Email marketing is one of the most effective digital marketing channels used by businesses across the globe. In fact, it continues to generate impressive ROI figures for those who use it right. With the latest advancements in email marketing software, creating a successful email campaign that converts has become easier than ever before. Here are some of the best email marketing services ⇣ that can help your business grow in 2024.
Quick summary:
- Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) – Overall best all-in-one email marketing software in 2024 ⇣
- Constant Contact – Best small business email marketing option ⇣
- GetResponse – Best software for email automation ⇣
Different tools tend to focus on different aspects of the marketing process, but the options I’ve listed below share one thing: They work, and they work consistently.
Key features I look out for include A/B and split testing, a simple drag-and-drop email editor, some form of statistics/analytics portal, and potential spam trigger alerts.
I’ve spent hours analyzing all the top market options to bring you the list below. Some people will disagree with me, but I honestly believe that these are the top ten best email marketing services in 2024.
Best email marketing software for small businesses in 2024
With so many email marketing services out there, it can be difficult to know which one to choose. Here are the best options for you right now:
1. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue – overall best email marketing software)
- Website: https://www.brevo.com
- Lowest price: From $25/month
- Excellent all-around email marketing
- Drag-and-drop template builder
- Powerful CRM hub
- Machine learning-based intelligent sending features
Brevo is our number one email marketing tool, and for a good reason.
Along with powerful email marketing features, the platform also boasts SMS marketing, a decent landing builder, a native CRM management portal, transactional email, and more.
On the email marketing side of the equation, you will benefit from an excellent drag-and-drop editor.
Start with a design from the Brevo template library or create your own layout from scratch. Add your own content, select a mailing list, and hit the send button.
Combine this with SMS advertising, landing pages, and the powerful CRM hub for a winning strategy.
Brevo Pros:
- Excellent email template library
- Impressive free forever plan
- User-friendly management hub
- One of the best free email marketing services in 2024
Brevo Cons:
- No mobile app is available
- Email customization is a little limited
- Limited integrations with third-party apps
Brevo Plans and Pricing:
Brevo boasts one free forever and three paid plans. All four options come with unlimited contact storage.
With the free plan, you will be confined to sending a maximum of 300 emails per day.
Upgrading to the Starter plan starts from $25/month for 20,000 emails a month, with the addition of A/B testing and advanced stats.
A Business plan starts from $65/month for 20,000 emails, and custom enterprise-level solutions are available for larger businesses.
Additionally, there is an Enterprise plan that has a custom price according to your personalized features.
- See our in-depth Brevo (Sendinblue) review for 2024
- Check out our Mailchimp vs Brevo (Sendinblue) comparison to find out more.
2. Constant Contact (Best service for small businesses)
- Website: https://www.constantcontact.com
- Lowest price: From $12/month
- Advanced drag-and-drop email builder
- Excellent selection of email elements, including forms and surveys
- Powerful analytics to help you measure campaign effectiveness
- Contact list importation from various platforms
If you’re looking for an advanced email marketing solution to help grow your small business, Constant Contact could be your best option.
One thing I love about it is its excellent analytics portal, which makes it super easy to analyze the effectiveness of your campaigns, testing different approaches to maximize your ROI.
The advanced features available also stand out above the crowd, with noteworthy mentions including email-compatible surveys and polls, a powerful page builder (landing), and excellent drag-and-drop customization.
Constant Contact Pros:
- Excellent analytics portal
- Built-in event management tools
- Intuitive UX/UI
Constant Contact Cons:
- Below-average value for money
- Somewhat limited automation features
- Basic list management tools
Constant Contact Plans and Pricing:
One thing that stands out about this software is its excellent 60-day free trial.
Few other companies offer a trial this long, and it gives you plenty of time to figure out if it’s the right platform for your needs. The main thing to note here is that you will be limited to 100 contacts.
Core plan starts at $12/month for an Email subscription and $45/month for a more advanced Email Plus plan, with prices increasing according to the number of contacts you have.
Custom Pro solutions are also available on request.
- Have a read of our Constant Contact vs Mailchimp comparison for more information!
3. GetResponse (Best software with email automation options)
- Website: https://www.getresponse.com
- Lowest price: From $13.24/month
- Email marketing and numerous other tools
- Powerful workflow and marketing automation
- Leading deliverability
- Impressive landing page creator
If you’re trying to find an email marketing platform that focuses on advanced marketing automation, I’d highly recommend taking a closer look at GetResponse.
For one, its email marketing features are excellent.
With a suite of email templates, beginner-friendly design tools, a built-in stock photo library, and over 99% deliverability, there’s really a lot to like here.
But that’s not all.
A GetResponse subscription will also get you access to a range of conversion funnel, landing page, and webinar creation tools,
as well as web push notifications, attractive signup forms, and excellent automation tools.
GetResponse Pros:
- A leader in marketing automation
- Excellent complementary tools
- Generous discounts for 12 or 24-month subscriptions
GetResponse Cons:
- Automation is only available with high-end plans
- The drag-and-drop editor could be better
- Limited customer support
GetResponse Plans and Pricing:
GetResponse offers a 30-day free trial on all plans.
For $13.24/month, you will get access to email marketing, a landing page, and auto-response tools, among others.
$41.30/month adds a limited automation builder, sales funnels, and webinar tools.
Or, pay $83.30/month to get access to unlimited workflow automation, web push notifications, and much more.
Discounts are available with one-year (-18%) and two-year (-30%) subscriptions, and high-end custom plans are available on request.
Check out our GetResponse review to learn more
4. ActiveCampaign (Best advanced marketing automation features)
ActiveCampaign comes equipped with a suite of powerful tools designed to cater to various marketing and sales needs. It offers a fully-featured email marketing solution that allows you to use customizable templates, dynamic content, and segmentation features to reach your target audience effectively. The platform ensures you can automate sales activities seamlessly, integrating CRM functionality, lead scoring, and other automation features to support your sales efforts. The CRM component of ActiveCampaign lets you manage contacts, track customer behavior, and close deals efficiently.
In addition to these core offerings, ActiveCampaign also boasts marketing automation capabilities that trigger personalized emails based on user behavior, automate follow-ups, and allow you to save time with streamlined workflow automation. Its messaging feature ensures you can engage customers using various channels, including SMS, site messages, and Facebook custom audiences.
ActiveCampaign Pros
- High-Level Automation: ActiveCampaign’s robust automation features make it a standout choice for advanced marketing automation needs.
- CRM Integration: Having CRM integrated directly within the platform eliminates the need for another software solution.
- Ease of Use: The user interface is intuitive, making it easy for beginners and advanced users to navigate and utilize all features.
- Segmentation Capabilities: The segmentation features allow you to finely target and personalize your campaigns.
ActiveCampaign Cons
- Limited Landing Page Builder: The landing page builder, while functional, is not as powerful or flexible as those found in some other marketing tools.
- Potentially Overwhelming for Beginners: The array of features and complex automation capabilities might be overwhelming for those new to digital marketing.
- Costly for Small Businesses: The advanced features come at a price, which may be prohibitive for small businesses or startups.
ActiveCampaign Pricing
- Plus: $39/month – Includes CRM and additional automation features.
- Professional: $61/month – Advanced features for larger businesses.
- Enterprise: Custom pricing – All features, plus custom strategy and support.
ActiveCampaign offers a comprehensive suite of marketing automation, email marketing, sales automation, and CRM tools that are packed with features to help businesses grow and succeed. It’s a particularly strong choice for medium-to-large businesses and those with advanced automation needs. However, the pricing and complexity may be a hurdle for beginners and small businesses.
Ready to streamline your marketing and sales efforts? Try ActiveCampaign today and supercharge your business growth. With its 14-day free trial, you can explore all its features without any commitment. Check out our detailed ActiveCampaign review for more details.
5. MailerLite (Best free email marketing tool)
- Website: https://www.mailerlite.com
- Lowest price: From $9/month
- Excellent free-forever option
- Great tools with a premium subscription
- Built-in landing page creation tools
- Great range of intuitive extra features
If you’re looking for powerful free email marketing software, MailerLite might just be your best choice.
The free forever plan comes with generous subscriber and email send limits, along with enough tools to make it worth using.
Notable omissions include newsletter templates, auto resend, a custom HTML editor, and A/B split testing. You will have to upgrade to a paid plan to access these features.
MailerLite Pros:
- Beginner-friendly UX/UI
- Powerful free forever plan
- Generous contact and email send limits
MailerLite Cons:
- Average deliverability rates
- Reporting tools could be better
- Some editing tools don’t always work well
MailerLite Plans and Pricing:
MailerLite uses a subscriber-based price structure, with a free-forever plan and a range of premium options.
The free plan supports 1-1000 subscribers and up to 12,000 emails per month but lacks some advanced features.
For more subscribers and to unlock said features, expect to pay anything from $9/month to thousands per month for a premium plan.
There are also various add-ons available, including a website builder for $10 per month and dedicated IP addresses for $50 per month.
Check out our Mailerlite review to learn more
6. Mailchimp (Best freemium email marketing option)
- Website: https://mailchimp.com
- Lowest price: From $13/month
- A popular option with a great reputation
- Excellent CRM dashboard
- A great option for branded email marketing
- Content Studio for media customization
If you know anything about email marketing, you’ve probably heard of Mailchimp.
It’s a popular option for WordPress and Shopify users, and it comes with an excellent free forever plan.
Along with all the expected email marketing features, you will also have access to a powerful CRM hub, advanced analytics, marketing automation, and various other tools.
Two things that stand out to me are the platform’s excellent templates and beginner-friendly email editor,
which are designed to help you put together attractive messages with a minimal amount of effort.
Mailchimp Pros:
- An excellent option for Shopify and WordPress users
- Impressive performance metric tracking
- Decent free forever plan
Mailchimp Cons:
- The UI can be a little clunky
- The average value for money
- Constraining contract limits
Mailchimp Plans and Pricing:
There are various subscription options, including a great free-forever option that supports up to 2000 contacts.
Prices start at $13/month for an Essentials plan, which includes 500 contacts and 5000 monthly email sends.
Expect to pay more for a higher-end plan or if you need more contacts.
- Take a look at our 10 Best Mailchimp Alternatives article.
7. HubSpot Email Marketing (Best all-in-one email marketing tool)
- Website: https://www.hubspot.com/products/marketing/email
- Lowest price: From $18/month
- An excellent all-in-one marketing tool
- Great email optimization tools
- Impressive personalization and automation features
- Decent free-forever option
Not everyone agrees with me, but I love HubSpot’s email marketing tools because of the power and versatility they bring to the table.
Along with access to virtually every email marketing feature you could ever need, HubSpot offers a suite of other marketing features that you can use to complement your email campaigns.
The thing that really stands out for me is the platform’s excellent personalization and automation tools.
With these, you can create highly personalized emails designed to improve your conversion rate.
Benefit from powerful optimization tools including A/B testing and advanced engagement stats, and use the analytics portal to make informed marketing decisions.
HubSpot Email Marketing Pros:
- Powerful all-in-one marketing tools
- Advanced CRM portal
- Excellent personalization features
HubSpot Email Marketing Cons:
- Very expensive
- Automation only available with high-end plans
- Too advanced for many users
HubSpot Email Marketing Plans and Pricing:
One thing I like about HubSpot is its excellent free forever plan.
Although it is a little limited, it includes a suite of email tools, along with a reporting dashboard, an ad management portal, and more.
Paid plans start at $18/month for up to 1000 contacts, but expect to pay significantly more for advanced features or more contacts.
For example, you will need to pay at least $800 per month to unlock marketing automation and smart content, which is just too much in my eyes.
8. AWeber (Best beginner-friendly option)
- Website: https://www.aweber.com
- Lowest price: From $12.50/month
- An excellent AI-powered email builder
- Everything you need for your email marketing strategies
- An impressive selection of email templates
- The drag-and-drop email editing interface
AWeber is our number one choice for beginners, and for a good reason.
Everything it does is done to make things easier for you, and there really is a lot to like here.
And with an AI-powered smart email designer, an impressive template library, full landing page support, and a drag-and-drop builder, I don’t see why you wouldn’t love it too.
AWeber Pros:
- Excellent AI-powered designer
- Very beginner-friendly
- Simple yet powerful
AWeber Cons:
- Not the cheapest option available
- Templates can be a little bland
AWeber Plans and Pricing:
AWeber’s free forever plan supports up to 500 subscribers, but it lacks advanced features such as A/B split testing.
To unlock the missing features, you will need to pay at least $12.50/month for an annual Plus subscription.
Expect to pay more for more subscribers and with month-by-month payments.
9. Klaviyo (Best for e-commerce email marketing)
- Website: https://www.klaviyo.com
- Lowest price: From $20/month
- Email marketing designed for e-commerce
- Leverage your efforts to sell more products
- Integrations with numerous platforms
- Excellent segmentation tools
Klaviyo offers a wide range of email marketing tools designed specifically for e-commerce, and it’s rapidly growing to become a favorite among online store owners across the world.
There are two things that really stand out for me here.
For one, I love the number of deep integrations that Klaviyo offers.
If you use Shopify, BigCommerce, or any of the other major eCommerce platforms, you will find it extremely easy to get started.
The other standout is the platform’s segmentation features, which allow you to send specific emails to heavily defined subscriber groups.
Klaviyo Pros:
- Excellent one-click integrations
- Powerful eCommerce stat tracking
- Great segmentation tools
Klaviyo Cons:
- No native landing page builder
- No iOS or Android apps
Klaviyo Plans and Pricing:
Klaviyo offers a free forever plan that supports up to 250 contacts and 500 email sends per month.
Premium email-only plans start at $20 per month, with email plus SMS packages costing $45 per month.
10. Zoho Campaigns (Best affordable option)
- Website: https://www.zoho.com/campaigns
- Lowest price: From $3/month
- Affordable yet powerful email marketing platform
- Backed by the power of the Zoho ecosystem
- Automatic database management features
- Impressive list segmentation tools
If you want to harness the power of premium email marketing software but don’t have a generous budget, I’d highly recommend Zoho Campaigns.
Although cheap, this platform comes with everything you need to create highly customized email marketing strategies.
And what’s more, it’s backed by the power of the Zoho ecosystem, which includes various other marketing and productivity tools.
Zoho Campaigns Pros:
- Excellent security across the board
- An extremely affordable option
- Decent automation tools
Zoho Campaigns Cons:
- Basic web interface
- Advanced features are lacking
Zoho Campaigns and Pricing:
Zoho Campaigns is available for free for up to 2000 subscribers, or you can choose from a variety of subscription options.
Prices start from $3/month for an email-based plan, $4.50/month for a subscriber-based plan, or $6 for 250 pay-by-email credits.
A free demo is available, along with high-end custom solutions for advanced users.
11. SendGrid (Best for transactional emails)
- Website: https://sendgrid.com
- Lowest price: From $19.95/month
- An excellent choice for eCommerce transactional emails
- API available to integrate email with your website
- Decent campaign optimization features
- Impressive segmentation tools for streamlined list management
I’d recommend taking a close look at SendGrid if you need an email marketing platform that’s easy to integrate with your website or online store.
With its powerful API tools, SendGrid allows you to connect its email platform to your website, making it a great choice for things like sending transactional and other e-commerce emails.
There are also various advanced marketing features available, along with generous plans that are very competitively priced.
SendGrid Pros:
- Powerful email API tools
- Excellent analytics tools
- Beginner-friendly email editor
SendGrid Cons:
- Limited segmentation tools
- Autoresponders are average at best
SendGrid Plans and Pricing:
SendGrid offers a selection of pricing options. Its email marketing plans include a free forever plan supporting up to 2000 contacts and paid options starting at $15/month.
Alternatively, the email API plans start at $19.95/month, with a free plan supporting up to 100 emails per day.
Why Email Marketing Matters
The digital world is a transient place, but email marketing is something that has hung around for years. And for good reason.
Email marketing matters because:
- It has an excellent ROI. The exact numbers vary, but reports show that email marketing has an ROI of around 4200%. Or put differently, for every $1 you spend, $42 of revenue is generated.
- There are over 5.6 billion active email accounts. That’s almost one for every single person in the world.
- People read and interact with emails. Email marketing statistics from Constant Contact states that the average email open rate is 16.97 percent, with a click-through rate of 10.29 percent.
- It was cheap. If you do things yourself, email marketing is an extremely affordable way to generate revenue or gain new clients.
- It encourages people to take action. When people open an email, taking action is an automatic response. Especially if your content is interesting and relevant.
There are plenty of other reasons why email marketing matters, but I’m sure you’re getting the picture by now.
What Is an Email Marketing Platform?
In simple terms, an email marketing platform is a program designed to help you create, optimize, and manage email marketing campaigns.
Most platforms come with some form of email builder, various analysis and reporting tools, and integrations to help you build your mailing catalog.
On top of this, you may have access to pre-built email templates, design and spam testing, contact management features, a page builder (landing), and more.
What Should an Email Marketing Tool Do?
There are numerous things to look for when selecting an email marketing tool.
In our opinion, it’s extremely important to keep the following at the front of your mind.
User Interface
This should be quite self-explanatory, but it’s important to select an email marketing tool with a user-friendly, intuitive interface.
There’s no point in using something you find confusing – you will just be making things hard for yourself.
Templates
One particularly important thing I pay attention to is the size and quality of a tool’s email template library.
If you don’t have many design skills, basing your emails on pre-built templates is a great way to ensure they are interesting and attractive.
Segmentation
Most email marketing platforms come with some sort of contact list segmentation tools, which basically let you create sublists that you can use to help you target your campaigns.
Personalization
High-quality email marketing tools should include some sort of personalization features.
This essentially means that emails are targeted to individual subscribers, with content added or removed based on the information you have about them.
Automation & integrations
With email marketing automation, you can set up messages to be sent in response to specific actions and/or rules.
Examples of this include things like subscription confirmations, transactional messages, order/shipping confirmations, and more.
A/B Testing
With email/campaign testing tools, you will be able to trial different designs, content, sending time, and more to optimize the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Reporting & analytics
In my eyes, this is another thing you should pay particular attention to, as high-quality reporting and analytics tools will help you make informed decisions about your email marketing campaigns.
Full Comparison Table
| Prices From | Free Plan Subscriber Limit | Survey Builder | Landing Page Builder | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) ⇣ | $25/month | Unlimited | No | Yes |
| Constant Contact ⇣ | $12/month | 100 | Yes | Yes |
| GetResponse ⇣ | $13.24/month | No free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Mailchimp ⇣ | $13/month | 2000 | Yes | Yes |
| MailerLite ⇣ | $9/month | 1000 | Yes | Yes |
| HubSpot Email Marketing ⇣ | $18/month | Unlimited | Yes | Yes |
| Aweber ⇣ | $12.50/month | 500 | No | Yes |
| Klaviyo ⇣ | $20/month | 250 | No | No |
| Zoho Campaigns ⇣ | $3/month | 2000 | No | Yes |
| SendGrid ⇣ | $19.95/month | 2000 | No | No |
Our Verdict ⭐
There are countless email marketing platforms out there, but I’ve found huge differences between the best and the worst.
Advanced options, including the ones I’ve listed here, generally include a suite of powerful features designed to help you maximize the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.
At the top of our list sits Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), which is an excellent all-around option.
Build better customer relationships with Brevo - the all-in-one marketing platform trusted by over 180,000 businesses worldwide. Features include AI-powered email campaigns, advanced automation, landing pages, SMS messages, and more.
Constant Contact is a great choice for small business users, GetResponse provides leading email automation tools, and Klaviyo is the favorite e-commerce-specific platform.
If you’re on a tight budget, you may like to consider either Mailchimp or Mailerlite’s free plan. Or, spend a few dollars per month on a premium option from Zoho Campaigns.
AWeber is a great choice for beginners, HubSpot Email Marketing is best for advanced users, and SendGrid’s email API is an excellent choice for automated transactional emails.
Ultimately, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the ten options on this list.
Consider your goals, identify your budget, and decide which of the best email marketing platforms is best suited to your needs.
Take advantage of free trials and a free forever plan if you need more time to decide, and above all, don’t rush your choice – or else you may end up wasting money on something that doesn’t work for you.
How We Review Email Marketing Tools: Our Methodology
Choosing the right email marketing service is more than just picking a tool for sending emails. It’s about finding a solution that enhances your marketing strategy, streamlines communication, and drives engagement. Here’s how we evaluate and review email marketing tools to ensure you get only the best information before you make a decision:
- User-Friendly Interface: We prioritize tools that offer a drag-and-drop editor. This feature is crucial for crafting unique email templates effortlessly, eliminating the need for extensive coding knowledge.
- Versatility in Campaign Types: The ability to support various email formats is key. Whether it’s standard newsletters, A/B testing capabilities, or setting up autoresponders, versatility is a significant factor in our evaluation.
- Advanced Marketing Automation: From basic autoresponders to more complex features like targeted campaigns and contact tagging, we assess how well a tool can automate and tailor your email marketing efforts.
- Efficient Sign-up Form Integration: A top-tier email marketing tool should allow easy integration of sign-up forms on your website or dedicated landing pages, simplifying the process of growing your subscriber list.
- Autonomy in Subscription Management: We look for tools that empower users with self-managed opt-in and opt-out processes, reducing the need for manual oversight and enhancing user experience.
- Seamless Integrations: The ability to seamlessly connect with other essential platforms – such as your blog, e-commerce site, CRM, or analytics tools – is a critical aspect we examine.
- Email Deliverability: A great tool is one that ensures your emails actually reach your audience. We assess the effectiveness of each tool in bypassing spam filters and ensuring high deliverability rates.
- Comprehensive Support Options: We believe in tools that offer robust support through various channels, be it a detailed knowledge base, email, live chat, or phone support, to assist you whenever needed.
- In-depth Reporting: Understanding the impact of your email campaigns is vital. We delve into the kind of data and analytics provided by each tool, focusing on the depth and usefulness of the insights offered.
Learn more about our review methodology.
