So– you’ve been eyeing GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you’ve seen the glowing reviews. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Review exactly how it could replace your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) GoHighLevel Vs Ontraport.
I get it. The assurance is alluring: one powerful dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the concept of improving every little thing under one roof sounds like an efficiency desire. But let me quit you right there … because I fell for the hype. And I wish a person had actually ordered me by the shoulders and stated: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m strolling you through my rollercoaster of an adventure with GoHighLevel– from hopeful starts to a complete 180. If you’re seriously considering 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 get that crave something new? Like when your favored set of footwear suddenly really feels … boring? That’s what occurred to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– 5, to be precise. And truthfully, it functioned terrific.
I indicate, Keap handled everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the way I ran my service. Certain, it had not been perfect, yet it was reliable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, yet it obtains you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I start considering the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to glossy item disorder. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re a business owner like me, you recognize exactly what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming concerning a “game-changer,” you start questioning if you’re losing out. And before I recognized it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Rate of Changing: What It Truly Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your agency’s entire tech pile is brutal. I wish I might inform you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a look of what I actually underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (by hand).
- Reconstruct a lots automations from square one– points like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every client note, task standing, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Used near to 40 hours adjusting setups and testing workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the mental energy it sucked out of me. You know that worn down, brain-fried sensation after looking at your display for also long? That was my life for two weeks right.
I told myself, “This discomfort will deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When It All Started Falling Apart
Initially, it resembled points were functioning. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were live. I breathed out a little.
Then– turmoil.
One morning I woke up to a problem: 171 emails had been sent out to the wrong team of get in touches with. Completely unimportant web content. Three days in a row. And not the exact same people either– different batches each time. I was frightened.
I tore via the automation settings, removed and restored series, even connected to sustain. Their reaction? “Server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No responsibility. And the e-mails just maintained going out like a rogue robotic on autopilot.
At that point, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything vital. My audience mattered way too much to risk another error.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Aggravation
Let me repaint you a picture. You’re trying to modify a workflow. Straightforward job, right? Except currently 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 rationally look.
Their funnel builder? Do not even get me started. You need to access three different configuration panels– scattered across the interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It felt like constructing IKEA furnishings without guidelines. I wished to like the flexibility, yet everything regarding the customer experience made me feel like I needed a designer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from someone who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was having a hard time, I can not picture what it resembles for a person simply starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t promote clearly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send out with their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little charges that start accumulating. I saw random $10 costs popping up– after that $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was acquiring distribution costs with Mailgun, their e-mail provider.
So what resembled a cost effective, flat-rate system? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining means much less integrity in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Vs Ontraport.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Last Straw
If you do any kind of email marketing, you recognize just how vital deliverability is. You spend years supporting your listing, developing trust fund, make improvements subject lines. So when your open rates drop off a cliff, it resembles watching your effort obtain flushed down the tubes.
That’s precisely what occurred when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to barely scraping 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, verified domain names, heated up IPs– you name it. Still nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promos folders. And because GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability tools (without much guidance), I was left playing email live roulette.
Then, I could not justify staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I wouldn’t suggest it. Not if you’re seeking something stable, instinctive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at stake– your credibility, your client experience, your profits.
But if you’re still interested, a minimum of go in with your eyes wide open. Test every little thing. Don’t blindly rely on the hype.
Lessons Learned (So You Do Not 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 factor to switch over.
Keap had not been flashy, yet it was solid. That’s worth greater than any type of new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats complexity– whenever.
An user-friendly tool that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% severely.
3. Do not succumb to low prices– check out the genuine cost.
Check out the fine print. Ask about deliverability fees. Know what “unlimited” truly suggests.
4. Keep an eye out for prejudiced evaluations.
A great deal of the glowing reviews available? They’re from affiliates trying to rack up a payment. Locate people with nothing to obtain.
5. Pay attention to your gut.
If something feels off during your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re seeking a platform that in fact functions the means it promises, inspect these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Impressive automation, strong deliverability, and excellent assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with excellent task management devices for tiny teams.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Perfect if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, yet terrific for customer cooperation and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Built for consultants and creatives. Super clean, incredibly streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the answer to every little thing. And if it worked flawlessly, I ‘d possibly be their greatest cheerleader. Yet it really did not. And I can not act otherwise.
So before you study a full-blown migration– or even worse, convince your clients to do the same– breathe. Ask the tough questions. And think about whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world trade-offs.
You have actually worked too difficult to construct something terrific. Don’t risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you desire my 2 cents? Stick to tools that just work.