Want the lowdown on the best email marketing services available?
Did you know you can confidently calculate a return of $32.28 for every $1 you spend on email marketing this year? The trick is to find the email service with the features you need to optimize your marketing campaigns. If there’s more than one, you can narrow them down by price.
When you’re ready to find your perfect email marketing platform, read on.
Know What You Want from Email Marketing Services
Email services such as those listed below come with a huge variety of options. Before you jump in and start comparing plans, take a moment to jot down a few notes. If you have a list of your needs, it’ll be easy to check it against each service in the following sections.
1. GetResponse
This is one of the best email marketing services available. It offers intelligent list automation and a powerful landing page editor. It also gives you the tools to run spam tests and design tests.
- 1,000 contacts: $15/month
- 2,500 contacts: $25/month
- 5,000 contacts: $45/month
- 10,000 contacts: $65/month
- 50,000 contacts: $250/month
The only complaint is the templates look like they were designed 10 years ago. But, there are ways to work around that.
2. ActiveCampaign
If you’re all about automation, ActiveCampaign may be the right choice for you. They offer formidable automation options and thorough reporting. They also have excellent deliverability and free migration service.
- 500 contacts: $15/month
- 1,000 contacts: $29/month
- 2,500 contacts: $49/month
- 5,000 contacts: $89/month
- 10,000 contacts: $139/month
- 50,000 contacts: $299/month
The main drawback of ActiveCampaign is the overwhelming number of features available. If you’re well versed in email marketing software, we recommend you pick one of the other services.
3. SendinBlue
If you’re looking for low-cost plans, SendinBlue is your best choice. They also offer solid email automation, a landing page editor, and an SMS marketing tool.
- 300 emails: $0/month
- 40,000 emails: $25/month
- 60,000: $39/month
- 120,000: $66/month
The drawbacks are that SendinBlue comes with a terrible editor. The usability overall is not as polished as the others you’ll find on this list. Also, their deliverability leaves something to be desired.
4. MailChimp
If you love metrics, Mailchimp might be the choice for you. They give thorough reports and have a great template editor. They also offer a generous freemium plan, so you can figure out whether they’re a good fit.
And PieSync wrote a great article comparing SendGrid and Mailchimp. For this article, we chose Mailchimp over SendGrid because of Mailchimp’s popularity and focus on email marketing. MailChimp is a popular choice for small businesses, especially when price matters.
- 2,000 contacts: $0/month
- 2,500 contacts: $29.99/month
- 10,000 contacts: $75.99/month
- 30,000 contacts: $219/month
- 50,000 contacts: $259/month
Unfortunately, Mailchimp’s high subscription cost turns off a lot of small business owners. Also, their platform is geared toward novices, not experts. If you plan to automate every single nuance in your marketing, choose a different service.
5. MailerLite
If you’re looking for simplicity, then MailerLite is your best choice. It has all the basics plus an excellent free plan. The landing page editor is fantastic and also simple to use.
- 1,000 contacts: $0/month
- 2,500 contacts: $15/month
- 5,000 contacts: $30/month
- 10,000 contacts: $50/month
- 15,000 contacts: $75/month
The biggest problem with MailerLite is that it lacks many of the features that experts use. If you are an expert, choose a different service.
6. ConvertKit
If you need excellent support and aren’t worried about price, ConvertKit is a good bet. They have a brilliant landing page editor and offer flexible subscriber management.
- 1,000 contacts: $29/month
- 3,000 contacts: $49/month
- 5,000 contacts: $79/month
- 10,000 contacts: $119/month
- 25,000 contacts: $199/month
- 50,000 contacts: $379/month
Unfortunately, it’s pricey. Weak, two-dimensional reports are also a common complaint from subscribers. Capterra also mentioned that it doesn’t offer customer surveys or image libraries.
7. AWeber
If you think you’re going to need help on a regular basis, AWeber is a good fit for you. They have some of the best support offered throughout the email marketing platforms. They also provide excellent sales tracking and a fantastic bundle of list management tools.
- 500 contacts: $19/month
- 2,500 contacts: $29/month
- 5,000 contacts: $49/month
- 10,000 contacts: $69/month
- 25,000 contacts: $69/month
Unfortunately, AWeber is notorious for the bugs in their editor. Their prices are also relatively high. Some former customers have complained about their subscriber count.
What’s Next?
Now that you’ve learned about the best email marketing services, it’s time to pick one. If you have never used a service like this before, choose one that offers a free introductory plan. That way you can get your feet wet and discover which features you want most without paying a cent.
So long and good luck!
