You know that sensation when you’re 99% sure something’s a fantastic idea, only to understand later on … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s exactly what occurred when I chose to switch my entire company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It seemed revolutionary. However in truth? It turned into among the most agonizing software decisions I’ve made in over a decade of running my company.
So before you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you with specifically what dropped– because if you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for smarter, more reliable methods to expand your company. Just … not like this.
The Sexy All-in-One Guarantee
Right here’s things. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it seemed like a dream come true. A solitary platform to manage your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, consultation bookings, automation, settlements– you name it.
If you’ve ever handled a Monster stack of devices just to run your daily, you understand exactly how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been using Keap for several years (and loving it, truthfully), yet still– I obtained enticed in by the pledge of streamlining whatever under one roofing.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a poor case of glossy object disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Actually Functioned)
Let me be genuine with you: Keap wasn’t damaged. It did everything I required. It handled my email automations, sales funnels, consultation organizing, invoicing– you name it. Sure, the interface felt a little outdated in places, and often points took a couple of more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it functioned.
So why adjustment?
Truthfully, I just began wondering if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was cheaper (externally), used extra features, and all the trendy marketing professionals on-line appeared to be raving about it. FOMO is a heck of a medicine.
That curiosity price me more than just cash– it cost me time, power, and comfort.
What It Expense Me to Switch
I went done in. Signed up for the $297/month agency plan. Spent a strong 30 to 40 hours migrating data, rebuilding workflows, and primarily attempting to duplicate my entire Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I needed to move:
- 20,000+ email subscribers
- Loads of automations
- All customer profiles and notes
- Stripe payment integration
- Entire funnel facilities
- Personalized types, landing pages, activates … every little thing
Let’s not even talk about the lost performance throughout those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and trying to find out where the hell basic setups were.
And simply when I believed points were functioning … they weren’t.
The Vermin Began Sneaking In
Initially, whatever looked fine. But then, out of no place, people on my listing started getting emails they weren’t intended to obtain. I’m speaking totally unimportant messages– sent out in batches of 171 customers at once. Three days straight.
Total turmoil.
I rebuilt the automations from scratch. Still happened. I got in touch with assistance. They blamed “web server concerns.” Yet nothing made good sense, and the problem really did not disappear. Think of waking up every morning questioning who your system could’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not just frustrating– it’s dangerous. When your whole brand is built on trust, you can’t manage to look like an unaware amateur blowing up the wrong emails to the wrong people.
Support? Yeah, Best Of Luck
Currently, I don’t anticipate perfection from any type of system. Pests happen. But when they do? I expect the support team to step up quickly.
That really did not happen below.
Responses were vague. Tickets went unanswered. I felt like I was yelling right into the void while my service melted. On the other hand, every min I invested repairing was a min I had not been serving customers or expanding my firm.
For a device that markets itself to severe entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The Interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever before utilize a device and simply feel … shed? That was me inside GoHighLevel Trust Center.
The UX was clunky. Points were hidden in strange locations. Also easy jobs like editing and enhancing a funnel or tweaking an e-mail circulation turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t also get me started. Wish to change product setups, web page formats, and general circulation? Cool– you’ll need to hunt through 3 various areas that make absolutely no logical feeling. Fifty percent the time, I could not also remember where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds earlier.
It seemed like using software program constructed by engineers, for engineers– not daily local business owner.
The “Economical” Plan That Got Actual Expensive, Real Rapid
Let’s chat cash.
Among GoHighLevel’s big selling factors is the rate. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Sounds amazing, appropriate?
However right here’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay added per e-mail if you utilize their SMTP.
You have to attach solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their payment independently.
You’ll obtain random microcharges that aren’t discussed clearly.
Want much better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I added whatever up, I was paying more than I had actually been with Keap. And becoming worse results.
That’s not a good deal– it’s simply negative math.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Trust Center
The final straw? Seeing my e-mail open prices drop like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a strong 35% open rate with Keap. My audience was involved, my automations were called in, and things just functioned.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were practically nonexistent. Something was plainly off.
Maybe it was a deliverability concern. Possibly the system was simply sending at hard times or not personalizing messages properly. Whatever the cause, I wasn’t lingering to play investigator while my checklist deteriorated.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
If you’re considering switching over to GoHighLevel– or any kind of brand-new platform– below’s what I desire somebody had told me prior to I made the leap:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s easy to obtain hyped concerning the most recent “advanced” tool. But just because everybody’s talking about something does not indicate it’s right for you. If your existing system is working, hesitate prior to blowing it up.
2. Worth Simpleness Over Features
Extra isn’t constantly far better. A platform with a clean, intuitive user interface will conserve you time and migraines in the long run– even if it doesn’t have every feature imaginable.
3. Need Transparency
Concealed costs are the most awful. Pick tools that are upfront about pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You should not require a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to understand your month-to-month costs.
4. Pay Attention to Real Users (Not Just Marketing Professionals)
Inspect unbiased testimonials, customer discussion forums, and Reddit strings. Pay attention to actual individual experience– not just slick sales web pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Below Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a trustworthy, user-friendly system to run your business, I have actually tested a bunch. Here are a few I ‘d actually recommend:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Powerful automations, strong support, and it simply functions. Well worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for businesses that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one service for tiny to mid-sized services with strong coverage tools.
Monday.com— Wonderful for task administration, group collaboration, and sales pipe tracking.
Bonsai— Particularly terrific for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Verdict
GoHighLevel might benefit some. But for me? It was a discouraging, expensive experiment that I couldn’t wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the side, wondering whether to make the jump– concentrate. Ask yourself what’s actually not operating in your existing setup. Don’t melt your systems down just because something more recent and shinier showed up.
Stick to what works. Your sanity (and your clients) will thank you.