7 Best Email Marketing Tools for SME companies

Darko Veljaca Updated
email marketing tool

7 Best Email Marketing Tools: As a small business owner, you always search for new and affordable ways to grow your business. Email marketing is one of the best ways to reach your target audience and promote your products or services. Email marketing is one of the most effective and affordable ways to connect with your customers and drive sales. In this article, I will share the top 7 must-have email marketing software for small businesses.

Importance of Email Marketing for Small Businesses

Email marketing is an essential tool for small businesses. It enables businesses to build relationships with their customers, keep them informed about their products or services, and drive sales. With email marketing, you can send targeted messages to your customers based on their interests and behaviours. This allows you to create a more personalised experience for your customers, which can lead to increased engagement and sales.

Email marketing is also one of the most cost-effective ways to reach your customers. Unlike traditional advertising methods, email marketing allows you to reach a large audience without spending a lot of money. This makes it an ideal marketing tool for small businesses with limited marketing budgets.

Factors to Consider when Choosing Email Marketing Software

Choosing the right email marketing software can be a daunting task. There are many factors to consider, such as ease of use, features, pricing, and customer support. When choosing email marketing software for your small business, it is important to consider the following factors:

  1. Ease of use: The software should be easy to use, even if you have no experience with email marketing.
  2. Features: The software should have all the features you need to create effective email campaigns, such as templates, automation, and analytics.
  3. Pricing: The software should be affordable and offer flexible pricing plans that fit your budget.
  4. Customer support: The software should offer excellent customer support to help you with any issues or questions you may have.

7 Best Email Marketing Tools

Now that we have discussed the importance of email marketing and the factors to consider when choosing email marketing software let’s look at the top 7 must-have email marketing software for small businesses.

#1: Mailchimp

Mailchimp is one of the most popular email marketing software for small businesses. It is known for its ease of use and excellent customer support. Mailchimp offers a wide range of features, including templates, automation, and analytics. It also integrates with a variety of other tools, such as social media platforms and e-commerce platforms.

What I like:

  • User-Friendly Interface: Mailchimp offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface, making it easy for beginners to create and manage email campaigns without much technical knowledge.
  • Robust Automation Features: The platform provides powerful automation capabilities, enabling users to set up personalized and triggered emails based on customer behavior, leading to more effective campaigns.
  • Extensive Integrations: Mailchimp integrates with numerous third-party applications and platforms, allowing seamless connections with other tools for enhanced marketing capabilities.

What I don’t like:

  • Limited Reporting on Free Plan: The free plan has limited reporting features, which might be a drawback for businesses looking for in-depth analytics without upgrading to a paid plan.
  • Price Increase as List Grows: As your subscriber list grows, the pricing can become comparatively higher than other email marketing tools, which could be a concern for businesses with rapidly expanding lists.
  • Limited Customization: While Mailchimp offers many templates, the level of customization might be limited for more advanced users who prefer to create highly tailored designs.

#2: Constant Contact

Constant Contact is another popular email marketing software for small businesses. It is known for its user-friendly interface and excellent customer support. Constant Contact offers a range of features, including templates, automation, and analytics. It also offers a variety of integrations, such as social media platforms and e-commerce platforms.

What I like:

  • Excellent Customer Support: Constant Contact is well-known for its responsive customer support, providing assistance through various channels, including live chat, phone, and email.
  • Intuitive Interface: The platform offers a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy to create and customize email campaigns quickly.
  • Extensive Library of Resources: Constant Contact provides a wealth of educational resources, including webinars, guides, and tutorials, which can be beneficial for users seeking to improve their email marketing skills.

What I don’t like:

  • Limited Automation Capabilities: Compared to some other email marketing tools, Constant Contact’s automation features are relatively basic, which might be a disadvantage for businesses seeking advanced automation workflows.
  • Limited Template Selection: While there are many templates available, the selection might be considered less diverse and modern compared to some competitors.
  • Pricing for High-Volume Lists: Constant Contact’s pricing can be expensive for larger lists, potentially making it less cost-effective for businesses with extensive subscriber bases.

#3: Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor is a powerful email marketing software for small businesses. It is known for its advanced features, such as dynamic content and advanced segmentation. Campaign Monitor offers a range of templates, automation, and analytics. It also integrates with a variety of other tools, such as social media platforms and e-commerce platforms.

What I like:

  • Customizable Templates: Campaign Monitor offers a wide range of professionally designed and highly customizable templates, allowing businesses to create visually appealing and branded emails.
  • Advanced Reporting and Analytics: The platform provides detailed reporting and analytics, including engagement metrics, allowing users to gain valuable insights into the performance of their email campaigns.
  • Strong Data Segmentation: Campaign Monitor’s advanced segmentation options enable users to target specific subsets of their audience effectively, leading to more personalized and relevant email content.

What I don’t like:

  • Limited Third-Party Integrations: While Campaign Monitor offers some integrations, the selection might be more limited compared to some other email marketing tools, potentially restricting users’ ability to connect with their preferred applications.
  • Learning Curve for Beginners: Some users might find the platform’s interface and features slightly more complex, requiring a steeper learning curve, especially for those new to email marketing.
  • Price for High-Volume Sending: Similar to other platforms, the pricing for larger lists or high-volume sending can become a cost concern for businesses with substantial subscriber bases.

#4: Brevo (ex. Sendinblue)

Brevo is an affordable email marketing software for small businesses. It offers a range of features, including templates, automation, and analytics. Brevo offers SMS marketing and live chat, making it a great all-in-one marketing tool for small businesses.

What I like:

  • All-in-One Marketing Platform: Brevo offers more than just email marketing; it provides a comprehensive suite of marketing tools, including SMS marketing, marketing automation, chat, and CRM. This integration allows businesses to manage multiple aspects of their marketing efforts from a single platform.
  • Affordable Pricing Tiers: Brevo’s pricing structure is competitive, particularly for businesses with growing subscriber lists. Its free plan provides basic features, and the paid plans offer good value for money with increased benefits and higher sending limits.
  • Advanced Automation Workflows: The platform offers robust marketing automation capabilities, enabling users to create complex workflows based on various triggers and user behaviors. This allows for highly personalized and targeted campaigns.

What I don’t like:

  • Limited Template Design Customization: While Sendinblue provides a decent selection of templates, the level of customization might be less compared to some other platforms, limiting the ability to create highly unique and branded email designs.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features: Some users might find the interface and configuration of advanced features, such as complex automation workflows, slightly challenging to navigate, especially for those new to marketing automation.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations: Although Sendinblue integrates with popular applications, the number of available integrations might be fewer than some other email marketing platforms, potentially limiting seamless connectivity with specific third-party tools.

#5: AWeber

AWeber is a popular email marketing software for small businesses. It offers a range of features, including templates, automation, and analytics. AWeber also offers a variety of integrations, such as social media platforms and e-commerce platforms. It also has an excellent reputation for customer support.

What I like:

  • User-Friendly Interface: AWeber offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface, making it easy for users, including beginners, to create, send, and manage email campaigns without a steep learning curve.
  • Reliable Deliverability: AWeber has a strong reputation for high deliverability rates, ensuring that your emails reach your subscribers’ inboxes and are less likely to be marked as spam.
  • Extensive Template Library: AWeber provides a wide variety of professionally designed email templates, catering to different industries and purposes. This library allows users to create visually appealing and engaging email campaigns quickly.

What I don’t like:

  • Limited Marketing Automation: While AWeber does offer basic automation features, they might be considered less advanced and robust compared to some other email marketing platforms, potentially limiting the complexity of automation workflows.
  • Higher Costs for Growing Lists: As your subscriber list grows, the pricing can become comparatively higher, making it less cost-effective for businesses with rapidly expanding lists.
  • Advanced Features Require Upgrading: Some advanced features and integrations may only be available in higher-priced plans, which could be a drawback for businesses seeking specific functionalities on a more budget-friendly plan.

#6: GetResponse

GetResponse is a powerful email marketing software for small businesses. It offers a range of features, including templates, automation, and analytics. GetResponse also offers landing pages and webinars, making it a great all-in-one marketing tool for small businesses. It also has an excellent reputation for customer support.

What I like:

  • Comprehensive Marketing Features: GetResponse offers a wide array of marketing tools, including email marketing, marketing automation, landing page creation, webinars, and more. This all-in-one approach enables businesses to manage multiple aspects of their marketing campaigns from a single platform.
  • Advanced Marketing Automation: The platform provides robust marketing automation capabilities, allowing users to create complex workflows based on customer behavior and engagement. This level of automation can lead to highly personalized and targeted campaigns, improving overall effectiveness.
  • High-Quality Landing Page Creator: GetResponse’s landing page creator is a valuable feature for businesses, as it allows them to design and publish professional landing pages without the need for additional third-party tools.

What I don’t like:

  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features: Some users, especially those new to marketing automation, might find the platform’s advanced features and workflows a bit challenging to navigate and set up initially.
  • Slightly Higher Costs: While GetResponse offers various pricing plans to accommodate different needs, it might be perceived as slightly more expensive compared to some other email marketing platforms, particularly for businesses with large subscriber lists.
  • Limited Template Customization: While GetResponse provides a range of pre-designed templates, the level of customization available might be considered slightly restrictive for users who desire more extensive design flexibility.

#7: Drip

Drip is a powerful email marketing software for small businesses. It is known for its advanced features, such as automation and segmentation. Drip offers a range of templates and analytics. It also integrates with a variety of other tools, such as social media platforms and e-commerce platforms.

What I like:

  • Advanced Ecommerce Marketing: Drip is specifically designed for e-commerce businesses, and it excels at providing advanced marketing automation features tailored to the needs of online retailers. It offers robust segmentation and personalized messaging, helping businesses drive sales and customer retention.
  • Visual Workflow Builder: Drip’s visual workflow builder allows users to create complex automation workflows with ease, using a drag-and-drop interface. This feature enables marketers to design intricate customer journeys and nurture campaigns without the need for extensive technical knowledge.
  • Deep Data Tracking and Insights: Drip provides detailed tracking and analytics, giving e-commerce businesses valuable insights into customer behavior, product interactions, and purchase patterns. These data-driven insights enable businesses to make data-backed marketing decisions and optimize their campaigns effectively.

What I don’t like:

  • Learning Curve for Beginners: While Drip offers powerful automation capabilities, its sophistication might be overwhelming for beginners or marketers new to marketing automation. Users might require some time to learn and make the most of all the advanced features.
  • Pricing for Growing Lists: As your subscriber list grows, the pricing can become relatively higher compared to some other email marketing platforms. This may make it less cost-effective for businesses with rapidly expanding subscriber bases.
  • Limited Integration Options: While Drip does integrate with various e-commerce platforms and tools, the number of available integrations might be considered more limited compared to some other email marketing platforms. This could be a drawback for businesses seeking specific third-party connections.

Comparison of Email Marketing Software Features and Pricing

Comparisons

To help you choose the right email marketing tool for your small business, here is a comparison of the features and pricing of the top 7 must-have email marketing software for small businesses:

SoftwareFeaturesPrice
MailchimpTemplates, automation, analytics, integrationsFree – $299/month
Constant ContactTemplates, automation, analytics, integrations$20 – $335/month
Campaign MonitorTemplates, automation, analytics, integrations$9 – $149/month
BrevoTemplates, automation, analytics, SMS marketing, live chatFree – $49/month
AWeberTemplates, automation, analytics, integrations$0 – $899/month
GetResponseTemplates, automation, analytics, landing pages, webinars$15 – $99/month
DripTemplates, automation, segmentation, analytics, integrations$39 – custom/month

Summary Email Marketing Tools:

  1. Mailchimp: Offers a user-friendly interface, robust automation features, and extensive integrations. Limited reporting on the free plan and price increases as the subscriber list grows can be drawbacks.
  2. Constant Contact: Known for excellent customer support, an intuitive interface, and a library of resources. However, it has limited automation capabilities and template selection, and pricing might be a concern for high-volume lists.
  3. Campaign Monitor: Provides customizable templates, advanced reporting, and strong data segmentation. Drawbacks include limited third-party integrations, a learning curve for beginners, and pricing concerns for large lists.
  4. Sendinblue: Offers an all-in-one marketing platform, affordable pricing, and advanced automation workflows. However, customization of templates may be limited, and some advanced features might have a learning curve.
  5. AWeber: Features a user-friendly interface, reliable deliverability, and an extensive template library. Drawbacks include limited marketing automation, higher costs for growing lists, and the need to upgrade for advanced features.
  6. GetResponse: Provides comprehensive marketing features, advanced automation, and a high-quality landing page creator. However, it has a learning curve for advanced features, slightly higher costs, and limited template customization.
  7. Drip: Excels in advanced e-commerce marketing, visual workflow builder, and deep data tracking. Drawbacks include a learning curve for beginners, pricing for growing lists, and limited integration options.

Conclusion

Email marketing tools are essential for small businesses. They enable businesses to build relationships with their customers, keep them informed about their products or services, and drive sales. When choosing email marketing software for your small business, it is important to consider factors such as ease of use, features, pricing, and customer support. The top 7 must-have email marketing software for small businesses are Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor, Brevo, AWeber, GetResponse, and Drip. Choose the right one for your business and start growing your customer base today!

Darko’s recommendation:

For SME companies, an excellent choice would be Mailchimp. It offers a user-friendly platform that is easy to navigate, making it suitable for those new to email marketing. The robust automation features allow SMEs to create personalized and targeted campaigns without extensive technical knowledge. Additionally, the extensive integrations help businesses connect with other tools and platforms to enhance their marketing efforts.

Mailchimp’s scalability allows SMEs to start with the free plan and upgrade as their business and subscriber list grow. The platform’s features, ease of use, and integrations make it a reliable choice for SMEs seeking a versatile and effective email marketing solution. However, evaluating your specific business needs and considering trials or demos is always recommended to find the best fit for your needs.

Editorial Process:

My reviews are written with great care and come from real-world experience. Read my editorial process here.

Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan. These are products I’ve personally used/tested and stand behind. This site is not intended to provide financial advice. You can read our affiliate disclosure in our privacy policy.

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