So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you have actually seen the glowing reviews. Read about the all-in-one magic. Read just how it could replace your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (kind of) GoHighLevel Mobile Estimates.
I get it. The assurance is alluring: one effective control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the concept of streamlining every little thing under one roof covering sounds like a productivity dream. Yet let me stop you right there … since I fell for the hype. And I want someone had actually ordered me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this article, I’m walking you via my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from hopeful beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously considering making the switch, read this very first. It’ll save you time, money, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Looked at GoHighLevel
You ever before get that itch for something new? Like when your favorite pair of footwear instantly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been utilizing Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– five, to be precise. And honestly, it worked excellent.
I suggest, Keap managed everything: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my business. Certain, it had not been excellent, but it was trustworthy. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, yet it obtains you where you require to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Because of glossy things disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you recognize specifically what I’m talking about. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you begin questioning if you’re losing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demonstrations and reasoning, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Cost of Switching: What It Actually Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– moving your agency’s entire tech stack is ruthless. I want I could tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Here’s a peek of what I in fact underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (by hand).
- Reconstruct a dozen automations from the ground up– points like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, job status, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near to 40 hours adjusting settings and testing workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the psychological energy it sucked out of me. You recognize that worn down, brain-fried sensation after staring at your display for as well lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I told myself, “This pain will certainly be worth it.” It had not been.
When Everything Started Breaking Down
Initially, it resembled points were functioning. Automations were firing. E-mails were going out. Funnels were live. I exhaled a little.
After that– mayhem.
One morning I awakened to a problem: 171 emails had actually been sent to the incorrect group of get in touches with. Totally irrelevant web content. 3 days straight. And not the exact same individuals either– different sets each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation setups, erased and rebuilt series, also connected to support. Their response? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No responsibility. And the e-mails just maintained going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything essential. My audience mattered too much to run the risk of one more screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Fatality by Frustration
Let me paint you an image. You’re attempting to modify a workflow. Basic job, right? Other than currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that don’t make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in places no one would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also get me started. You have to accessibility 3 different setup panels– spread throughout the interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It felt like putting together IKEA furnishings without instructions. I intended to like the adaptability, however every little thing regarding the user experience made me feel like I needed a programmer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who ‘d been running automations and developing funnels for many years. If I was having a hard time, I can not visualize what it’s like for somebody just beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not promote clearly: GoHighLevel costs per e-mail you send out through their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are stealthy little charges that begin piling up. I saw random $10 fees appearing– then $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment costs with Mailgun, their e-mail service provider.
So what appeared like a cost effective, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining way less reliability in return.
That felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Mobile Estimates.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Last Straw
If you do any type of kind of e-mail marketing, you recognize exactly how vital deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your list, constructing count on, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates drop off a high cliff, it’s like viewing your hard work obtain purged down the drain.
That’s precisely what took place when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to hardly scratching 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 considering that GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability tools (without much support), I was left playing e-mail roulette.
At that point, I couldn’t justify staying. I ended and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Use GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re searching for something stable, 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. Test every little thing. Don’t thoughtlessly rely on the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Do Not Repeat My Mistakes).
Below’s the reality no one informs you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what works– unless there’s a great reason to switch.
Keap wasn’t fancy, yet it was solid. That deserves greater than any kind of new feature.
2. Simplicity beats complexity– every time.
An instinctive tool that does 80% well is much better than a Monster system that does 100% terribly.
3. Don’t succumb to affordable price– consider the actual price.
Check out the fine print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “endless” really indicates.
4. Watch out for biased reviews.
A lot of the beautiful endorsements out there? They’re from affiliates attempting to rack up a compensation. Locate people with absolutely nothing to get.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re seeking a system that really functions the way it assures, inspect these out:.
Keap– My leading pick. Fantastic automation, solid deliverability, and great support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with great job management tools for small groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a sleek UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— More project-focused, yet terrific for customer collaboration and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super clean, super structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the response to whatever. And if it functioned flawlessly, I ‘d probably be their most significant cheerleader. Yet it didn’t. And I can’t claim otherwise.
So before you study a full-scale movement– or worse, persuade your customers to do the exact same– take a breath. Ask the hard inquiries. And think about whether the “all-in-one” dream is worth the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned too difficult to construct something fantastic. Don’t risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick to devices that just function.