So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you have actually seen the beautiful evaluations. Read about the all-in-one magic. Check out how it can change your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (type of) GoHighLevel Canny.
I get it. The pledge is appealing: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of enhancing every little thing under one roofing system seems like an efficiency desire. However let me stop you right there … because I fell for the buzz. And I desire somebody had actually gotten me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this post, I’m strolling you with my rollercoaster of an experience with GoHighLevel– from confident beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this first. It’ll conserve you time, cash, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Considered GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favored pair of footwear suddenly really feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for several years– five, to be precise. And truthfully, it worked wonderful.
I mean, Keap managed whatever: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the means I ran my business. Sure, it wasn’t excellent, however it was reliable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, however it obtains you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I start eyeing the showy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of shiny item syndrome. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand specifically what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming concerning a “game-changer,” you start questioning if you’re losing out. And prior to I knew it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel trials and reasoning, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Rate of Switching: What It Really Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your firm’s entire tech pile is ruthless. I want I might tell you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Here’s a glance of what I actually experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (manually).
- Restore a dozen automations from scratch– things like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, job condition, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near to 40 hours adjusting settings and screening workflows.
And let’s not neglect the mental energy it drew out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried sensation after looking at your screen for too lengthy? That was my life for two weeks directly.
I told myself, “This pain will certainly deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When It All Began Crumbling
In the beginning, it resembled things were functioning. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
After that– chaos.
One early morning I woke up to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent out to the wrong team of get in touches with. Completely unnecessary content. Three days in a row. And not the same people either– different batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore through the automation settings, deleted and restored series, even connected to support. Their action? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No responsibility. And the emails simply maintained going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My target market mattered excessive to risk an additional error.
Bad UX = Slow Fatality by Irritation
Let me paint you a picture. You’re attempting to fine-tune a workflow. Straightforward job, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are hidden in places nobody would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. You need to accessibility 3 different arrangement panels– scattered throughout the user interface– to upgrade a solitary funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without guidelines. I intended to love the versatility, however everything regarding the customer experience made me seem like I required a programmer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is originating from a person who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was struggling, I can not envision what it resembles for someone just getting started.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they do not promote clearly: GoHighLevel charges per e-mail you send out via their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sneaky little charges that begin piling up. I noticed random $10 charges appearing– after that $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment charges via Mailgun, their email company.
So what looked like a budget friendly, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and getting method less reliability in return.
That really felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Canny.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any kind of type of e-mail marketing, you understand exactly how important deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your listing, developing trust, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates leave a cliff, it’s like seeing your hard work get flushed down the tubes.
That’s precisely what took place when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to hardly scratching 10%. I tweaked subject lines, verified domain names, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promotions folders. And because GoHighLevel counts on third-party deliverability tools (without much guidance), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t warrant staying. I ended and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not advise it. Not if you’re looking for something stable, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at risk– your track record, your consumer experience, your bottom line.
However if you’re still curious, at the very least share your eyes wide open. Examination every little thing. Don’t thoughtlessly trust the buzz.
Lessons Learned (So You Do Not Repeat My Blunders).
Right here’s the fact nobody tells you when you’re going after the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s a great factor to change.
Keap wasn’t showy, however it was strong. That’s worth greater than any kind of new feature.
2. Simplicity defeats complexity– each time.
An user-friendly tool that does 80% well is better than a Monster platform that does 100% severely.
3. Do not fall for small cost– look at the real price.
Read the fine print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unrestricted” really means.
4. Keep an eye out for biased reviews.
A great deal of the beautiful endorsements out there? They’re from affiliates attempting to score a payment. Find people with nothing to acquire.
5. Pay attention to your intestine.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re looking for a system that in fact functions the method it assures, examine these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Amazing automation, solid deliverability, and great assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent job administration devices for tiny teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a refined UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, however wonderful for client partnership and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the solution to every little thing. And if it functioned perfectly, I ‘d probably be their largest cheerleader. However it didn’t. And I can not claim or else.
So prior to you dive into a full-blown migration– or even worse, persuade your customers to do the very same– take a breath. Ask the tough concerns. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You have actually worked also tough to develop something fantastic. Do not risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick to devices that simply work.