You recognize that feeling when you’re 99% certain something’s a wonderful idea, only to understand later … it was a total dumpster fire? That’s exactly what took place when I decided to switch my entire company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked shiny. It seemed revolutionary. Yet in reality? It developed into one of the most excruciating software program choices I have actually made in over a years of running my organization.
So before you get on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me walk you through specifically what decreased– since if you’re anything like me, you’re always seeking smarter, extra effective ways to grow your business. Just … not like this.
The Seductive All-in-One Assurance
Here’s the thing. When GoHighLevel hit the scene, it sounded like a dream come true. A single platform to manage your CRM, sales funnels, e-mail campaigns, consultation bookings, automation, repayments– you name it.
If you’ve ever before juggled a Monster stack of tools just to run your daily, you recognize just how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I ‘d been using Keap for many years (and enjoying it, truthfully), but still– I obtained enticed in by the promise of simplifying everything under one roof covering.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a bad instance of shiny object syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Tool That Really Functioned)
Let me be actual with you: Keap wasn’t damaged. It did whatever I required. It managed my email automations, sales funnels, consultation organizing, invoicing– you call it. Certain, the user interface felt a little outdated in position, and sometimes things took a few more clicks than I liked, yet hey, it functioned.
So why adjustment?
Truthfully, I simply started wondering if I was missing out. GoHighLevel was less expensive (externally), provided a lot more features, and all the great marketing professionals online appeared to be raving regarding it. FOMO is a heck of a medicine.
That inquisitiveness cost me more than simply money– it cost me time, energy, and assurance.
What It Expense Me to Switch
I went all in. Registered for the $297/month agency plan. Invest a solid 30 to 40 hours moving data, rebuilding workflows, and primarily attempting to duplicate my whole Keap setup inside GoHighLevel.
Right here’s what I needed to relocate:
- 20,000+ email subscribers
- Lots of automations
- All client accounts and notes
- Stripe invoicing integration
- Entire funnel framework
- Personalized kinds, landing pages, triggers … every little thing
Let’s not even discuss the lost efficiency during those couple of weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, watching tutorials, and attempting to find out where the heck fundamental setups were.
And just when I assumed things were functioning … they weren’t.
The Vermin Started Sneaking In
Initially, whatever looked fine. But then, out of no place, individuals on my checklist began getting emails they weren’t meant to obtain. I’m chatting completely pointless messages– sent in batches of 171 individuals at once. Three days straight.
Overall chaos.
I rebuilt the automations from the ground up. Still occurred. I spoke to support. They blamed “web server issues.” Yet nothing made sense, and the trouble really did not vanish. Think of waking up every early morning questioning who your system could’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not simply irritating– it’s dangerous. When your whole brand is built on trust, you can’t afford to resemble an unaware amateur blowing up the wrong e-mails to the incorrect individuals.
Support? Yeah, Best Of Luck
Now, I don’t anticipate excellence from any kind of system. Bugs take place. However when they do? I anticipate the assistance team to step up quickly.
That didn’t occur here.
Reactions were unclear. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was shouting into deep space while my organization shed. Meanwhile, every minute I spent troubleshooting was a min I had not been serving customers or growing my agency.
For a tool that markets itself to significant business owners, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The User interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever before use a tool and just really feel … shed? That was me inside Is GoHighLevel Worth The Investment.
The UX was confusing. Points were buried in strange locations. Even simple tasks like modifying a funnel or tweaking an e-mail flow developed into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Don’t even obtain me started. Intend to transform item settings, web page formats, and total circulation? Trendy– you’ll need to search via 3 different locations that make no rational feeling. Fifty percent the moment, I could not even keep in mind where I would certainly clicked something 10 seconds previously.
It felt like utilizing software built by engineers, for engineers– not daily entrepreneur.
The “Economical” Plan That Got Genuine Expensive, Actual Rapid
Let’s speak cash.
Among GoHighLevel’s large selling factors is the price. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Sounds incredible, best?
However right here’s what they do not tell you:.
You pay additional per e-mail if you utilize their SMTP.
You need to connect solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their billing individually.
You’ll obtain random microcharges that aren’t clarified plainly.
Want much better e-mail deliverability? That’s gon na cost you also.
By the time I added everything up, I was paying more than I had been with Keap. And becoming worse outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s just poor mathematics.
My Email Metrics Tanked Is GoHighLevel Worth The Investment
The final straw? Seeing my e-mail open prices drop like a rock.
I ‘d been obtaining a strong 35% open price with Keap. My target market was involved, my automations were dialed in, and things just functioned.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped listed below 15%. Clicks were nearly missing. Something was clearly off.
Perhaps it was a deliverability concern. Possibly the system was just sending at hard times or not personalizing messages correctly. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t staying to play investigator while my listing deteriorated.
Lessons I Discovered by hand
If you’re considering changing to GoHighLevel– or any type of brand-new platform– here’s what I want somebody had informed me before I made the jump:.
1. Do Not Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s simple to get hyped about the current “advanced” tool. Yet just because every person’s talking about something does not indicate it’s right for you. If your current system is working, reconsider before blowing it up.
2. Value Simpleness Over Features
A lot more isn’t constantly better. A system with a clean, intuitive interface will certainly conserve you time and migraines over time– even if it does not have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Transparency
Hidden costs are the most awful. Choose devices that are ahead of time concerning pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You should not need a calculator and a synonym replacement tool to understand your monthly expense.
4. Listen to Actual Users (Not Just Marketers)
Check impartial evaluations, user discussion forums, and Reddit threads. Pay attention to actual customer experience– not simply glossy sales pages.
Still Want an All-in-One CRM? Below Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a reliable, user-friendly system to run your business, I’ve examined a bunch. Right here are a couple of I ‘d really advise:.
Keap— My existing go-to. Effective automations, solid assistance, and it simply works. Worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for companies that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A solid all-in-one option for tiny to mid-sized services with solid reporting devices.
Monday.com— Fantastic for task monitoring, group cooperation, and sales pipeline tracking.
Bonsai— Particularly terrific for freelancers and service-based solopreneurs.
Final Thought
GoHighLevel may work for some. However, for me? It was a frustrating, pricey experiment that I couldn’t wait to end.
So if you’re standing at the side, questioning whether to make the jump– think hard. Ask yourself what’s actually not working in your present configuration. Do not melt your systems down just because something newer and shinier appeared.
Stick with what works. Your peace of mind (and your clients) will thank you.