So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you’ve seen the beautiful evaluations. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Review how it could replace your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (type of) GoHighLevel Favicon.
I get it. The promise is appealing: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a firm, the concept of enhancing everything under one roofing seems like a productivity desire. Yet let me stop you right there … due to the fact that I fell for the buzz. And I want a person had actually ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Don’t do it.”
In this article, I’m strolling you through my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from confident beginnings to a full 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this very first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Considered GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favorite set of shoes all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I would certainly been using Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for several years– five, to be exact. And truthfully, it worked great.
I indicate, Keap handled everything: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my company. Certain, it wasn’t ideal, but it was trustworthy. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, however it obtains you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I start looking at the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny object disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand specifically what I’m talking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re losing out. And before I knew it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Cost of Switching: What It Truly Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your agency’s whole technology stack is brutal. I want I might tell you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Right here’s a look of what I in fact underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (by hand).
- Restore a loads automations from the ground up– points like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, job standing, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent close to 40 hours fiddling with setups and testing workflows.
And let’s not forget the psychological energy it sucked out of me. You recognize that tired, brain-fried feeling after looking at your screen for too long? That was my life for 2 weeks directly.
I informed myself, “This pain will certainly be worth it.” It had not been.
When All Of It Started Falling Apart
Initially, it resembled points were working. Automations were firing. Emails were going out. Funnels were online. I breathed out a little.
After that– disorder.
One early morning I woke up to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent to the wrong team of contacts. Completely pointless web content. Three days straight. And not the very same individuals either– various batches each time. I was horrified.
I tore via the automation settings, erased and restored sequences, even reached out to sustain. Their feedback? “Server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No accountability. And the e-mails simply maintained going out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything essential. My target market mattered excessive to risk an additional screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Death by Stress
Let me paint you an image. You’re trying to fine-tune a workflow. Easy job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in places no one would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also get me started. You need to accessibility 3 different arrangement panels– spread across the user interface– to update a single funnel.
It seemed like putting together IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wanted to like the adaptability, yet whatever concerning the individual experience made me seem like I required a programmer resting next to me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who ‘d been running automations and developing funnels for years. If I was struggling, I can’t imagine what it’s like for somebody just getting going.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they do not market plainly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send via their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are tricky little fees that begin accumulating. I discovered random $10 charges popping up– then $20 … after that $50. Ends up, I was racking up distribution charges with Mailgun, their e-mail carrier.
So what looked like an inexpensive, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and getting method much less integrity in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Favicon.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Last Straw
If you do any type of email marketing, you recognize just how crucial deliverability is. You spend years supporting your listing, developing trust fund, fine-tuning subject lines. So when your open prices drop off a high cliff, it resembles viewing your hard work get flushed away.
That’s specifically what happened when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to hardly scuffing 10%. I tweaked subject lines, confirmed domains, heated up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And since GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much assistance), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I couldn’t warrant staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t advise it. Not if you’re trying to find something stable, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at stake– your credibility, your customer experience, your bottom line.
Yet if you’re still curious, a minimum of share your eyes wide open. Test whatever. Do not blindly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Learned (So You Do Not Repeat My Blunders).
Right here’s the truth no one tells you when you’re going after the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s a very good reason to switch over.
Keap wasn’t fancy, yet it was solid. That’s worth greater than any type of brand-new feature.
2. Simplicity beats intricacy– every time.
An intuitive device that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not succumb to small cost– consider the actual cost.
Review the fine print. Inquire about deliverability fees. Know what “endless” actually means.
4. Watch out for prejudiced testimonials.
A lot of the beautiful endorsements around? They’re from associates attempting to rack up a commission. Find individuals with nothing to acquire.
5. Listen to your gut.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re seeking a platform that actually works the way it promises, check these out:.
Keap– My leading pick. Impressive automation, solid deliverability, and wonderful assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with fantastic task management devices for tiny groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a sleek UX. Ideal if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— More project-focused, but fantastic for customer collaboration and job tracking.
Bonsai— Built for consultants and creatives. Super clean, extremely structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to whatever. And if it functioned perfectly, I ‘d probably be their biggest supporter. But it didn’t. And I can’t act otherwise.
So prior to you dive into a major movement– or even worse, encourage your customers to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the tough concerns. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You have actually worked too tough to build something excellent. Do not risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick to tools that just function.