So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you’ve seen the glowing evaluations. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Read just how it could replace your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (kind of) GoHighLevel Vs Thryv.
I get it. The assurance is tempting: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a company, the idea of streamlining everything under one roof covering seems like an efficiency dream. However let me quit you right there … since I fell for the hype. And I desire someone had ordered me by the shoulders and stated: “Do not do it.”
In this post, I’m walking you via my rollercoaster of a trip with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a full 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this very first. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of migraines.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Looked at GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that itch for something brand-new? Like when your preferred pair of shoes all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I would certainly been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for several years– five, to be precise. And truthfully, it functioned terrific.
I suggest, Keap dealt with everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the method I ran my service. Sure, it had not been ideal, however it was reliable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, but it gets you where you require to do without breaking down.
So why did I start eyeing the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Because of shiny things disorder. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re a business owner like me, you recognize specifically what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS blog owners are buzzing regarding a “game-changer,” you begin wondering if you’re missing out. And before I knew it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Rate of Switching: What It Really Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your agency’s whole tech pile is ruthless. I wish I might tell you I simply clicked a switch and voilà, I was operating on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Right here’s a glimpse of what I in fact went through:
- Exported over 20,000 get in touches with from Keap (by hand).
- Reconstruct a loads automations from square one– things like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, job status, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected repayment integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near to 40 hours fiddling with settings and testing workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the psychological energy it drew out of me. You recognize that exhausted, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for too long? That was my life for two weeks straight.
I informed myself, “This discomfort will certainly deserve it.” It had not been.
When It All Started Falling Apart
Initially, it resembled things were working. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
Then– turmoil.
One early morning I got up to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent to the incorrect team of get in touches with. Totally unimportant web content. Three days in a row. And not the exact same individuals either– various sets each time. I was horrified.
I tore through the automation setups, deleted and restored sequences, even connected to support. Their reaction? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No responsibility. And the e-mails simply kept heading out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything essential. My audience mattered excessive to risk an additional screw-up.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Stress
Let me repaint you a photo. You’re attempting to fine-tune a workflow. Easy task, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that do not make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Settings are hidden in places no person would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Do not also get me began. You need to accessibility three different configuration panels– scattered across the user interface– to update a solitary funnel.
It felt like putting together IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wanted to love the adaptability, yet everything about the individual experience made me seem like I needed a programmer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from somebody who had actually been running automations and constructing funnels for many years. If I was battling, I can’t imagine what it’s like for somebody simply getting started.
Surprise Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not promote plainly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send out through their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are tricky little charges that start accumulating. I noticed arbitrary $10 costs turning up– after that $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up delivery charges with Mailgun, their e-mail carrier.
So what resembled a budget friendly, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and getting way much less reliability in return.
That felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Vs Thryv.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Final stroke
If you do any type of e-mail marketing, you understand just how vital deliverability is. You spend years nurturing your list, building depend on, adjust subject lines. So when your open prices leave a high cliff, it’s like viewing your effort obtain purged down the drain.
That’s exactly what happened when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to hardly scuffing 10%. I modified subject lines, verified domain names, warmed up IPs– you call it. Still nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promotions folders. And because GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability tools (without much guidance), I was left playing e-mail live roulette.
Then, I couldn’t validate staying. I ended and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Utilize GoHighLevel?
Honestly? I would not recommend it. Not if you’re trying to find something steady, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your track record, your client experience, your profits.
But if you’re still interested, at least share your eyes wide open. Examination whatever. Don’t blindly trust the buzz.
Lessons Found Out (So You Don’t Repeat My Mistakes).
Right here’s the truth nobody tells you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what works– unless there’s an excellent reason to switch over.
Keap wasn’t showy, but it was solid. That deserves greater than any kind of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness beats intricacy– whenever.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% badly.
3. Do not succumb to low cost– check out the actual price.
Check out the fine print. Inquire about deliverability charges. Know what “unrestricted” truly suggests.
4. Watch out for biased evaluations.
A great deal of the radiant reviews out there? They’re from affiliates trying to score a compensation. Locate individuals with absolutely nothing to get.
5. Pay attention to your intestine.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– don’t ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Take Into Consideration
If you’re trying to find a platform that in fact works the means it assures, check these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Outstanding automation, strong deliverability, and great assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific task management devices for small groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a sleek UX. Perfect if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— More project-focused, however excellent for customer partnership and job tracking.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, extremely streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the answer to everything. And if it functioned flawlessly, I ‘d probably be their greatest supporter. But it didn’t. And I can’t make believe or else.
So prior to you study a full-blown migration– or worse, encourage your clients to do the same– take a breath. Ask the hard inquiries. And take into consideration whether the “all-in-one” desire deserves the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned too difficult to construct something terrific. Do not risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you desire my two cents? Stick with devices that simply work.