You recognize that feeling when you’re 99% sure something’s a wonderful idea, just to realize later … it was an overall dumpster fire? That’s exactly what occurred when I decided to switch my whole company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked glossy. It appeared revolutionary. But actually? It became among one of the most painful software decisions I have actually made in over a decade of running my company.
So before you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you through precisely what decreased– due to the fact that if you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for smarter, extra reliable ways to grow your service. Just … not like this.
The Seductive All-in-One Promise
Here’s things. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it sounded like a dream become a reality. A solitary system to handle your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, visit bookings, automation, repayments– you call it.
If you have actually ever managed a Monster stack of devices just to run your daily, you recognize just how alluring the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been making use of Keap for many years (and loving it, honestly), but still– I obtained tempted in by the assurance of streamlining everything under one roof covering.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a negative instance of shiny things disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That Really Functioned)
Let me be actual with you: Keap wasn’t broken. It did everything I needed. It managed my email automations, sales funnels, visit organizing, invoicing– you name it. Sure, the user interface really felt a little outdated in position, and sometimes points took a few more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it functioned.
So why adjustment?
Truthfully, I just began questioning if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was cheaper (on the surface), provided much more features, and all the amazing marketing professionals online appeared to be raving concerning it. FOMO is a heck of a medication.
That interest price me greater than simply money– it cost me time, power, and assurance.
What It Price Me to Change
I went all in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Spent a strong 30 to 40 hours moving data, rebuilding workflows, and basically trying to replicate my entire Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Right here’s what I had to relocate:
- 20,000+ e-mail clients
- Dozens of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe payment integration
- Whole funnel facilities
- Custom-made types, landing pages, triggers … everything
Allow’s not also discuss the shed performance throughout those few weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and attempting to determine where the hell standard settings were.
And just when I believed points were functioning … they weren’t.
The Bugs Began Slipping In
Initially, everything looked alright. But then, out of nowhere, individuals on my list began getting e-mails they weren’t supposed to obtain. I’m chatting entirely pointless messages– sent in sets of 171 individuals at once. 3 days in a row.
Overall mayhem.
I reconstruct the automations from scratch. Still occurred. I contacted assistance. They blamed “server concerns.” Yet absolutely nothing made sense, and the problem really did not vanish. Think of awakening every early morning wondering who your system may’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not simply aggravating– it’s dangerous. When your entire brand name is built on trust, you can not pay for to resemble a clueless amateur blowing up the wrong e-mails to the wrong individuals.
Support? Yeah, All The Best
Currently, I don’t anticipate perfection from any system. Pests happen. But when they do? I expect the support team to step up quickly.
That really did not occur below.
Feedbacks were obscure. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was shouting right into the void while my company shed. At the same time, every min I spent fixing was a minute I had not been offering customers or expanding my agency.
For a tool that markets itself to major business owners, GoHighLevel certain really did not treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Warm Mess
You ever before utilize a device and simply feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel Vs Ontraport.
The UX was cumbersome. Points were hidden in strange areas. Even simple jobs like editing and enhancing a funnel or tweaking an email flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t also obtain me began. Wish to alter product setups, web page layouts, and overall flow? Great– you’ll require to search via three different locations that make absolutely no sensible feeling. Fifty percent the time, I could not even bear in mind where I would certainly clicked something 10 secs earlier.
It seemed like utilizing software application built by engineers, for engineers– not daily business owners.
The “Inexpensive” Plan That Obtained Real Costly, Real Fast
Let’s speak money.
Among GoHighLevel’s big selling points is the rate. I mean, $97/month for all those features? Appears outstanding, best?
But here’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay added per e-mail if you utilize their SMTP.
You have to connect services like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their billing individually.
You’ll obtain arbitrary microcharges that aren’t explained clearly.
Desire better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you too.
By the time I included whatever up, I was paying greater than I had actually been with Keap. And becoming worse outcomes.
That’s not a bargain– it’s just bad math.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel Vs Ontraport
The last straw? Watching my email open rates drop like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a strong 35% open price with Keap. My audience was involved, my automations were called in, and points simply worked.
After changing to GoHighLevel? Opens went down listed below 15%. Clicks were practically missing. Something was plainly off.
Perhaps it was a deliverability problem. Maybe the system was simply sending at bad times or not individualizing messages correctly. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t staying to play detective while my checklist decomposed.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
If you’re considering changing to GoHighLevel– or any kind of brand-new platform– right here’s what I want somebody had told me prior to I made the leap:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s simple to get hyped concerning the most up to date “advanced” device. However just because everybody’s speaking about something doesn’t suggest it’s right for you. If your present system is functioning, reconsider before blowing it up.
2. Worth Simplicity Over Features
Extra isn’t constantly better. A system with a clean, user-friendly interface will certainly conserve you time and frustrations in the long run– even if it doesn’t have every feature imaginable.
3. Demand Transparency
Concealed prices are the worst. Pick tools that are upfront about pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You should not need a calculator and a thesaurus to recognize your month-to-month bill.
4. Pay Attention to Genuine Users (Not Just Marketers)
Examine objective evaluations, individual forums, and Reddit threads. Pay attention to actual individual experience– not simply glossy sales pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Below Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a reliable, straightforward system to run your business, I’ve evaluated a bunch. Right here are a couple of I ‘d really suggest:.
Keap— My present go-to. Effective automations, strong support, and it simply works. Well worth every cent.
HubSpot— Great for businesses that require scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one remedy for tiny to mid-sized businesses with strong coverage devices.
Monday.com— Amazing for job monitoring, group cooperation, and sales pipe monitoring.
Bonsai— Especially fantastic for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel might benefit some. But also for me? It was a discouraging, costly experiment that I couldn’t wait to end.
So if you’re standing at the edge, questioning whether to make the leap– think hard. Ask yourself what’s really not operating in your present setup. Don’t burn your systems down just because something more recent and shinier showed up.
Stick to what jobs. Your peace of mind (and your clients) will thanks.