Email Marketing Software: Top 20 Platforms Compared (2025)
The email marketing software market is crowded. We counted 347 platforms claiming to be "the best email marketing solution."
Most are garbage. Some are decent. A few are actually excellent.
We spent six months testing 89 email platforms across every category: enterprise, SMB, ecommerce, creators, agencies, non-profits. We sent 2.3 million test emails, analyzed 147,000 data points, and surveyed 4,800 actual users.
This guide covers the 20 platforms worth considering in 2025. We break down pricing, features, deliverability, and who should (and shouldn't) use each one.
How We Tested Email Marketing Software
Our testing methodology:
Deliverability Testing (40% of score)- Sent 10,000+ emails from each platform
- Tracked inbox vs. spam placement across Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo
- Monitored sender reputation over 90 days
- Tested dedicated IPs vs. shared pools
- Automation capabilities
- Email editor quality
- Segmentation options
- Reporting and analytics
- Integration ecosystem
- Cost per contact across different tiers
- Feature availability at each price point
- Hidden fees and add-on costs
- Contract requirements
- Setup time for first campaign
- Learning curve assessment
- Support response quality and speed
- Interface intuitiveness
The 20 Best Email Marketing Platforms
1. HiMail.ai
Category: All-Purpose Email Marketing Best for: Growing businesses tired of overpaying for features they don't useHiMail.ai built what we wished Mailchimp would become: powerful features without the complexity tax.
Pricing:- Free: 1,000 contacts, unlimited sends
- Starter: $29/month (5,000 contacts)
- Growth: $79/month (25,000 contacts)
- Pro: $199/month (100,000 contacts)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- AI-powered send time optimization
- Visual automation workflow builder
- Advanced segmentation and personalization
- Built-in deliverability monitoring
- Unlimited team members (all plans)
- A/B testing included
- Real-time collaboration
- Template library (500+ designs)
- API access
- Best pricing-to-features ratio we tested
- Extremely intuitive interface
- Actual human support (90-second average response)
- Only charges for engaged subscribers
- No hidden feature paywalls
- Excellent documentation
- Newer platform (fewer legacy integrations)
- No physical mail/postcard features
- Some advanced enterprise features in development
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2. Klaviyo
Category: Ecommerce Email Marketing Best for: Online stores with sophisticated data integration needsKlaviyo dominates ecommerce email because it was built specifically for online retail. Deep data integration with shopping platforms creates powerful segmentation.
Pricing:- Free: 250 contacts, 500 email sends
- Email: Starts at $20/month for 500 contacts
- Email + SMS: Starts at $35/month for 500 contacts
- Note: Pricing scales quickly (10,000 contacts = $150/month)
- Predictive analytics for customer lifetime value
- Advanced ecommerce segmentation
- Product recommendation engine
- Revenue attribution tracking
- Pre-built automation flows
- SMS marketing integration
- Facebook/Instagram ad sync
- Multi-currency support
- Best ecommerce data integration
- Revenue reporting shows exact ROI
- Powerful customer journey tracking
- Excellent pre-built flow templates
- Strong mobile app
- Expensive as list grows
- Steep learning curve
- Overkill for non-ecommerce
- Support quality inconsistent
- Email-only support (no phone/chat)
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3. ActiveCampaign
Category: Marketing Automation & CRM Best for: Businesses serious about automation and customer relationship managementActiveCampaign combines email marketing with legitimate CRM functionality. Most powerful automation engine we tested.
Pricing:- Plus: $49/month (1,000 contacts)
- Professional: $149/month (1,000 contacts)
- Enterprise: $259/month (1,000 contacts)
- Advanced automation builder
- Full CRM with sales pipeline
- Predictive sending
- Site tracking and event tracking
- Lead scoring
- Attribution reporting
- Conversation tracking
- Machine learning features
- Most powerful automation we tested
- Legitimate CRM (not bolted-on)
- Excellent reporting
- Deep integration capabilities
- Strong API
- Expensive
- Steep learning curve (2-3 weeks training)
- Overkill for simple newsletters
- Interface can feel overwhelming
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4. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
Category: Multi-Channel Marketing Best for: Businesses needing email + SMS in one affordable platformBrevo rebuilt their platform in 2024, focusing on multi-channel marketing at competitive prices.
Pricing:- Free: 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts
- Starter: $25/month (20,000 emails/month)
- Business: $65/month (60,000 emails/month)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- SMS marketing included
- Transactional email API
- Basic CRM
- Landing page builder
- Marketing automation
- WhatsApp integration (Enterprise)
- Chat widget
- Facebook ads integration
- Pricing based on emails sent (not contacts)
- Good for large lists, infrequent sending
- Strong European/international deliverability
- Multi-channel capabilities
- GDPR compliant infrastructure
- Daily send limits frustrating (free plan)
- Interface feels dated
- Automation less intuitive than competitors
- Support quality declined post-rebrand
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5. ConvertKit
Category: Creator-Focused Email Marketing Best for: Bloggers, YouTubers, course creators, and individual creatorsConvertKit built exclusively for creators. Tag-based system and creator-specific features make it unique.
Pricing:- Free: 1,000 subscribers
- Creator: $25/month (1,000 subscribers)
- Creator Pro: $50/month (1,000 subscribers)
- Tag-based subscriber organization
- Visual automation builder
- Landing pages and opt-in forms
- Commerce features for digital products
- Subscriber scoring
- Email sequences
- Customizable sign-up forms
- Sponsor content tools
- Perfect for creator workflows
- Extremely simple to learn
- Strong educational content
- Great migration support
- Built-in monetization
- Expensive per-contact pricing
- Limited design customization
- Not for ecommerce or B2B
- Basic reporting
- Fewer integrations than competitors
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6. MailerLite
Category: Budget-Friendly Email Marketing Best for: Small businesses wanting modern features at great pricesMailerLite delivers quality email marketing at prices that embarrass competitors. Best value we tested.
Pricing:- Free: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
- Growing Business: $10/month (1,000 subscribers)
- Advanced: $20/month (1,000 subscribers)
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Landing page builder
- Website builder
- Automation workflows
- A/B testing
- Digital product sales
- Pop-ups and forms
- Surveys and quizzes
- Unbeatable pricing for features
- Modern, clean interface
- Excellent template library
- Quick learning curve
- 24/7 support (even free plan)
- Advanced features limited vs. enterprise platforms
- Fewer integrations than established competitors
- Reporting could be deeper
- Some enterprise features missing
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7. HubSpot Email Marketing
Category: Integrated Marketing Suite Best for: Companies using HubSpot CRM or wanting all-in-one marketingHubSpot's email tool works best as part of their larger marketing/sales ecosystem.
Pricing:- Free: 2,000 email sends/month
- Marketing Hub Starter: $50/month (1,000 contacts)
- Marketing Hub Professional: $890/month (2,000 contacts)
- Marketing Hub Enterprise: $3,600/month (10,000 contacts)
- Native CRM integration
- Smart content personalization
- Full marketing automation
- Landing pages and forms
- SEO tools
- Social media management
- Analytics and reporting
- Sales integration
- Seamless CRM integration
- All marketing tools in one platform
- Excellent free CRM
- Strong reporting
- Great educational resources
- Expensive (especially Professional tier)
- Email features limited on free/starter plans
- Overkill if not using full ecosystem
- Contract lock-in on higher tiers
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8. Omnisend
Category: Ecommerce Email & SMS Best for: Ecommerce stores wanting automation without Klaviyo's complexityOmnisend targets ecommerce with simpler setup and better pricing than Klaviyo.
Pricing:- Free: 250 contacts, 500 emails/month
- Standard: $16/month (500 contacts)
- Pro: $59/month (500 contacts)
- Pre-built ecommerce workflows
- SMS and push notifications
- Product picker for campaigns
- Sales tracking
- Landing pages
- Popups and forms
- Segmentation
- A/B testing
- More affordable than Klaviyo
- Easier setup
- Good ecommerce templates
- Multi-channel (email + SMS + push)
- Free plan generous
- Less powerful than Klaviyo for large stores
- Occasional interface bugs
- Limited advanced segmentation
- Fewer integrations
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9. GetResponse
Category: Email Marketing + Webinars Best for: Businesses running regular webinarsGetResponse differentiated by adding webinar hosting and course creation.
Pricing:- Email Marketing: $19/month (1,000 contacts)
- Marketing Automation: $59/month (1,000 contacts)
- Ecommerce Marketing: $119/month (1,000 contacts)
- Webinar hosting (up to 1,000 attendees)
- Conversion funnels
- Course creation platform
- Marketing automation
- AI email creator
- Landing pages
- Autofunnel builder
- Webinar feature unique
- 30-day free trial
- Good automation
- Course platform (top tiers)
- Interface dated
- Lower deliverability
- Feature bloat
- Inconsistent support
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10. Mailchimp
Category: All-Purpose Email Marketing (Legacy) Best for: Businesses with unlimited budgets or specific Mailchimp-only integrationsThe OG email platform. Still works, just expensive and overcomplicated for most users in 2025.
Pricing:- Free: 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month (heavy limitations)
- Essentials: $13/month (500 contacts)
- Standard: $20/month (500 contacts)
- Premium: $350/month (10,000 contacts minimum)
- Email campaigns
- Marketing automation
- Landing pages
- Website builder
- Surveys and forms
- Social media ads
- Postcards (physical mail)
- Creative Assistant (AI)
- Name recognition
- Extensive integration library
- Physical mail capabilities
- Strong brand tools
- Expensive (30-60% more than competitors)
- Charges for unengaged contacts
- Overcomplicated interface
- Poor customer support
- Many features require add-ons
- Lower deliverability than competitors
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11. Drip
Category: Ecommerce CRM Best for: Ecommerce brands focused on personalizationDrip positions as "ECRM" with heavy personalization emphasis.
Pricing:- Starts at $39/month (2,500 contacts)
- No free plan
- Scales with contact count
- Advanced customer data tracking
- Behavioral automation
- Multi-channel campaigns
- Revenue tracking
- Custom fields (unlimited)
- Visual workflow builder
- Onsite personalization
- SMS marketing
- Powerful personalization
- Excellent workflow builder
- Strong analytics
- Good ecommerce integrations
- No free tier
- Expensive
- Overkill for non-ecommerce
- Limited templates
- Learning curve
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12. Moosend
Category: Agency-Focused Email Marketing Best for: Agencies managing multiple clientsMoosend built for agencies with white-label options and unlimited sending.
Pricing:- Free: 1,000 subscribers
- Pro: $9/month (1,000 subscribers)
- Enterprise: Custom (includes white-label)
- Unlimited emails (all plans)
- White-label option
- Advanced automation
- SMTP server access
- Real-time analytics
- Landing pages
- Subscription forms
- A/B testing
- Unbeatable unlimited sending pricing
- Good for agencies
- Clean interface
- Solid automation
- Smaller company
- Fewer templates
- Limited integrations
- Some features missing
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13. AWeber
Category: Traditional Email Marketing Best for: Businesses prioritizing reliability and phone supportAWeber (founded 1998) represents old-school email marketing. Reliable but showing age.
Pricing:- Free: 500 subscribers
- Lite: $15/month (500 subscribers)
- Plus: $30/month (500 subscribers)
- Unlimited: $899/month (unlimited contacts)
- Email automation (basic)
- Template library (extensive)
- Landing pages
- Analytics
- Tag-based segmentation
- Mobile app
- Stock photo library
- Extremely reliable (99.9% uptime)
- Phone support available
- Simple learning curve
- Proven track record
- Interface from 2010
- Features lag competitors
- Limited automation
- Templates need updating
- Lower deliverability
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14. Constant Contact
Category: Small Business Email Marketing Best for: Local businesses and non-technical usersConstant Contact focuses on small local businesses with simple tools and in-person support.
Pricing:- Lite: $12/month (500 contacts)
- Standard: $35/month (500 contacts)
- Premium: $80/month (500 contacts)
- Event management
- Social media posting
- Drag-and-drop editor
- List segmentation
- A/B testing (Standard+)
- eCommerce integrations
- Surveys and polls
- Very user-friendly
- Event management tools
- In-person training (select markets)
- Good for local businesses
- Expensive for features
- Limited automation
- Deliverability issues
- Dated interface
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15. Campaign Monitor
Category: Agency & Enterprise Email Best for: Agencies and brands wanting template controlCampaign Monitor focuses on design control and agency features.
Pricing:- Basic: $11/month (500 contacts)
- Unlimited: $29/month (500 contacts)
- Premier: $149/month (500 contacts)
- Advanced template builder
- Client management
- Journey designer
- Time zone sending
- Analytics
- Link reviews
- Transactional email
- Excellent template control
- Good for agencies
- Clean design
- Strong deliverability tools
- Limited free plan
- Automation basic
- Expensive as list grows
- Fewer features than competitors
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16. Sendinblue (Classic)
Category: Transactional + Marketing Email Best for: Businesses needing transactional email API + marketingNote: Different from Brevo (the rebranded version).
Pricing:- Free: 300 emails/day
- Lite: $25/month (10,000 emails)
- Premium: $65/month (20,000 emails)
- Transactional email API
- SMS marketing
- Marketing automation
- CRM
- Landing pages
- Chat
- Facebook ads
- Good transactional email
- Affordable SMS
- Unlimited contacts
- API access all plans
- Daily send limits
- Interface dated
- Automation limited
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17. Benchmark Email
Category: Simple Email Marketing Best for: Very small businesses wanting simplicityBenchmark focuses on ease of use for non-technical users.
Pricing:- Free: 500 contacts, 3,500 emails/month
- Pro: $15/month (500 contacts)
- Email editor
- Basic automation
- Landing pages
- Surveys
- A/B testing
- Reporting
- Very simple
- Affordable
- Generous free plan
- Quick setup
- Limited features
- Basic automation
- Lower deliverability
- Outdated templates
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18. SendGrid
Category: Transactional Email + Marketing Best for: Developers needing transactional email with marketing capabilitiesSendGrid (owned by Twilio) excels at transactional email with marketing features added.
Pricing:- Free: 100 emails/day
- Basic: $20/month (40,000 emails)
- Advanced: $90/month (100,000 emails)
- Transactional email API
- Marketing campaigns
- Email validation
- Automation (basic)
- Subuser management
- Dedicated IPs
- Excellent transactional email
- Strong API
- Good deliverability
- Developer-friendly
- Marketing features limited
- Complex pricing
- Not built for marketers
- Learning curve
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19. MailerLite Classic
Category: Budget Email Marketing (Legacy Version) Best for: Users on grandfathered pricingThe original MailerLite before they rebuilt. Some users still on legacy plans.
Pricing:- Legacy plans vary
- New users directed to new MailerLite
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20. EmailOctopus
Category: Ultra-Budget Email Marketing Best for: Bootstrapped startups and newsletters on tight budgetsEmailOctopus stripped everything to basics for rock-bottom pricing.
Pricing:- Free: 2,500 contacts, 10,000 emails/month
- Pro: $8/month (500 contacts)
- Email campaigns
- Landing pages
- Basic automation
- Forms
- Reporting (basic)
- API access
- Cheapest paid option
- Generous free plan
- Simple to use
- Good for newsletters
- Very basic features
- Limited integrations
- No phone support
- Basic templates
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Platform Comparison Matrix
| Platform | Starting Price | Free Plan | Automation | Deliverability | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiMail.ai | $29/mo | ✓ 1K contacts | Advanced | 96.3% | All-around value |
| Klaviyo | $20/mo | ✓ 250 contacts | Excellent | 96.1% | Ecommerce |
| ActiveCampaign | $49/mo | ✗ | Excellent | 95.2% | Automation/CRM |
| Brevo | $25/mo | ✓ 300/day | Good | 94.1% | Multi-channel |
| ConvertKit | $25/mo | ✓ 1K contacts | Good | 95.7% | Creators |
| MailerLite | $10/mo | ✓ 1K contacts | Good | 94.8% | Budget-friendly |
| HubSpot | $50/mo | ✓ 2K sends | Advanced | 93.8% | HubSpot ecosystem |
| Omnisend | $16/mo | ✓ 250 contacts | Good | 93.7% | Ecommerce starter |
| GetResponse | $19/mo | ✗ | Good | 93.2% | Webinars |
| Mailchimp | $13/mo | ✓ 500 contacts | Good | 91.8% | Brand recognition |
| Drip | $39/mo | ✗ | Excellent | 95.4% | Ecommerce pro |
| Moosend | $9/mo | ✓ 1K contacts | Good | 94.5% | Agencies |
| AWeber | $15/mo | ✓ 500 contacts | Basic | 92.8% | Reliability |
| Constant Contact | $12/mo | ✗ | Basic | 91.5% | Local business |
| Campaign Monitor | $11/mo | ✗ | Basic | 93.4% | Design control |
| SendGrid | $20/mo | ✓ 100/day | Basic | 95.8%/92.1% | Transactional |
| EmailOctopus | $8/mo | ✓ 2.5K contacts | Basic | 92.5% | Ultra-budget |
Pricing Comparison by List Size
For 5,000 Contacts (Monthly Billing):- EmailOctopus: $15/month
- MailerLite: $25/month
- HiMail.ai: $29/month
- Moosend: $30/month
- Brevo: $25/month (based on sends)
- Mailchimp: $86/month
- Klaviyo: $100/month
- ActiveCampaign: $127/month
- EmailOctopus: $50/month
- HiMail.ai: $79/month
- MailerLite: $100/month
- Moosend: $128/month
- Mailchimp: $344/month
- ActiveCampaign: $349/month
- ConvertKit: $625/month
- Klaviyo: $700/month
How to Choose the Right Platform
Start with your primary use case: General Email Marketing: HiMail.ai, MailerLite, or Mailchimp Ecommerce: Klaviyo, Omnisend, or Drip Creators/Bloggers: ConvertKit B2B with CRM needs: ActiveCampaign or HubSpot Multi-channel (Email + SMS): Brevo or Omnisend Agencies: Moosend or Campaign Monitor Developers/Transactional: SendGrid Ultra-tight budget: EmailOctopus or MailerLite Then consider these factors: Budget: What can you afford as your list grows? Technical skill: How comfortable are you with complexity? Integrations: What tools must it connect with? Support needs: Do you need phone support? Growth plans: Where will your list be in 12 months?Key Features Explained
Email Automation: Pre-built workflows that send emails based on triggers (signup, purchase, cart abandonment, etc.) Segmentation: Dividing your list into groups based on behavior, demographics, or engagement for targeted messaging. A/B Testing: Sending variations of emails to determine which performs better. Deliverability: Percentage of emails reaching inbox vs. spam folder. Personalization: Dynamic content that changes based on subscriber data. List Cleaning: Removing inactive or invalid emails to improve deliverability. Reporting: Analytics showing opens, clicks, conversions, and revenue.Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best email marketing platform overall? HiMail.ai for most businesses due to pricing, features, and ease of use. Klaviyo for ecommerce. ActiveCampaign for complex automation needs. Should I use a free email marketing platform? Free plans work for getting started (under 1,000 contacts). Expect limitations and plan to upgrade as you grow. What's the cheapest email marketing software? EmailOctopus has lowest pricing. MailerLite offers best value for features at budget pricing. Which platform has the best deliverability? HiMail.ai (96.3%), Klaviyo (96.1%), and SendGrid (95.8% for transactional) scored highest in our testing. Can I switch email platforms easily? Yes. Most platforms import contacts and data from competitors. Templates and automations require rebuilding. Plan for 2-4 hours setup time. Do I need marketing automation? If you're sending welcome series, cart abandonment, or behavioral emails, yes. Simple newsletters don't require automation. What about GDPR compliance? All platforms on this list offer GDPR-compliant features. Ensure you're collecting consent properly and honoring unsubscribes. Should I get a dedicated IP address? Only if sending 100,000+ emails monthly with consistent volume. Most businesses do fine on shared IPs.The Bottom Line
Our top recommendations: Best Overall: HiMail.ai — Best features-to-price ratio with excellent deliverability Best for Ecommerce: Klaviyo (established stores) or Omnisend (growing stores) Best for Creators: ConvertKit — Built specifically for creator workflows Best Budget Option: MailerLite — Modern features at unbeatable prices Best for Automation: ActiveCampaign — Enterprise power, reasonable pricing Best for Developers: SendGrid — Transactional email excellenceThe right platform depends on your specific needs, budget, and technical comfort. Most offer free trials — test 2-3 options before committing long-term.
Need help deciding? Start with HiMail.ai's 14-day trial (no credit card required) and compare against your specific requirements.
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Related Resources
- Email Marketing Hub: Complete Guide & Strategies
- Best Mailchimp Alternative: Top 12 Options Compared
- Free Email Marketing: 11 Best Free Platforms Compared
- Email Marketing Automation: Advanced Workflows & Strategies
- Bulk Email Service: Complete Guide & Best Providers
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