So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the beautiful evaluations. Read about the all-in-one magic. Check out just how it could change your CRM, your e-mail marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– kidding (sort of) GoHighLevel Tools.
I get it. The guarantee is appealing: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running a firm, the idea of streamlining every little thing under one roof covering seems like an efficiency desire. However let me stop you right there … due to the fact that I fell for the buzz. And I desire somebody had ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Don’t do it.”
In this article, I’m walking you via my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from confident beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously considering making the button, read this initial. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever get that itch for something new? Like when your preferred pair of footwear suddenly really feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– five, to be precise. And truthfully, it worked excellent.
I suggest, Keap took care of every little thing: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my company. Certain, it had not been perfect, however it was trusted. 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 looking at the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to glossy things disorder. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re a business owner like me, you know exactly what I’m talking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS blog owners are humming regarding a “game-changer,” you start wondering if you’re losing out. And prior to I recognized it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and reasoning, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Price of Changing: What It Actually Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your agency’s whole tech stack is harsh. I wish I might inform you I just clicked a switch and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a look of what I in fact underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (by hand).
- Restore a lots automations from scratch– points like onboarding, email series, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, project status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours fiddling with setups and testing workflows.
And allow’s not neglect the mental power it drew out of me. You understand that exhausted, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for too lengthy? That was my life for two weeks straight.
I told myself, “This discomfort will certainly deserve it.” It had not been.
When All Of It Began Falling Apart
In the beginning, it looked like points were working. Automations were firing. E-mails were going out. Funnels were real-time. I breathed out a little.
After that– disorder.
One morning I awakened to a problem: 171 emails had actually been sent out to the wrong group of contacts. Completely pointless content. Three days straight. And not the same individuals either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore via the automation setups, removed and rebuilt series, also reached out to sustain. Their action? “Web server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No liability. And the emails simply kept going out like a rogue robot on autopilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything important. My audience mattered way too much to risk another error.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Stress
Let me paint you an image. You’re attempting to tweak a workflow. Simple job, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that do not make sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in position nobody would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. You have to gain access to three different arrangement panels– scattered across the interface– to upgrade a solitary funnel.
It seemed like setting up IKEA furnishings without directions. I intended to like the adaptability, however everything concerning the individual experience made me seem like I required a designer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who ‘d been running automations and building funnels for many years. If I was having a hard time, I can not imagine what it’s like for a person just getting started.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they do not promote plainly: GoHighLevel fees per e-mail you send with their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are stealthy little costs that start piling up. I observed random $10 costs turning up– then $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was racking up shipment costs with Mailgun, their e-mail supplier.
So what appeared like an economical, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and getting way much less dependability in return.
That felt dishonest. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Tools.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any type of kind of email marketing, you recognize how essential deliverability is. You invest years supporting your listing, constructing depend on, adjust subject lines. So when your open prices hand over a high cliff, it’s like viewing your hard work get flushed down the tubes.
That’s specifically what took place when I changed to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to barely scuffing 10%. I modified subject lines, confirmed domains, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promotions folders. And considering that GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability tools (without much advice), I was left playing e-mail roulette.
At that point, I could not warrant staying. I disengaged and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Use GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re trying to find something steady, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your online reputation, your customer experience, your bottom line.
Yet if you’re still curious, at least go in with your eyes wide open. Test whatever. Do not blindly trust the buzz.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Here’s the fact nobody informs you when you’re going after the next “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what works– unless there’s a very good reason to switch over.
Keap had not been showy, yet it was solid. That deserves more than any new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats intricacy– every single time.
An instinctive device that does 80% well is far better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% badly.
3. Don’t fall for affordable price– look at the actual expense.
Check out the fine print. Inquire about deliverability fees. Know what “limitless” truly implies.
4. Watch out for prejudiced testimonials.
A great deal of the radiant endorsements out there? They’re from associates attempting to score a compensation. Discover individuals with nothing to acquire.
5. Pay attention 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 trying to find a system that really works the method it guarantees, inspect these out:.
Keap– My leading pick. Fantastic automation, solid deliverability, and excellent assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful project monitoring tools for little teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— Even more project-focused, yet excellent for customer collaboration and job tracking.
Bonsai— Developed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the solution to every little thing. And if it functioned flawlessly, I ‘d most likely be their most significant supporter. However it didn’t. And I can not act otherwise.
So prior to you study a major migration– or worse, encourage your clients to do the same– take a breath. Ask the hard inquiries. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned too hard to construct something fantastic. Do not risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my 2 cents? Stick with tools that simply function.