Key takeaways
- Top pick: Mailchimp, best for: Small businesses and beginners.
- Also near the top: ActiveCampaign and MailerLite.
- Free to start with: Kit.
- How it was ranked: 10 SaaS products compared. Each verdict is below.
For most small businesses and creators,
Mailchimp offers the most user-friendly ecosystem and extensive integrations. However, if advanced automation and superior deliverability on a budget are your main priorities,
ActiveCampaign and
MailerLite stand out as exceptional choices depending on your technical requirements and scaling needs.
Top 10 Email Service Providers, compared| RANK | ENTRY | BEST FOR | SCORE | FROM |
|---|
| 1 |  MailchimpMailchimp started as a side project in 2001 before growing into one of the dominant names in email marketing. | Small businesses and beginners | 95.0 | $13 per month |
|---|
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| 2 |  ActiveCampaignActiveCampaign provides over 800 pre-built automation recipes for complex marketing strategies. | Advanced automation and CRM needs | 92.7 | $29 per month |
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| 3 |  MailerLiteMailerLite is well known for offering a fully-featured free tier for up to 1,000 subscribers. | Budget-conscious creators and bloggers | 90.3 | $10 per month |
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| 4 |  KitConvertKit transitioned its brand name to Kit to better reflect its broader platform offerings for creators. | Creators and bloggers seeking to monetise audiences through digital product and subscription sales | 88.0 | Free (up to 10,000 subscribers) |
|---|
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| 5 |  BrevoBrevo prices its plans based on the volume of emails sent rather than the total number of contacts stored. | Multi-channel marketing on a budget | 85.7 | $25 per month |
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| 6 |  GetresponseGetResponse was founded in Poland in 1998 and now serves hundreds of thousands of global customers. | Webinars and sales funnels | 83.3 | $19 per month |
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| 7 |  AWeberAWeber has been operating since 1998, making it one of the oldest surviving email service providers. | Traditional businesses seeking reliable support | 81.0 | $15 per month |
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| 8 |  Constant ContactConstant Contact was acquired by a private equity firm in 2015 for over one billion dollars. | Event management and local businesses | 78.7 | $12 per month |
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| 9 |  KlaviyoKlaviyo went public on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2023. | E-commerce stores and Shopify merchants | 76.3 | Custom |
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| 10 |  Campaign MonitorCampaign Monitor was acquired by CM Group, which later rebranded as Marigold. | Design-focused agencies and brands | 74.0 | $19 per month |
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How to choose
Start from what you need it for. Where each entry fits best:
- Mailchimp (#1): Small businesses and beginners
- ActiveCampaign (#2): Advanced automation and CRM needs
- MailerLite (#3): Budget-conscious creators and bloggers
- Kit (#4): Creators and bloggers seeking to monetise audiences through digital product and subscription sales
- Brevo (#5): Multi-channel marketing on a budget
- Getresponse (#6): Webinars and sales funnels
- AWeber (#7): Traditional businesses seeking reliable support
- Constant Contact (#8): Event management and local businesses
- Klaviyo (#9): E-commerce stores and Shopify merchants
- Campaign Monitor (#10): Design-focused agencies and brands
Each entry's full verdict is below.
The ranking, in detail
01
An all-in-one marketing platform known for its comprehensive feature set, ease of use, and extensive library of third-party integrations.
From $13 per month
PROS- Very user-friendly interface for beginners
- Massive integration ecosystem with other software
CONS- Pricing can scale up steeply as your subscriber list grows
- Best for
- Small businesses and beginners
- Where it falls short
- Costs rise sharply as your subscriber list expands.
95.0
02
A powerful customer experience automation platform offering advanced segmentation, CRM tools, and intricate email workflows.
From $29 per month
PROS- Industry-leading automation capabilities
- Robust built-in CRM and pipeline management
CONS- Steeper learning curve for complete beginners
- Best for
- Advanced automation and CRM needs
- Where it falls short
- Active Intelligence features are restricted on lower tier plans.
- Pick something else if
- you need full access to AI tools on a budget.
92.7
03
A streamlined, modern email marketing tool focused on simplicity, clean design, and great value for money.
From $10 per month
PROS- Clean and intuitive drag-and-drop editor
- Affordable pricing structure for smaller lists
CONS- Fewer advanced features compared to enterprise alternatives
- Best for
- Budget-conscious creators and bloggers
- Where it falls short
- Fewer advanced features compared to enterprise alternatives.
90.3
04
Email marketing platform built for digital creators
An email marketing platform designed specifically for creators, bloggers, and online educators with a focus on text-based emails.
Free (up to 10,000 subscribers)
PROS- Built-in digital product and subscription selling eliminates need for separate tools
- Free plan genuinely generous for creators with large audiences
CONS- Limited automation compared to business-focused platforms
- Lacks SMS and advanced CRM features
- Best for
- Creators and bloggers seeking to monetise audiences through digital product and subscription sales
- Where it falls short
- Limited automation compared to business-focused platforms.
88.0
05
Formerly known as Sendinblue, this platform offers email marketing alongside SMS, WhatsApp campaigns, and a built-in live chat.
From $25 per month
PROS- Unlimited contact storage on all paid plans
- Includes SMS and WhatsApp marketing channels
CONS- Free plan daily sending limit is restricted to 300 emails
- Best for
- Multi-channel marketing on a budget
- Where it falls short
- SMS credits are sold separately rather than being included in standard plans.
- Pick something else if
- you need SMS marketing included in your base plan.
85.7
06
A comprehensive online marketing software that includes email campaigns, built-in landing pages, webinars, and conversion funnels.
From $19 per month
PROS- Built-in webinar hosting on higher tiers
- Comprehensive conversion funnel builder
CONS- Interface can feel cluttered due to the large number of features
- Best for
- Webinars and sales funnels
- Where it falls short
- The interface can feel cluttered due to the large number of features.
- Pick something else if
- you prefer a simpler user experience.
83.3
07
One of the industry pioneers providing reliable email marketing solutions, autoresponders, and landing page creation.
From $15 per month
PROS- Legendary customer support via phone and live chat
- Reliable deliverability and robust autoresponders
CONS- Interface design feels somewhat dated compared to newer rivals
- Best for
- Traditional businesses seeking reliable support
- Where it falls short
- The free plan includes AWeber branding in your emails.
- Pick something else if
- you need a completely unbranded email experience.
81.0
08
A well-established email marketing platform featuring robust event management tools and strong social media marketing features.
From $12 per month
PROS- Great event registration and management tools
- Extensive collection of professional email templates
CONS- Advanced automation features are less flexible than competitors
- Best for
- Event management and local businesses
- Where it falls short
- Advanced automation features are less flexible than competitors.
78.7
09
A data-driven marketing automation platform built specifically for e-commerce brands with deep integration into stores like Shopify.
From Custom
PROS- Incredible data integration with e-commerce platforms
- Advanced predictive analytics and customer segmentation
CONS- Can become very expensive for large subscriber databases
- Best for
- E-commerce stores and Shopify merchants
- Where it falls short
- Can become very expensive for large subscriber databases.
- Pick something else if
- you need more than 250 contacts on a zero budget.
76.3
10
An email marketing service focused on gorgeous template designs, easy customisation, and reliable customer journey tracking.
From $19 per month
PROS- Stunning, high-end visual email templates
- Intuitive link tracking and analytics reporting
CONS- Automation workflows are relatively basic compared to dedicated automation tools
- Best for
- Design-focused agencies and brands
- Where it falls short
- Automation workflows are relatively basic compared to dedicated automation tools.
74.0
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Frequently asked questions
What is an Email Service Provider?
An Email Service Provider is a software platform that allows businesses to manage contact lists, design email newsletters, and send automated messages to subscribers at scale.
How do I choose the best ESP for my needs?
You should consider your budget, the size of your contact list, your technical skill level, and whether you require advanced automation or specific integrations like e-commerce platforms.
Do ESPs offer free trials or free plans?
Many ESPs offer limited free tiers for small subscriber lists, while others provide short-term free trials with full access to test their paid features before committing.
Sources
Where we checked each company's facts, and when.
Sources for 2 more companies
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