With so many different email marketing platforms out there, trying to decipher which to choose can be confusing and overwhelming. Luckily, we’ve tried out a bunch so you don’t have to, and we’re happy to pass along our findings. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses, so you may end up using different platforms based on your different campaign needs and goals. Here’s a rundown of some of the most popular platforms out there (including some affiliate links).
The Good:
Klaviyo is a great platform for businesses of any size. They offer deep integration with e-commerce platforms and can capture a wide range of customer data for precise targeting. Their advanced segmentation capabilities allow for highly personalized marketing campaigns and have powerful automation tools for creating complex customer journeys and workflows. In terms of analytics, their reporting is robust and detailed to measure campaign performance and customer behaviour. Overall, their scalability potential is great, especially for larger enterprises.
The Bad:
Because Klaviyo offers so much, beginner email builders may find the learning curve to be steeper compared to other platforms. In terms of cost, you get what you pay for - their extensive features do come with a higher price tag, and some users have reported that their customer service response times can be longer than desired.
Final Verdict:
Klaviyo is ideal for established businesses with higher budgets looking for deep data integration and advanced segmentation.
Explore the platform here.
The Good:
Iterable uses an intuitive interface and easy-to-use drag-and-drop builders for emails and workflows. Like Omnisend, it’s a Multi-Channel platform supporting email, SMS, push notifications, direct mail (and more) for simple streamlining of outgoing communications, and integrates well with a wide range of tools and platforms, making it flexible for various tech stacks. The platform offers advanced personalization capabilities, including dynamic content and predictive analytics, and has generally positive reviews for customer support and onboarding assistance.
The Bad:
Similar to Klaviyo, the extensive offerings and capabilities do come at a higher price point which could pose a barrier to entry for smaller businesses on tight budgets, and could potentially be too complex for those with simpler marketing needs. Some users have also found limitations regarding their customization capabilities and advanced analytics reporting, and irregular updates from an e-commerce standpoint, not always providing the most accurate or up-to-date data.
Final Verdict: Iterable is great for design, best-suited for enterprises needing comprehensive multi-channel capabilities and advanced personalization.
Explore the platform here.
The Good:
MailChimp is well-known for being user-friendly and including a free plan, making it popular amongst emerging businesses. It offers a wide range of customizable email templates with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor, and easily integrates with many third-party tools and platforms. It also provides a variety of marketing tools beyond just email, like social media ads and landing pages creators.
The Bad:
Compared to other platforms with more specialized tools, MailChimp's automation features are relatively basic. Plans increase in price along with the contact lists and access to more advanced features, and analytics reporting, while adequate for basic needs, are not as advanced as some of its competitors.When it comes to customer support it seems you get what you pay for, as some users have reported it being somewhat limited especially on lower-tier plans.
Final Verdict:
This platform is best suited for small businesses who are just starting out with small email lists and low budgets.
Explore the platform here.
The Good:
SendGrid has a strong reputation for high email deliverability rates, with infrastructure specifically designed to ensure that emails reach recipients’ inboxes rather than their spam folders. It offers a plethora of customizable email templates using a drag-and-drop editor, is great at handling large email volumes and easily integrates with various applications, making it a flexible and developer-friendly platform. SendGrid provides detailed analytics and reporting features, allowing users to track email performance using key metrics.
The Bad:
The platform is priced accordingly for the advanced features it offers which could be a deterrent for customers on a tighter budget. While powerful, SendGrid may have a steeper learning curve for less experienced users, and the template customization options may be too limited for those needing highly customized designs. The level of customer support available seems to vary depending on the price point of your plan, meaning those with lower-tier plans may have limited access to live support.
Final Verdict:
SendGrid is best-suited for those with more experience and for whom deliverability reliability is an issue or concern.
Explore the platform here.
The Good:
Constant Contact is known for its simple and user-friendly interface, making it a great option for those with little technical expertise or experience. Similar to other beginner-friendly platforms, it offers a wide range of email templates with a drag-and-drop editor, and integrates well with various third-party tools and applications, including eCommerce platforms, social media and CRM systems. The platform includes unique features like event management tools, allowing users to create and manage events, send invitations, and track RSVPs, and provides top-tier customer support via phone and live chat and extensive online resources such as tutorials and webinars.
The Bad:
Constant Contact can be more expensive compared to some of its competitors, especially for those with large email lists or requiring advanced features. Both its email automation and customization levels are on the more basic side, which those with more complex needs may find too limiting. Despite the range of templates available, some users find them less flexible and customizable compared to other platforms. The platform has a solid set of features, but may lack some of the advanced options and integrations offered by other platforms, particularly for the needs of larger businesses, and while generally reliable, some users have reported occasional issues with email deliverability, which can impact the effectiveness of campaigns.
Final Verdict:
Constant Contact is best-suited for those looking to manage events and/or who enjoy attentive customer support and additional resources.
Explore the platform here.
The Good:
Omnisend has an extremely user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop email template builders and preset automated workflows, making it a great choice for the email-building novice. Designed with e-commerce businesses in mind, it integrates seamlessly with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce. It also offers tools for personalized communications as well as form creation capabilities to easily and effectively collect first-party data. The platform supports email, SMS, push notifications and more and, to cap it all off, they offer great customer support encouraging feedback to help them better serve their customers.
The Bad:
For all its pros, Omnisend does have quite a few flaws. When it comes to their reporting capabilities, Omnisend does leave something to be desired, with many users finding them less comprehensive when compared with other platforms. While their drag-and-drop templates are user-friendly, they don’t offer many options for customization, which may limit your overall build capabilities. When it comes to designing for mobile, there is no way to see your mobile layout vs. desktop and, perhaps the biggest sticking point, Omnisend struggles to determine which type of device users are viewing the email on, and rather than showing a singular default version, the user ends up seeing both versions at once. It also has limited capabilities when it comes to automated flows. Once users have been entered you can no longer make any changes, making it difficult to build any automated long-term email programs. If you’re big on split testing, Omnisend may not be for you as it only allows for content-based split tests and does not offer send-time testing. Lastly, there is no way to organize sent emails or drafts into subfolders by campaign or what have you. If you are a larger enterprise, you may find it difficult to scale using Omnisend due to all its limitations.
Final Verdict:
Omnisend is best-suited for e-commerce companies who could benefit from their business integrations and ability to track email-related sales and website activity, as long as they don’t need any type of long-term automations.
Explore the platform here.
In summary, if you need a platform that is best for…
We would also like to reiterate that this list is not exhaustive. We still recommend taking the time to evaluate your or your client's needs and doing some of your own research before deciding on one platform.
