So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you have actually seen the glowing testimonials. Read about the all-in-one magic. Check out just how it can replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) GoHighLevel Plai.io.
I get it. The assurance is tempting: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of streamlining whatever under one roof seems like a productivity dream. But let me stop you right there … due to the fact that I succumbed to the buzz. And I want a person had ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Don’t do it.”
In this post, I’m strolling you with my rollercoaster of an experience with GoHighLevel– from confident beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the switch, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favorite pair of footwear suddenly really feels … boring? That’s what occurred to me. I would certainly been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be precise. And truthfully, it worked wonderful.
I indicate, Keap handled every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the way I ran my business. Certain, it wasn’t excellent, but it was reliable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, but it gets you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I start eyeing the showy new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of shiny item disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you understand precisely what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you begin asking yourself if you’re missing out. And prior to I recognized it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Cost of Switching: What It Actually Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your company’s whole technology pile is ruthless. I want I could tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a look of what I in fact experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (by hand).
- Rebuilt a lots automations from square one– things like onboarding, email series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, project standing, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent close to 40 hours adjusting setups and testing workflows.
And let’s not forget the psychological energy it sucked out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried feeling after looking at your display for also long? That was my life for two weeks right.
I informed myself, “This discomfort will deserve it.” It had not been.
When It All Began Falling Apart
Initially, it resembled points were working. Automations were firing. E-mails were going out. Funnels were real-time. I breathed out a little.
After that– mayhem.
One early morning I got up to a problem: 171 e-mails had been sent out to the wrong group of calls. Completely unimportant web content. 3 days straight. And not the same people either– different sets each time. I was frightened.
I tore with the automation setups, erased and reconstructed sequences, even connected to support. Their reaction? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No liability. And the e-mails simply maintained going out like a rogue robot on autopilot.
At that point, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything important. My audience mattered excessive to take the chance of another screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Fatality by Aggravation
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 food selections that don’t make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in position nobody would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me began. You have to access 3 different configuration panels– spread across the interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It seemed like constructing IKEA furniture without instructions. I intended to like the flexibility, but every little thing about the individual experience made me seem like I required a designer resting next to me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was battling, I can’t envision what it’s like for somebody just beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t promote plainly: GoHighLevel costs per email you send out through their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little fees that begin accumulating. I observed random $10 costs turning up– then $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment costs via Mailgun, their e-mail company.
So what looked like a budget-friendly, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and getting method less dependability in return.
That really felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Plai.io.
Email Efficiency Tanked– Which Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any kind of type of e-mail marketing, you know just how important deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your listing, building trust fund, make improvements subject lines. So when your open prices hand over a cliff, it’s like seeing your effort obtain purged down the tubes.
That’s specifically what took place when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to hardly scratching 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, validated domain names, heated up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And given that GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much advice), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I couldn’t warrant staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I would not recommend it. Not if you’re looking for something stable, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your track record, your client experience, your bottom line.
Yet if you’re still interested, at least go in with your eyes wide open. Test everything. Don’t blindly rely on the hype.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Here’s the reality no person 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 switch over.
Keap wasn’t fancy, yet it was strong. That’s worth greater than any type of new feature.
2. Simplicity beats complexity– whenever.
An user-friendly tool that does 80% well is better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% badly.
3. Don’t succumb to small cost– look at the genuine expense.
Check out the small print. Inquire about deliverability charges. Know what “unrestricted” actually means.
4. Watch out for prejudiced testimonials.
A great deal of the radiant reviews around? They’re from associates trying to rack up a commission. Locate people with absolutely nothing to acquire.
5. Pay attention to your digestive tract.
If something really feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re seeking a platform that in fact works the way it promises, inspect these out:.
Keap– My leading choice. Amazing automation, strong deliverability, and fantastic assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent task management tools for tiny teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a refined UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, however terrific for customer cooperation and job tracking.
Bonsai— Constructed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, super structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to everything. And if it functioned faultlessly, I ‘d most likely be their most significant cheerleader. Yet it didn’t. And I can not make believe otherwise.
So prior to you study a full-blown movement– or worse, encourage your customers to do the exact same– take a breath. Ask the hard concerns. And think about whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned also tough to build something fantastic. Don’t risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick to tools that simply work.