So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you have actually seen the beautiful evaluations. Read about the all-in-one magic. Read just how it can replace your CRM, your email marketing tools, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (sort of) How To Upgrade To The GoHighLevel Pro Plan.
I get it. The pledge is tempting: one effective control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the idea of enhancing every little thing under one roof covering sounds like a productivity dream. Yet let me quit you right there … due to the fact that I fell for the hype. And I want somebody had actually ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Don’t do it.”
In this write-up, I’m walking you with my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from confident beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this first. It’ll save you time, money, and a truckload of headaches.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever obtain that crave something brand-new? Like when your favorite set of shoes all of a sudden feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I would certainly been making use of Keap (you could remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– 5, to be exact. And honestly, it worked excellent.
I suggest, Keap handled everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It simply clicked with the means I ran my business. Certain, it wasn’t perfect, however it was trustworthy. Like an excellent old Toyota– you’re not extoling it, however it gets you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the fancy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to glossy object syndrome. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you know specifically what I’m speaking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are buzzing concerning a “game-changer,” you start questioning if you’re losing out. And prior to I understood it, I was deep-diving into GoHighLevel demonstrations and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Error.
The Rate of Switching: What It Really Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– moving your agency’s whole technology stack is brutal. I want I might tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was operating 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 square one– things like onboarding, e-mail series, lead nurturing.
- Moved every client note, job condition, and funnel over.
- Set up landing pages. Once again.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Used near to 40 hours fiddling with settings and screening workflows.
And allow’s not fail to remember the mental energy it sucked out of me. You recognize that worn down, brain-fried feeling after looking at your display for too lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks straight.
I told myself, “This discomfort will certainly be worth it.” It had not been.
When All Of It Began Crumbling
Initially, it resembled points were functioning. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were online. I exhaled a little.
Then– disorder.
One early morning I got up to a problem: 171 e-mails had actually been sent to the wrong team of calls. Completely irrelevant material. Three days in a row. And not the exact same people either– various batches each time. I was alarmed.
I tore through the automation settings, deleted and reconstructed sequences, even connected to sustain. Their reaction? “Server concern.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No necessity. No responsibility. And the e-mails just maintained heading out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
At that point, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything essential. My audience mattered way too much to risk an additional screw-up.
Bad UX = Slow Death by Aggravation
Let me repaint you an image. You’re trying to fine-tune a workflow. Straightforward task, right? Except currently you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that don’t make good sense. Labels aren’t clear. Settings are concealed in places nobody would realistically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. You have to gain access to three various arrangement panels– scattered across the user interface– to update a single funnel.
It felt like putting together IKEA furnishings without instructions. I intended to love the versatility, but every little thing concerning the individual experience made me feel like I required a programmer sitting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who had actually been running automations and constructing funnels for years. If I was having a hard time, I can’t picture what it’s like for someone simply starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Here’s something they don’t promote plainly: GoHighLevel charges per e-mail you send via their system.
Yep. In addition to your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little fees that begin accumulating. I saw random $10 charges turning up– then $20 … then $50. Ends up, I was racking up distribution costs via Mailgun, their email provider.
So what looked like a budget-friendly, flat-rate platform? Not a lot. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and getting method less reliability in return.
That really felt unethical. And it’s a dealbreaker for me How To Upgrade To The GoHighLevel Pro Plan.
Email Performance Tanked– Which Was the Last Straw
If you do any sort of email marketing, you know just how essential deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your checklist, developing depend on, tweak subject lines. So when your open rates hand over a cliff, it resembles seeing your hard work obtain purged down the tubes.
That’s exactly what took place when I switched over to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to barely scraping 10%. I tweaked subject lines, confirmed domain names, heated up IPs– you call it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promotions folders. And since GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability tools (without much support), I was left playing email roulette.
Then, I couldn’t justify staying. I ended and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t advise it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, user-friendly, and trustworthy. There’s too much at risk– your online reputation, your client experience, your profits.
But if you’re still curious, a minimum of share your eyes wide open. Examination everything. Don’t blindly trust the hype.
Lessons Discovered (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Here’s the fact no person tells you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” tool:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s an excellent factor to switch.
Keap had not been showy, however it was solid. That deserves greater than any new feature.
2. Simplicity beats complexity– every time.
An intuitive device that does 80% well is better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% badly.
3. Do not fall for small cost– take a look at the real expense.
Check out the fine print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unrestricted” truly suggests.
4. Keep an eye out for biased evaluations.
A great deal of the radiant testimonies available? They’re from affiliates attempting to rack up a payment. Find individuals with absolutely nothing to gain.
5. Pay attention to your digestive tract.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Think About
If you’re seeking a system that actually functions the way it promises, check these out:.
Keap– My leading choice. Outstanding automation, strong deliverability, and fantastic support.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with wonderful project administration tools for little groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a refined UX. Suitable if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— More project-focused, yet excellent for customer cooperation and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Developed for freelancers and creatives. Super tidy, extremely streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel seems like the response to everything. And if it worked perfectly, I ‘d most likely be their largest cheerleader. But it didn’t. And I can’t act otherwise.
So before you dive into a full-blown movement– or even worse, encourage your customers to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the hard inquiries. And consider whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned also difficult to develop something wonderful. Do not risk it on a system that still feels like a beta test.
If you want my two cents? Stick to devices that just function.