Selecting the right email service provider (ESP) ensures you have the tools and capabilities to grow a thriving mailing list. With so many options, it can be tricky to determine which solution best fits your needs.
In this guide, we’ll compare the pros and cons of 6 of the most popular ESPs on the market to consider for list-building and email marketing:
1- Mailchimp
Pros:
– Generous and fully-featured free tier for up to 2,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month. Easy to get started.
– Intuitive drag-and-drop email designer and automation workflows for beginners. Pre-designed templates available.
– Deep integrations and plugins for major ecommerce platforms, CRMs, marketing tools etc.
– Strong analytics for monitoring campaign and list performance. A/B testing capabilities.
– High deliverability with advanced tools to maximize inbox placement.
– Excellent educational resources and responsive customer support.
Cons:
– Steep pricing jump after free tier requiring upgrade to paid plan for more subscribers or features.
– Reporting can be complicated for new users. May need Mailchimp expertise to extract insights.
– Limited personalization capabilities compared to other ESPs.
– Require credit card even for free account.
2- ConvertKit
Pros:
– Made specifically for bloggers and digital creatives. Easy-to-use workflows.
– No subscriber limits for email sequences on paid tiers. Send unlimited automated emails.
– Landing page and form builder to convert traffic into list signups.
– Ability to tag subscribers based on behaviors for targeted email segments.
– Great educational blog content on email strategy for beginners. Active Facebook community.
– 30-day refund policy if not satisfied.
Cons:
– Cannot send bulk emails to your whole list, only sequences. Need to pay more for unlimited broadcasts.
– Must link custom domain to remove ConvertKit branding.
– Relatively small template selection compared to competitors.
– Integrations are more limited beyond the core blog platforms.
3- AWeber
Pros:
– Quick simple signup and onboarding process. Intuitive interface.
– Set up unlimited custom signup forms for your site, landing pages, and social channels.
– Autoresponders and segmented broadcasts based on user behaviors and attributes.
– Automations for things like post notifications, RSS-to-email, welcome sequences etc.
– Seamless WordPress integration.
– Solid deliverability and compliance for valid inboxes.
Cons:
– Must pay for certain features like A/B testing that are free in other ESPs. Can get pricy.
– Support is primarily self-serve through knowledge base documentation.
– Mobile app needs a smoother user experience.
– Analytics lack more advanced features offered by some competitors.
4- Constant Contact
Pros:
– All-in-one platform also includes website builder, ecommerce store, event promotion, and marketing CRM.
– Drag-and-drop editor and great selection of customizable templates.
– Simplified reports if you find analytics overwhelming. Focus on key metrics.
– Round-the-clock customer support via phone, chat, and email.
– Competitive pricing, especially for simplified needs.
Cons:
– Primarily tailored to traditional small businesses unlike niche ESPs aimed at digital entrepreneurs.
– Limited capability for complex, multivariate testing compared to tools like Mailchimp.
– Email deliverability lags behind top providers like SendGrid according to some experts.
– Requires interaction with sales team even for free trial. Can feel pushy.
5- Drip
Pros:
– Specialized specifically for marketers vs general usage. Advanced targeting and personalization.
– Workflows support highly customized sequences and complex funnels.
– Ecommerce-focused features like abandoned cart automations. Integrates with ecommerce platforms.
– Full analytics suite for deeper data insights – metrics on emails, funnels, landing pages, forms etc.
– Generous free trial period to test capabilities with smaller lists.
Cons:
– Steep learning curve compared to simpler ESPs. Best suited for experienced marketers.
– Limited pre-designed templates. Mostly require custom coding.
– Support lacks phone channel – email and chat only.
– Must pay more than competitors for certain features like A/B testing.
6- Brevo (Previously SendinBlue)
Pros:
– Free tier allows 300 emails per day, enough for most starting blogs. Unlimited contacts.
– Intuitive drag-and-drop editor with many mobile-optimized templates.
– Advanced automation with if/then workflow logic and user event triggers.
– Deep analytics on subscribers, campaigns, mail performance etc.
– High security and compliance standards as a top consideration.
– Solid deliverability using machine learning and engagement-based algorithms.
Cons:
– Lacks some speciality features like multivariate or behavioral testing that marketers may want.
– Must pay extra for personalization capabilities.
– Support options are more limited compared to rivals.
– If exceeding 300 daily emails, paid plans cost more than competitors.
The best ESP depends on your specific audience, needs and experience level. All of these providers can help you successfully build an engaged mailing list – evaluate them against your budget and feature must-haves. Their free tiers let you easily test options at the start.