So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the radiant evaluations. Become aware of the all-in-one magic. Read just how it might change your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) GoHighLevel OAuth.
I get it. The guarantee is tempting: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of streamlining whatever under one roofing sounds like an efficiency desire. However let me stop you right there … because I succumbed to the hype. And I want somebody had actually ordered me by the shoulders and stated: “Don’t do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from confident beginnings to a total 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the button, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of headaches.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favored pair of footwear suddenly really feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I ‘d been utilizing Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– five, to be precise. And truthfully, it functioned wonderful.
I indicate, Keap handled whatever: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the method I ran my service. Certain, it wasn’t ideal, yet it was reputable. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, however it obtains you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin considering the flashy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Because of shiny object disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you recognize exactly what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are buzzing concerning a “game-changer,” you start wondering if you’re losing out. And before I recognized it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demos and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Rate of Changing: What It Really Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your company’s entire tech pile is harsh. I want I can tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a peek of what I actually experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (by hand).
- Rebuilt a lots automations from square one– things like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every client note, task condition, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Used near 40 hours adjusting setups and screening workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the mental power it sucked out of me. You understand that tired, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for as well long? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I told myself, “This discomfort will deserve it.” It had not been.
When All Of It Started Falling Apart
In the beginning, it looked like points were working. Automations were shooting. Emails were going out. Funnels were live. I breathed out a little.
After that– disorder.
One morning I got up to a headache: 171 emails had been sent out to the wrong group of calls. Entirely irrelevant web content. Three days straight. And not the same people either– various sets each time. I was frightened.
I tore through the automation setups, erased and restored sequences, even connected to support. Their action? “Server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No liability. And the e-mails just kept going out like a rogue robot on autopilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My audience mattered way too much to risk another screw-up.
Negative UX = Slow Death by Stress
Let me paint you an image. You’re trying to modify a workflow. Straightforward job, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in places no one would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also get me started. You have to accessibility three different arrangement panels– spread throughout the interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It felt like setting up IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wished to enjoy the versatility, yet every little thing regarding the user experience made me seem like I required a programmer sitting next to me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who ‘d been running automations and developing funnels for several years. If I was struggling, I can not imagine what it’s like for a person just getting going.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t promote plainly: GoHighLevel costs per email you send via their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little fees that begin accumulating. I noticed random $10 fees appearing– after that $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up shipment charges via Mailgun, their e-mail service provider.
So what appeared like a budget-friendly, flat-rate system? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and obtaining way less reliability in return.
That felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel OAuth.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of type of e-mail marketing, you understand exactly how vital deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your list, building count on, make improvements subject lines. So when your open prices hand over a high cliff, it’s like enjoying your effort get purged away.
That’s precisely what occurred when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open rates fell from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I modified subject lines, verified domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And considering that GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability devices (without much guidance), I was left playing e-mail roulette.
Then, I couldn’t justify staying. I disengaged and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not recommend it. Not if you’re looking for something secure, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s too much at stake– your credibility, your consumer experience, your bottom line.
Yet if you’re still curious, at least go in with your eyes wide open. Test everything. Don’t thoughtlessly trust the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Below’s the fact no one informs you when you’re going after the next “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what works– unless there’s an excellent reason to switch over.
Keap had not been flashy, but it was solid. That deserves more than any type of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness beats complexity– every single time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% severely.
3. Don’t succumb to small cost– take a look at the real cost.
Review the fine print. Ask about deliverability charges. Know what “unrestricted” really suggests.
4. Watch out for prejudiced evaluations.
A great deal of the beautiful testimonials around? They’re from associates attempting to score a commission. Discover people with absolutely nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something really feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re trying to find a system that really works the way it promises, examine these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Remarkable automation, strong deliverability, and wonderful assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent job monitoring devices for tiny groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a polished UX. Ideal if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— More project-focused, but fantastic for client partnership and job tracking.
Bonsai— Developed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the solution to everything. And if it worked faultlessly, I ‘d most likely be their most significant cheerleader. But it really did not. And I can’t claim otherwise.
So before you study a full-blown migration– or even worse, convince your customers to do the very same– breathe. Ask the hard questions. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” dream is worth the real-world trade-offs.
You’ve functioned too hard to construct something excellent. Don’t risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick with tools that simply function.