So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you’ve seen the beautiful testimonials. Found out about the all-in-one magic. Check out just how it can replace your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) GoHighLevel Starter Vs Unlimited.
I get it. The promise is tempting: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a firm, the concept of streamlining whatever under one roof sounds like a performance dream. Yet let me stop you right there … due to the fact that I succumbed to the hype. And I desire a person had actually ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Do not do it.”
In this post, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a total 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the switch, read this very first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Checked Out GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that itch for something new? Like when your favored pair of footwear unexpectedly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I would certainly been utilizing Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– 5, to be precise. And honestly, it worked great.
I imply, Keap took care of every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the means I ran my service. Sure, it had not been best, but it was reliable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, yet it gets you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny item disorder. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand precisely what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are humming concerning a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re missing out. And prior to I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demos and thinking, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Rate of Changing: What It Actually Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– moving your firm’s whole technology pile is ruthless. I desire I might tell you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Below’s a peek of what I really went through:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (manually).
- Restore a lots automations from square one– points like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, task condition, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Used near to 40 hours fiddling with setups and screening workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the mental power it sucked out of me. You recognize that exhausted, brain-fried sensation after staring at your display for too long? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I told myself, “This pain will be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When Everything Began Breaking Down
Initially, it looked like things were working. Automations were firing. Emails were going out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
After that– disorder.
One morning I awakened to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent to the incorrect group of calls. Completely pointless web content. Three days in a row. And not the very same people either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore through the automation setups, deleted and rebuilt sequences, even reached out to sustain. Their action? “Web server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No accountability. And the e-mails simply kept going out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything important. My target market mattered way too much to risk an additional screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Stress
Let me repaint you an image. You’re attempting to tweak a workflow. Basic job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are concealed in places nobody would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. You have to accessibility 3 various arrangement panels– scattered throughout the user interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It seemed like setting up IKEA furnishings without instructions. I intended to enjoy the versatility, however every little thing about the user experience made me seem like I required a developer sitting next to me 24/7.
And this is coming from someone who had actually been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was struggling, I can’t visualize what it’s like for someone just starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they do not market plainly: GoHighLevel charges per e-mail you send out through their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little costs that start accumulating. I observed arbitrary $10 fees appearing– after that $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was acquiring shipment fees with Mailgun, their email supplier.
So what looked like an economical, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and obtaining means much less dependability in return.
That felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Starter Vs Unlimited.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of kind of e-mail marketing, you know just how crucial deliverability is. You spend years supporting your listing, developing count on, make improvements subject lines. So when your open prices leave a cliff, it resembles enjoying your hard work obtain flushed down the tubes.
That’s precisely what took place when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, verified domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promotions folders. And given that GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability tools (without much guidance), I was left playing email live roulette.
Then, I could not justify staying. I ended and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re trying to find something stable, instinctive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at stake– your credibility, your client experience, your bottom line.
However if you’re still curious, a minimum of share your eyes wide open. Test every little thing. Do not thoughtlessly trust the buzz.
Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Repeat My Blunders).
Right here’s the reality no one informs you when you’re going after the next “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick with what works– unless there’s a very good factor to change.
Keap wasn’t flashy, yet it was solid. That deserves more than any kind of new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats intricacy– whenever.
An user-friendly tool that does 80% well is much better than a Monster platform that does 100% severely.
3. Don’t succumb to low prices– consider the actual cost.
Read the small print. Ask about deliverability charges. Know what “endless” truly indicates.
4. Watch out for biased reviews.
A lot of the radiant testimonies out there? They’re from affiliates trying to rack up a commission. Find individuals with absolutely nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding phase– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re trying to find a platform that actually works the method it promises, check these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Amazing automation, strong deliverability, and wonderful assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific job management tools for tiny groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a refined UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— Even more project-focused, but wonderful for customer partnership and task tracking.
Bonsai— Constructed for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, incredibly streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the response to whatever. And if it functioned faultlessly, I ‘d possibly be their biggest supporter. Yet it really did not. And I can’t act or else.
So before you dive into a full-scale migration– or worse, convince your customers to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the hard questions. And think about whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned too tough to develop something wonderful. Don’t risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick to devices that just work.