So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you’ve seen the glowing reviews. Found out about the all-in-one magic. Review just how it could change your CRM, your e-mail marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) GoHighLevel Udemy.
I get it. The guarantee is tempting: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the idea of improving whatever under one roof seems like an efficiency desire. Yet let me quit you right there … because I succumbed to the buzz. And I wish a person had gotten me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this write-up, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic beginnings to a total 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the switch, read this very first. It’ll save you time, money, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Also Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that crave something brand-new? Like when your preferred set of shoes all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what occurred to me. I ‘d been using Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– 5, to be exact. And honestly, it functioned great.
I suggest, Keap took care of whatever: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the method I ran my business. Sure, it wasn’t excellent, yet it was reliable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, however it gets you where you require to do without breaking down.
So why did I start looking at the fancy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
As a result of glossy things syndrome. Yep. It’s real. And if you’re a business owner like me, you recognize specifically what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming regarding a “game-changer,” you start questioning if you’re missing out. And prior to I knew it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demos and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Cost of Changing: What It Truly Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your company’s entire technology stack is brutal. I desire I could tell you I just clicked a button and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Below’s a glance of what I really experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (manually).
- Rebuilt a loads automations from scratch– things like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, task standing, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours fiddling with setups and screening workflows.
And let’s not neglect the mental power it drew out of me. You know that tired, brain-fried feeling after looking at your screen for too long? That was my life for 2 weeks directly.
I told myself, “This discomfort will be worth it.” It had not been.
When It All Began Breaking Down
Initially, it appeared like points were functioning. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were live. I exhaled a little.
After that– disorder.
One morning I awakened to a headache: 171 e-mails had been sent out to the wrong group of contacts. Entirely irrelevant material. 3 days in a row. And not the exact same people either– various batches each time. I was horrified.
I tore via the automation settings, deleted and rebuilt sequences, even reached out to support. Their action? “Web server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No accountability. And the emails just maintained going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything essential. My audience mattered excessive to take the chance of one more screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Aggravation
Let me repaint you an image. You’re trying to modify a workflow. Straightforward task, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that do not make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in places no person would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also obtain me began. You have to accessibility three various setup panels– spread throughout the interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without instructions. I wished to like the versatility, but everything regarding the individual experience made me seem like I needed a programmer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from someone who had actually been running automations and constructing funnels for several years. If I was battling, I can not picture what it resembles for someone just starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they don’t market plainly: GoHighLevel fees per email you send out through their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little charges that begin accumulating. I saw arbitrary $10 fees turning up– after that $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up distribution costs with Mailgun, their e-mail service provider.
So what looked like a cost effective, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was spending more than I did on Keap– and getting means much less reliability in return.
That really felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Udemy.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of kind of email marketing, you know exactly how vital deliverability is. You spend years supporting your list, constructing trust, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates leave a cliff, it resembles seeing your hard work obtain flushed away.
That’s precisely what happened when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open rates fell from around 35% to barely scratching 10%. I modified subject lines, confirmed domain names, heated up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promos folders. And given that GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability tools (without much assistance), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I couldn’t validate staying. I pulled the plug and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I wouldn’t advise it. Not if you’re looking for something stable, instinctive, and trustworthy. There’s too much at stake– your credibility, your customer experience, your bottom line.
Yet if you’re still curious, at the very least go in with your eyes wide open. Examination whatever. Do not thoughtlessly trust the buzz.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Mistakes).
Right here’s the reality nobody informs you when you’re chasing after the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what works– unless there’s a very good reason to switch over.
Keap had not been flashy, but it was strong. That’s worth more than any kind of new feature.
2. Simplicity beats intricacy– every single time.
An user-friendly device that does 80% well is better than a Monster system that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not fall for affordable price– look at the real price.
Review the fine print. Inquire about deliverability charges. Know what “endless” really suggests.
4. Watch out for biased testimonials.
A lot of the glowing testimonies available? They’re from associates attempting to score a payment. Locate people with absolutely nothing to gain.
5. Pay attention to your digestive tract.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re seeking a system that in fact works the way it guarantees, inspect these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Amazing automation, strong deliverability, and great support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent task management tools for tiny groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a sleek UX. Ideal if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— More project-focused, yet wonderful for customer collaboration and task tracking.
Bonsai— Developed for consultants and creatives. Super clean, extremely structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the solution to whatever. And if it worked faultlessly, I ‘d possibly be their greatest supporter. However it didn’t. And I can not pretend or else.
So before you study a full-scale movement– or worse, encourage your customers to do the very same– breathe. Ask the difficult concerns. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire deserves the real-world compromises.
You’ve worked too difficult to build something excellent. Don’t risk it on a platform that still feels like a beta test.
If you desire my two cents? Stick with tools that simply function.