So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Possibly you have actually seen the radiant evaluations. Read about the all-in-one magic. Check out just how it could replace your CRM, your e-mail marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) GoHighLevel Website Hosting.
I get it. The guarantee is alluring: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the idea of streamlining whatever under one roof covering seems like a performance dream. But let me stop you right there … because I fell for the hype. And I want a person had actually ordered me by the shoulders and stated: “Don’t do it.”
In this short article, I’m walking you via my rollercoaster of an experience with GoHighLevel– from hopeful beginnings to a total 180. If you’re seriously considering making the switch, read this very first. It’ll conserve you time, cash, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Considered GoHighLevel
You ever before get that crave something new? Like when your favored set of shoes unexpectedly really feels … boring? That’s what happened to me. I would certainly been using Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for several years– 5, to be exact. And honestly, it worked terrific.
I suggest, Keap managed everything: e-mail marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the method I ran my organization. Certain, it wasn’t best, yet it was reputable. Like a good old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, however it gets you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the showy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny item syndrome. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand precisely what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook groups, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are buzzing concerning a “game-changer,” you begin asking yourself if you’re losing out. And prior to I understood it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel trials and thinking, “Perhaps it’s time.”
Big. Blunder.
The Price of Switching: What It Truly Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– moving your firm’s entire technology pile is brutal. I desire I can inform you I just clicked a button and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Below’s a glimpse of what I in fact experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (by hand).
- Rebuilt a loads automations from the ground up– things like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, job condition, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Used near to 40 hours fiddling with settings and screening workflows.
And let’s not fail to remember the mental energy it drew out of me. You know that worn down, brain-fried feeling after looking at your screen for too long? That was my life for two weeks right.
I informed myself, “This discomfort will deserve it.” It had not been.
When It All Began Crumbling
At first, it looked like points were functioning. Automations were firing. Emails were heading out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
After that– mayhem.
One morning I awakened to a problem: 171 emails had actually been sent out to the incorrect team of calls. Totally irrelevant material. Three days straight. And not the exact same people either– different batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore with the automation setups, removed and reconstructed sequences, also reached out to support. Their action? “Web server issue.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No seriousness. No liability. And the e-mails simply kept heading out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My audience mattered way too much to take the chance of another error.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Aggravation
Let me repaint you a picture. You’re trying to tweak a workflow. Simple job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in position nobody would logically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also get me began. You need to accessibility three various configuration panels– spread throughout the user interface– to update a single funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wanted to enjoy the adaptability, but every little thing concerning the user experience made me seem like I needed a programmer resting alongside me 24/7.
And this is originating from someone who ‘d been running automations and constructing funnels for many years. If I was battling, I can’t visualize what it resembles for a person just beginning.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not market clearly: GoHighLevel costs per email you send through their platform.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are stealthy little fees that start accumulating. I saw arbitrary $10 fees popping up– then $20 … then $50. Turns out, I was acquiring delivery fees via Mailgun, their email company.
So what appeared like an inexpensive, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was spending greater than I did on Keap– and obtaining method less reliability in return.
That felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Website Hosting.
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Last lick
If you do any kind of kind of email marketing, you recognize exactly how important deliverability is. You spend years supporting your checklist, building depend on, make improvements subject lines. So when your open rates drop off a high cliff, it’s like enjoying your hard work get purged down the tubes.
That’s specifically what happened when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to barely scraping 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, confirmed domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after email landed in spam or promos folders. And considering that GoHighLevel relies upon third-party deliverability tools (without much guidance), I was left playing email roulette.
At that point, I could not validate staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not suggest it. Not if you’re seeking something stable, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at risk– your credibility, your customer experience, your profits.
However if you’re still interested, at the very least go in with your eyes wide open. Examination whatever. Do not blindly rely on the buzz.
Lessons Discovered (So You Do Not Repeat My Errors).
Right here’s the reality no person tells you when you’re chasing the next “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick with what works– unless there’s a great factor to switch.
Keap wasn’t showy, however it was solid. That’s worth greater than any type of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness defeats intricacy– every time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% severely.
3. Don’t succumb to low cost– check out the real cost.
Review the small print. Ask about deliverability fees. Know what “unrestricted” actually means.
4. Keep an eye out for prejudiced reviews.
A lot of the glowing testimonies out there? They’re from affiliates attempting to score a commission. Locate people with absolutely nothing to acquire.
5. Pay attention to your gut.
If something really feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re looking for a platform that actually works the method it promises, examine these out:.
Keap– My top choice. Amazing automation, strong deliverability, and terrific support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific project administration devices for small groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a polished UX. Ideal if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— Even more project-focused, but great for customer cooperation and job monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super clean, extremely structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the solution to whatever. And if it worked perfectly, I ‘d possibly be their most significant cheerleader. However it really did not. And I can’t pretend otherwise.
So prior to you study a full-scale movement– or worse, convince your customers to do the same– take a breath. Ask the difficult concerns. And consider whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world trade-offs.
You have actually worked also difficult to build something fantastic. Do not risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick to tools that just work.