So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the beautiful testimonials. Read about the all-in-one magic. Check out how it can replace your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) GoHighLevel Founder.
I get it. The guarantee is alluring: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of simplifying everything under one roof covering sounds like an efficiency desire. But let me stop you right there … due to the fact that I succumbed to the buzz. And I want somebody had ordered me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this post, I’m walking you through my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic starts to a full 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the switch, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever before obtain that crave something new? Like when your favorite pair of footwear all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been using Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– five, to be specific. And honestly, it functioned fantastic.
I suggest, Keap handled every little thing: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the means I ran my organization. Sure, it had not been perfect, however it was reliable. Like a great 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 looking at the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to glossy object disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you recognize precisely what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are buzzing concerning a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re missing out. And prior to I understood it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demos and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Price of Changing: What It Actually Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your agency’s whole tech stack is harsh. I desire I can inform you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Here’s a glance of what I actually experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (by hand).
- Reconstruct a dozen automations from the ground up– things like onboarding, email series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, job condition, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Used near 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 worn down, brain-fried sensation after staring at your screen for also lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I informed myself, “This discomfort will certainly be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When Everything Started Breaking Down
At first, it appeared like things were working. Automations were shooting. Emails were going out. Funnels were live. I exhaled a little.
Then– mayhem.
One early morning I woke up to a problem: 171 emails had been sent out to the wrong team of contacts. Entirely unimportant content. 3 days straight. And not the exact same people either– different batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation setups, erased and reconstructed series, also reached out to sustain. Their action? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No responsibility. And the e-mails just kept heading out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My target market mattered excessive to take the chance of an additional error.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Stress
Let me paint you an image. You’re attempting to tweak a workflow. Basic job, right? Except currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that don’t make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in places no one would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not also get me began. You have to access 3 different setup panels– scattered throughout the user interface– to upgrade a solitary funnel.
It felt like putting together IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wished to enjoy the versatility, however everything regarding the user experience made me seem like I needed a programmer sitting alongside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who ‘d been running automations and developing funnels for several years. If I was battling, I can’t picture what it’s like for somebody simply getting started.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not promote plainly: GoHighLevel charges per e-mail you send out via their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little fees that begin accumulating. I saw random $10 charges turning up– after that $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up shipment costs through Mailgun, their e-mail company.
So what appeared like an affordable, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and getting means much less integrity in return.
That felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Founder.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Last lick
If you do any type of sort of email marketing, you know how essential deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your listing, developing depend on, fine-tuning subject lines. So when your open rates drop off a high cliff, it resembles seeing your hard work obtain 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 scuffing 10%. I tweaked subject lines, confirmed domains, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And considering that GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much advice), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
At that point, I could not validate staying. I disengaged and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re searching for something steady, instinctive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at risk– your reputation, your customer experience, your bottom line.
But if you’re still interested, a minimum of go in with your eyes wide open. Test whatever. Do not thoughtlessly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Below’s the fact no one tells you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what works– unless there’s a great reason to switch over.
Keap wasn’t fancy, however it was strong. That’s worth greater than any type of new feature.
2. Simplicity beats intricacy– whenever.
An user-friendly tool that does 80% well is far better than a Monster platform that does 100% badly.
3. Don’t succumb to low prices– check out the genuine price.
Read the small print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unrestricted” actually implies.
4. Watch out for prejudiced reviews.
A great deal of the glowing testimonies out there? They’re from associates attempting to rack up a compensation. Locate individuals with nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your digestive tract.
If something really feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re searching for a system that actually works the method it guarantees, examine these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Impressive automation, strong deliverability, and terrific support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful task administration devices for small groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, yet terrific for customer partnership and job tracking.
Bonsai— Developed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, very streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the solution to whatever. And if it worked flawlessly, I ‘d probably be their biggest supporter. However it didn’t. And I can’t make believe otherwise.
So prior to you dive into a major migration– or even worse, encourage your clients to do the very same– breathe. Ask the hard questions. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You have actually functioned also hard to construct something terrific. Don’t risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you desire my 2 cents? Stick to devices that simply work.