You understand that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a fantastic concept, just to realize later … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s precisely what occurred when I made a decision to change my whole agency over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It seemed revolutionary. But actually? It turned into one of one of the most painful software choices I’ve made in over a years of running my business.
So prior to you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you with specifically what decreased– due to the fact that if you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for smarter, extra reliable means to grow your organization. Simply … not like this.
The Sexy All-in-One Guarantee
Below’s things. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it seemed like a desire become a reality. A single system to handle your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit bookings, automation, repayments– you call it.
If you have actually ever managed a Frankenstein stack of tools just to run your day-to-day, you understand how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been using Keap for many years (and loving it, honestly), yet still– I got tempted in by the pledge of streamlining every little thing under one roofing.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I had a bad instance of shiny item disorder.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That In Fact Worked)
Let me be real with you: Keap had not been damaged. It did every little thing I needed. It managed my e-mail automations, sales funnels, appointment scheduling, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the interface really felt a little dated in position, and occasionally points took a couple of more clicks than I suched as, but hey, it functioned.
So why modification?
Truthfully, I simply began asking yourself if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was less costly (on the surface), used extra features, and all the amazing marketing experts on the internet seemed to be raving regarding it. FOMO is a hell of a medicine.
That curiosity price me greater than just money– it cost me time, energy, and comfort.
What It Price Me to Switch over
I went done in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a strong 30 to 40 hours migrating information, restoring workflows, and primarily trying to reproduce my entire Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Right here’s what I needed to move:
- 20,000+ email customers
- Dozens of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe billing integration
- Entire funnel framework
- Customized forms, landing pages, activates … every little thing
Allow’s not also discuss the lost efficiency throughout those couple of weeks. I depended on my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, seeing tutorials, and attempting to find out where the hell standard setups were.
And simply when I believed points were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Began Creeping In
Initially, every little thing looked alright. But then, out of no place, individuals on my checklist began obtaining e-mails they weren’t supposed to obtain. I’m speaking completely irrelevant messages– sent in sets of 171 users each time. 3 days in a row.
Complete turmoil.
I rebuilt the automations from scratch. Still taken place. I called support. They condemned “web server problems.” Yet nothing made good sense, and the trouble didn’t vanish. Envision awakening every early morning wondering who your system may’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not simply annoying– it’s dangerous. When your whole brand name is built on depend on, you can’t afford to look like an unaware amateur blasting the incorrect emails to the incorrect people.
Assistance? Yeah, Good Luck
Now, I don’t expect excellence from any type of system. Bugs take place. Yet when they do? I expect the assistance team to step up quick.
That didn’t occur below.
Reactions were vague. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was yelling into the void while my company melted. At the same time, every minute I invested fixing was a min I wasn’t serving customers or expanding my agency.
For a device that markets itself to significant entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever make use of a device and just really feel … shed? That was me inside Is GoHighLevel Free.
The UX was confusing. Points were buried in odd locations. Also simple jobs like editing and enhancing a funnel or tweaking an e-mail circulation became a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Do not even obtain me started. Want to change item setups, web page formats, and total flow? Great– you’ll require to quest with three various areas that make zero sensible sense. Fifty percent the time, I could not even remember where I would certainly clicked something 10 secs earlier.
It felt like utilizing software developed by engineers, for designers– not everyday business owners.
The “Economical” Plan That Obtained Real Pricey, Actual Fast
Let’s chat money.
Among GoHighLevel’s large marketing points is the price. I imply, $97/month for all those features? Appears fantastic, ideal?
But below’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay added per email if you use their SMTP.
You have to link solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their invoicing individually.
You’ll get arbitrary microcharges that aren’t explained clearly.
Desire far better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I included every little thing up, I was paying more than I had actually been with Keap. And getting worse outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s simply poor mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked Is GoHighLevel Free
The last straw? Viewing my email open rates go down like a rock.
I ‘d been getting a solid 35% open price with Keap. My target market was engaged, my automations were dialed in, and points just worked.
After switching to GoHighLevel? Opens went down below 15%. Clicks were virtually missing. Something was clearly off.
Maybe it was a deliverability concern. Maybe the system was simply sending at bad times or not individualizing messages appropriately. Whatever the cause, I wasn’t sticking around to play investigator while my listing decayed.
Lessons I Found Out the Hard Way
If you’re thinking of switching over to GoHighLevel– or any type of new platform– right here’s what I want a person had actually informed me before I made the jump:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s very easy to obtain hyped concerning the most recent “advanced” tool. Yet just because everybody’s speaking about something does not mean it’s right for you. If your present system is working, think twice before blowing it up.
2. Worth Simpleness Over Features
Extra isn’t constantly far better. A system with a clean, user-friendly interface will conserve you time and frustrations over time– even if it doesn’t have every feature imaginable.
3. Demand Transparency
Covert expenses are the most awful. Pick tools that are ahead of time regarding pricing, integrations, and limits. You should not need a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to understand your regular monthly costs.
4. Listen to Actual Users (Not Simply Marketing Professionals)
Check impartial evaluations, individual forums, and Reddit threads. Take notice of actual user experience– not just slick sales pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Below Are Better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a dependable, user-friendly system to run your business, I’ve checked a lot. Here are a couple of I ‘d actually suggest:.
Keap— My present go-to. Effective automations, solid assistance, and it simply functions. Worth every penny.
HubSpot— Great for businesses that require scalability and advanced CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one remedy for tiny to mid-sized organizations with solid reporting tools.
Monday.com— Great for job administration, team collaboration, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Especially great for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Final Thought
GoHighLevel may help some. But for me? It was a frustrating, costly experiment that I couldn’t wait to finish.
So if you’re standing at the side, asking yourself whether to make the jump– think hard. Ask on your own what’s actually not working in your existing setup. Don’t melt your systems down even if something more recent and shinier showed up.
Stick with what jobs. Your peace of mind (and your clients) will thank you.