So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you have actually seen the glowing testimonials. Become aware of the all-in-one magic. Read just how it can change your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (sort of) GoHighLevel Incoming Calls.
I get it. The pledge is alluring: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of streamlining every little thing under one roofing sounds like an efficiency desire. Yet let me quit you right there … due to the fact that I succumbed to the buzz. And I desire someone had gotten me by the shoulders and stated: “Do not do it.”
In this article, I’m strolling you with my rollercoaster of an experience with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a total 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the button, read this very first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Looked at GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favored set of shoes all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been using Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– 5, to be specific. And truthfully, it functioned great.
I imply, Keap handled everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my organization. Sure, it had not been ideal, yet it was dependable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, but it obtains you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin considering the showy new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of glossy item disorder. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you know precisely what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re losing out. And prior to I recognized it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Cost of Changing: What It Truly Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your company’s entire tech stack is brutal. I want I might inform you I just clicked a button and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Right here’s a peek of what I in fact underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (by hand).
- Restore a lots automations from the ground up– points like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, task status, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent close to 40 hours adjusting settings and screening workflows.
And allow’s not neglect the mental energy it drew out of me. You recognize that exhausted, brain-fried sensation after staring at your display for as well lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I informed myself, “This pain will deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When All Of It Started Crumbling
In the beginning, it resembled things were functioning. Automations were shooting. Emails were going out. Funnels were live. I breathed out a little.
After that– mayhem.
One morning I got up to a nightmare: 171 e-mails had been sent to the incorrect team of calls. Totally pointless material. 3 days in a row. And not the same individuals either– various batches each time. I was frightened.
I tore through the automation setups, erased and rebuilt series, also reached out to sustain. Their feedback? “Server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No responsibility. And the e-mails simply maintained going out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything important. My target market mattered excessive to run the risk of another screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Death by Disappointment
Let me paint you a photo. You’re trying to tweak a workflow. Easy job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in position nobody would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even obtain me started. You need to accessibility 3 different setup panels– spread throughout the user interface– to upgrade a solitary funnel.
It felt like constructing IKEA furniture without guidelines. I intended to like the flexibility, yet whatever concerning the user experience made me seem like I needed a developer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is originating from a person who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for many years. If I was having a hard time, I can’t envision what it resembles for a person just beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they do not advertise plainly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send out with their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are stealthy little fees that start piling up. I discovered arbitrary $10 fees turning up– then $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was acquiring delivery fees via Mailgun, their email company.
So what resembled an affordable, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and getting way much less reliability in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Incoming Calls.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any type of sort of e-mail marketing, you understand how essential deliverability is. You invest years supporting your checklist, developing trust fund, make improvements subject lines. So when your open rates hand over a high cliff, it’s like viewing your effort get purged away.
That’s specifically what occurred when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to barely scratching 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, confirmed domain names, heated up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And given that GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much advice), I was left playing e-mail roulette.
At that point, I could not warrant staying. I disengaged and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Use GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not recommend it. Not if you’re trying to find something stable, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at risk– your online reputation, your customer experience, your profits.
However if you’re still curious, at the very least go in with your eyes wide open. Test every little thing. Do not blindly trust the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Below’s the fact no person tells you when you’re going after the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s an excellent reason to change.
Keap wasn’t flashy, yet it was strong. That deserves greater than any brand-new feature.
2. Simplicity beats intricacy– each time.
An user-friendly device that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not succumb to affordable price– look at the real price.
Check out the small print. Inquire about deliverability charges. Know what “unrestricted” actually indicates.
4. Keep an eye out for biased evaluations.
A lot of the radiant endorsements out there? They’re from associates trying to rack up a payment. Find individuals with absolutely nothing to acquire.
5. Listen to your gut.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re searching for a platform that actually works the means it promises, check these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Impressive automation, strong deliverability, and terrific assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent project administration tools for tiny groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— More project-focused, however terrific for client partnership and task tracking.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, super structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the response to whatever. And if it functioned perfectly, I ‘d probably be their biggest cheerleader. However it really did not. And I can’t act or else.
So before you dive into a full-scale movement– or even worse, convince your customers to do the same– breathe. Ask the hard concerns. And consider whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world trade-offs.
You’ve worked too hard to build something terrific. Do not risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick with devices that simply function.