Selecting the right platform is a crucial decision that impacts your marketing success. Before you decide, consider these steps:
- Define your goals and budget
- Make a list of must-have features
- Evaluate how easy the platform is to use
- Try free trials or request demos
- Check deliverability rates and sender reputation
- Ensure integrations with your other tools
- Make sure it scales with your business
- Assess customer support quality
- Verify compliance with data protection regulations
- Review pricing for hidden costs
Take your time to choose software that fits your goals and will support your growth.
Best Email Marketing Platforms For Startups: Features & Pricing
Here’s a quick overview of the top tools.
Tool | Free Plan/Trial | Pricing | Key Features |
---|---|---|---|
Moosend | 30-day free trial | $9/month | Drag-and-drop editor |
ActiveCampaign | 14-day trial | $19/month | Advanced automation |
Constant Contact | 14-day trial | $12/month | Event marketing tools |
Mailchimp | Limited free plan | $20/month | Multi-step journeys |
Brevo | Limited free plan | $9/month | Email & SMS marketing |
GetResponse | Limited free plan | $19/month | AI marketing campaigns |
Drip | 14-day trial | $39/month | User tagging |
AWeber | Limited free plan | $15/month | Landing page builder |
MailerLite | Free plan | $10/month | Sell digital products |
Campaign Monitor | Free testing | $9/month | Reporting & analytics |
SendX | 14-day trial | $9.99/month | User-friendly interface |
Top Startup Email Marketing Software By Use Case
Moosend: Best for powerful automation with easy setup
ActiveCampaign: Best for advanced automation and personalization
Constant Contact: Best for event management
Mailchimp: Best for complex customer journeys and templates
Brevo: Best for email and SMS marketing
GetResponse: Best for email plus webinars
Drip: Best for eCommerce functionality
AWeber: Best for ease of use and support
MailerLite: Best for selling digital products
Campaign Monitor: Best for customization and autoresponders
SendX: Best for user-friendly experience
1. Moosend
Pricing: Starts at $9/month, 30-day free trial
Best Feature: Advanced marketing automation with easy setup
Moosend is user-friendly, with a clean interface and powerful automation tools. The drag-and-drop builder, AI Writer, and segmentation features help startups create professional emails fast. Real-time analytics, A/B testing, and integrations with eCommerce and CRM systems make it a strong choice.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Newsletter templates
- Personalization and segmentation
- Sign-up forms and landing pages
- High deliverability
- Transactional emails
- Integrations with major tools
Pricing: Starts at $9/month for 500 subscribers. Free trial available.
2. ActiveCampaign
Pricing: Starts at $19/month, 14-day trial
Best Feature: Advanced automated workflows
ActiveCampaign is powerful for segmentation, lead scoring, and dynamic content. It supports complex drip campaigns, making it ideal for startups with advanced marketing needs.
Key Features:
- HTML email builder
- Automation workflows
- List segmentation
- Pre-built templates
- Popups for lead gen
- CRM and Shopify integrations
Pricing: Starts at $19/month for 1,000 contacts. Extra features like SMS cost more.
3. Constant Contact
Pricing: Starts at $12/month, 14-day trial
Best Feature: Event marketing tools
Constant Contact is beginner-friendly and offers event promotion capabilities. While A/B testing is limited to subject lines, it has strong templates and contact management.
Key Features:
- Email templates
- Contact management
- Autoresponders
- Surveys and polls
- Event marketing tools
Pricing: Starts at $12/month for 500 contacts. Free trial available.
4. Mailchimp
Pricing: Starts at $20/month, limited free plan
Best Feature: Multi-step customer journeys
Mailchimp is popular for customizable templates, automation, and multivariate testing. Be aware of duplicate contact fees.
Key Features:
- Responsive templates
- Automated workflows
- Multivariate testing
- List segmentation
- Push notifications
- Retargeting ads
Pricing: Standard plan starts at $20/month. Free plan is limited.
5. Brevo
Pricing: Starts at $9/month, limited free plan
Best Feature: Email and SMS marketing
Brevo combines email and SMS campaigns with robust automation and transactional emails. Easy to use, with strong integrations.
Key Features:
- Email & SMS marketing
- Automation workflows
- Landing pages
- List segmentation
- Reporting and analytics
Pricing: Starts at $9/month for 500 contacts. Free plan available.
6. GetResponse
Pricing: Starts at $19/month, free plan
Best Feature: AI-generated marketing campaigns
GetResponse offers AI tools, webinars, and conversion funnels, making it versatile for growing businesses.
Key Features:
- AI campaign generator
- Reporting and analytics
- Conversion funnels
- eCommerce integrations
Pricing: Starts at $19/month. Free plan and 30-day trial available.
7. Drip
Pricing: Starts at $39/month, 14-day trial
Best Feature: Convenient user tagging
Drip focuses on eCommerce and behavior-based automation. It provides conditional formatting and robust integrations.
Key Features:
- Visual workflow builder
- Conditional formatting
- Segmentation
- Detailed analytics
- 150+ integrations
Pricing: Starts at $39/month for 2,500 contacts.
8. AWeber
Pricing: Starts at $15/month, free plan
Best Feature: Landing page builder
AWeber is beginner-friendly with automation, segmentation, and a drag-and-drop editor.
Key Features:
- List segmentation
- Autoresponders
- A/B testing
- Landing pages
Pricing: Starts at $15/month. Free plan for up to 500 subscribers.
9. MailerLite
Pricing: Starts at $10/month, free plan
Best Feature: Sell digital products
MailerLite stands out with its eCommerce tools, landing pages, and website builder.
Key Features:
- A/B testing
- Dynamic content
- Sell digital products
- Unsubscribe page builder
Pricing: Starts at $10/month. Free plan available.
10. Campaign Monitor
Pricing: Starts at $9/month, free testing plan
Best Feature: Strong reporting and analytics
Campaign Monitor offers time zone sending and dynamic personalization.
Key Features:
- Responsive templates
- Time zone sending
- Spam testing
- Analytics and reporting
Pricing: Starts at $9/month. Free testing plan available.
11. SendX
Pricing: Starts at $9.99/month, 14-day trial
Best Feature: User-friendly interface with robust automation
SendX is simple to use, with strong deliverability and customizable landing pages.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Automation workflows
- A/B testing
- Deliverability consulting
Pricing: Starts at $9.99/month. 14-day trial available.
Selecting The Best Software For Your Startup
Before committing, consider your budget, automation needs, and integrations. Use free trials to find the platform that fits your business goals.