The buzz around newsletters and email lists has been around for a while. I’ve always wanted to start my own weekly newsletter, but I always made excuses.
“Oh, I don’t know what to write about.”
“I don’t have any followers. I’m no influencer!”
“This platform is too confusing and time-intensive to set up.”
Well, my wait is over. I finally decided to ignore all of my excuses, take the plunge, and start my very own newsletter.
One of the roadblocks that dissuaded me from starting a newsletter was my inability to find the “perfect” newsletter platform. Of course, there is no platform that’s truly perfect. But I think I’ve found the best platform that works for me and my little newsletter.
Today, I’m going through the three newsletter platforms I tried out before officially launching Crochet Craft Club.
beehiiv
Beehiiv is the newsletter platform I ended up choosing. Here’s why:
It’s free!
Beehiiv offers the Launch Plan, which allows up to 2,500 subscribers before you have to upgrade to a paid plan. I can only dream of having that many subscribers, so I think I will be able to enjoy beehiiv’s free plan for a while.
beehiiv has an equitable Partner Program
The beehiiv Partner Program offers you 50% commission on all referrals for the first 12 months. That means anyone who signs up for a paid beehiiv plan with your link generates passive income. How neat is that?
It’s easy to start writing
I was immediately drawn to beehiiv because it’s so simple to get started. All you need to do is sign up, design your newsletter or website with a few clicks, and you’re ready to go. The platform’s interface is sleek, modern, and professional — even with the free plan!
I have been using beehiiv to publish my Crochet Craft Club newsletter for a few months now, and I’m really happy with the results. My newsletter looks professional. People can easily sign up without pesky pop-ups and complicated steps. What more could I ask for?
Beehiiv is also an excellent platform to start with if you’re interested in monetizing a newsletter. They offer things like Boosts, gated content, and amazing segmentation features that you can use to your advantage.
Overall, I highly recommend beehiiv if you’re new to newsletters (like me!) or want to move your following away from other platforms like Substack.
The Runner-Up: ConvertKit
ConvertKit is an extremely popular platform that I know many people love.
My following is pretty small, so I feel like my newsletter wasn’t a good fit for ConvertKit.
If Crochet Craft Club happens to grow into a giant enterprise, I might change my mind and switch to ConvertKit. You never know!
Overall, I recommend ConvertKit if you have a substantial email list or are really serious about growing one quickly and monetizing.
The free plan has a lot to offer
ConvertKit offers a free plan with up to 1,000 subscribers. The free plan offers great segmentation, unlimited landing pages, and the ability to sell subscriptions.
ConvertKit is an excellent option if you have digital products or want to offer valuable content behind a paywall.
The paid plans are relatively affordable
If you’re looking to level up your newsletter, ConvertKit’s paid plans are reasonably priced.
Compare to beehiiv, which offers plans at $49/month and $99/month (yikes), ConvertKit offers the Creator Creator Pro plan on a sliding scale according to the number of subscribers you have.
The cost of ConvertKit is a little more than beehiiv, but they offer so many integrations, automations, and migration tools that it could be worth it for creators and businesses who are looking to grow their revenue and social reach.
Substack
Substack came in at a close second when I was deliberating which newsletter platform to go with for Crochet Craft Club.
Substack is perhaps the most well-known newsletter and writing platform on the market today. Why in the heck wouldn’t I try it out?
I don’t have any major complaints about Substack. It’s a solid platform that many professional writers that I adore enjoy using. However, it just didn’t click for me.
There were some drawbacks
I like that Substack lets writers retain ownership of their subscriber list, but the UI just wasn’t as intuitive for me as beehiiv.
Plus, Substack got into a sticky situation when they came under fire for allowing monetized white nationalist content to exist on their platform. Yikes. That left a bad taste in my mouth, and I figured more than a few creators and readers would leave the platform after the bad publicity. So I decided to steer clear.
Mailchimp
I have worked with Mailchimp in the past for other clients and past jobs. It’s my least favorite platform for several reasons.
Limited subscription capacity
Mailchimp’s free plan only supports 500 subscribers. Once you exceed that number, you’re forced to pay for a plan. What’s more, MailChimp charges you according to the size of your subscription list, regardless of the plan.
For example, the Mailchimp “Essentials” plan is $45/month for up to 2,500 contacts. Beehiiv, on the other hand, supports 2,500 subscribers on their free plan. It’s a no-brainer for me personally.
Frustrating UX design
I will admit that it’s been a few months since I’ve used Mailchimp. However, my UX experience was so frustrating all those years ago that it left a bad taste in my mouth.
I vividly remember putting together my former employer’s weekly newsletter on Mailchimp for all the wrong reasons. Something would always go wrong. A column would be oddly aligned, text would cut off, etc.
I’m sure Mailchimp has improved its user experience, but I wasn’t interested in finding out. Sorry!
Beehiiv: The Queen Bee of My Newsletter Heart
So there you have it! I went with beehiiv because it was the easiest to use platform with the most value.
I am still using the platform’s free plan, but I am really intrigued by their Boost and recommendation programs.
If you’re interested in checking out all beehiiv has to offer, I encourage you to sign up for a 30-day free trial!
I plan to upgrade to a paid plan to check out the monetization features if (when) I reach 1,000 subscribers. Will I ever get there? Subscribe to find out as I post more updates about my foray into the world of newsletter writing.
Subscribe to or read Crochet Craft Club if you love knitting, crochet, and all things crafting.
*This article includes beehiiv affiliate links. If you sign up for a paid plan, I receive a commission that does not affect what you pay. Don’t worry, I only sign up for affiliate programs of companies I have personally tried and love. All opinions are my own and completely honest. Thank you!
