So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you’ve seen the radiant reviews. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Read how it could change your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (type of) GoHighLevel DocuSign.
I get it. The pledge is appealing: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a firm, the idea of simplifying everything under one roof sounds like an efficiency desire. Yet let me stop you right there … because I succumbed to the hype. And I desire a person had grabbed me by the shoulders and said: “Don’t do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a total 180. If you’re seriously considering making the button, read this very first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Looked at GoHighLevel
You ever before obtain that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favored pair of footwear all of a sudden really feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I ‘d been utilizing Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– 5, to be specific. And truthfully, it functioned great.
I imply, Keap took care of whatever: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my service. Certain, it had not been excellent, yet it was reputable. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, however it obtains you where you require to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny object disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you understand exactly what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you begin asking yourself if you’re missing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demos and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Cost of Switching: What It Really Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your firm’s whole technology pile is ruthless. I desire I could inform you I simply 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 went through:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (manually).
- Restore a dozen automations from square one– points like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, task status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near to 40 hours fiddling with settings and screening workflows.
And allow’s not forget the mental energy it drew out of me. You recognize that exhausted, brain-fried sensation after looking at your screen for too long? That was my life for two weeks right.
I informed myself, “This pain will certainly be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When All Of It Started Crumbling
Initially, it appeared like things were functioning. Automations were shooting. Emails were heading out. Funnels were real-time. I exhaled a little.
After that– chaos.
One morning I got up to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent to the wrong team of get in touches with. Entirely pointless web content. Three days in a row. And not the same individuals either– different sets each time. I was alarmed.
I tore via the automation setups, removed and restored sequences, also reached out to sustain. Their feedback? “Server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No accountability. And the e-mails just kept heading out like a rogue robotic on autopilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything important. My audience mattered excessive to take the chance of another screw-up.
Negative UX = Slow Fatality by Aggravation
Let me paint you an image. You’re trying to modify a workflow. Easy job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that don’t make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in position no one would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also get me started. You need to gain access to three different setup panels– scattered throughout the user interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It seemed like constructing IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wanted to love the versatility, however everything about the customer experience made me seem like I needed a designer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is originating from a person who ‘d been running automations and developing funnels for several years. If I was struggling, I can’t picture what it resembles for someone simply getting going.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they do not market plainly: GoHighLevel costs per email you send via their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are stealthy little fees that begin piling up. I observed random $10 charges turning up– after that $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was racking up delivery costs via Mailgun, their email carrier.
So what appeared like an affordable, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining method less integrity in return.
That felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel DocuSign.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of type of e-mail marketing, you recognize just how essential deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your checklist, developing count on, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates hand over a high cliff, it resembles viewing your hard work get flushed down the tubes.
That’s exactly what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to hardly scratching 10%. I modified subject lines, verified domain names, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promotions folders. And because GoHighLevel counts on third-party deliverability tools (without much guidance), I was left playing email live roulette.
At that point, I couldn’t validate staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Use GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re looking for something steady, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at stake– your reputation, your consumer experience, your bottom line.
But if you’re still curious, at least share your eyes wide open. Examination everything. Don’t blindly trust the buzz.
Lessons Discovered (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Right here’s the fact nobody informs you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s a very good reason to switch over.
Keap wasn’t flashy, but it was solid. That deserves greater than any kind of brand-new feature.
2. Simplicity beats complexity– every single time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is much better than a Monster system that does 100% severely.
3. Don’t fall for small cost– look at the real expense.
Read the small print. Inquire about deliverability charges. Know what “unrestricted” actually means.
4. Look out for prejudiced evaluations.
A great deal of the beautiful testimonies around? They’re from associates attempting to score a payment. Discover individuals with absolutely nothing to gain.
5. Pay attention to your digestive tract.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re trying to find a platform that really functions the method it promises, inspect these out:.
Keap– My leading choice. Remarkable automation, solid deliverability, and great support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful job monitoring devices for tiny groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Ideal if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— Even more project-focused, yet excellent for customer collaboration and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, incredibly streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the response to whatever. And if it worked faultlessly, I ‘d probably be their most significant supporter. But it didn’t. And I can’t pretend or else.
So before you dive into a full-blown migration– or even worse, encourage your customers to do the same– breathe. Ask the hard questions. And think about whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world compromises.
You have actually worked too difficult to construct something fantastic. Do not risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick to tools that simply function.