So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you’ve seen the radiant testimonials. Read about the all-in-one magic. Read how it might replace your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (kind of) GoHighLevel Vs Kajabi.
I get it. The pledge is alluring: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of improving every little thing under one roofing system seems like an efficiency dream. However let me quit you right there … because I succumbed to the hype. And I desire a person had gotten me by the shoulders and stated: “Do not do it.”
In this write-up, I’m strolling you through my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a full 180. If you’re seriously considering making the switch, read this very first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of headaches.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Checked Out GoHighLevel
You ever before obtain that itch for something new? Like when your favorite pair of shoes instantly really feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for several years– 5, to be precise. And honestly, it functioned great.
I imply, Keap took care of every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the method I ran my company. Certain, it had not been best, but it was reliable. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, however it obtains you where you require to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the flashy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny object syndrome. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you understand precisely what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are buzzing about a “game-changer,” you start wondering if you’re losing out. And prior to I recognized it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demos and thinking, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Price of Switching: What It Really Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your firm’s entire tech stack is harsh. I want I could inform you I just clicked a switch and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Right here’s a glance of what I in fact experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (manually).
- Reconstruct a lots automations from scratch– points like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, job standing, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near to 40 hours adjusting setups and screening workflows.
And allow’s not forget the psychological energy it drew out of me. You understand that tired, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for as well long? That was my life for two weeks right.
I told myself, “This pain will be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When It All Started Crumbling
In the beginning, it looked like points were working. Automations were firing. Emails were heading out. Funnels were live. I breathed out a little.
Then– disorder.
One morning I woke up to a problem: 171 e-mails had actually been sent to the wrong team of contacts. Completely unimportant content. 3 days in a row. And not the very same people either– different sets each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation setups, deleted and rebuilt series, even connected to sustain. Their feedback? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No accountability. And the emails just kept going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything important. My target market mattered too much to risk another error.
Poor UX = Slow Death by Irritation
Let me paint you a photo. You’re trying to tweak a workflow. Straightforward task, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that don’t make sense. Tags aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in places nobody would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even get me began. You need to accessibility 3 different configuration panels– spread throughout the interface– to update a single funnel.
It seemed like assembling IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wanted to love the flexibility, yet whatever regarding the user experience made me feel like I needed a developer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is originating from someone who had actually been running automations and building funnels for years. If I was having a hard time, I can not visualize what it resembles for a person just getting going.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t advertise clearly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send out via their platform.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are tricky little fees that start piling up. I discovered arbitrary $10 costs turning up– then $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was acquiring delivery costs with Mailgun, their email company.
So what resembled an economical, flat-rate system? 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 really felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Vs Kajabi.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Final stroke
If you do any kind of type of email marketing, you understand just how crucial deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your listing, developing trust fund, fine-tuning subject lines. So when your open rates leave a cliff, it’s like enjoying your effort get purged away.
That’s specifically what happened when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open rates fell from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, verified domain names, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And because GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability devices (without much advice), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t validate staying. I disengaged and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I wouldn’t suggest it. Not if you’re trying to find something steady, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at stake– your online reputation, your consumer experience, your profits.
But if you’re still interested, at least share your eyes wide open. Test every little thing. Don’t blindly rely on the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Do Not Repeat My Errors).
Right here’s the fact no person informs you when you’re chasing the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick to what works– unless there’s an excellent factor to switch.
Keap wasn’t flashy, but it was strong. That’s worth greater than any kind of new feature.
2. Simpleness beats complexity– every time.
An instinctive device that does 80% well is better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% badly.
3. Don’t succumb to small cost– take a look at the actual cost.
Read the small print. Inquire about deliverability charges. Know what “unrestricted” actually suggests.
4. Look out for prejudiced evaluations.
A lot of the radiant testimonies around? They’re from affiliates trying to rack up a payment. Locate people with absolutely nothing to get.
5. Pay attention to your digestive tract.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re searching for a platform that actually works the method it assures, check these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Incredible automation, strong deliverability, and fantastic assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with great task management devices for little groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a refined UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— More project-focused, yet excellent for customer collaboration and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super clean, very streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the solution to every little thing. And if it functioned perfectly, I ‘d most likely be their most significant cheerleader. However it didn’t. And I can not claim otherwise.
So before you dive into a full-blown movement– or worse, persuade your clients to do the exact same– take a breath. Ask the difficult concerns. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” desire deserves the real-world trade-offs.
You’ve worked too difficult to develop something great. Do not risk it on a system that still seems like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick with tools that simply work.