I have actually used a great deal of various email list systems for many years. In the last couple of years, I have actually been a huge proponent of digital sovereignty and possessing your very own system. For that reason (and the outstanding features), I have been utilizing Newsletter Operator Podcast.
So, it is indeed an unusual move for me to make a decision to make use of BeeHiiv. After all, it is an organized application and I am paying monthly for it.
Why did I do this?
In this BeeHiiv evaluation, I wish to review why I made the switch to BeeHiiv for my e-newsletters. I intend to resolve the issue of digital sovereignty while using the system and I ‘d also like to attend to why I chose to use it over Substack.
Let’s dive in …
BeeHiiv: Developed For E-newsletters
In Issue # 435 of my e-newsletter called My Hobby + A Large Change In Approach, I talked about how and why I made a decision to transform my RV blog into mainly an e-newsletter. I determined that was the business version I wanted to go after with that said residential or commercial property.
Yet, to purposefully pursue it as an e-newsletter, I wanted a platform that was purpose-built for that. I was making use of FluentCRM for the email checklist for Gladly recreational vehicle, however FluentCRM is not an e-newsletter system. It is built to be a CRM and marketing automation tool and, truthfully, utilizing it for newsletters is a bit of a waste. More on that particular in a bit.
As I claimed because issue of the e-newsletter …
Simply put, BeeHiiv is a system with tools constructed right into it certain to my function. Points such as:
- Ability to publish (to the blog) and send the email concurrently without having it be two separate activities.
- Constructed in e-newsletter referral program. FluentCRM doesn’t have that and I would certainly have needed a third-party device like Sparkloop.
- Integrated capacity to do cross-promotions with various other e-newsletters on the BeeHiiv platform.
- ” Magic Hyperlinks”, which are basically one-click membership links. Great for promotion in various other e-newsletters. FluentCRM has Smart Links, though, so there are means to do that.
- Capability to do paid “boosts” on the BeeHiiv network to advertise your newsletter.
- Integrated advertisement network, if I pick to monetize with ads in the newsletter. And I may.
- Built-in capacity to run a paid newsletter upgrade and primarily run a premium newsletter. And BeeHiiv doesn’t take a cut.
Basically, BeeHiiv is purpose-built for e-newsletter authors with features aimed at development. The system was actually developed by the people who developed the innovation for Early morning Mixture. They understand what they’re doing.
That is the point right here. BeeHiiv is built from scratch for the function of running a newsletter. FluentCRM has a different objective.
And I ended off with this:.
I may indeed be relocating The Edge over to BeeHiiv also. At the very least, I’m strongly considering it.
Well, I didn’t consider it for long. In fact, I simply went for it. And in fact, The side was re-branded over to The Morning WP, set off as it’s very own home to ensure that I can grow it extra intentionally as well.
The objective is that each e-newsletter has the ability to be branded as it’s own media entity and grown individually. Gladly motor home was young, so easy to shift. However, The Early morning WP (previously The Side) was hidden in a sea of things here at the Blog Site Marketing Academy. By dividing it off, I can do what I can to expand it on it’s own. It will clearly constantly be closely linked with the Blog site Marketing Academy, yet doesn’t have to belong of it.
I switched to BeeHiiv due to the fact that it was developed for this objective. FluentCRM was not.
Newsletters Versus Just A Typical Email Checklist
There’s a distinction between an e-newsletter platform and just an email listing.
You can host your email list just about 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 distinction?
The main distinction is that, with a newsletter platform, the act of posting indicates that it is mosting likely to your web site and to your email customers all at once.
With both BeeHiiv and Substack, you have an internet site. You are releasing to that internet site. Yet, you are also sending to all subscribers at the same time. The website and it’s customers are all in one. This makes monitoring of the platform much easier.
With many email platforms, any newsletter you established is done as an e-mail campaign. It is developed entirely separately from your website. So, for example, you could release a write-up to WordPress however after that you would certainly need to individually construct and send an email to your listing to send it to subscribers. These are after that 2 different collections of archives and two separate actions since post and your e-mails are not naturally connected.
The closest point that turns WordPress into a real newsletter platform is Newsletter Glue.
It is a fitting name due to the fact that it pretty much “adhesives” your e-newsletter to your WordPress articles and enables them to be the same thing. Certainly, something like Newsletter Glue would be a solid choice if I wanted to remain to self-host every little thing. Nevertheless, you would certainly shed the development devices that come with a platform like BeeHiiv.
Publishing a newsletter inherently includes a different collection of needs than a typical email checklist.
You don’t generally require much marketing automation. You don’t generally require autoresponder sequences, event monitoring, 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 aid you construct your client base that specify 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 many individuals ask me why I was picking it over Substack.
To be clear, also besides the reality that I selected to select BeeHiiv, that does not imply I assume Substack draws. As a matter of fact, because Substack has been about much longer, it is elder and has even more features.
Even though BeeHiiv is younger, there are a pair things that originally got my attention:.
- BeeHiiv is specifically tailored to e-newsletter authors. As a matter of fact, it is actually constructed by the same individuals that built the modern technology behind Morning Mixture. On the other hand, SubStack targets authors. In the real life, does not matter. Yet, the apparent positioning of BeeHiiv toward e-newsletter growth called me out over the even more common positioning of being a “designer”. Growth is what I’m interested in right here.
- That branding and distinction additionally indicates that BeeHiiv has some relatively big brands and large magazines using it. Whereas SubStack is intended more at solo creators. Again, it simply tells me the customer avatar difference between both business.
Sending our my e-newsletter via FluentCRM didn’t exactly suck. The only reason I would consider shaking things up is if I believed I could expand the list faster. And BeeHiiv spoke precisely to that goal.
Due to the targeting, I actually don’t check out BeeHiiv and Substack as direct rivals. I assume BeeHiiv is targeting a different sort of consumer. In fact, if anything, I see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being much more direct competitors.
Yet, let’s dive much deeper than just the positioning right here.
Points That Make BeeHiiv Better Than Substack
On the whole, BeeHiiv seems like it was developed by people that recognizing e-mail marketing. On the other hand, SubStack appears a lot more tailored toward makers.
For instance, BeeHiiv uses personalized fields on clients. Currently, it isn’t as developed as something like FluentCRM. Yet, it has it. Substack does not.
BeeHiiv supplies Automations. Actually, it is an aesthetic automation builder that functions a great deal like what we have within FluentCRM.
To be clear, the automation capability is still early-phase. It is still quite minimal in triggers and the only action is the capability to send out an email. However, improvements are coming. Soon enough, automations will certainly have new triggers as well as new actions, such as changing custom areas, sending webhooks, and so on. I have actually already seen improvements to their automations just considering that I started utilizing the platform. For example:
- Capability to trigger automations based upon which certain embed form they came in on.
- Ability to immediately do re-engagement (and deal with people based upon opens up and non-opens).
- Ability to do basic conditional logic branches.
Substack does not have automations similar to this. Likely, it never will. Substack simply can not do this because the target audience of Substack just wouldn’t believe to approach this like an e-mail online marketer.
When it pertains to creating your newsletters, the composing interface of BeeHiiv is simply more tailored toward e-newsletters. As a matter of fact, it really has resemblances to the WordPress block builder in how it works. I discover it to be a lot more intuitive, directly.
Substack’s writing user interface behaves and tidy, but it would certainly be extra equal to the timeless editor for WordPress. Toolbar at the top.
This distinction is more than just kind. For example, with BeeHiiv you can insert a “Section” and after that put anything you desire in it. After that, you can place Exposure alternatives on that particular area to reveal it just to paid customers, conceal it from email, hide from clients, reveal only to subscribers, etc. Substack supplies nothing similar to this.
And when/if the moment comes that I start a costs registration version, BeeHiiv does not take any earnings. As a matter of fact, you essentially connect as much as your own Stripe account and it bills straight to it. With Substack, they will certainly take 10% of your income. Depending upon the amount of clients you get, that 10% can be quite a bit more money than the month-to-month price of BeeHiiv.
Lastly, BeeHiiv has an API. This may seem unpopular, however what it suggests is that there are integrations with BeeHiiv. You can in fact make BeeHiiv deal with the outdoors making use of devices like Zapier or Make.com. This is HUGE. Substack literally has … nothing. No integrations in all.
Generally, I just seemed like BeeHiiv was more developed towards actual e-mail marketing. It was built by individuals that “get it”. Even the opt-in forms and the landing page creates seem far better built for conversions. Growth is the name of the game with BeeHiiv.
Despite the fact that there are still features I would love to see BeeHiiv include, I like the direction it is going more than Substack.
Things That Make Substack Better Than BeeHiiv
As I have said, Substack settings itself towards “designers” more than email marketers and newsletter proprietors. Because of that, you see some things geared much more toward people that simply assume in regards to web content development.
As an example, Substack sustains podcasts. BeeHiiv does not.
Likewise, while BeeHiiv does support numerous publications, they are treated quite independently. Whereas Substack does have the ability to cross-post to numerous publications at the same time. This isn’t something I call for, however … cool for people who may require it.
Substack likewise has even more social functionality built-in. For instance, it has a conversation feature to host chats with subscribers. It also has a “Notes” function which functions sort of like a social media sites newsfeed where you can share points from other “Stacks” you’re reading. Fascinating. Overall, Substack is established to be much more like a social media which supports long-form material.
Overall, Substack is likewise a lot more … minimal. You either look after that or don’t. Personally, I don’t. However, if the goal is simplicity of user interface and, frankly, features … Substack works quite well.
However, I’ll be clear right here …
When it pertains to actual marketing, I don’t assume there’s much question that BeeHiiv is better suited. I looked for even more factors that make Substack better than BeeHiiv, yet truthfully … I have a difficult time discovering them.
BeeHiiv Vs ConvertKit
While BeeHiiv and Substack are typically via to be the closest competitors, I really see BeeHiiv and ConvertKit being the closer competitors. Both are pursuing the exact same target audience and have similar capacities.
ConvertKit is additionally positioned at developers (like Substack), but it is a lot more highly dealing with individuals who do it for organization. ConvertKit has great visual automation structure, it’s very own business platform, and extra. ConvertKit is a truly nice system.
I’m not mosting likely to bore you with a full feature-by-feature failure right here. ConvertKit is popular already. Yet, right here’s exactly how I feel BeeHiiv and ConvertKit contrast …
Things ConvertKit Is Better At …
Currently, ConvertKit has a lot more versatility when it concerns it’s automations. I will likewise state that I discover ConvertKit’s automation builder to be a little bit a lot more user-friendly than that of BeeHiiv.
ConvertKit sustains identifying. This is just a fundamental function of email lists that makes it possible for segmentation in a far more adaptable means than BeeHiiv presently does. I anticipate BeeHiiv to sustain marking eventually quickly, truthfully. It feels like an oversight that it is missing out on Newsletter Operator Podcast.
ConvertKit does now provide the ability to market points using their own platform. BeeHiiv does not. If that is essential to you, it might be a big deal for you. For me, however, I would always choose a more straight choice anyway. For me, I choose to use my own platform powered by WooCommerce.
ConvertKit has actually been around much longer and for that reason has way more integration choices. Tons of online devices and WordPress plugins incorporate with ConvertKit. ConvertKit also has their very own WordPress plugin that is quite powerful. For instance, their plugin currently also supports member-gated web content along with auto-embed of your e-newsletter archives right into your site. 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 significantly lacking in these sort of third-party integrations right now. It’ll arrive. But, we’re not there yet with it.
ConvertKit is also active tackling the growth tools of BeeHiiv. For instance, BeeHiiv has the referral program and the Recommendation Engine where you can not just incentivize individuals to share your e-newsletter with advantages, however you can also pay per lead within the interior ad network of BeeHiiv to grow your list. These are truly incredible features of BeeHiiv. However …
Did you know ConvertKit obtained Sparkloop? Sparkloop is among one of the most popular viral promotion platforms for newsletters … and ConvertKit bought it. You can see the writing on the wall for what this implies for the platform moving forward.
Points BeeHiiv Is Better At … Newsletter Operator Podcast
BeeHiiv is much earlier in it’s item cycle than ConvertKit. Part of that suggests much less features and much less integrations, which is natural for this phase of the cycle. However, it additionally suggests that they are quickly creating.
In the short time that I have actually been a customer of BeeHiiv, I have observed virtually weekly release of brand-new features into the platform. And these aren’t weak little features … yet large features that are quite crucial. Their speed of development now has been impressive.
I additionally significantly appreciate just how responsive they are. As a matter of fact, one of their item announcements about some style improvements to the website design features actually consisted of a tiny trouble with the material size. I just responded to that e-mail to tell them. I quickly got a reply directly from the CEO:.
That very same day, the problem was fixed.
Couple of days later on, I provided one more recommendation …
Sure enough, in a bit over a week of that exchange, the ability to set off automations based upon the embed form utilized was contributed to the system.
That kind of responsiveness and straight participation of the team is something I actually value.
Another major point of differentiation here is the cost. Both platforms offer free plans, nonetheless the BeeHiiv free plan offers much more capacity and more subscribers (2,500 vs 1,000) than ConvertKit.
As soon as you most likely to paid plans, the pricing of BeeHiiv is likewise even more favorable. ConvertKit seems less expensive in the beginning look due to the fact that their pricing page reveals lower numbers, however the client limitations are FAR lower and your price quickly enhances as your list expands.
With BeeHiiv, your very first degree paid plan starts at $42/mo (paid annually), however you can have up to 10,000 clients. That exact same size checklist 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 directly make use of), you can grow your listing up to 100,000. A listing of that dimension would certainly 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 yearly, too. With BeeHiiv, you can obtain all that for simply $84/month if you pay every year.
BeeHiiv remains in a completely different league when it comes to pricing (in an excellent way).
Will BeeHiiv at some point boost costs? They might as time takes place. However, I’m guessing individuals like myself who are currently in will be locked-in. We’ll see how things continue.
Points I Would Like BeeHiiv To Include
Among the important things you most definitely need to bear in mind is that BeeHiiv is relatively young. They do seem to advance rather rapidly and make brand-new item news rather usually, yet there are some basic features I really wish they had that I require to simply wait for.
One is that they require to have a setup on membership forms where I could pick an automation to run right at the form level. That would certainly be amazing for so many factors. Already, registration forms look OK, however there’s really little settings for them to assist in division.
It would certainly be nice to have labeling at the subscriber level. This would be powerful.
I assume webhooks ought to be part of automations to make built-in automations easier and decrease reliance on outside devices like Zapier.
There are likewise some minor administrative user interface adjustments that would certainly be handy. As an example:
- Capability to bulk edit/remove customers.
- Capacity to mass edit posts (as an example, to label a lot of them at the same time).
- Having a couple of fundamental areas as conventional on subscribers (like the name).
- Some even more customization options for the web site (such as more adaptable color options, heading control, etc).
So, yeah … there are some shortcomings. Things I wish they finish with it in the near future. BeeHiiv is pretty good, but it isn’t excellent and definitely not almost as established as something like FluentCRM or any other genuine CRM item.
It possibly never will be, either. As I said, the function is different so it wouldn’t a lot a great deal of sense for BeeHiiv to come to be a complete marketing automation platform. I guess you never understand, however.
Final Thoughts On This BeeHiiv Review
I like BeeHiiv rather a lot. Sufficient where I made a decision to switch my own newsletters over to the platform in spite of my individual choice for digital sovereignty and owning my own system.
Put simply, for the newsletter posting design especially, I saw enough value in their system to call for the change.
Bear in mind, I do not make use of BeeHiiv as my exclusive email listing. I utilize BeeHiiv wherefore it is good at, yet I purposefully have points establish to make sure that I additionally keep my listing “in home” within FluentCRM.
If you make use of BeeHiiv, I suggest you do the very same. It is simply a great insurance policy, for one. However, having a full-featured marketing automation platform for your list will be of high usage (FluentCRM is a full marketing automation system and BeeHiiv is not and likely never ever will be).
So, the question is … should YOU utilize BeeHiiv?
In my opinion, if you are making use of Substack now, I ‘d most definitely think about switching to BeeHiiv. It will merely be more business-friendly. It is targeting different capacities and different requirements. Plus, BeeHiiv also has import tools for Substack, so the switch ought to be pretty straightforward.
If you get on ConvertKit now, I ‘d most likely stay put unless you have a big email checklist and are for that reason being fleeced with their high month-to-month expense. You will certainly not (yet) have every feature of ConvertKit with BeeHiiv, but they are repeating rapidly. There’s also a pretty good chance you’re not also using some of those fancier functions of ConvertKit and you do not also require them. Because of that, BeeHiiv could easily be a far better and a lot more budget friendly fit.
Lastly, if you plan to be extremely intentional concerning growing an e-newsletter, I believe BeeHiiv is THE platform to think about and keep and eye on for you.
If you make use of BeeHiiv with eyes wide open about what it is designed to be, it is one of the very best games in town today. This is the system to view.
BeeHiiv uses a 14-day trial on their paid plans. It is worth having a look at on your own. And if you end up not sticking with the paid plan, you’ll discover the free account to be quite feature abundant.