Email marketing is an evergreen marketing tool with proven returns.
But you need the best email marketing services to create result-oriented email campaigns, workflows, and newsletters. Unless you have these services, you can’t hope to precision-focus your messaging and reach the right eyes and ears.
But the marketplace is saturated with service providers that over-promise and under-deliver, that too with a hefty price tag. And nobody has the time to take trial runs of each tool in order to evaluate them accurately.
So, how can you simplify your tool search, without blowing up your marketing budget or brand reputation?
Just check out the best email marketing services we’ve covered in this post, and compare them objectively to find your best fit.
Ready to get started?
Then, let’s dive in.
Disclaimer: This content contains some affiliate links for which we will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you). This is to ensure that we can keep creating free content for you.
Table of Contents
10 Best Email Marketing Services and Tools: The Ultimate List
Finding the best email marketing service or tool need not be a painstaking task.
And it won’t be if you have features and costs of top services laid out side by side for easy comparison.
That’s exactly what we have tried to accomplish with this roundup. So, read our review carefully and identify the best email marketing services for all your marketing needs.
1. HubSpot
Image via HubSpot
HubSpot is the undisputed leader in marketing automation, so it’s hardly surprising that they have the best email marketing services in town.
HubSpot allows you to design and deliver professional-looking emails, without any IT or design experience.
But where HubSpot really excels is at building email workflows. Being an all-in-one automation platform, their email and CRM modules work closely to create workflows tailored to each subscriber’s unique needs and interests. Needless to say, such personalized emails get guaranteed clicks and opens.
Is that all?
No. Their handy mapping tool presents each subscriber’s journey visually so you know exactly what kind of workflows can get them to convert.
Not only that, their email delivery, scheduling, and tracking capabilities are top notch. Plus, they take data protection and user privacy very seriously, helping you meet GDPR requirements.
Key Features
- Drag-and-drop email editor
- Goal-focused templates
- Contact segmentation
- User journey mapping
- A/B testing
Pros
- Full-featured with integrated CRM and opt-in forms
- Reliable email deliverability
- Supports for 6 languages
- Free for up to 2K emails monthly
- Extensive learning academy
Cons
- Branded emails available in paid plans
- Limited support and templates in free plan
- A/B testing absent in free plan
- External app integration needed for abandoned cart emails
Usability
- User-friendly interface, compatible with mobiles and desktops
Tool Level
- Intermediate to expert
Price
- Free– for upto 2K emails per month
- Upgrades – starting from $50 per month
2. Constant Contact
Image via Constant Contact
Next on our list of best email marketing services is Constant Contact. It matches HubSpot neck to neck in email designing, workflows, tracking, and personalization.
But there are other areas where it outperforms most email marketing services.
Like what?
It lets you create sustaining customer relationships by going beyond basic email marketing. Their powerful integrations enable you to keep customers engaged through polls, events, and donations.
Contact management is a breeze with Constant Contact. It lets you import contact lists from Excel, Outlook, or other sources with a single click.
Then, it builds consolidated lists by combining contacts from your website, phonebook, social, and in-person meetings so that you leave no conversion opportunity unexplored.
What else?
Their ecommerce friendly email marketing is designed to help grow your online business. Their powerful tools can help you find new customers and upsell to existing customers.
Key Features
- Smart email editor
- Contact segmentation
- Email personalization
- Varied workflows – welcome, triggered, scheduled, targeted, etc.
- Automatic resend emails
- List building tools
- Dynamic sign-up forms
- Email tracking and reporting
- A/B testing of subject lines
Pros
- First month free with all plans
- Responsive and customizable templates
- Staggered pricing for users with different needs
- Advanced features in basic plan (A/B testing, tracking, etc.)
- Equal support with all plans
Cons
- Sluggish dashboard
- Dicey testing
- No free plan
Usability
- It’s easy to use, with proactive support via phone, chat, marketing advisor, and learning center.
Tool Level
- Intermediate
Price
- Email – $20 per month (for 3 users)
- Email Plus – $45 per month (for 10 users)
3. GetResponse
Image via Freshworks
GetResponse deserves to be on our list of best email marketing services for many reasons.
Like what?
It’s an all-in-one email marketing solution, with slick templates, robust design tools, and proven email deliverability.
Plus it is tailor made for ecommerce marketers who can integrate their product catalogs into the software seamlessly. It can create dynamic emails with smart product recommendations and related products.
Want to know the best part?
GetResponse simplifies omnichannel marketing by allowing you to promote webinars, landing pages, and online stores via emails, without leaving their platform.
Key Features
- Email automation
- Contact segmentation
- Dynamic content
- Autoresponders
- Email Scheduling
- Analytics
- ecommerce-friendly workflows
- Split testing
- Shoppable messages
Pros
- Intuitive interface
- Free templates library
- Advanced analytics
- Slick sign-up forms
- Affordably priced
- Free 30-day trial
- Comprehensive support (email and 24×7 chat)
Cons
- No SMTP server
- Only 1 newsletter template
- Slow contact import
- Hard-to-edit templates
Usability
- It’s easy to use, even for beginners. It has a mobile app to send emails on the go.
Tool Level
- Intermediate
Price
- BASIC – $15 per month
- PLUS – $49 per month
- PROFESSIONAL – $99 per month
- MAX – customized as needed
The above prices are on monthly billing for 1,000 contacts. A discount of 18% and 30% is available on yearly and two-yearly billing respectively.
4. Sendinblue
Image via Sendinblue
Sendinblue is a full-service marketing platform that helps businesses build better customer relationships via email marketing, CRM, Facebook ads, SMS, chat, and marketing automation.
Robust features and pocket-friendly price make Sendinblue one of the best email marketing services around.
But the versatile platform’s real strength lies in its email tracking and deliverability. You can track sent emails in real-time and access granular insights via the Sendinblue Tracker code.
What else?
With a sending mechanism powered by machine learning, Sendinblue ensures your emails are sent at the right time and get maximum engagement.
Key Features
- Email template library
- Drag-and-drop email builder
- Advanced personalization
- Contact grouping and segmentation
- A/B testing
- Send time optimization
- Deep analytics
- Integration with SMS, Facebook ads, chat, etc.
Pros
- Super-fast support
- Plug-unplug CRM, SMS, automation, chat
- Efficient UI
Cons
- Strict contact validation
- Limited features in free plan
- Lesser integrations as compared to peers
Usability
- Though it is easy to set up and use, they take quite some time to verify sender reputation and contact lists, which can lead to delay in time-sensitive campaigns.
Tool Level
- Intermediate to expert
Price
- Free (allows 300 emails per day)
- Lite – $25 per month
- Premium – $65 per month
- Enterprise – Customizable
All these plans come with unlimited contact storage, and are subject to change according to contact volumes. They don’t offer a free trial.
5. MailerLite
Image via MailerLite
If you need a basic email marketing tool without gimmicky features, MailerLite is a good fit for you. Though its interface is simplistic, its services are proven and cost-effective.
At a comparatively low price, MailerLite offers dynamic emails, pre-designed templates, and an intuitive editor. It’s not totally devoid of bells and whistles. In fact, it bundles pop-ups, surveys, landing pages, and embedded forms in all its pricing tiers.
The cincher?
Their forever-free tier allows 12K emails monthly and 1K contacts. Plus, it offers a 14-day full-featured trial to new users. Now, you know why MailerLite is among the best email marketing services around!
Key Features
- HTML + Rich Text Editor
- Subscriber management
- Ecommerce campaigns
- Email automation
- Segmentation
- Personalization
- Auto resend
- Split testing
- RSS campaign
- Unsubscribe page builder
Pros
- Features dedicated to growing email lists
- Dedicated IP
- Open API
- iPhone app
- Easy tracking by click maps
- 14-day free trial (with advanced features)
Cons
- Lengthy account activation process
- Strict integration guidelines
- Limited customization in templates
Usability
- It takes 2-4 days to activate accounts and the UI is not as user-friendly as compared to other tools and platforms.
Tool Level
- Basic to intermediate
Price
- Upto 1000 subscribers – Free (with restricted email volume)
- Upto 1000 subscribers – $84 per month (with unlimited email volume)
- 1001 – 2500 subscribers – $126 per month
- 2501 – 5000 subscribers – $252 per month
- 5001 – 10000 subscribers – $420 per month
6. iContact
Image via iContact
For small businesses with limited marketing budget and email needs, iContact is one of the best email marketing services around.
iContact can grow your subscriber list, craft appealing emails, automate and personalize your campaigns, and track engagement – everything that a small business needs from their email marketing.
Is that all?
No. it also lets you create unlimited opt in forms and integrate them into your website with a single click.
Moreover, it lets you reach beyond the inbox by incorporating social handles (LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter) into your emails.
Key Features
- Autoresponders
- List management
- Spam check
- Micro- and macro-level analytics
- Customer success managers
- Bounceback handling
- Subscriber management
Pros
- Customizable editor
- Reliable deliverability
- Slick templates
- Good value for money
- Credit card-free registration
- Free for 500 contacts and 2K sends
Cons
- Too aggressive upselling
- Limited segmentation
- No free trial
Usability
- iContact has somewhat of a steep learning curve, which might put off new users.
Tool Level
- Intermediate to expert
Price
- Free (for upto 500 contacts and 2K sends)
- Standard – $15 per month (for upto 1500 contacts)
- Pro – $30 per month (unlimited sending)
Nonprofits can get a 20% discount on all the above plans. High-volume senders can get customized plans for bulk emailing.
7. ConvertKit
Image via ConvertKit
If you’re a designer, writer, influencer, blogger, or a creative of any sort, ConvertKit is tailor made for your email marketing needs. It focuses on the design part of emails while you concentrate on getting the content up to par.
Its clutter-free interface is a boon for writers who want to create professional-looking emails, without getting into the hassle of coding and designing.
All the inline styling options like buttons and menus are embedded at a flick of a button. They recently added an option to incorporate Spotify songs in emails.
What’s more?
Like other email marketing services, ConvertKit is stacked with features like personalization and split testing of emails.
Key Features
- Easy templates
- Contact filters
- Sign up forms
- Landing pages
- Custom contact segmentation
- Automated funnels
- Paid newsletters and digital products
Pros
- Proven deliverability
- Clean writing experience
- Downloadable forms
- Data-driven reporting
- Free migration from other services/platforms
- Free online courses with all plans
Cons
- Limited features in free plan
- No visual email templates
- Pricey plans for basic features
Usability
- The editor is fairly easy to use but personalization algorithms are hard to configure.
Tool Level
- Beginner to intermediate
Price
- Free
- Creator – $25 per month
- Creator Pro – $50 per month
All these prices are for yearly billing. They also offer a no-obligation, free trial for the paid plans.
8. ActiveCampaign
Image via ActiveCampaign
If you want top-notch email marketing services without breaking the bank, ActiveCampaign is the best fit for you. It covers the entire spectrum of emails – transactional, broadcast, funnels, targeted, and triggered.
What else?
Using its formidable tracking capabilities, you can watch your audience across channels to gather insights about their preferences, needs, and interests. Then, craft personalized emails for each user and customize their delivery times to get maximum engagement.
Key Features
- 500+ pre-defined automations
- 850+ integrations (Shopify, Microsoft, Square, etc.)
- Deep segmentation
- Customized sends
- Dynamic email content
- Drag-and-drop email builder
- Split testing
Pros
- Exemplary customer support via chat, emails, and live agents
- Extensive learning resources (tutorials, videos, etc.)
- 14-day free trial (requires no credit card info.)
Cons
- Too sophisticated for newbies
- Stringent onboarding requirements
- Challenging to import contacts
Usability
- One universal opinion about ActiveCampaign is that it isn’t as intuitive and user-friendly as its peers. New users often find its array of features too daunting to utilize in the first go.
Tool Level
- Expert
Price
- Lite – $9 per month
- Plus – $49 per month
- Professional – $129 per month
- Enterprise – $229 per month
There’s a two-year price lock on all the plans. Plus, you can pause billing for upto 12 months if you wish to take a break from the platform. There will be no data loss or price change on return.
9. Mailjet
Image via Mailjet
One of the few email marketing services to be GDPR compliant, Mailjet is a favorite with modern marketers. It’s available in multiple formats – on the cloud, web, and even as a SaaS product.
The full-stack service can help you create automated email campaigns to connect with your customers meaningfully. Its contact list management and deliverability are beyond excellent.
Not only that, but the clean interface puts new users to ease almost instantly. All the features, reports, and tools are readily available. Even so, if you face navigation or usage issues, their competent live agents are at your fingertips 24×7.
Key Features
- Autoresponders
- Drip campaigns
- CAN SPAM and GDPR compliant
- Subscriber list management
- Analytics
- WYSIWYG-type editor
Pros
- Responsive templates
- Unified dashboard
- Reliable delivery
- Free trial and version
- Superlative support (Knowledge Base, FAQs, chat, phone, email, etc.)
Cons
- No customer surveys
- No web forms
- Higher priced than open-source platforms
Usability
- Easy to use
Tool Level
- Beginner to intermediate
Price
- Free (for upto 6K emails monthly or 200 emails daily)
- Essential – $15 per month (for upto 15K emails monthly and 1 sub-account)
- Premium – $25 per month (for upto 15K emails monthly and 10 sub-account)
- Custom – price available on request
10. SendPulse
Image via SendPulse
Last but not least, SendPulse deserves to be among the best email marketing services for many reasons.
It allows bulk emailing without charging extra (for upto 15K emails per month), which is something that most email marketing services don’t promise. It has a huge collection of pre-built templates and automated email workflows.
It tracks emails rigorously, and resends unopened emails with new subject lines and send times to ensure they get the desired engagement.
Key Features
- Automation 360
- Email editor
- Contact list tags
- Subscriber rating
- Personalization
- Subscription forms
- 100+ templates
- Analytics and reports
- User access levels
Pros
- Uninterrupted bulk emailing
- Customizable web forms
- Responsive templates
- Seamless integration with CRM systems
- Mobile app
- Free trial
- Pay as you use
Cons
- Passive support
- Limited storage space for emails
Usability
- It is available on desktops and mobile phones (via a lightweight app) so you can keep hustling on the move.
Tool Level
- Beginner to intermediate
Price
Subscription plans are:
- Free (for upto 15K emails and 500 contacts)
- Standard – $6.4 per month
- Pro – $7.68 per month
- Enterprise – $10.75 per month
Pay As You Go plans are:
- Free (for upto 15K emails and 500 contacts)
- Standard – $0.0032 per email
- Pro – $0.0038 per email
- Enterprise – $0.0054 per email
FAQs
Q1. Which email marketing services are the best?
A. Some of the best email marketing services are:
- HubSpot
- Mailjet
- SendPulse
- ActiveCampaign
- ConvertKit
- iContact
- MailerLite
Q2. What are the best email marketing services for small businesses?
A. The best email marketing services for small businesses include:
- SendPulse
- Mailjet
- ActiveCampaign
- ConvertKit
- iContact
Q3. Is Mailchimp the best email marketing tool?
A. Mailchimp is one of the best email marketing services around owing to its top-notch features and clean interface. That said, it is still a costly option for small businesses and individuals who just need basic email marketing, without frills.
There are many affordable Mailchimp alternatives that offer comparable features at a lower price tag, such as:
- SendPulse
- Mailjet
- ActiveCampaign
- ConvertKit
- iContact
Q4. Is Sendinblue better than Mailchimp?
A. Both Sendinblue and Mailchimp are counted among the best email marketing services today. But, being a veteran in email marketing, Mailchimp is more widely used than Sendinblue.
Mailchimp’s real strengths lie in its generous free plan and intuitive editor, while Sendinblue has robust automation features.
If you talk about drawbacks, Mailchimp has a costly subscription fee whereas Sendinblue has limited email templates.
There’s one more thing that often bothers Mailchimp users – their list management. Contact lists in Mailchimp can’t be used across multiple campaigns, which can be a bugger for marketers who have to create exclusive lists for each campaign.
Apart from that, Mailchimp has a solid reputation in the market as one of the best email marketing services, and Sendinblue is still a new kid on the block.
Q5. What is the best email marketing service for nonprofits?
A. iContact is one of the best email marketing services for nonprofits owing to the hefty 20% discount that they offer to this user group.
Apart from that, iContact has sophisticated automation, personalization, and segmentation features that all users, including nonprofits, would find handy for email marketing.
Q6. How can I send 2000 emails a day?
A. For bulk emailing, iContact and SendPulse are the best email marketing services these days. You can send upto 15K emails with SendPulse and 2K emails with iContact, by registering for their free plans.
Q7. What does an email marketing service do?
A. An email marketing service helps users create, optimize, personalize, schedule, send, and track emails to their contacts, individually or in bulk.
Most email marketing services come with automation which puts email campaigns on auto-pilot based on predefined or custom algorithms, saving loads of time and effort on behalf of senders.
Q8. What are email marketing platforms?
A. Email marketing platforms can be used as SaaS tools or embedded as extensions in local systems, for creating and automating email marketing campaigns.
Q9. Is email marketing still effective?
A. Email marketing is a proven tactic to boost brand awareness and customer engagement. The success of email marketing lies in the fact that most consumers prefer to receive brand communications through emails.
That said, the efficacy of any email marketing campaign depends on a number of factors, including their contact list, targeting, and email content. Last of all, if marketers use competent email marketing services, they can get the best bang for their buck.
Q10. What is the best day to send emails?
A. Although the optimal days for email sends differ widely by region, audience demographic, and other factors, email blasts on Tuesday, Friday, and Thursday get maximum engagement.
Which is the Best Email Marketing Service for Your Needs?
The best way to find your best-matched email marketing services, you can go through our review above and compare the services we’ve covered.
Once you shortlist a few services that align with your needs, goals, and budgets, you can register for their free trials and watch them in real action. After that, it’s just a matter of evaluating those email marketing services based on their service and support.
Are you looking for other marketing tools and services? Comment your answer below, and we will try to get back to you with honest and accurate answers soon.
Disclaimer: This content contains some affiliate links for which we will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you). This is to ensure that we can keep creating free content for you.
