7+ Best Email Marketing Services in 2024: Free and Paid Tools for Small Business

R eady to turn your website visitors into loyal fans with one of the best email marketing providers on the market?

In this article, I made a list of the best email marketing providers around to compare and help you find the right one for your needs.

First, though, let’s take a look at email marketing and why choosing the email marketing service provider that meets your criteria is so important.

If you want to skip ahead to our reviews, just click the service you’re interested in below!

Key Takeaways on The Best Email Marketing Providers

What Is Email Marketing and an Email Campaign?

Email marketing is a cost-effective way of sharing the word about your product or service. It helps you to build a solid relationship with your audience and allows you to increase your sales.

According to the Direct Marketing Association report, you can expect a return of $32 for every $1 you spend on email marketing. Isn’t that great?

And in fact, email marketing remains the preferred method for brands and consumers to keep in touch.

Effective email marketing can help you:

• Develop a strong relationship with your website visitors
• Save money on your marketing budget
• Build your brand and credibility
• Boost engagement with your content
• Convince casual visitors to give their email address and grow into loyal readers and customers

Bottom line, email marketing is the best way to make more money online (see our guide on how to make money with email marketing).

If you’re just getting started, you’ll want to read our complete guide to email marketing for step-by-step instructions.

The Best Email Marketing Software Providers For Small Businesses

In this list, you’ll find a good variety of email marketing services, with different email marketing features suitable for all kinds of blogs and businesses.

This way, you’ll be able to find the right service regardless of your needs or budget.

1. Constant Contact: Top Email Marketing Solution Overall

Constant Contact is one of the most popular and reliable email marketing services in the market. The email platform suits bloggers, small businesses, startups, and even mid-level businesses.

It has a drag-and-drop builder that helps you easily design professional email templates. The user interface is very beginner-friendly. And the templates are also mobile-friendly, so they will load perfectly on every device.

Constant Contact gives you marketing automation tools, small businesses need to increase engagement. You can send personalized welcome emails, schedule an email series, send marketing emails based on clicks, resend emails to non-openers, add social media marketing buttons, and more.

You can also track your email marketing campaigns in your admin area and see the results in real-time. This will help you to understand what you’re doing correctly and what is not working for you.

Best of all, Constant Contact offers awesome support to its customers. Unlike most other providers, they even offer 24/7 phone support! You can also contact them via email, forum, or live chat if you face any problems.

Pros

• Easy to use for beginners
• Offers a drag and drop builder to design email templates
• Helps you track your email campaigns
• Offers a vast library of helpful resources
• 24/7 support via phone, email, or live chat

Cons

• Doesn’t offer a free plan
• Comes with limited automation features compared to Drip

How Much Does Constant Contact Cost?

Although Constant Contact doesn’t have a free plan, you can test its service for the first 60 days for free. During that period, you’ll have access to all its email marketing tools.

The best part is you don’t even need to provide your credit card details to start the trial. Isn’t that great?

After the trial period ends, you’ll have to purchase one of their plans starting at $12 per month. You can also buy an annual plan and get a 15% discount.

I believe Constant Contact is the absolute best choice for beginners if you have the budget for it. Plus, you can try it out for 60 days at no risk.

2. Drip: Most Advanced Email Marketing Tool For eCommerce

Drip is the best email marketing tool for advanced marketing automation for eCommerce businesses and email marketers.

It can be easily integrated with popular tools and services like WooCommerce, Shopify, MemberPress, Zapier, and more. This will allow you to increase your conversions, boost marketing automation, and grow your email list.

Drip helps you understand your customers’ behavior using tags and custom fields. You can utilize it to segment your list, set up behavior-based automation, and send personalized content to increase sales.

Apart from the above, Drip offers email features like workflow and subject line split testing, a user-friendly visual builder, RSS to email, and custom conversion reports. You can also send text messages and display Facebook ads to your customers. All of these features make Drip one of the best marketing automation tools.

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Offers advanced automation features
• Can be integrated with popular tools
• Provides excellent support and detailed documentation

Cons

• Relatively expensive
• Most of its advanced features are not useful for beginners

How Much Does Drip Cost?

The basic plan of Drip will cost you $39 per month for up to 2,500 contacts. Plus you get unlimited email sends to your subscribers using that plan.

I’d recommend using Drip if you’re already experienced with email marketing and have your automation planned out. If you’re already making money online with email marketing strategies in place to run high-converting email automation such as cart abandonment campaigns, welcome email series, and more, then Drip is a smart investment in your business.

To test it out, you can opt for their free 14-day trial and decide whether you like their service or not.

3. HubSpot: Best Free Plan To Get Started

HubSpot offers the best free email marketing services to get going. It lets you combine email marketing with the power of CRM software (customer relationship management) for a full marketing ecosystem. 

That means that when people join your email list, HubSpot will automatically save their contact details into the integrated CRM. Then, you can easily segment them into lists and send personalized emails based on the information stored in their contact records. 

Designing beautiful emails is also easy with HubSpot. It comes with a library of pre-built email templates, and you can use the drag-and-drop email editor to customize the layouts to match your branding. 

Aside from CRM and powerful email marketing software, again I can’t emphasize it enough – how HubSpot offers other powerful marketing tools including a form builder, live chat, landing pages, and more for your entire marketing needs… so long as you can pay for it!  

Pros 

• The free plan lets you have unlimited contacts with up to
• Drag and drop editor to easily create emails
• Built-in analytics, A/B testing, and send-time optimization
• Extra marketing tools like landing pages, form builder, and live chat
• Available as a WordPress plugin to send emails right from your WordPress dashboard

Cons

• The additional marketing tools may be overwhelming for beginners
• Paid plans are expensive

How Much Does HubSpot Cost?

HubSpot offers a free plan that lets you send 2,000 emails per month to unlimited contacts, with no credit card required. The free plan also includes the free CRM, form builder, landing pages, and live chat. 

This makes HubSpot a great option if you want to build an entire lead generation funnel, without spending money.  

For more advanced features and higher send limits, paid plans start at $45 per month. 

4. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is a popular email and SMS marketing service provider known for its excellent deliverability rates.

This means your emails will be sure to reach the inbox and not the spam folder. And it also provides a drag-and-drop email editor that allows you to design professional-looking emails in a few minutes.

It comes with marketing automation features and allows you to send transactional emails, like order confirmations and more. You can also segment your email list based on demographic and behavioral criteria to increase open and click rates.

You can easily personalize the emails and use their advanced email options to take your marketing efforts to the next level. And you can also use A/B testing to determine which one is performing well.

Brevo can even help you identify the best time to send emails to your subscribers. This will increase engagement and conversions.

Beyond their email marketing tools, Brevo also includes a live chat tool, landing page builder, CRM, and integration with Facebook ads.

Pros

• Comes with a free plan
• Allows unlimited contacts with every plan
• Provides an email template library to help you get started quickly
• Offers marketing automation features

Cons

• Email sending limitation
• You can remove the Brevo logo from your emails only if you purchase their $25 per month plan or higher

How Much Does Brevo Cost?

Brevo offers a free plan that allows you to add unlimited contacts. However, that plan allows you to send 300 emails per day.

You can use their paid plans to increase the limit, costing you $25 per month.

I’d recommend Brevo if you have an eCommerce store and want to get started with email marketing on a budget.

5. ConvertKit

ConvertKit is an email marketing service for bloggers, marketers, and content creators.

You can easily automate your email campaign using their drag-and-drop interface. For example, you can automatically add a new subscriber to a particular list and send targeted content to them.

ConvertKit allows you to easily integrate with more than 70 popular services including Zapier, Stripe, MemberPress, and OptinMonster. You can also use their sign up forms and landing pages to grow your email list.

One of the best features of ConvertKit is you can use tags to organize your subscribers. You can group them based on their interest, activity, and much more.

Pros

• Easy-to-understand interface
• Comes with a landing page builder
• Awesome support team
• Offers a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers

Cons

• Expensive compared to other services
• A/B testing limitations
• Limited reporting data

How Much Does ConvertKit Cost?

ConvertKit offers a limited free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers. After that, ConvertKit plans start at $9 per month ($108 per year) for up to 300 subscribers. The paid plans come with extra features like automated email sequences, visual automation builders, and more.

You can also sign up for their 14-day free trial to explore their different features.

Since ConvertKit is specifically created for bloggers and other online creators, I recommend trying it out if you want to monetize your blog and need a service with advanced automation.

6. Moosend

Moosend is another affordable and easy to use email marketing service. Beginners can easily create beautiful email newsletters with the drag-and-drop newsletter editor and over 40 ready-made email templates. 

One of its standout features is the AI-powered product recommendations, which are perfect for eCommerce businesses that want to send highly personalized campaigns to boost sales. 

You can send smart product recommendations to subscribers based on their previously viewed products and purchases. You can also send weather-based product recommendations. For example, you can promote snowsuits or swimsuits depending on subscribers’ locations. 

Moosend also comes with other powerful features like email marketing automation, email subscription forms, landing pages, and more. 

Pros

• Easy drag and drop newsletter editor
• Separate mobile editor
• Powerful product recommendation features
• Detailed email analytics and heatmaps
• Workflow templates to automate cart abandonment, user onboarding, and more

Cons

• No free plan – but can try for 30 days free
• Cheapest plan only allows up to 500 subscribers

How Much Does Moosend Cost?

Moosend offers a 30-day free trial that allows you to send unlimited emails. No credit card is required to sign up and it comes with one automation workflow and one landing page or form.

After that, Moosend pricing starts at $9 per month for the Pro plan. The Pro plan allows you to send unlimited emails to up to 500 subscribers and comes with additional features such as automation workflows, SMTP server, and more.

7. AWeber

AWeber is one of the oldest email marketing companies out there.

It comes with a drag-and-drop builder that allows you to create professional-looking emails quickly. And you can also choose any one of the 700+ responsive email templates if you don’t want to design them from scratch.

AWeber’s RSS to Email feature allows you to create email newsletters from your latest blog posts. It also offers features like email split testing, subscriber management, responsive signup forms, email tracking, and more.

One cool thing about AWeber is that you’ll get access to all their features no matter your plan. The only limitation is the number of subscribers that you can add to your account.

Pros

• Offers a drag-and-drop builder to build email templates
• Easily integrate with popular tools and services
• Access to royalty-free images
• Offers a free plan for up to 500 subscribers

Cons

• Offers basic automation features
• The email design of some of the templates looks outdated
• Unsubscribed contacts will be added to your monthly price

How Much Does AWeber Cost?

There’s a free plan for up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails per month, but it offers limited features.

The basic email marketing plan will cost you $12.50 per month for unlimited subscribers and emails. However, additional subscriber fees apply.

Before purchasing the account, you can always use their 30-day free trial option to test their tools and get a feel of their service.

8. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a very popular email marketing solution, thanks to its free email marketing service.

You’ll get basic templates and automation features if you use their free plan. Also, there is a limitation of up to 500 contacts. After that, you’ll have to switch to their paid plans starting at $13 per month.

Mailchimp offers built-in analytics so you can see what’s working for you. You can also integrate it to over 300 apps and tools to utilize extra marketing features.

However, you should note that Mailchimp will charge you for the unsubscribed users, unlike most email marketing services.

Pros

• Comes with a free plan up to 500 subscribers
• Easy for beginners to use
• Can be integrated with 300+ apps

Cons

• No support available for free plans
• Very basic automation features compared to others
• Phone support is only available if you’re paying $350 per month
• They’ll charge for unsubscribed users

How Much Does Mailchimp Cost?

Mailchimp offers a free plan with limited features and allows you to add up to 500 contacts. Their premium plan with features including A/B testing and custom branding starts at $13 per month.

Honestly, I think Brevo (Sendinblue) has a better free plan, and Drip has better automation if you have the budget for it.

Which is the Best Email Marketing Service?

After comparing the above services, we can conclude that Constant Contact is the best email service provider for almost everyone.

It is easy to use and comes with awesome customer support.

It helps you create mobile-friendly email templates with the help of its drag-and-drop email builder. You can also send automated emails and track them in real time.

On the other hand, if you want advanced features for your eCommerce store or online business, then you should start using Drip. Drip’s automation is incredibly powerful and easy to use, making their service a smart investment for any business relying on digital marketing.

If you’re looking for the best email marketing service with a great free plan, then I recommend HubSpot. It allows you to add unlimited contacts to your list. HubSpot is great, especially for eCommerce sites, because of its CRM, live chat, and other tools.

How to Choose Between the Best Email Marketing Platforms For Small Business

So now that we’ve gone through the list and I’ve shared my top choice – I want to ensure you feel that you have everything you need to start.

After all, choosing the best email platform is the most important step when starting email marketing. Becuase it can be really tough to switch later on.

So, how do you make sure you’re making the right choice for YOUR unique marketing needs?

First, you should never choose a service based on its popularity. Just because an email service is popular doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for you.

And just because a company offers many features doesn’t mean you should select it. You may not need all those features when you’re just starting – or ever!

Whatever your needs may be, here are some of the most important things to look for in your email marketing service:

• Ease of use: Is the user interface designed with beginners in mind?
• Email deliverability: Will your emails reach the inbox, or be sent to spam?
• Marketing automation features: Can you set up automated emails to earn a passive income?
• Price: Do they have a free plan to get started? Are there paid plans reasonable as you grow?
• Support: Do they offer quality support to help you get started and troubleshoot any issues?

Bonus Tip: Build Your Email List Faster!

After selecting the best email marketing service for your business, you’ll need to start building your email list with the help of a lead generation software.

I highly recommend you use OptinMonster for this purpose.

It’s the best lead generation and conversion optimization tool that allows you to boost your email list and sales.

Just check out some of these case studies:

• eCommerce site Crossrope adds 1800 new email subscribers every month
• Author Neil Strauss increased his conversions by 125%
• TradingStrategyGuides.com added 7,500 new email subscribers from ONE blog post

People are getting amazing results with this tool.

You can easily integrate OptinMonster with any of the email marketing services listed above or any other service you currently use.

It offers a drag-and-drop builder that helps you create opt-in forms for your website. It also comes with amazing features like multiple form templates, exit intent, page-level targeting, advanced traffic redirection, A/B testing, and more.

They also offer an awesome, friendly, and helpful support team, so you can easily contact them if you face any problems.

Best Email Marketing Providers in Conclusion

That’s all! I hope this article helped you with choosing an email marketing service that can meet your needs.

If you liked this article, then you may also want to check out our comparison of the best web hosting services.

Also, please feel free to comment below if you’ve any questions!