So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the radiant testimonials. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Check out how it might change your CRM, your e-mail marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) GoHighLevel Toll Free.
I get it. The promise is tempting: one effective control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of simplifying every little thing under one roof sounds like a productivity dream. But let me stop you right there … since I succumbed to the buzz. And I wish a person had ordered me by the shoulders and stated: “Don’t do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from hopeful beginnings to a total 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the button, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, cash, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Looked at GoHighLevel
You ever before obtain that crave something brand-new? Like when your favorite set of shoes unexpectedly really feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– five, to be precise. And honestly, it functioned great.
I imply, Keap managed whatever: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the means I ran my company. Sure, it had not been perfect, yet it was dependable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, yet it gets you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I start looking at the fancy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of shiny object disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you know exactly what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS blog writers are buzzing concerning a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re losing out. And before I recognized it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Cost of Changing: What It Really Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– moving your company’s entire technology stack is ruthless. I wish I can tell you I just clicked a switch and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Right here’s a glimpse of what I actually experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (by hand).
- Reconstruct a loads automations from the ground up– things like onboarding, email series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, project status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Used near 40 hours adjusting settings and testing workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the mental energy it drew out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for as well long? That was my life for two weeks right.
I informed myself, “This discomfort will certainly be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When It All Began Crumbling
At first, it resembled things were working. Automations were shooting. E-mails were going out. Funnels were online. I breathed out a little.
After that– chaos.
One early morning I woke up to a headache: 171 e-mails had been sent to the wrong team of get in touches with. Entirely pointless material. 3 days straight. And not the very same people either– different batches each time. I was frightened.
I tore via the automation setups, erased and restored series, even connected to support. Their response? “Web server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No liability. And the e-mails just kept going out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My target market mattered way too much to risk another screw-up.
Negative UX = Slow Fatality by Stress
Let me repaint you a photo. You’re trying to fine-tune a workflow. Simple job, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in position no one would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. You have to gain access to 3 various arrangement panels– scattered throughout the user interface– to upgrade a solitary funnel.
It felt like constructing IKEA furniture without directions. I wanted to love the versatility, however whatever about the user experience made me seem like I needed a programmer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is originating from someone who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was having a hard time, I can’t visualize what it’s like for someone just getting started.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t promote clearly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send out via their platform.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little fees that start piling up. I noticed random $10 fees appearing– after that $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up shipment costs with Mailgun, their email company.
So what looked like an affordable, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and getting way much less reliability in return.
That really felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Toll Free.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any sort of e-mail marketing, you recognize exactly how important deliverability is. You invest years supporting your list, constructing count on, fine-tuning subject lines. So when your open prices leave a high cliff, it’s like watching your effort get flushed away.
That’s specifically what happened when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to hardly scraping 10%. I tweaked subject lines, validated domains, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promotions folders. And considering that GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much support), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I couldn’t justify staying. I ended and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t recommend it. Not if you’re looking for something stable, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at stake– your credibility, your consumer experience, your bottom line.
However if you’re still interested, at the very least go in with your eyes wide open. Test everything. Do not thoughtlessly trust the hype.
Lessons Discovered (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Right here’s the truth nobody informs you when you’re going after the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s an excellent reason to switch.
Keap wasn’t flashy, but it was strong. That’s worth greater than any kind of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats complexity– every time.
An intuitive device that does 80% well is far better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not fall for small cost– consider the real expense.
Review the small print. Inquire about deliverability charges. Know what “limitless” really means.
4. Keep an eye out for biased reviews.
A lot of the glowing reviews out there? They’re from associates trying to score a compensation. Discover individuals with absolutely nothing to get.
5. Listen to your intestine.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re trying to find a system that in fact works the method it assures, examine these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Amazing automation, solid deliverability, and fantastic support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent task monitoring tools for little teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quick.
Monday— More project-focused, but great for customer collaboration and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Built for freelancers and creatives. Super clean, extremely structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the response to whatever. And if it worked perfectly, I ‘d most likely be their greatest supporter. Yet it didn’t. And I can not make believe otherwise.
So prior to you dive into a major migration– or even worse, convince your customers to do the very same– breathe. Ask the hard concerns. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned as well hard to develop something great. Do not risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you desire my 2 cents? Stick to tools that just work.