So– you’ve been considering GoHighLevel, huh? Perhaps you’ve seen the radiant reviews. Found out about the all-in-one magic. Review how it might change your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (type of) Is GoHighLevel Safe.
I get it. The guarantee is tempting: one powerful control panel to rule them all. And if you’re running an agency, the concept of streamlining every little thing under one roofing system sounds like an efficiency dream. But let me stop you right there … due to the fact that I succumbed to the buzz. And I wish somebody had ordered me by the shoulders and claimed: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m strolling you through my rollercoaster of an experience with GoHighLevel– from enthusiastic beginnings to a complete 180. If you’re seriously thinking about making the button, read this first. It’ll conserve you time, money, and a truckload of headaches.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Considered GoHighLevel
You ever before obtain that crave something brand-new? Like when your preferred pair of footwear suddenly feels … boring? That’s what took place to me. I would certainly been using Keap (you might remember it as Infusionsoft) for many years– five, to be specific. And honestly, it worked great.
I indicate, Keap handled whatever: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the way I ran my business. Certain, it wasn’t best, but it was dependable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, yet it gets you where you need to do without breaking down.
So why did I begin eyeing the fancy brand-new Tesla parked next door?
Due to glossy object disorder. Yep. It’s genuine. And if you’re an entrepreneur like me, you recognize specifically what I’m talking about. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS blog owners are humming about a “game-changer,” you start questioning if you’re missing out. And before I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demonstrations and thinking, “Possibly it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Price of Switching: What It Really Took
Allow’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your firm’s whole tech pile is brutal. I desire I can tell you I just clicked a button and voilà, I was working on GoHighLevel by the weekend break. Nope.
Right here’s a glance of what I in fact underwent:
- Exported over 20,000 calls from Keap (manually).
- Restore a dozen automations from the ground up– points like onboarding, e-mail sequences, lead nurturing.
- Moved every customer note, job condition, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Once more.
- Reconnected payment integrations like Stripe.
- Used near to 40 hours fiddling with settings and testing workflows.
And allow’s not forget the psychological power it sucked out of me. You understand that tired, brain-fried sensation after looking at your screen for also lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks right.
I told myself, “This discomfort will be worth it.” It wasn’t.
When It All Started Breaking Down
Initially, it looked like things were working. Automations were shooting. E-mails were heading out. Funnels were real-time. I breathed out a little.
After that– disorder.
One early morning I got up to a headache: 171 e-mails had been sent out to the wrong team of calls. Totally unnecessary content. Three days in a row. And not the exact same people either– different batches each time. I was frightened.
I tore through the automation settings, removed and restored series, also reached out to sustain. Their feedback? “Server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No responsibility. And the emails just kept going out like a rogue robot on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done relying on GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My target market mattered too much to risk another error.
Poor UX = Slow Death by Irritation
Let me paint you an image. You’re attempting to fine-tune a workflow. Straightforward task, right? Other than now you’re 12 clicks deep in food selections that don’t make sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in position nobody would practically look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t even get me began. You need to gain access to 3 various setup panels– scattered across the user interface– to update a single funnel.
It seemed like assembling IKEA furnishings without guidelines. I wished to like the adaptability, but every little thing regarding the customer experience made me seem like I needed a programmer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is coming from a person who ‘d been running automations and developing funnels for years. If I was struggling, I can not imagine what it resembles for somebody just starting.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Right here’s something they don’t advertise clearly: GoHighLevel charges per email you send through their system.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are sly little costs that start piling up. I discovered random $10 fees popping up– then $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was racking up delivery charges with Mailgun, their email supplier.
So what appeared like an inexpensive, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing greater than I did on Keap– and getting means much less dependability in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me Is GoHighLevel Safe.
Email Performance Tanked– And That Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any type of sort of e-mail marketing, you know exactly how vital deliverability is. You invest years nurturing your list, developing count on, adjust subject lines. So when your open rates hand over a high cliff, it’s like viewing your effort obtain purged down the tubes.
That’s specifically what happened when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices fell from around 35% to barely scratching 10%. I modified subject lines, validated domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still absolutely nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promotions folders. And considering that GoHighLevel depends on third-party deliverability devices (without much support), I was left playing email live roulette.
Then, I couldn’t validate staying. I pulled the plug and returned to Keap.
So, Should You Make use of GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I wouldn’t advise it. Not if you’re searching for something secure, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s way too much at risk– your online reputation, your customer experience, your bottom line.
However if you’re still curious, a minimum of go in with your eyes wide open. Test everything. Don’t thoughtlessly rely on the hype.
Lessons Learned (So You Do Not Repeat My Mistakes).
Below’s the fact nobody informs you when you’re going after the next “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick to what jobs– unless there’s a great factor to change.
Keap wasn’t flashy, however it was strong. That deserves more than any brand-new feature.
2. Simplicity beats intricacy– every time.
An intuitive tool that does 80% well is far better than a Frankenstein platform that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not succumb to small cost– take a look at the actual cost.
Review the fine print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “unrestricted” actually means.
4. Keep an eye out for prejudiced reviews.
A lot of the beautiful testimonials out there? They’re from associates trying to rack up a payment. Discover individuals with nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your gut.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding phase– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re seeking a platform that really functions the method it guarantees, check these out:.
Keap– My top pick. Amazing automation, solid deliverability, and wonderful assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with great project monitoring tools for small groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade devices with a sleek UX. Ideal if you’re scaling fast.
Monday— More project-focused, however excellent for customer partnership and task monitoring.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, very streamlined.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the response to whatever. And if it worked perfectly, I ‘d probably be their greatest supporter. Yet it really did not. And I can not make believe otherwise.
So prior to you dive into a major migration– or worse, convince your customers to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the hard concerns. And think about whether the “all-in-one” desire is worth the real-world trade-offs.
You have actually functioned too difficult to develop something terrific. Don’t risk it on a system that still seems like a beta test.
If you desire my two cents? Stick to devices that simply work.