So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you have actually seen the beautiful reviews. Read about the all-in-one magic. Read just how it can replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) GoHighLevel Extended Trial.
I get it. The pledge is alluring: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the concept of simplifying whatever under one roof covering sounds like a performance desire. However let me stop you right there … since I fell for the buzz. And I want a person had actually ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic starts to a complete 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the switch, read this initial. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Checked Out GoHighLevel
You ever before obtain that crave something new? Like when your preferred pair of footwear suddenly really feels … boring? That’s what occurred to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be precise. And honestly, it functioned wonderful.
I suggest, Keap managed every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the method I ran my service. Sure, it wasn’t ideal, yet it was trusted. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, yet it obtains you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin considering the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny item disorder. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re a business owner like me, you know precisely what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you start wondering if you’re missing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demonstrations and thinking, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Cost of Changing: What It Truly Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your firm’s entire technology pile is ruthless. I wish I can inform you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Right here’s a look of what I actually went through:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (manually).
- Restore a dozen automations from square one– things like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, job status, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near to 40 hours adjusting setups and testing workflows.
And let’s not forget the psychological energy it sucked out of me. You know that worn down, brain-fried sensation after staring at your screen for also lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks directly.
I informed myself, “This pain will be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When Everything Began Falling Apart
In the beginning, it looked like points were functioning. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were real-time. I breathed out a little.
After that– disorder.
One morning I woke up to a problem: 171 e-mails had been sent out to the incorrect group of calls. Entirely unnecessary web content. 3 days straight. And not the very same people either– various sets each time. I was horrified.
I tore via the automation settings, erased and reconstructed series, also reached out to support. Their response? “Web server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No liability. And the e-mails simply maintained heading out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything vital. My target market mattered excessive to risk one more error.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Stress
Let me repaint you a picture. You’re attempting to fine-tune a workflow. Easy job, right? Except currently you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in places nobody would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even obtain me started. You have to gain access to 3 different setup panels– spread throughout the interface– to update a single funnel.
It felt like setting up IKEA furniture without directions. I wished to love the flexibility, yet whatever regarding the customer experience made me seem like I required a programmer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is originating from somebody who had actually been running automations and developing funnels for years. If I was struggling, I can’t visualize what it resembles for somebody just getting started.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they don’t advertise plainly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send out with their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little costs that begin piling up. I saw arbitrary $10 charges popping up– then $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was acquiring distribution costs through Mailgun, their e-mail carrier.
So what looked like an affordable, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was spending greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining way less integrity in return.
That really felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Extended Trial.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of sort of e-mail marketing, you understand just how crucial deliverability is. You invest years supporting your list, constructing trust, fine-tuning subject lines. So when your open rates leave a high cliff, it’s like viewing your effort get purged down the drain.
That’s precisely what took place when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open rates dropped from around 35% to barely scuffing 10%. I modified subject lines, validated domains, heated up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And given that GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability devices (without much support), I was left playing email live roulette.
At that point, I couldn’t warrant staying. I ended and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Use GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re trying to find something steady, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your credibility, your customer experience, your profits.
Yet if you’re still interested, a minimum of share your eyes wide open. Examination whatever. Don’t blindly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Discovered (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Below’s the reality no one tells you when you’re chasing the next “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick with what works– unless there’s a very good reason to switch over.
Keap wasn’t showy, however it was solid. That’s worth more than any new feature.
2. Simplicity defeats complexity– every single time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is far better than a Monster platform that does 100% terribly.
3. Don’t fall for low prices– look at the genuine expense.
Read the fine print. Inquire about deliverability fees. Know what “endless” truly implies.
4. Watch out for biased evaluations.
A great deal of the beautiful endorsements around? They’re from affiliates attempting to score a compensation. Locate people with absolutely nothing to get.
5. Listen to your digestive tract.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding phase– do not ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re searching for a platform that in fact functions the means it assures, examine these out:.
Keap– My leading choice. Incredible automation, strong deliverability, and great assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific job administration devices for tiny teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, yet terrific for customer cooperation and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Developed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, super structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the solution to whatever. And if it functioned faultlessly, I ‘d probably be their most significant supporter. However it really did not. And I can not pretend or else.
So before you study a full-blown movement– or even worse, persuade your customers to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the difficult concerns. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world compromises.
You’ve worked also difficult to develop something excellent. Don’t risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you desire my two cents? Stick with devices that just function.