So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you’ve seen the radiant testimonials. Become aware of the all-in-one magic. Check out exactly how it can replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) GoHighLevel Query Key.
I get it. The pledge is appealing: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the concept of simplifying whatever under one roofing system sounds like an efficiency desire. However let me stop you right there … since I succumbed to the hype. And I wish somebody had actually grabbed me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this post, I’m strolling you through my rollercoaster of an experience with GoHighLevel– from hopeful beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this very first. It’ll conserve you time, cash, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Considered GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that crave something new? Like when your favored set of footwear unexpectedly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been using Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– 5, to be precise. And truthfully, it worked wonderful.
I mean, Keap dealt with whatever: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the method I ran my organization. Certain, it wasn’t best, however it was trustworthy. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, yet it gets you where you require to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin considering the showy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Because of shiny things syndrome. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you recognize specifically what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are buzzing concerning a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re losing out. And prior to I understood it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and reasoning, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Price of Changing: What It Truly Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your agency’s entire technology stack is brutal. I want I can inform you I just clicked a switch and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Below’s a glimpse of what I really went through:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (manually).
- Reconstruct a dozen automations from the ground up– things like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every client note, project status, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent close to 40 hours fiddling with setups and screening workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the psychological energy it drew out of me. You recognize that exhausted, brain-fried feeling after looking at your screen for also long? That was my life for two weeks right.
I told myself, “This discomfort will be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When Everything Began Crumbling
Initially, it appeared like things were working. Automations were firing. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were real-time. I breathed out a little.
After that– mayhem.
One morning I awakened to a headache: 171 e-mails had actually been sent out to the wrong group of contacts. Entirely unimportant material. 3 days straight. And not the same people either– different sets each time. I was frightened.
I tore through the automation settings, erased and reconstructed series, also reached out to support. Their response? “Web server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No liability. And the emails just kept going out like a rogue robot on autopilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything essential. My target market mattered excessive to risk one more screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Frustration
Let me paint you a photo. You’re attempting to fine-tune a workflow. Basic task, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in places no person would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me started. You need to accessibility three different arrangement panels– scattered across the interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It felt like putting together IKEA furnishings without directions. I wished to enjoy the adaptability, however every little thing about the individual experience made me seem like I needed a programmer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for many years. If I was battling, I can’t picture what it resembles for somebody just getting started.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they do not promote plainly: GoHighLevel fees per email you send out via their platform.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little charges that begin piling up. I saw random $10 costs turning up– after that $20 … after that $50. Ends up, I was acquiring distribution costs through Mailgun, their email provider.
So what looked like an affordable, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining way much less integrity in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Query Key.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Last lick
If you do any type of sort of e-mail marketing, you know how vital deliverability is. You spend years supporting your list, building depend on, adjust subject lines. So when your open prices drop off a cliff, it resembles viewing your hard work get flushed down the drain.
That’s precisely what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open rates dropped from around 35% to barely scratching 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, validated domains, heated up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And considering that GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability tools (without much support), I was left playing email live roulette.
At that point, I could not validate staying. I pulled the plug and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I would not advise it. Not if you’re seeking something steady, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s too much at risk– your reputation, your consumer experience, your bottom line.
Yet if you’re still curious, at the very least share your eyes wide open. Examination everything. Do not thoughtlessly rely on the hype.
Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Here’s the truth no person informs you when you’re chasing after the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s a very good reason to change.
Keap wasn’t showy, yet it was solid. That deserves greater than any new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats complexity– whenever.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is far better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% badly.
3. Do not fall for small cost– look at the actual price.
Read the fine print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unlimited” truly means.
4. Watch out for prejudiced evaluations.
A lot of the radiant testimonials around? They’re from associates trying to rack up a payment. Discover people with absolutely nothing to gain.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something really feels off during your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re searching for a platform that really works the means it assures, examine these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Impressive automation, strong deliverability, and great assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific job monitoring tools for small groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Ideal if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— Even more project-focused, but great for customer cooperation and job tracking.
Bonsai— Developed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, extremely structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to whatever. And if it worked flawlessly, I ‘d possibly be their largest cheerleader. Yet it didn’t. And I can not act or else.
So prior to you study a full-scale migration– or even worse, convince your customers to do the exact same– take a breath. Ask the tough inquiries. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned as well difficult to build something excellent. Do not risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick to tools that just function.