.
Well, I didn’t consider it for long. Actually, I simply went all out. And in fact, The side was re-branded over to The Early morning WP, triggered as it’s very own property to make sure that I can expand it a lot more purposefully too.
The goal is that each newsletter has the ability to be branded as it’s own media entity and expanded independently. Gladly motor home was young, so easy to transition. However, The Morning WP (formerly The Side) was hidden in a sea of things below at the Blog Site 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 tied with the Blog Marketing Academy, however does not have to be a part of it.
I changed to BeeHiiv because it was developed for this function. FluentCRM was not.
Newsletters Versus Simply A Typical Email Checklist
There’s a difference between an e-newsletter system and just an email listing.
You can hold your email checklist everywhere you desire and there are a number of them around, from Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Drip, ConvertKit … over to self-hosted options like GroundHogg and FluentCRM.
What’s the distinction?
The main distinction is that, with an e-newsletter platform, the act of publishing implies that it is mosting likely to your internet site and to your e-mail customers all at once.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have a website. You are releasing to that internet site. However, you are also dispatching to all clients at the same time. The web site and it’s subscribers are done in one. This makes administration of the system much less complex.
With many e-mail systems, any kind of newsletter you set up is done as an email campaign. It is constructed completely independently from your site. So, as an example, you could publish an article to WordPress but then you would need to separately construct and send an email to your checklist to send it to customers. These are after that 2 separate collections of archives and two different actions due to the fact that article and your emails are not naturally connected.
The closest point that transforms WordPress into a real e-newsletter system is E-newsletter Glue.
It is a fitting name due to the fact that it practically “glues” your newsletter to your WordPress articles and allows them to be the exact same thing. Absolutely, something like Newsletter Glue would certainly be a solid choice if I wished to remain to self-host whatever. Nonetheless, you ‘d shed the development devices that feature a platform like BeeHiiv.
Posting an e-newsletter inherently comes with a various set of requirements than a common email checklist.
You do not typically need much marketing automation. You don’t normally need autoresponder series, event tracking, and all the bells and whistles of a marketing automation platform.
What you DO requirement, however, is one seamless posting experience and growth devices to aid you build your customer base that are specific to newsletters.
BeeHiiv vs Substack
When I introduced to my subscribers that I was mosting likely to switch the e-newsletter over to BeeHiiv, I had lots of people ask me why I was picking it over Substack.
To be clear, also besides the truth that I picked to choose BeeHiiv, that doesn’t mean I assume Substack sucks. Actually, due to the fact that Substack has actually been about much longer, it is elder and has more features.
Even though BeeHiiv is younger, there are a pair things that at first got my attention:.
- BeeHiiv is specifically tailored to newsletter authors. Actually, it is literally built by the exact same folks that constructed the innovation behind Morning Brew. On the other hand, SubStack targets writers. In the real world, doesn’t matter. But, the obvious positioning of BeeHiiv toward newsletter growth called me out over the more common positioning of being a “creator”. Development is what I want here.
- That branding and differentiation additionally suggests that BeeHiiv has some fairly big brand names and big magazines utilizing it. Whereas SubStack is intended more at solo makers. Once more, it just tells me the customer character distinction between the two business.
Sending our my newsletter through FluentCRM didn’t precisely draw. The only factor I would consider shaking points up is if I believed I can GROW the listing quicker. And BeeHiiv spoke precisely to that goal.
As a result of the targeting, I really don’t watch BeeHiiv and Substack as direct rivals. I assume BeeHiiv is targeting a various sort of customer. As a matter of fact, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being much more direct rivals.
However, let’s dive deeper than simply the positioning right here.
Points That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
Overall, BeeHiiv appears like it was built by people who recognizing email marketing. On the other hand, SubStack appears more geared toward creators.
For instance, BeeHiiv offers personalized fields on customers. Currently, it isn’t as established as something like FluentCRM. However, it has it. Substack doesn’t.
BeeHiiv supplies Automations. As a matter of fact, it is an aesthetic automation builder that functions a great deal like what we have inside of FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation capability is still early-phase. It is still quite restricted in triggers and the only action is the capacity to send an email. However, improvements are coming. Quickly sufficient, automations will have new triggers along with brand-new activities, such as modifying custom-made fields, sending webhooks, etc. I have actually already seen enhancements to their automations just considering that I started using the platform. For instance:
- Ability to set off automations based on which certain embed kind they came in on.
- Capacity to instantly do re-engagement (and manage individuals based on opens up and non-opens).
- Capability to do basic conditional logic branches.
Substack does not have automations similar to this. Likely, it never ever will. Substack simply can not do this because the target audience of Substack just wouldn’t think to approach this like an e-mail marketer.
When it concerns composing your newsletters, the creating interface of BeeHiiv is simply extra geared towards newsletters. As a matter of fact, it really has resemblances to the WordPress block builder in how it functions. I locate it to be extra instinctive, personally.
Substack’s writing user interface is nice and tidy, however it would certainly be much more equal to the classic editor for WordPress. Toolbar at the top.
This distinction is more than just form. For example, with BeeHiiv you can insert a “Area” and afterwards placed anything you desire in it. Then, you can put Presence choices on that section to reveal it only to paid clients, conceal it from e-mail, conceal from clients, reveal just to subscribers, etc. Substack supplies absolutely nothing similar to this.
And when/if the time comes that I begin a costs membership model, BeeHiiv does not take any income. In fact, you essentially link approximately your very own Stripe account and it charges straight to it. With Substack, they will take 10% of your profits. Depending upon the number of subscribers you obtain, that 10% can be a fair bit more money than the month-to-month expense of BeeHiiv.
Lastly, BeeHiiv has an API. This could appear unpopular, however what it indicates is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can really make BeeHiiv deal with the outside making use of devices like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack literally has … absolutely nothing. No integrations whatsoever.
In general, I just felt like BeeHiiv was much more constructed toward real email marketing. It was developed by people that “get it”. Also the opt-in forms and the landing page develops appear better built for conversions. Growth is the name of the game with BeeHiiv.
Even though there are still features I would love to see BeeHiiv add, I like the direction it is going greater than Substack.
Things That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have actually stated, Substack positions itself toward “makers” more than e-mail marketing professionals and newsletter owners. For that reason, you see some things geared a lot more toward people that simply assume in terms of content creation.
For example, Substack supports podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Also, while BeeHiiv does support multiple publications, they are dealt with quite individually. Whereas Substack does have the capacity to cross-post to multiple publications at the same time. This isn’t something I need, but … cool for people who may need it.
Substack additionally has even more social performance built-in. As an example, it has a chat function to host chats with clients. It likewise has a “Notes” function which functions sort of like a social media sites newsfeed where you can share things from various other “Stacks” you’re reading. Intriguing. On the whole, Substack is set up to be a lot more like a social media which sustains long-form content.
Overall, Substack is likewise much more … minimal. You either take care of that or don’t. Personally, I don’t. However, if the objective is simplicity of interface and, frankly, features … Substack works rather well.
Yet, I’ll be clear right here …
When it pertains to actual marketing, I don’t assume there’s much uncertainty that BeeHiiv is better matched. I looked for more points that make Substack better than BeeHiiv, but honestly … I have a difficult time finding them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are usually via to be the closest rivals, I really see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer rivals. Both are pursuing the very same target market and have similar abilities.
ConvertKit is also placed at developers (like Substack), but it is far more strongly accommodating individuals who do it for organization. ConvertKit has good visual automation building, it’s very own commerce system, and a lot more. ConvertKit is an actually good system.
I’m not going to birthed you with a complete feature-by-feature break down here. ConvertKit is well known currently. However, here’s exactly how I really feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit compare …
Points ConvertKit Is Better At …
As of now, ConvertKit has a lot more flexibility when it concerns it’s automations. I will certainly additionally say that I discover ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a bit extra instinctive than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit sustains marking. This is just a standard function of e-mail checklists that enables division in an even more versatile way than BeeHiiv currently does. I expect BeeHiiv to sustain identifying eventually quickly, truthfully. It feels like an oversight that it is missing Beehiiv For Pop Culture.
ConvertKit does currently give the capacity to sell things using their own platform. BeeHiiv does not. If that’s important to you, it may be a big deal for you. For me, however, I would constantly pick a more direct alternative anyhow. For me, I prefer to utilize my very own platform powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has actually been around a lot longer and therefore has way much more integration choices. Tons of web-based devices and WordPress plugins integrate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit also has their own WordPress plugin that is fairly powerful. As an example, their plugin currently also sustains member-gated material as well as auto-embed of your e-newsletter archives right into your site. Fundamentally, this a lot more closely places ConvertKit right into straight competitors by having you be able to publish to your website and your email list at the same time.
BeeHiiv is significantly lacking in these kinds of third-party integrations currently. It’ll get there. Yet, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is also hectic taking on the development devices of BeeHiiv. As an example, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Referral Engine where you can not just incentivize people to share your newsletter with perks, however you can likewise pay per lead within the inner ad network of BeeHiiv to expand your checklist. These are really awesome features of BeeHiiv. Yet …
Did you recognize ConvertKit acquired Sparkloop? Sparkloop is just one of one of the most popular viral promo systems for newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the creating on the wall surface of what this suggests for the system moving forward.
Things BeeHiiv Is Much Better At … Beehiiv For Pop Culture
BeeHiiv is a lot earlier in it’s product cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that implies much less features and much less integrations, which is natural for this phase of the cycle. Nonetheless, it likewise means that they are rapidly developing.
In the short time that I have actually been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have seen nearly once a week release of new features into the system. And these aren’t weak little features … but big features that are quite crucial. Their rate of growth at this moment has actually gone over.
I likewise significantly appreciate how responsive they are. In fact, among their product announcements about some design improvements to the web design features really included a little problem with the material width. I simply replied to that email to tell them. I quickly obtained a reply directly from the CEO:.
That very same day, the problem was fixed.
Few days later on, I gave them one more idea …
Sure enough, in a bit over a week of that exchange, the capacity to trigger automations based upon the embed form utilized was contributed to the system.
That sort of responsiveness and direct participation of the team is something I actually appreciate.
One more significant point of distinction right here is the price. Both platforms offer cost-free plans, however the BeeHiiv free plan provides more capability and more customers (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
As soon as you go to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is likewise much more positive. ConvertKit appears more affordable in the beginning glance since their pricing page reveals lower numbers, nevertheless the client restrictions are FAR reduced and your price promptly raises as your listing expands.
With BeeHiiv, your initial level paid plan starts at $42/mo (paid yearly), nonetheless you can have up to 10,000 customers. That exact same dimension list is going to run you $100/month with ConvertKit.
If you update to the “Scale” plan with BeeHiiv (their ideal plan and the one I personally make use of), you can grow your list as much as 100,000. A list of that dimension would 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 annually, also. With BeeHiiv, you can obtain all that for just $84/month if you pay annually.
BeeHiiv remains in an entirely various organization when it comes to pricing (in an excellent way).
Will BeeHiiv eventually enhance prices? They might as time goes on. However, I’m presuming people like myself who are already in will be locked-in. We’ll see just how things continue.
Things I Would Certainly Like BeeHiiv To Add
Among the things you most definitely need to keep in mind is that BeeHiiv is reasonably young. They do appear to advance rather rapidly and make new product statements rather commonly, but there are some fundamental features I really wish they had that I need to just wait on.
One is that they require to have a setup on registration kinds where I might select an automation to run right at the type level. That would be remarkable for a lot of factors. Already, membership kinds look OK, however there’s extremely little settings for them to help in division.
It would certainly be nice to have marking at the client degree. This would be effective.
I assume webhooks ought to belong to automations to make integrated automations easier and lower reliance on outdoors devices like Zapier.
There are additionally some minor administrative user interface adjustments that would come in handy. For example:
- Capability to mass edit/remove subscribers.
- Capability to bulk edit posts (as an example, to tag a bunch of them at the same time).
- Having a couple of basic areas as typical on customers (like the name).
- Some more customization options for the web site (such as even more adaptable shade options, heading control, and so on).
So, yeah … there are some drawbacks. Things I wish they do with it in the near future. BeeHiiv is respectable, however it isn’t excellent and absolutely not virtually as created as something like FluentCRM or any other actual CRM product.
It most likely never will certainly be, either. As I said, the function is various so it wouldn’t a lot a great deal of sense for BeeHiiv to become a complete marketing automation system. I guess you never ever recognize, however.
Final Ideas On This BeeHiiv Evaluation
I such as BeeHiiv rather a great deal. Sufficient where I chose to change my own newsletters over to the system in spite of my personal choice for digital sovereignty and possessing my very own platform.
Simply put, for the e-newsletter publishing model especially, I saw adequate worth in their platform to necessitate the modification.
Bear in mind, I do not make use of BeeHiiv as my special email checklist. I utilize BeeHiiv wherefore it is good at, yet I deliberately have points set up to make sure that I additionally keep my list “in home” within FluentCRM.
If you make use of BeeHiiv, I recommend you do the very same. It is just an excellent insurance coverage, for one. But, having a full-featured marketing automation system for your list will be of high use (FluentCRM is a complete marketing automation platform and BeeHiiv is not and likely never ever will certainly be).
So, the inquiry is … should YOU utilize BeeHiiv?
In my point of view, if you are using Substack today, I ‘d most definitely think about switching to BeeHiiv. It will just be a lot more business-friendly. It is targeting different capacities and different demands. And also, BeeHiiv also has import tools for Substack, so the switch must be quite straightforward.
If you get on ConvertKit currently, I ‘d most likely stay unless you have a huge e-mail list and are consequently being wooled with their high month-to-month expense. You will certainly not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, but they are repeating promptly. There’s also a respectable possibility you’re not also making use of several of those fancier functions of ConvertKit and you don’t also need them. Because of that, BeeHiiv can easily be a far better and much more economical fit.
Lastly, if you plan to be really intentional regarding expanding an e-newsletter, I think BeeHiiv is THE platform to take into consideration and maintain and eye on for you.
If you utilize BeeHiiv with eyes wide open concerning what it is created to be, it is among the very best video games in the area now. This is the platform to enjoy.
BeeHiiv provides a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It deserves looking into for yourself. And if you end up not sticking to the paid plan, you’ll locate the complimentary account to be fairly feature abundant.