Let’s start by dispelling an all-too-common myth: email marketing is dead! When in fact email isn’t just alive; it’s thriving. It can be the best marketing tool for your business.
But in the quest for the best email marketing software, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming – and the chances of choosing the wrong one for your business is high.
You’ve probably felt that pang of dread at the thought of diving into email marketing. But it doesn’t have to feel like that. Find the right platform and email marketing can be a manageable marketing channel.
It’s vital to select a platform that aligns with the rhythm of your business. Personally, I choose MailerLite and in this article, I will show you exactly why I stand by it as the premier email platform for small to medium-sized, service businesses. Let’s look at the benefits of MailerLite for your company.
Your business needs an email platform that fits like a glove
In the email marketing sector, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Here’s why:
- Every business has unique requirements
- Marketing strategies differ according to the nature of the business
- The scale of the business operations varies
Every business is unique and special in its own way! The wrong tool can make email marketing feel like an up-hill task.
Best email platform: Comparing the heavyweights
I’m a Certified MailerLite expert and I believe MailerLite can go head-to-head with the other major platforms such as MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, Flodesk, Convertkit, and even Squarespace, and still have an edge.
Here’s a quick comparison of each email platform:
Flodesk
- Pros:
- High design flexibility with pre-styled blocks
- Simple form creation
- Beautiful email templates for visually appealing emails
- Cons:
- Lacks RSS-to-email automation.
- The workflows and automations options are limited
- Segmentation of your subscribers is alo limited
- The analytics are lacking in comparison to other platforms
- Unique feature: Fixed pricing ($38/month) regardless of subscriber count, which arguably makes it more expensive compared to other platforms, especially for a small list.
- Best for: Influencers and users focused on design and simplicity, without a need for much data analysis.
Active Campaign
- Pros:
- Advanced and complex automation sequences
- Detailed segmentation and targeted messaging
- Lots of integrations with other apps and tools
- Cons:
- Much steeper learning curve due to the complexity of features
- Clunky email editing features that slow the email creation process
- Expensive compared to other email marketing tools
- So many features that it can feel overwhelming
- Unique feature: Robust CRM capabilities and machine learning capability for optimising open rates.
- Pricing: Pricing starts from $9/month for the Lite plan with higher tiers for additional services from $49/month up to Enterprise level for $229/month.
- Best for: Best suited for mid-sized to large businesses that need advanced email marketing features and a CRM system.
Mailchimp
- Pros:
- Offers a wide range of integrations
- Free for up to 500 contacts
- Strong RSS-to-email features
- Cons:
- Customer service is poor and slow, often blames the customer and problems take quite a long time to reply
- Poor deliverability in comparison to other platforms
- Segmentation can be cumbersome and frustrating – always needing to upgrade to the higher packages
- Tags are not always reliably added via API so you can never fully trust the automations will trigger
- Unique feature: Wide range of integrations and a well-known brand.
- Pricing: Scales from free to $359/month as subscriber count increases. It can quickly get expensive in comparison to other platforms.
- Best for: Those looking for extensive integration options and don’t mind slow to little customer support, even on higher paid plans.
MailerLite
- Pros:
- The Forever Free plan allows up to 1,000 subscribers with many other features also available
- Easy user experience, very intuitive and well laid out platform
- Simple and effective automations even in the free plan
- Easy to design emails, sign up forms and landing pages with templates and drag & drop design
- Segmentation is simple with groups and segments
- Good deliverability reputation
- Cons:
- Limited live customer support for free and Growing plan. There is an academy and forum for support or you can use email support.
- Slower to authenticate your domain which means you can’t send test emails straight away until your account is authenticated. This is to adhere to the Google and Yahoo updates in 2024.
- Unique feature: Free plan offers substantial functionality
- Pricing: Ranges from free to $9 per month.
- Best for: Those new to email marketing and seeking simplicity without sacrificing functionality.
Kit (Convert Kit)
- Pros:
- Sell products directly through the platform with it’s E-commerce features
- Allows detailed segmentations with tags
- Growing list of integrations
- Cons:
- The email designer is restrictive and frustrating to use
- Limited number of templates available
- Basic analytics and metric analysis
- Pricing can be high as the subscriber list grows
- Inconsistent deliverability which could harm your emails reaching inboxes and not the spam folders!
- Unique feature: Simplified opt-in process integrated with form creation
- Pricing: Free for up to 1,000 subscribers but with very limited access to more advanced features like automations; $79/month for up to 5,000 subscribers.
- Best for: Bloggers and those looking for limited design functionality with emails or landing pages.
SquareSpace
- Pros:
- Intuitive design and easy to create emails
- Seamless integration with Squarespace websites
- Cons:
- Very limited segmentation capabilities
- Low email sending limits, so you can only send a certain number of emails a month per package and it’s comparably very limited
- Not as feature-rich as dedicated email marketing platforms, no A/B testing, advance audience tagging or automation triggers
- Limited email analytics compared to other email marketing platforms
- Unique feature: Built-in website and email marketing solutions with forms that integrate directly with Squarespace websites.
- Pricing: Varies depending on email volume; offers scalable options but can be expensive, especially if you have automations set up.
- Best for: People that want their website and email all in one palace and are not concerned about stronger segmentation and personalisation capabilities.
The best email marketing software
There’s a solid reason why I consider MailerLite the best email marketing software. Compared to any other email platform, it stands out.
Need more convincing? Here are some of my favourite features of MailerLite:
Streamlined segmentation: With MailerLite, segmenting your audience is a breeze. Choose who receives your emails with simple in-or-out group selections. Unlike platforms such as Mailchimp, where segmentation can often feel like solving a complex math puzzle, MailerLite keeps it straightforward and efficient.
User-friendly interface: The moment you hop into MailerLite, navigation of its features and functions is effortless. The platform’s design is intuitive, making it easy for you to focus on writing the perfect message and not be distracted by the software – great for those who struggle with the tech!
Customizable email design: MailerLite’s drag-and-drop editor has unparalleled customization. There is a vast variety of content blocks that are easily adjusted. Creating attractive emails that resonate with your brand identity has never been easier.
Tailored for service businesses: Speaking as a service-based entrepreneur, MailerLite caters to email marketing needs particularly suited for service-based businesses. Its suite of features caters specifically to the nuanced needs of service providers, helping you build stronger connections with your clients.
Exceptional customer support: At the heart of MailerLite’s success is its dedication to customer service. Whatever plan you choose, MailerLite has support accessible – and paid plans allow for live chats with support!
MailerLite acts as a growth catalyst for small to medium-sized businesses. With its advantageous features catering to both practicality and creativity, it’s an indispensable asset for entrepreneurs eager to scale their brand through effective and engaging email campaigns.
FAQ: MailerLite vs MailChimp
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked this…
“Mailchimp vs MailerLite?”
While MailChimp has its merits, its interface can be quite cluttered compared to MailerLite’s more streamlined approach. Here’s a feature-by-feature breakdown of MailerLite vs MailChimp:
| Feature | MailerLite | Mailchimp |
| Ease of use | More user friendly with a better designed interface | Some functions hard to find, less intuitive for beginners |
| Design and flexibility | 62 mobile-responsive, professional templates | Over 100 mobile-responsive templates, more template options |
| List management | Simplified list management; subscribers on multiple lists count as one | Lists are mutually exclusive; charges for same contact on multiple lists |
| Email automations | Easy to use with multi-step automation builder available on free plan | Wide range of automation triggers but not available on free plan |
| Registration forms | Simple form creation with various options | Creation process slightly fiddly and not all forms are mobile responsive |
| CRM | Limited CRM capabilities | More advanced CRM capabilities, especially with e-commerce data |
| Spam and design testing | Basic testing for mobile and desktop | Advanced testing including email client preview and link checker |
| Reporting | Good metric data plus purchase tracking for Shopify and WooCommerce | Extensive reporting including social media, email client statistics and Google Analytics integration |
| Deliverability | Slightly better overall deliverability rate (92.7%) | Solid deliverability (92.6%) |
| Integrations and extras | Offers many direct integrations including major websites like Shopify, Woocommerce and WordPress | Numerous integrations but lacks Shopify |
| Support | Responsive support available on both free and paid plans | Limited support on free plan; better support on paid plans but can be slow to reply |
| Prices | More affordable with generous Forever Free plan | Can be expensive; charges for unsubscribed contacts |
Refence: MailerLite vs Mailchimp by EmilTooltester
MailerLite is recommended for its ease of use, simplified list management, free plan offerings and affordability. However, Mailchimp still stands strong with spam testing, reporting and its range of integrations.
Why I recommend MailerLite to my clients
MailerLite stands out as a top choice for email marketing. But I recommend MailerLite to my clients specifically because MailerLite is the best email marketing software for people just starting with email marketing. It’s an especially practical email platform for those starting out with their business and for small and medium-sized business owners.
With its ease of use, user-friendliness, and affordability, MailerLite strikes a good balance between powerful features and user-friendliness. The best part is…you can use its free version if your subscriber list is less than 1,000. It’s a perfect value for money for those unsure of email marketing or are unable to go too deep with email marketing.
And this is why, for me (and for my many clients), MailerLite remains the best email marketing software.
Is there such a thing as free email marketing?
Free email marketing — myth or reality? With MailerLite generous free tier, it’s definitely a reality.
Email marketing remains one of the best and most effective marketing platforms – and any business, especially those that are just starting out, should have it set up from the get-go.
For those who aren’t ready to commit to a paid plan, a free email marketing platform is your foot in the door. Thankfully, the Forever Free MailerLite plan you can send up to 12,000 monthly emails to up to 1,000 subscribers – automation included. What better way to learn the ropes and level up your marketing game without breaking the bank!
Here are more supporting tools for marketing tools you can use for your business – for free!
Ready to fall in love with email marketing?
Email marketing is an undisputed marketing platform for businesses, so starting and growing your list is vital. While there are plenty of email platform options, some are better than others. Explore MailerLite and you’ll soon realise how easy it is to kickstart your email marketing.
At the end of the day, it boils down to your business needs and budget. The best email marketing software for you will be one that wouldn’t fill you with dread and panic every time you open it.
The best email marketing software will help you focus on delivering the right message to the right people so you can grow your business through connection and loyalty. And if you need help getting that right, you can kickstart your email marketing with this simple guide to getting started.
(*The Mailerlite link is an affiliate link with no additional charge to you.)
