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In 2023, email continues to thrive and remains a powerful tool for companies to connect with their engaged customers—provided it is executed effectively. Therefore, there is a wide array of email marketing services available to cater to these needs. To assist you in navigating the multitude of options, our team meticulously assessed several renowned platforms. Presented below is the top-tier email marketing software currently accessible.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the best overall email marketing software because it has the features that most businesses need, without being overly complicated or confusing. Businesses can schedule campaigns, A/B test copies, and get reports that include open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribe rates, and more. Plus, it has the most generous free-forever plans of the software we tested.
Pros
- Free-forever plan (up to 500 contacts)
- Easy to build and customize campaigns
- Clear reporting that helps optimize future sends
- Integrates with hundreds of software platforms
Cons
- Pricey for larger contact lists (more than 150k subscribers)
- Very limited phone support
- Not designed for advanced marketing teams
Mailchimp’s free plan includes up to 500 contacts and up to 2,500 monthly email sends. Its platform is one of the easiest to get used to with drag-and-drop features that allow you to stylize your emails.
Aside from its free plan, there are also three paid plans, which vary in cost based on how many subscribers you have (nonprofits receive a 15% discount):
- Essentials: $13+ per month
- Standard: $20+ per month
- Premium: $350+ per month
Mailchimp is the perfect tool for any business looking for a simple way to send emails to their customers. It has an easy-to-use email editor, and once you upgrade to the first paid plan you get access to more advanced tools such as A/B testing and multi-step journeys. Users will enjoy the easy-to-understand reporting that helps them determine what is working and what isn’t. Things like open rates and click-throughs are easily identified, so business owners know if readers are responding to the content.
Active Campaign
ActiveCampaign is the best email marketing software for automation because it has hundreds of pre-built automation that help you personalize campaigns for each subscriber. There are help guides throughout the platform as you’re getting things set up, plus ActiveCampaign’s customer support is fast and friendly.
Pros
- Great automation features that simplify customer interactions
- Helpful, friendly, and fast customer support
- All plan levels include data migration and implementation services
- Has 870+ integrations with the most popular software
Cons
- The learning curve can be a challenge
- The lite plan is very limited (and includes ActiveCampaign branding)
- Plans quickly jump in price with the number of contacts
ActiveCampaign is customer experience automation (CXA) software with email capabilities. Because it is designed to manage contacts and the sales process, it offers more than 900 integrations.
There’s a 14-day free trial to test the software. After that, you will need to subscribe to one of the four paid plans, which you can pay monthly or annually. The discount for paying annually ranges from 15% to 40% depending on the plan. The cost of each plan also depends on how many contacts you have (nonprofits get 20% off).
- Lite: $15+ per month
- Plus: $70+ per month
- Professional: $187+ per month
- Enterprise: Contact for information
You can get a plan and adjust it to the number of contacts you have while still getting the basic features of the plan. For example, you can get the Lite plan with 500 contacts but can incrementally increase it to 100,000 contacts for $687 annually. The Plus, Professional, and Enterprise plan to increase the customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities of your platform.
ActiveCampaign helps businesses build automation that is customized to increase engagement with subscribers, giving it the edge in this category. The interface is easy to use, intuitive, and includes resources for any questions that come up during the process. It also includes sales automation, so your marketing and sales processes can work together to earn more revenue.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo: A Powerful Email Marketing Software Tailored for Advanced Marketers
When it comes to email marketing software, there are several options available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. While Mailchimp is often hailed as the best overall choice for most businesses, there’s another player on the field that caters specifically to advanced marketing teams: Klaviyo. Klaviyo offers a robust set of features designed to optimize campaigns and deliver exceptional results.
While Mailchimp may be more suitable for businesses seeking simplicity, Klaviyo steps up the game for those who require more advanced functionalities and customization options. Let’s take a closer look at what sets Klaviyo apart from the competition.
Pros:
- Deep Audience Segmentation: Klaviyo excels in its ability to segment your audience based on a variety of factors, including purchase history, engagement level, and demographics. This granular segmentation allows you to tailor your messaging to different customer groups, increasing the relevance and effectiveness of your campaigns.
- Advanced Automation: With Klaviyo, you can create complex automation workflows that go beyond basic drip campaigns. The platform enables you to build intricate customer journeys based on specific triggers and actions, allowing for highly personalized and timely interactions with your subscribers.
- Seamless Integration: Klaviyo seamlessly integrates with hundreds of software platforms, making it easy to connect your email marketing efforts with other tools in your tech stack. Whether you’re using an e-commerce platform, CRM system, or analytics tool, Klaviyo ensures smooth data flow and comprehensive insights.
- Robust Analytics and Reporting: Klaviyo provides in-depth reporting and analytics to help you optimize your future sends. You can track metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, revenue generated, and more. This data empowers you to make data-driven decisions, refine your strategies, and continuously improve your email marketing campaigns.
Cons:
- Learning Curve: While Klaviyo offers powerful features, it also comes with a steeper learning curve compared to more beginner-friendly platforms like Mailchimp. Its advanced capabilities may require a bit more time and effort to fully leverage, especially for marketers who are new to email automation and segmentation.
- Pricing for Larger Lists: As your contact list grows beyond 150,000 subscribers, the pricing for Klaviyo can become relatively higher compared to other providers. It’s important to consider the scalability of the software and ensure that it aligns with your budget and anticipated growth.
- Limited Phone Support: Unlike Mailchimp, Klaviyo’s phone support options may be more limited. While they provide various support channels, such as email and live chat, some users may prefer direct phone assistance for urgent matters.
In conclusion, Klaviyo is a powerful email marketing software that caters to advanced marketing teams seeking sophisticated segmentation, automation, and analytics capabilities. It may have a steeper learning curve, but the payoff comes in the form of highly targeted campaigns, personalized customer journeys, and data-driven optimizations. If you’re ready to take your email marketing to the next level and unlock the full potential of your campaigns, Klaviyo is the tool for you.
MailerLite
MailerLite is the easiest email marketing software to use because it has a drag-and-drop interface that makes it fun and intuitive to create the design you want. Simplicity is at the heart of the company’s mission, which is why the software has a clean and streamlined look.
Pros
- Drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to design emails
- Free plan for up to 1,000 contacts
- Email support
- Lots of email templates to choose from
Cons
- Doesn’t include CRM functionalities (Though it allows for integration)
- Limited integrations
- Need to provide a lot of company information to get an account set up
MailerLite has designed a superior user-friendly platform, making it the best choice for ease of use. Should users experience any problems, there is email support to answer any questions and troubleshoot.
It offers a free-forever plan that includes 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 email sends. If you need more bandwidth or want more advanced features (like the ability to remove MailerLite branding), there is a paid plan. The cost depends on how many subscribers you have. You can pay monthly or annually, but with an annual plan, you get a 15% discount. Nonprofits also receive a 30% discount. Here’s a breakdown of the cost:
- Up to 1,000 contacts: $10 per month
- 1,001 to 2,500 contacts: $17 per month
- 2,501 to 5,000 contacts: $32 per month
- 5,001 to 10,000 contacts: $54 per month
MailerLite includes all of the essentials for email marketing, without cluttering their system with advanced features. This makes it the perfect fit for businesses looking for a straightforward approach to email marketing that they can master in days, not months.
Hubspot
Hubspot is the best all-in-one marketing suite because it has great tools and reporting for all of your marketing campaigns across various channels (website, social, email marketing, and more). You can store all contact information with Hubspot’s CRM and attract an audience through lead forms, live chat, and online ads.
Pros
- Full marketing suite with CRM, social media, blogging, as well as email marketing capabilities
- The email health tab helps keep deliverability rates on track
- Only pay for the contacts you are marketing to
- Track leads throughout their buying journey
- Helpful online training resources
Cons
- Does not have a free plan or a low-cost plan
- Not for businesses strictly looking for email marketing tools
- Difficult to integrate a separate CRM, like Salesforce or Pipedrive
- The steep learning curve to fully unlock the marketing potential
Hubspot is a leader in CRM services that includes email marketing. The platform can handle everything from emails, social media posts, and blog publishing, making it the top platform for an all-in-one marketing solution.
There’s a 14-day free trial, and then you’ll have to subscribe to one of their three paid plans. While it’s free to store unlimited contacts, once the number you email surpasses the included amount, you will have to pay an additional fee. Save 10% on the first two plans if you pay annually. (The Enterprise plan must be paid annually.)
- Starter (up to 1,000 contacts): $45 per month
- Professional (up to 2,000 contacts): $800 per month
- Enterprise (up to 10,000 contacts): $3,600 per month
Hubspot combines all of your marketing activities in one place so you can have a centralized view of how contacts interact with your website, Google ads, social media, and email marketing. It provides insights into the buyer’s journey, helping business owners better tailor their marketing efforts for success. The platform includes a robust training platform that not only reviews how to use the system but also highlights the best practices for successful marketing campaigns.
Moosend
Moosend is the best affordable option not only because its paid plans cost less than most on the market, but also because you can pay either by the number of subscribers or by the number of emails sent, depending on which option is cheapest for you. Plus, its tools are user-friendly and make it easy to get attractive and timely emails out to your audience.
Pros
- Lowest plan costs
- Option to pay only when you send emails
- Easy to customize templates or use one from the template library
Cons
- Can’t send emails from a Gmail or Hotmail address
- Less-sophisticated user interface
- Limited integrations
Moosend is a cost-effective platform that gives users the choice of how to get billed: by subscribers or by email. Phone support is included, which can help if you have trouble customizing one of the numerous templates provided.
Moosend offers a Pro Plan and an Enterprise plan with tiered pricing. You’ll need to contact Moosend for Enterprise plan pricing. The Pro Plan is priced based on the number of subscribers. Below is the cost if you pay monthly, but you’ll receive a 20% discount for annual billing. You’ll also receive a 25% discount if you’re a nonprofit. Below are the first six tiers of plans available:
- 0 to 500 subscribers: $9 per month
- 501 to 1,000 subscribers: $16 per month
- 1,001 to 2,000 subscribers: $24 per month
- 2,001 to 3,000 subscribers: $32 per month
- 3,001 to 5,000 subscribers: $48 per month
- 5,001 to 8,000 subscribers: $64 per month
You can opt to pay for the number of emails sent (includes unlimited subscribers), which Moosend calls credits. For $1, you get 1,000 credits, which is equal to 1,000 email sends. With this option, you get the same features included in the Pro Plan, such as landing pages, and transactional emails.
Moosend is one of the cheapest email marketing tools on the market, but it’s robust enough to satisfy most email marketing campaigns for small businesses, winning our spot for the most affordable option. It allows you to pay either by the number of subscribers or by the number of emails sent, so you can choose which option is most cost-effective for your business.
Drip
Drip is the best email marketing software for e-commerce businesses because of its sophisticated workflows combined with advanced list segmentation. This combination means that subscribers receive personalized emails triggered by their shopping behaviors on your site and receive timely follow-ups based on how they interact with your emails.
Pros
- Simple yet powerful drip campaigns.
- Easy to set up and use
- Excellent customer support
- Sophisticated contact list segmentation
Cons
- Lacks a few key integrations
- No drag-and-drop functionality for designing templates
- Very limited support options.
Designed to improve the online user experience for shoppers, Drip is the best email marketing software for e-commerce companies. Its user support is available to help with issues setting up and using the service. We especially like how you can segment your lists, so users get the best possible experience from your website and email alerts.
Drip has a 14-day free trial and has one plan that ranges from $39 to $1,899 per month depending on how many contacts are in your account. Here are a few of the price points:
- 2,500 contacts: $39 per month
- 10,000 contacts: $154 per month
- 170,000 contacts: $1,899 per month
For costs above this number of contacts, it’s best to get details directly from the website. The tiered scale goes up to 170,000 contacts for $1,899 before you need to contact them for custom enterprise pricing.
Drip is built for e-commerce, which means its workflows, email templates, and lead generation forms are designed with e-commerce best practices in mind. It includes advanced segmentation and customization that allows you to hyper-target your campaigns in order to increase user engagement.
