You’ve heard about how effective email marketing can be for your business. For example, according to Litmus, email marketing boasts of an ROI of $36 on every dollar spent.
Unsurprisingly, this is probably the highest of any marketing channel. Now, when you hear statistics like this, it revives your hopes of having more customers than you can handle.
You start thinking of all your leads asking about your product and forcing their money on you. Well, email marketing is not magic, and it requires work like any other marketing channel.
The beginning of that work is choosing a robust email marketing software. In this guide, you’ll find the best email marketing software for your business among the excellent options.
But before we go into that; I will break down my top 5 favorite email marketing software.
What is the best email marketing software?
If you’re like most people, this is where you want us to mention a single email marketing software and declare it the best. But it’s more complicated than that.
Frankly, there’s no single email marketing service that’s best for every business at every time. So what are we trying to say here?
The best email software for your business will depend on your needs at this time. In fact, the best for your business today may be different in 10 years.
In light of that, here are my top picks for the best email marketing software packages you’ll find in the market today:
1. HubSpot
Best Overall Email Marketing Software
Summary:
As an all-in-one CRM platform, HubSpot includes email marketing services as one of its many features. HubSpot is easy to use, you can use the email editor and other tools even without technical knowledge.
Key Features:
- Template Creator: Beyond that, there are templates to create different types of emails. After creating your emails, you can preview how they will look in inboxes across different devices. This helps you to optimize your subject line and emails properly.
- Integrated Analytics: With the HubSpot CRM, you have access to more details about a specific contact and your past interactions. There’s a robust analytics feature on HubSpot, not only can you track opens and clicks, but you can also see the time spent viewing emails, whether subscribers read, skimmed, or glanced at emails, and more.
- Advanced Contact Segmentation: Moreso, it’s easy to segment your contacts according to their preferences and other factors. Furthermore, you can create automated email campaigns and set up your preferred triggers. Thus, it’s easy to personalize your emails.
- High Deliverability Rate: When you send your emails, you can be reasonably confident that they will be delivered due to the service’s 99% average deliverability rate. The smart send feature is also available to deliver emails at the right time for maximum engagement.
- A/B Testing Tool: To optimize your email campaign’s performance, HubSpot provides A/B testing tools. Beyond that, there are list-building features such as landing pages, forms, and more.
Pros:
- It provides more features beyond email marketing.
- Its CRM can help improve email personalization.
- The email editor is easy to use.
- It has high email deliverability rates.
Cons:
- Since it has so many features, accomplishing some tasks can be difficult.
- The top-tier plans may be too expensive for small businesses.
Pricing Plans:
- Starter: costs $50/month
- Professional: costs $890/month
- Enterprise: costs $3,200/month
- Refund Policy: 30-days
How to Save:
- By paying for your annual plan at once you will save 10%.
- See if your start-up is eligible for a massive discount.
2. Moosend
Best for Custom Integrations
Summary:
Moosend is a great fit for small businesses since it has a low cost compared to competition with similar features. There are hundreds of already available integrations, and they even allow you to create your own custom integration for your personal business needs.
Key Features:
- Automated Email Sequences: You can create many different types of automated email sequences.
- Templates: Moosend has automation templates for different purposes such as welcome emails, cart abandonment, upsells and cross-sells, and more.
- Audience Segmentation: Another similar feature is the ability to segment your list. Since your subscribers have different interests, you can segment them into various lists. Here, there are options to segment them according to contact activity, contact information, time, and other factors.
- Integrated Analytics: While running your email campaigns, Moosend provides analytics tools for your emails. For example, you can see how subscribers interact with emails and track performance.
Pros:
- It has robust automation features and templates.
- It is affordable.
- All plans come with unlimited emails.
- When you have issues, you can rest assured of their responsive customer support.
Cons:
- Importing CSV files is difficult.
- It has limited templates compared to competitors.
- There are design limitations in areas like their sign up forms.
Pricing Plans:
- Free Trial: 30-days
- Pro: starts at $9/month if you required less than 500 subscribers. It goes up as high as 25,000-50,000 subscribers starting at $315/month
- Enterprise: Requires a quote. (For 50,000+ subscribers)
How to Save:
- Select annual billing for a 20% discount.
3. Constant Contact
Summary:
For over 20 years, Constant Contact has been serving small and medium businesses. This tool has the basic email features that small businesses need to run their email marketing campaigns.
Key Features:
- List Building Tools: Such as landing pages, forms, and social media.
- Templates: Here, you’ll find over 200 templates for various uses. Then, the editor makes customization easy.
- Integrated Analytics: After sending your emails, there are analytic tools to measure metrics such as opens, click-throughs, forwards, social shares, and more. The forward and share buttons also help to promote your emails.
- Third Party Integrations: Constant Contact also has a huge library of integrations which makes it easy to connect with other marketing tools.
- Bonus Tools: Furthermore, Constant Contact has other tools such as online surveys, events, social campaigns, and more that work well with email marketing.
Pros:
- Easy to use.
- Has a high number of beautiful templates.
- Has a high number of integrations.
- It has great deliverability.
Cons:
- It has limited automation features.
- It has limited A/B testing features.
Pricing Plans:
- Core: starts at $9.99 /month
- Plus: starts at $45/month
How to Save:
- You can save up to 15% when you select annual billing.
- BONUS: If you are a nonprofit, if you select annual billing you can save up to 30%
4. GetResponse
Summary:
Although GetResponse started as an email marketing tool, it’s now an all-in-one marketing tool. In addition, this service has added the ability to create landing pages and even websites.
Key Features:
Automated Email Sequence: For email marketing, GetResponse has improved its automation capabilities. You can create complex automated email sequences to improve personalization. Furthermore, you can segment your lists based on different criteria.
List Building Tools: Another unique feature in GetResponse is the auto funnel feature. Here, you have landing pages, email templates, and sequences to generate sales. Moreso, if you own an ecommerce store, you’ll find integration with major ecommerce tools and other features that will help improve sales.
Improved Deliverability: Before sending your emails, you can see how your email will look across different email clients and also check the spam score. The spam score shows the probability of email clients seeing your email as spam.
Pros:
- The auto funnel feature allows you to execute many marketing tasks in your sales funnel.
- It has advanced automation features.
- It has advanced reporting features.
- It supports up to 27 languages that are suitable for an international audience.
Cons:
- You need to subscribe to higher plans to have access to automation.
- The split testing functionality is limited.
Pricing Plans:
- Free: $0/month
- Email Marketing: starts at $19/month.
- Marketing Automation: starts at $59/month
- Ecommerce Marketing: starts at $119/month
- Refund Policy: 30-days
How to Save:
- You can start with a 30-day free trial
- Choose a free plan (up to 500 contacts),
- Select Email Marketing 24-month plan, which turns out $13.30/month, at 30% off.
5. Pabbly
Key Features:
First, there are over 500 templates that help you create your emails.
Then, you can edit these emails on Pabbly’s drag-and-drop editor. Before you send your emails, you can preview them to see how recipients will receive them.
In this tool, you have the option to create automated email sequences for different purposes.
To improve deliverability, Pabbly removes invalid emails from your list using the MX cleaner. Hence, this tool has one of the highest deliverability rates for email marketing. When recipients fail to open your emails, Pabbly sends automatic follow-up emails to increase opens.
Pros:
- It has high email deliverability rates.
- It supports over 800 integrations.
Cons:
- The built-in SMTP server is complicated to use.
- There’s no mobile app.
Pricing Plans:
The plans include free, rookie which costs $24 monthly, pro which costs $41 monthly, and advanced which costs $83 monthly.
6. Gist
Gist is a tool with both marketing and support features. To create your emails, Gist has a simple editor that makes designing your emails easier. Beyond this, you can preview emails before sending them to your recipients.
Furthermore, you can create automated sequences that are triggered by various conditions. For instance, the sequence can be triggered by a subscriber visiting a web page or clicking on an email link.
Support tools like live chat and chatbots can help capture more leads on your website. Moreso, the chatbot can pre-qualify leads and book meetings with leads for your sales team.
Gist also allows you to create forms and popups to capture more leads.
Pricing Plans:
Its plans are free, professional which costs $19 monthly, and premium which costs $29 monthly.
Pros:
- Chatbots help to qualify leads.
- It has a comprehensive knowledge base.
- Its event tracker helps to understand visitors’ behavior on your website.
Cons:
- It has a limited number of integrations.
- Customer support can take a long time to respond.
7. ConvertKit
ConvertKit was created by creators for creators. Therefore, most features are available to help creators sell more of their products.
First, ConvertKit elevates simplicity in its email editor. This means an ecommerce platform will find this unsuitable. Then, the tool makes automated email drips easier with its drag-and-drop sequence builder.
Moreso, there are other features to help you build high-converting email sales funnels. Since ConvertKit’s email designs are simple, the deliverability rate is high.
Apart from emails, ConvertKit also has tools to create landing pages and forms for list building. To make the creation easier, there are well-designed templates for various purposes.
Pricing Plans:
The plans include free for up to 300 contacts, Creator for $9 monthly, and Creator Pro for $25 monthly. Those prices are for 300 subscribers.
Pros:
- It’s easy to create automated sequences with the drag-and-drop sequence builder.
- It provides advanced list segmentation options.
- It has high deliverability rates.
Cons:
- There are limited design options.
- There are limited reporting options.
8. MailerLite
If you’re just getting started with email marketing and you run a small business, then MailerLite may just be the email marketing service you need. First, it’s one of the best free email marketing software on the market. For instance, it allows you to do email marketing for up to 1,000 subscribers.
Another benefit you’ll love is that it’s easy to set up and perform vital tasks on this tool. For instance, you’ll find professional templates that you can edit using the intuitive drag-and-drop editor.
Furthermore, it’s easy to create automated email sequences for different purposes. Plus, you can segment your subscribers according to different criteria.
If you run an ecommerce store, this tool supports integrations that enhance the ability to track your subscriber’s actions on your store. One other aspect MalierLite shines is its deliverability. It has one of the best deliverability rates of any tool, so your emails will likely get to your subscribers.
If you’re on the paid plans, you have the ability to create landing pages and forms to capture more leads. Even when you run into issues, MailerLite has excellent customer support that’s both fast and helpful.
Pricing Plans:
The plans available are free, growing business which costs $9 monthly, advanced which costs $19 monthly, and enterprise, which is available on quote. Those prices are for 1,000 subscribers and will increase with your subscriber count.
Pros:
- It has a robust free plan.
- It’s easy to use.
- It has high deliverability rates.
- It has excellent customer support.
- The pricing is affordable.
Cons:
- The approval process is tough.
- It has basic reporting features.
- Some pro features are missing compared to their competitors.
- The top-tier plans may be too expensive for small businesses.
9. SendinBlue
If you run a small business on a budget, SendinBlue is one of your best options. For its affordability, it offers strong automation features. Beyond that, you have access to an intuitive email editor, which is easy to use for even a non-technical user.
Before you send emails, you can preview them to ensure all the elements are in place. Then, with its AI system, SendinBlue sends emails to your recipients at the best time for engagement.
Apart from email marketing, SendinBlue has a landing page builder to help you capture more leads. Furthermore, you can create Facebook ads (including retargeted ads) to nurture your subscribers.
During and after your campaigns, the robust reporting options on SendinBlue help you track metrics effectively. Finally, you get unlimited storage for data and images.
Pricing Plans:
The pricing plans include free, lite at $25 monthly, premium at $65, and enterprise on a quote.
Pros:
- It has a free plan with robust features.
- It’s easy to execute transactional emails and SMS marketing.
- It’s affordable.
Cons:
- The web application can be slow sometimes.
- There’s a sending limit on the free plan.
10. Omnisend
If you run an ecommerce store, this is one of the best email marketing software for ecommerce. First, you can integrate with the top ecommerce platforms.
Then, there are well-designed templates for different email campaigns. Omnisend also makes automation easy with pre-built ecommerce marketing automation sequences such as cart abandonment, cross-sell, welcome, and more.
For better personalization, Omnisend allows you to send relevant messages to subscribers according to their website browsing behavior. In addition, you can remarket to customers based on the website pages they view.
Apart from emails, Omnisend also allows you to execute SMS marketing, push notifications, and product recommendations.
Pricing:
Its plans include free, standard which costs $16 monthly and pro which costs $59.
Pros:
- It has marketing automation features for ecommerce brands.
- It’s easy to use.
- Its product picker makes it easy to insert product details into emails.
Cons:
- It’s only available in English.
- Apart from ecommerce, there are limited integrations.
What is email marketing?
Email marketing is the process of sending emails to your email subscribers to build trust with them and convert them into customers down the line. To achieve this ultimate goal, you can run different types of email campaigns for various purposes.
For instance, you can send welcome emails to new subscribers, educate subscribers about various aspects of your business and what benefits they can derive, send promotional offers to them, remind them about the cart they abandoned, and sell more products to current customers.
But without the right email marketing service, it’s almost impossible to achieve these benefits.
7 Must-have Email Marketing Features
Whatever business you do, whatever needs you to have, there are essential features that must be present in an email marketing tool. These features are vital to running an email marketing campaign.
Here are 7 must-have features:
1. Email automation capabilities
The era of sending messages to your subscribers without considering their interests is gone. Now, you have to send messages tailored to each subscriber.
An email tool must allow you to set up automated emails and their triggers.
2. High deliverability
What’s the point of your email campaigns if your messages don’t get to the intended recipients? Your email software must have processes in place to ensure high deliverability.
3. Relevant integrations
During marketing campaigns, many systems work together to turn a lead into a customer. Sometimes, you need to get more information about a subscriber from your CRM software.
Another time, you need to connect to your ecommerce platform. Therefore, your email marketing software must provide integrations to other vital marketing tools.
4. Intuitive user interface (easy to use)
Some users spend weeks before they can create emails properly with a tool that costs an arm and a leg. Do you want to be in such a frustrating situation? Enough said.
5. Email marketing templates
If you’re like most marketers, you’d rather watch paint dry than design emails from scratch. With this in mind, having access to different templates will make your life easier and save you time.
So, get a tool that has templates for your regular campaigns.
6. Robust reporting and analytics
Having robust analytics will help you track your email marketing campaign performance. In turn, you’ll obtain more insight into necessary changes for your future campaigns.
7. Responsive customer support
From time to time, you can encounter issues while using email marketing software. In such situations, you want fast and helpful customer support to resolve those issues.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best email marketing software for your business depends on your unique needs. Therefore, you need to define your needs first before hunting for a tool.
Then, since most of these tools have free plans or offer free trials, you can use the tool for a period before going for a paid plan. Go through this list, and you’ll find tools that will fit your current needs.
What’s your best email marketing software and why? Tell us in the comments!