So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you’ve seen the glowing reviews. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Read just how it can change your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) How To Get GoHighLevel For Free.
I get it. The promise is alluring: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the idea of enhancing every little thing under one roof covering sounds like an efficiency desire. However let me stop you right there … because I succumbed to the buzz. And I want somebody had grabbed me by the shoulders and stated: “Don’t do it.”
In this article, I’m strolling you with my rollercoaster of an experience with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a full 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the switch, read this very first. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of headaches.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Considered GoHighLevel
You ever before get that crave something brand-new? Like when your favored pair of shoes instantly feels … boring? That’s what occurred to me. I ‘d been using Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– 5, to be specific. And truthfully, it functioned wonderful.
I indicate, Keap took care of whatever: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the means I ran my company. Certain, it had not been best, but it was reliable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, however it obtains you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I start eyeing the flashy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to glossy item disorder. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you understand exactly what I’m talking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you start questioning if you’re missing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demonstrations and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Price of Changing: What It Actually Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– moving your company’s entire tech stack is brutal. I wish I might tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Right here’s a glance of what I actually went through:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (by hand).
- Reconstruct a dozen automations from the ground up– points like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, project standing, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours adjusting setups and screening workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the psychological energy it sucked out of me. You understand that exhausted, brain-fried sensation after looking at your display for as well lengthy? That was my life for two weeks directly.
I told myself, “This pain will certainly deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When All Of It Began Crumbling
In the beginning, it looked like things were functioning. Automations were firing. Emails were heading out. Funnels were online. I breathed out a little.
Then– disorder.
One early morning I woke up to a problem: 171 emails had actually been sent out to the incorrect team of contacts. Completely irrelevant web content. Three days in a row. And not the very same individuals either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore through the automation setups, removed and reconstructed sequences, even reached out to sustain. Their response? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No accountability. And the e-mails simply kept going out like a rogue robotic on autopilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My audience mattered way too much to take the chance of another screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Fatality by Frustration
Let me repaint you a picture. You’re attempting to fine-tune a workflow. Simple job, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in places nobody would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also obtain me started. You need to gain access to three various configuration panels– scattered across the user interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It felt like constructing IKEA furnishings without guidelines. I intended to love the adaptability, yet everything concerning the individual experience made me feel like I required a programmer resting alongside me 24/7.
And this is originating from a person who had actually been running automations and building funnels for years. If I was struggling, I can’t visualize what it’s like for a person simply getting going.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t market clearly: GoHighLevel fees per email you send via their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sneaky little fees that begin piling up. I saw arbitrary $10 costs popping up– after that $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment charges via Mailgun, their e-mail supplier.
So what looked like an affordable, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining way much less dependability in return.
That really felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me How To Get GoHighLevel For Free.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Last lick
If you do any type of sort of e-mail marketing, you know how vital deliverability is. You invest years supporting your list, building depend on, make improvements subject lines. So when your open prices drop off a cliff, it’s like viewing your hard work obtain flushed down the tubes.
That’s specifically what happened when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open rates fell from around 35% to barely scraping 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, validated domain names, warmed up IPs– you name it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And given that GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability tools (without much assistance), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t validate staying. I ended and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Use GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t suggest it. Not if you’re seeking something steady, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at risk– your credibility, your client experience, your bottom line.
But if you’re still curious, at least share your eyes wide open. Examination whatever. Don’t blindly trust the buzz.
Lessons Found Out (So You Do Not Repeat My Errors).
Below’s the fact no one tells you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s a very good reason to switch.
Keap had not been showy, yet it was solid. That deserves greater than any type of new feature.
2. Simpleness beats intricacy– whenever.
An instinctive tool that does 80% well is far better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% terribly.
3. Don’t fall for low prices– consider the actual expense.
Check out the small print. Ask about deliverability charges. Know what “limitless” actually implies.
4. Watch out for biased reviews.
A great deal of the beautiful reviews out there? They’re from associates attempting to score a payment. Locate people with nothing to get.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re looking for a system that really functions the method it promises, examine these out:.
Keap– My leading pick. Amazing automation, solid deliverability, and great support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful task monitoring tools for tiny teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a refined UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, however fantastic for client cooperation and task tracking.
Bonsai— Built for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, very streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the response to everything. And if it functioned faultlessly, I ‘d possibly be their biggest cheerleader. Yet it didn’t. And I can not make believe otherwise.
So before you dive into a full-scale migration– or worse, persuade your customers to do the very same– breathe. Ask the difficult inquiries. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned too tough to build something great. Do not risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick to tools that simply work.