So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you’ve seen the beautiful reviews. Found out about the all-in-one magic. Check out exactly how it can replace your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) GoHighLevel Mobile Payments Options.
I get it. The pledge is appealing: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the concept of enhancing every little thing under one roofing sounds like a productivity desire. Yet let me quit you right there … due to the fact that I fell for the hype. And I desire somebody had actually grabbed me by the shoulders and stated: “Do not do it.”
In this post, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic beginnings to a total 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, cash, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever get that crave something new? Like when your preferred set of footwear all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be precise. And truthfully, it functioned terrific.
I suggest, Keap handled everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the means I ran my service. Certain, it wasn’t excellent, yet it was dependable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, but it obtains you where you require to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the fancy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny item syndrome. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you know precisely what I’m talking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS blog owners are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re missing out. And prior to I knew it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Price of Changing: What It Truly Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your agency’s whole tech pile is brutal. I want I can tell you I just clicked a switch and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a look of what I really experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (by hand).
- Rebuilt a dozen automations from the ground up– things like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, project condition, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Used near 40 hours fiddling with setups and screening workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the mental power it sucked out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried feeling after looking at your display for too lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks right.
I told myself, “This discomfort will certainly deserve it.” It had not been.
When It All Began Breaking Down
In the beginning, it appeared like points were functioning. Automations were firing. Emails were going out. Funnels were real-time. I exhaled a little.
After that– mayhem.
One early morning I awakened to a headache: 171 emails had actually been sent to the wrong group of calls. Entirely pointless material. 3 days straight. And not the exact same individuals either– various batches each time. I was horrified.
I tore through the automation settings, removed and reconstructed sequences, also connected to support. Their action? “Server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No liability. And the e-mails just kept heading out like a rogue robotic on autopilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything essential. My audience mattered way too much to take the chance of an additional error.
Poor UX = Slow Death by Irritation
Let me paint you a picture. You’re trying to fine-tune a workflow. Basic job, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that do not make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in position no person would rationally look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also get me began. You need to accessibility three different setup panels– scattered across the interface– to update a single funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without directions. I wanted to love the adaptability, however whatever regarding the user experience made me feel like I required a programmer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from someone who had actually been running automations and building funnels for years. If I was battling, I can’t imagine what it’s like for a person simply starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they do not market plainly: GoHighLevel costs per e-mail you send via their platform.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little charges that begin accumulating. I discovered arbitrary $10 fees popping up– after that $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was acquiring delivery fees through Mailgun, their email service provider.
So what resembled a cost effective, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining means less integrity in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Mobile Payments Options.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Last lick
If you do any type of type of email marketing, you know just how crucial deliverability is. You spend years supporting your list, building count on, make improvements subject lines. So when your open prices drop off a high cliff, it resembles viewing your hard work obtain purged down the tubes.
That’s specifically what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open rates dropped from around 35% to barely scratching 10%. I tweaked subject lines, verified domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And considering that GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability devices (without much assistance), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t warrant staying. I disengaged and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at risk– your track record, your customer experience, your profits.
However if you’re still interested, a minimum of share your eyes wide open. Test every little thing. Do not thoughtlessly trust the buzz.
Lessons Discovered (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Below’s the fact no one informs you when you’re chasing after the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick to what works– unless there’s an excellent factor to change.
Keap had not been flashy, yet it was solid. That deserves greater than any brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats intricacy– every single time.
An user-friendly tool that does 80% well is better than a Monster system that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not fall for small cost– look at the actual expense.
Read the fine print. Ask about deliverability costs. Know what “endless” really suggests.
4. Watch out for prejudiced evaluations.
A great deal of the beautiful testimonials out there? They’re from associates attempting to rack up a commission. Discover people with absolutely nothing to get.
5. Listen to your digestive tract.
If something really feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re looking for a platform that in fact functions the means it guarantees, examine these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Remarkable automation, solid deliverability, and great support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with great task monitoring devices for little groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— More project-focused, yet great for client cooperation and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Built for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, extremely streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the solution to whatever. And if it worked flawlessly, I ‘d possibly be their greatest supporter. Yet it really did not. And I can’t act otherwise.
So before you study a major migration– or worse, encourage your customers to do the exact same– take a breath. Ask the tough inquiries. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You’ve worked too tough to develop something great. Don’t risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick to tools that just work.