So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you’ve seen the beautiful evaluations. Found out about the all-in-one magic. Review how it might replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) GoHighLevel GHL-UI.
I get it. The pledge is alluring: one effective control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of enhancing every little thing under one roof covering sounds like a productivity dream. Yet let me quit you right there … due to the fact that I succumbed to the hype. And I wish a person had actually ordered me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this write-up, I’m walking you through my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic starts to a full 180. If you’re seriously considering making the button, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Checked Out GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favorite pair of shoes suddenly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been utilizing Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for several years– 5, to be precise. And truthfully, it functioned wonderful.
I suggest, Keap took care of everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my business. Certain, it wasn’t excellent, but it was trustworthy. Like a good 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 considering the showy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Because of shiny item disorder. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand specifically what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are humming about a “game-changer,” you begin questioning if you’re missing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Rate of Switching: What It Really Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your company’s entire technology pile is brutal. I wish I could tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Right here’s a glimpse of what I actually underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (manually).
- Reconstruct a dozen automations from the ground up– points like onboarding, email series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, project status, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours adjusting setups and screening workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the mental energy it sucked out of me. You understand that exhausted, brain-fried sensation after staring at your screen for as well long? That was my life for 2 weeks right.
I told myself, “This pain will certainly be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When All Of It Began Breaking Down
Initially, it resembled things were functioning. Automations were firing. Emails were going out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
After that– chaos.
One morning I got up to a headache: 171 emails had been sent to the wrong group of calls. Totally pointless content. 3 days in a row. And not the exact same people either– various batches each time. I was horrified.
I tore through the automation settings, erased and restored sequences, even reached out to sustain. Their response? “Web server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No responsibility. And the e-mails simply maintained heading out like a rogue robot on autopilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything essential. My audience mattered way too much to take the chance of one more screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Stress
Let me paint you a photo. You’re trying to tweak a workflow. Straightforward task, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in position nobody would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not also get me began. You have to gain access to three various configuration panels– scattered throughout the user interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without guidelines. I intended to love the adaptability, but every little thing concerning the customer experience made me seem like I needed a designer resting alongside me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who had actually been running automations and developing funnels for years. If I was battling, I can not picture what it’s like for someone just starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they don’t advertise plainly: GoHighLevel costs per e-mail you send through their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sneaky little charges that begin piling up. I noticed arbitrary $10 fees appearing– after that $20 … after that $50. Ends up, I was acquiring delivery fees with Mailgun, their e-mail provider.
So what appeared like an affordable, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and getting way much less dependability in return.
That really felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel GHL-UI.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Last lick
If you do any sort of e-mail marketing, you understand just how important deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your checklist, developing depend on, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates drop off a cliff, it’s like seeing your hard work obtain purged down the tubes.
That’s precisely what occurred when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I modified subject lines, confirmed domains, heated up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And given that GoHighLevel counts on third-party deliverability devices (without much advice), I was left playing email live roulette.
At that point, I could not warrant staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, instinctive, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at risk– your track record, your client experience, your bottom line.
But if you’re still curious, at the very least share your eyes wide open. Examination everything. Do not thoughtlessly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Found Out (So You Do Not Repeat My Errors).
Below’s the truth no one informs you when you’re going after the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s a great factor to change.
Keap had not been fancy, however it was solid. That’s worth more than any type of new feature.
2. Simpleness beats intricacy– whenever.
An user-friendly device that does 80% well is better than a Monster platform that does 100% severely.
3. Do not fall for small cost– consider the real price.
Review the fine print. Inquire about deliverability fees. Know what “limitless” truly means.
4. Watch out for biased evaluations.
A lot of the glowing testimonies around? They’re from associates attempting to score a payment. Locate individuals with nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your digestive tract.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re searching for a system that actually functions the means it guarantees, inspect these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Incredible automation, strong deliverability, and fantastic support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent job administration devices for little teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— Even more project-focused, yet wonderful for customer collaboration and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Developed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, very streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the answer to everything. And if it functioned flawlessly, I ‘d possibly be their greatest cheerleader. However it didn’t. And I can not claim or else.
So before you dive into a full-blown migration– or worse, convince your clients to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the tough inquiries. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” desire deserves the real-world compromises.
You have actually worked too difficult to construct something fantastic. Do not risk it on a system that still seems like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick with devices that just function.