So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you have actually seen the radiant reviews. Read about the all-in-one magic. Read how it can replace your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (sort of) GoHighLevel Billy Gene.
I get it. The pledge is tempting: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the idea of enhancing everything under one roofing sounds like an efficiency desire. However let me quit you right there … due to the fact that I fell for the hype. And I want a person had actually grabbed me by the shoulders and said: “Don’t do it.”
In this short article, I’m strolling you via my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a complete 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the switch, read this first. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Considered GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favored pair of shoes all of a sudden really feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I would certainly been utilizing Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– five, to be specific. And truthfully, it functioned wonderful.
I mean, Keap managed everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my service. Sure, it wasn’t best, but it was reliable. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, yet it obtains you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I start eyeing the flashy new Tesla parked next door?
Because of shiny item disorder. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re a business owner like me, you know precisely what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re losing out. And before I knew it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demos and reasoning, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Price of Changing: What It Truly Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– moving your agency’s entire technology stack is harsh. I want I could inform you I just clicked a switch and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Right here’s a look of what I in fact underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (manually).
- Rebuilt a lots automations from square one– points like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, job status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Used close to 40 hours adjusting setups and testing workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the mental energy it sucked out of me. You understand that exhausted, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for too lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks directly.
I told myself, “This pain will deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When Everything Started Falling Apart
Initially, it resembled points were functioning. Automations were shooting. Emails were going out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
After that– mayhem.
One early morning I got up to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent to the wrong team of get in touches with. Totally irrelevant web content. 3 days in a row. And not the very same people either– different batches each time. I was frightened.
I tore via the automation setups, erased and rebuilt sequences, even reached out to sustain. Their response? “Web server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No liability. And the emails just maintained going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything essential. My audience mattered way too much to take the chance of an additional screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Stress
Let me paint you a photo. You’re trying to tweak a workflow. Easy task, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that do not make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are hidden in places nobody would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even get me started. You need to accessibility 3 different arrangement panels– scattered across the interface– to update a single funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wished to love the versatility, yet whatever concerning the individual experience made me seem like I needed a programmer sitting alongside me 24/7.
And this is originating from somebody who ‘d been running automations and building funnels for several years. If I was having a hard time, I can’t picture what it resembles for someone just getting going.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t advertise clearly: GoHighLevel fees per email you send through their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sneaky little costs that start accumulating. I noticed arbitrary $10 charges turning up– then $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was acquiring shipment fees via Mailgun, their e-mail supplier.
So what appeared like an affordable, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and getting method less dependability in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Billy Gene.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any type of email marketing, you understand exactly how essential deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your checklist, building depend on, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates drop off a high cliff, it resembles watching your hard work get purged down the tubes.
That’s precisely what took place when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open rates dropped from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I modified subject lines, validated domains, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promos folders. And given that GoHighLevel counts on third-party deliverability tools (without much guidance), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I could not validate staying. I disengaged and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not advise it. Not if you’re searching for something steady, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at risk– your reputation, your customer experience, your bottom line.
But 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 buzz.
Lessons Discovered (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Here’s the fact no person tells you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what works– unless there’s an excellent factor to switch.
Keap wasn’t flashy, but it was strong. That deserves more than any type of new feature.
2. Simplicity beats complexity– each time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% badly.
3. Do not fall for low prices– check out the actual cost.
Review the small print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unrestricted” actually means.
4. Keep an eye out for biased reviews.
A lot of the glowing testimonials around? They’re from associates trying to score a commission. Locate people with absolutely nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your digestive tract.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re looking for a system that in fact works the way it guarantees, examine these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Amazing automation, strong deliverability, and wonderful assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with great project monitoring devices for small teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a refined UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— Even more project-focused, however fantastic for customer cooperation and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Developed for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the response to every little thing. And if it worked faultlessly, I ‘d possibly be their largest cheerleader. Yet it really did not. And I can’t pretend otherwise.
So before you study a major migration– or even worse, convince your customers to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the hard concerns. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire deserves the real-world trade-offs.
You have actually functioned as well difficult to develop something terrific. Do not risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick to tools that simply work.