Email marketing has long been a staple of digital marketing campaigns. In 2024, this reliable method remains one of the most effective ways to reach customers with personalized messages. Whether it’s direct advertising, newsletters, surveys, or special offers, email is a proven means of increasing customer acquisition, retention, and engagement.
However, successful email marketing requires more than just a list of email addresses. You need tools to create, send, and track emails, as well as to integrate campaign data with your other backend systems. Below we highlight the top email marketing platforms and evaluate their features, ease of use, support, and other noteworthy aspects, followed by buying tips to help you navigate the many options.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Salesforce Pardot
Best Overall
Why We Picked It
Among all the email marketing solutions we tested, Salesforce Pardot stands alone in its breadth of features. A full-service marketing automation solution, it delivers everything you need to execute email campaigns. You’ll benefit from AI-based decision-making tools, social media integration, and a polished user interface.
Who It’s For
While Pardot offers a cornucopia of marketing features, you’ll pay for them. Its steep price tag will definitely deter some people. If, on the other hand, you’re a midsize business with sufficient revenue to justify the expense, your organization’s marketing pros will have all the tools they need for success, in addition to market-leading support.
PROS
- Stellar range of features in automation and email marketing
- Unlimited automation branching
- White glove new user onboarding service
- Convenient integration with Salesforce apps like Einstein
CONS
- Too expensive for smaller SMBs
- Lacks standalone mobile apps
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Salesforce Pardot Review
Campaigner
Best for Experienced Marketers
Why We Picked It
Campaigner is a highly customizable email marketing solution that offers a wide range of features at a competitive price. It integrates with an impressive menu of third-party software, and it features a powerful workflow designer. It’s also easier to use than some of its competitors.
Who It’s For
You can’t go wrong with Campaigner for your email campaigns. However, if your business is midsize or larger, and you need an email marketing system that can scale to mass-marketing campaigns targeting large email lists, Campaigner may just be your best bet. If, on the other hand, your operations are not yet so ambitious and you want a system that integrates more general-purpose marketing automation tools, you may want to look elsewhere.
(Editors’ Note: Campaigner is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company.)
PROS
- Productivity-focused UI
- Versatile templates and options
- Comprehensive online resources and onboarding
- Useful automation tools
- 24/7 support
CONS
- Lacks a free version
- Complex and unintuitive workflow automation
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Campaigner Review
HubSpot Marketing Hub
Best for Scalable Marketing Plans
Why We Picked It
More than just an email marketing tool, HubSpot Marketing Hub is a comprehensive martech platform that integrates most of the features marketers at small to midsize businesses need. In that sense, it’s competitive with Salesforce Pardot. Because of its integrated nature, its focus is increasingly on tracking and optimizing the entire customer journey, not just the email experience.
Who It’s For
If you’re happy with your current CRM and related sales tools, choosing HubSpot as your email marketing tool will probably be overkill. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a single solution that integrates CRM, email, and other features, HubSpot has a lot to offer. Just be aware that the price won’t be cheap, and the rich feature set means you might confront a steep learning curve.
PROS
- CRM integration included
- Vast selection of social media management options
- Stellar marketing automation
- Offers integrations with other HubSpot solutions
CONS
- Confusing and expensive pricing tiers
- Steep learning curve
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
HubSpot Marketing Hub Review
Mailchimp
Best for Marketing With E-Commerce
Why We Picked It
A longtime player in the email marketing space, Mailchimp has steadily improved its product to meet the demands of its large customer space. While its core focus remains email, it has integrated CRM and even website-building features into its recent releases, all without compromising its consistent, comfortable UI.
Who It’s For
If you’re looking for a market-leading email marketing solution, there’s no denying that Mailchimp has long occupied that position. Although it’s been steadily adding other marketing features, the new tools aren’t as fully baked as those in some competitors’ offerings. If it’s a comprehensive digital marketing package you’re looking for, consider other options.
PROS
- Full marketing hub
- Extremely easy to use
- Convenient email templates and helpful reports
- Improved AI recommendations and automation
- Optional web hosting plans
- Respectable free tier
CONS
- Lower pricing tiers offer fewer features than before
- Relatively expensive
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Mailchimp Review
Brevo
Best for Small Business Marketing Automation
Why We Picked It
Since leaving behind its former Sendinblue branding, Brevo has evolved from a basic email marketing package to a more comprehensive marketing hub. It includes built-in CRM features and advanced automation capabilities, plus a broad portfolio of integrations with third-party software. It also features an attractive price that’s sure to turn heads.
Who It’s For
Small to midsize businesses looking to get started with email marketing will find a good partner in Brevo. You won’t get the same feature set as some of the more costly entries in our roundup, but you’ll save money. Brevo is rapidly expanding its service, so you might be surprised at what it delivers in terms of upgrades once you’re onboard. Be aware, though, that it primarily targets small to midsize businesses, so it might not fully meet the needs of enterprises.
PROS
- Simple and easy to use
- Great email builder and template customization
- SMS and WhatsApp marketing support
- Good range of automation and integrations
- Free tier
CONS
- Limited landing pages
- Some features use credits and cost extra
- Occasionally lethargic loading
- Some finicky data importing
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
GetResponse
Best for SMB Automation and E-Commerce
Why We Picked It
GetResponse is a no-nonsense email marketing contender with a straightforward, if somewhat sparse, UI. Its relatively low learning curve makes it a good entry point for organizations that are new to digital marketing. Although it can’t match the big players in terms of features, GetResponse improved its capabilities in the workflow automation and SMS marketing areas. It also offers e-commerce features and a good selection of third-party software integrations.
Who It’s For
Anyone who wants to up their email marketing game, but doesn’t want it to take over their life. It’s easy to use, and has enough functionality to satisfy most small business marketers. However, if you anticipate very high mail volume or the need to automate complex workflows, another solution might suit you better.
PROS
- Expanded features like SMS and email chat
- Powerful auto-responder options
- Easy email marketing features
- Improved e-commerce integration
CONS
- Analytics are underwhelming
- Lacks 24/7 phone support
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
GetResponse Review
Infusionsoft by Keap
Best for SMBs and Start-Ups
Why We Picked It
Infusionsoft combines email marketing and CRM functionality in a hybrid solution that’s specifically targeted at small businesses. It’s a little pricey, but that’s because it aims to offer more marketing automation features than just email and autoresponders. Lead and contact management are integrated with the package, and it offers a number of dashboards to help you organize your activities.
Who It’s For
Not everyone will appreciate Infusionsoft’s hybrid approach, particularly within large organizations where sales and marketing staff prefer to keep their concerns separate. Still, it may be just the thing for smaller businesses with lean workforces. Note, though, that Infusionsoft definitely leans toward the email marketing side of the coin, so if CRM is the more critical function for you, it might not fill all of your needs.
PROS
- Combines CRM with email marketing.
- Makes it easy to add contacts
- Great coaching and support options
CONS
- Expensive
- Reporting could use some refinement
- Template designs are limited
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Infusionsoft by Keap Review
Klaviyo
Best for Robust Reporting and Analytics
Why We Picked It
Klaviyo is a full-featured platform for email marketers focused on sales. In addition to its robust e-commerce features, the company offers targeted solutions for the retail, wellness, and restaurant industries. Klaviyo provides a comprehensive feature set out of the box, and it supports a wide range of integrations with third-party software to enhance your campaigns. What’s more, it has some of the best reporting and analytics capabilities of any email marketing tool we’ve tested.
Who It’s For
If your sales team already has experience with email marketing, they’ll likely be impressed by Klaviyo’s rich feature set. If, on the other hand, you’re just getting your feet wet with this form of marketing, you could find yourself at a loss as to how to take the best advantage of the service’s many options. Klaviyo’s lack of phone support could make it difficult to quickly resolve issues, but its responsive email and live chat support may suffice for many businesses.
PROS
- Excellent reporting tools
- Exhaustive list of templates for all core features
- Visually oriented for ease of use
CONS
- Somewhat limited customer support options
- Requires email marketing proficiency to be most effective
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Klaviyo Review
Zoho Campaigns
Best for Existing Zoho Customers
Why We Picked It
Zoho offers an entire portfolio of business software, and the various elements of the suite are tightly integrated. In the case of Campaigns, its integration with Zoho CRM will be especially attractive. This integrated approach also makes Zoho a good choice for businesses looking to replace a disparate collection of legacy software, and for early-stage companies looking to quickly get up and running. In addition, Zoho also provides a wealth of education and help resources, plus 24/7 phone support.
Who It’s For
If the concept of an integrated suite of business applications with a consistent, well-designed UI appeals to you, Zoho should definitely be on your radar. You’ll have the additional benefit of a single source of support across multiple teams. However, if a standalone email marketing system is what you’re looking for, and you don’t need the other applications Zoho supplies, we have a hard time recommending Zoho Campaigns at its price.
PROS
- Well-designed campaign and marketing tools
- Convenient integration with Zoho CRM
- Outstanding reports feature
CONS
- Dated email template designs
- Initial setup takes time
- Could be a costly solution for some SMBs
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Zoho Campaigns Review
Campaign Monitor
Best for Basic Campaigns and Newsletters
Why We Picked It
Campaign Monitor is a no-frills email marketing system with an attractive UI. It doesn’t try to be a complete marketing automation solution or integrate CRM capabilities, like some others in this roundup. You can compose emails, set up campaigns, and track your progress—and that’s about it. That said, Campaign Monitor will let you get the job done, even if you don’t have previous experience with email marketing.
Who It’s For
Campaign Monitor doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of more full-featured competitors, but that could end up being its appeal for small organizations just getting started with email marketing. It quickly gets you up and running, and delivers most of the tools to run basic email campaigns. Just don’t expect it to grow with your more sophisticated marketing ambitions.
PROS
- Versatile email templates
- Easy-to-use WYSIWYG interface
- Easy automation tool
- Good SMB analytics
CONS
- Contact importing difficult when matching custom fields
- No SMS channel
- Lacks direct online support via phone or chat
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Campaign Monitor Review
Constant Contact
Best for Small Audience Marketing
Why We Picked It
With its focus squarely on email marketing for small businesses, Constant Contact lacks extra features, such as social media and SMS integration. But it is easy to use, includes some basic marketing automation tools, and it has added integrations with third-party software, such as CRMs and e-commerce systems. Another useful tool is its Spaminator, which helps ensure your emails don’t land in recipients’ spam boxes.
Who It’s For
Companies that are just getting started as e-commerce retailers should find Constant Contact offers the basics of what they need. Its UI is intuitive and elegant, and its integrations make it easy to start working with existing contact lists and plug in to e-commerce systems. Be aware, however, that it can be expensive if your contact lists are very long, and competitors do a better job with complex campaigns.
PROS
- Intuitive and elegant UI
- Wide range of third-party integrations
- Superior email deliverability rate
CONS
- Templates don’t offer much flexibility
- Relatively expensive if you have thousands of contacts
- Lacks multi-channel automation
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Constant Contact Review
Twilio SendGrid
Best for Large-Scale Marketing
Why We Picked It
Unlike some email systems we’ve tested, which are aimed at smaller businesses, SendGrid targets midsize businesses that want to conduct large campaigns. Twilio claims it processes annual email volumes in the trillions, which few competitors can match, and it consistently maintains high performance and reliability. It also includes integrated A/B testing.
Who It’s For
If you’re planning massive email marketing campaigns with huge contact lists, look into Twilio SendGrid. You’ll be able to work with Twilio’s consultants to ensure fast and consistent delivery. Unfortunately, however, SendGrid’s email design capabilities are lackluster. If presentation is highly important to you, and particularly if you don’t have access to in-house designers and HTML coders, you may find you need an additional tool to get the results you want.
PROS
- Designed for sending emails at scale
- Good reputation management
- Solid email analytics for campaign success tracking
CONS
- Rudimentary template and HTML editors
- Dedicated IP address and email validation only on Pro Plan
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Plans | |
| Limited Free Trial | |
| Unlimited Email | |
| Image Library | |
| Survey Tool | |
| Marketing Automation | |
| A/B Testing | |
| REST API | |
| Social Media Integration | |
| 24/7 Phone Support |
Learn More
Twilio SendGrid Review
Buying Guide: The Best Email Marketing Software for 2024
What Is Email Marketing Software?
Email marketing software can manage your contact lists, help you design and send compelling emails, and track whether these were opened and read. Options range from text-based template solutions that marketers can quickly make their own to more complex HTML or JavaScript templates. The good news is that it doesn’t cost much to get started, nor is it an arduous undertaking. Many of the solutions in this roundup offer free trials and affordable starter plans, and some even provide onboarding services for new customers.
Email marketing can take several forms. For example, some businesses might decide their most effective marketing tactic is a value-add newsletter delivered to a gated subscriber community. Others might want to tie their emails directly to their product and sales engines so that they can provide special offers and deals to recipients.
Each approach requires different tools for creating and sending the source email to recipients. Email marketing tools can also help you segment your subscribers by demographics and engagement levels. And you’ll probably want to integrate them with other back-end systems, such as an accounting system, a customer relationship management (CRM) system, and an inventory management system.
Does Email Marketing Still Work in 2024?
There’s some perception in the market that email is becoming outdated and that it’s being replaced by new channels such as social media, chat, SMS, web landing pages, and even the metaverse. That’s true to some extent—and modern, multi-channel marketing campaigns should undoubtedly take advantage of as many of these channels as possible—that’s no reason to ignore email.
According to market research firm Statista, email usage is still virtually ubiquitous. Around 306 billion emails were sent and received daily in 2020, and there were 4 billion global email users worldwide—a figure representing roughly half the global population. Moreover, those figures are expected to grow to 376 billion daily emails and 4.6 billion users by 2025. Based on that market share, it should be clear that email marketing can be not just an effective technique, but a crucial one.
(Credit: Statista)
However, what is changing is how email users access their inboxes. Statista’s figures showed that the number of emails opened on desktop clients declined to just 18%. In place of these old-school clients were webmail (39% of opens) and mobile email clients (43% percent of opens). In fact, the most popular email client worldwide was the iPhone email app, which accounted for 29% of all email opens. With mobile email so prevalent, you’ll want to be sure your email marketing software gives special attention to this channel.
What Does Email Marketing Cost?
The good news is that the cost to reach prospective customers via email is generally low, while the profit potential is high. Estimates of the typical return on investment (ROI) for email campaigns vary, but most suggest it is around $40 per dollar spent. That’s one of the highest rates of return of any form of digital marketing.
Many email marketing plans include unlimited emails per month and bill you based on subscriber numbers. If you have a small list, then look for a company that offers a free plan, a low-cost plan for several hundred subscribers, or even a pay-as-you-go plan. On the flip side, many of these services also offer high-volume plans with 100,000 or more contacts.
As a result, the prices of email marketing contenders we review here vary widely. They start at about $3 per month to send out 500 emails per month in Zoho Campaigns, to as much as $1,250 per month for up to 10,000 contacts in Salesforce Pardot. Occasionally, you’ll even want to negotiate a custom plan directly with a sales rep.
How to Get Started With Email Marketing
Getting up and running with email marketing software isn’t difficult. Generally, you’ll know right away whether you like a product’s user interface (UI) or not, and most of the contenders we reviewed offer free trials, so you can poke around before dropping any cash. Luckily, most of these services have modern-looking graphics and uncluttered layouts. These are not the complex business software UIs of yesterday.
Be sure to look at how a vendor provides tech support, too, since several vendors don’t make support as available as we would have liked. You’ll find that some offer 24/7 phone support, live chat, and email help, while others leave you to rely on online documentation and limited live support hours. The best services offer a combination of self-serve help resources, such as FAQs and articles you can read to find your answers and live support via chat or phone when you can’t solve an issue yourself.
Finally, consider any regulatory compliance issues. For example, if you plan to market to customers in Europe, make sure that your software can help you with GDPR compliance. In the US, on the other hand, HIPAA mandates how you can use certain protected health information in your campaigns, while other laws govern how you can market to minors under the age of 18. Consult with your potential vendor to ensure it can help you with the regulations that apply to your organization.
The Golden Rules of Email Marketing
Does Email Marketing Work on Mobile Devices?
As we mentioned earlier, one significant change in email marketing has been increased engagement on mobile devices rather than PCs. Mobile users access email throughout the day and wherever they are. Thanks to payment services like Apple Pay and Google Pay, smartphones have also evolved as e-commerce tools. This can make mobile email a one-stop shop that lets customers go from marketing to purchasing in a single session.
The growing importance of mobile means you should pay special attention to the email designer and analytics sections of any email marketing service. The designer should be able to provide a preview of how your email looks in a responsive format, meaning the HTML correctly sizes images and other elements depending on the device used to view them.
You should also be able to segment your audience based on mobile device data. Some tools may force you to create custom reports to see this data, which means you may have to export it to a third-party business intelligence (BI) tool.
In addition to email, direct SMS marketing is increasingly popular—not least because it exploits an even more personal line of contact with customers. According to recent research, SMS has a 90% open rate on mobile devices compared to straight email marketing, hovering between 20-25%. That’s a clear difference, and marketers are flocking to platforms that support it. However, be careful not to market to the SMS channel too aggressively because research shows that many people prefer to reserve it for friends and family.
Can Email Marketing Integrate with Other Software?
Another modern trend in email marketing tools is integration with other systems, most notably CRM and e-commerce tools. Some of the more advanced email marketing services have even begun to resemble CRM systems. It makes sense because both types of software deal with managing and communicating with customers.
One tactic marketers increasingly use to build more trust in their email messages is incorporating user-generated content (UGC). For example, an email might include a customer review of a product, like those you’d find on e-commerce sites like Amazon. UGC can also draw from other channels, including social media posts and comments in online forums, including your own support forums. According to a study by digital marketing tools vendor Tint, 62% of consumers say they are more likely to click on an image in an email when it’s a customer photo rather than an image generated by the brand.
Still, other innovative ideas are constantly being introduced to the email marketing realm. Take GetResponse, for example. It’s built a one-button live chat feature you can incorporate directly into your emails. It lets customers go from reading an email to directly interacting with sales or support people in a single experience.
How Does Email Marketing Use AI?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a big part of many digital marketing efforts, and email is no exception. AI improves email marketing mechanics such as A/B testing and audience segmentation. Depending on how much information you can feed from your CRM and sales systems, it can also help personalize email content to the individual customer level.
Recommended by Our Editors
With the correct data, AI can select content, modify customer experiences on the fly, and even interact directly with customers via an AI-enabled natural-language chatbot. If any of that sounds attractive, you must look closely at how a prospective email marketing service has implemented AI and what kinds of features it offers.
Another area where AI can help is with the marketing automation capabilities that most email suites offer to some degree. Automation technology is best suited for prolonged, email-based interactions or drip campaigns. An important aspect of this is tracking the customer journey and the various touchpoints customers face from initial contact to closing the sale.
How Can Email Campaigns Be Customized?
The best email marketing services offer custom autoresponders. These help you stay in touch with your contacts with automatically generated emails based on special occasions (such as a customer’s birthday, anniversary, or past purchases), welcome emails for new subscribers, or thank-you emails for recent purchases to give some examples.
The most advanced email marketing services offer custom workflows to specify triggers based on actions (such as opening an email or making a purchase) or inaction (such as ignoring emails). With these services, you can also set up a series of emails (such as tutorials) to send to segments of users, and you can pause or stop a campaign at any time. You can also move contacts into new segments once they’ve completed their tutorials.
This level of customization can get very complex, so it’s important not to get overwhelmed at the start. Building a map to help automate your email marketing starts with what you want to tell customers, when you want to say it, and why. Follow that plan, and you’ll quickly build a journey that might start with a welcome email post-purchase and gradually drill down to more targeted offers as your relationship with that customer grows.
Solidifying Your Email Marketing Strategy
Sending out campaigns isn’t much help unless you can track your successes and failures and quickly make adjustments. All of the services covered in this roundup offer some level of tracking, whether it’s simple open and click-rate data, color-coded charts and statistics, or even integration with Google Analytics. Once you’ve got some data on your campaign, you can tweak your content to see what works using features like A/B testing, where one part of your audience receives an email built one way, and another gets the same email built differently.
In addition to A/B testing, many services now offer multivariate testing, which involves using multiple variations of an entire campaign to test which one performed best. Search engine optimization (SEO) is another important factor for content and landing pages. The right keywords can directly lead your subscribers from their email platform onto your website.
Whether you’re looking for a simple email marketing solution or one with full automation and advanced capabilities, there’s a wide range of solutions out there. One of the contenders we’ve reviewed here should be a solid fit. You’ll see vendors focused on expanding their internal features while others develop significant partner and integration ecosystems. The one constant is that email marketing remains the foundation and an excellent starting point for your digital marketing journey.
For more on reaching customers and potential clients, check out the best marketing automation software.
