So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the beautiful evaluations. Read about the all-in-one magic. Review how it might change your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (sort of) GoHighLevel Freelancer Plan.
I get it. The promise is tempting: one effective control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the idea of streamlining whatever under one roofing sounds like a performance dream. Yet let me quit you right there … because I succumbed to the buzz. And I wish someone had actually gotten me by the shoulders and stated: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of an experience with GoHighLevel– from hopeful starts to a total 180. If you’re seriously considering making the switch, read this very first. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Considered GoHighLevel
You ever get that crave something brand-new? Like when your preferred pair of shoes suddenly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been utilizing Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be precise. And honestly, it functioned excellent.
I mean, Keap took care of everything: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the method I ran my service. Sure, it had not been excellent, but it was reputable. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, however it gets you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the flashy new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of glossy object disorder. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re a business owner like me, you recognize precisely what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog owners are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you start asking yourself if you’re losing out. And prior to I recognized it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demonstrations and reasoning, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Price of Switching: What It Really Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your agency’s entire technology pile is brutal. I want I can inform you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Here’s a peek of what I in fact went through:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (manually).
- Rebuilt a lots automations from scratch– points like onboarding, email series, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every client note, project condition, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent close to 40 hours fiddling with setups and screening workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the mental power it drew out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried feeling after looking at your screen for also long? That was my life for 2 weeks directly.
I informed myself, “This discomfort will certainly deserve it.” It had not been.
When All Of It Started Falling Apart
In the beginning, it appeared like points were functioning. Automations were firing. E-mails were going out. Funnels were live. I exhaled a little.
Then– turmoil.
One early morning I got up to a headache: 171 e-mails had actually been sent to the wrong group of calls. Entirely unnecessary content. Three days straight. And not the same people either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation settings, erased and reconstructed series, also reached out to sustain. Their reaction? “Server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No accountability. And the emails simply kept heading out like a rogue robot on autopilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My target market mattered excessive to risk one more screw-up.
Negative UX = Slow Death by Stress
Let me repaint you a photo. You’re trying to tweak a workflow. Simple job, right? Except currently you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in position no one would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me began. You have to access three various arrangement panels– spread across the user interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It felt like putting together IKEA furniture without directions. I wished to like the versatility, but whatever regarding the individual experience made me seem like I required a developer sitting next to me 24/7.
And this is originating from someone who had actually been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was struggling, I can’t picture what it resembles for someone just beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they do not advertise clearly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send with their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little charges that start piling up. I observed random $10 charges appearing– after that $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment costs via Mailgun, their email provider.
So what looked like an economical, 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 dependability in return.
That really felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Freelancer Plan.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any sort of e-mail marketing, you know exactly how crucial deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your checklist, building trust fund, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates leave a high cliff, it resembles seeing your effort obtain purged down the tubes.
That’s precisely what occurred when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open rates fell from around 35% to barely scuffing 10%. I tweaked subject lines, verified domains, warmed up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And since GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much guidance), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t justify staying. I ended and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re seeking something stable, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at stake– your track record, your consumer experience, your bottom line.
Yet if you’re still curious, at least share your eyes wide open. Test everything. Do not blindly trust the hype.
Lessons Discovered (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Right here’s the fact nobody tells you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s an excellent factor to change.
Keap wasn’t flashy, but it was solid. That’s worth greater than any type of new feature.
2. Simpleness beats intricacy– whenever.
An instinctive tool that does 80% well is better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% badly.
3. Do not succumb to affordable price– check out the genuine price.
Read the small print. Ask about deliverability costs. Know what “unrestricted” truly implies.
4. Watch out for biased reviews.
A lot of the beautiful endorsements out there? They’re from affiliates attempting to score a payment. Discover individuals with absolutely nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re trying to find a system that actually functions the means it assures, check these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Amazing automation, solid deliverability, and excellent support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with fantastic task monitoring devices for little teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a refined UX. Suitable if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— Even more project-focused, but terrific for customer collaboration and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, extremely streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to whatever. And if it worked faultlessly, I ‘d most likely be their biggest cheerleader. But it really did not. And I can’t make believe otherwise.
So before you dive into a full-scale movement– or worse, persuade your clients to do the very same– take a breath. Ask the difficult inquiries. And consider whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world trade-offs.
You’ve worked too tough to develop something fantastic. Don’t risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you desire my 2 cents? Stick to devices that just function.