Tired of relying on unpredictable referrals and social media algorithms? With email marketing, you can take control of your leads, nurture them and turn more of them into paying customers.
But I bet you’ve been recommended so many different tools that… you’ve no idea where to start!
So, let’s avoid overwhelm and information overload. Instead of jumping from one article to the next, you can find the best email marketing tools right here.
I’ve also listed their pros, cons and cost to help you find the right one for your business.
Let’s dive in!
Why do you need email marketing tools for your business?
You need an email marketing tool to grow your audience, nurture them and sell more – without building your entire castle in someone else’s sandbox (like social media platforms that can restrict your reach).
So, with an email marketing tool, you’ll bring these leads in one place and track your efforts. You’ll also own your list.
And to set the right expectations, emails have one of the highest ROIs in the marketing world: $36 for every dollar spent!
However, that doesn’t mean any tool will do. It’s still important to take your actual budget into account and choose an email marketing tool that meets your needs and preferences (after all, why pay more for features you wouldn’t use?).
Lead generation tools
There is a big difference between lead generation tools like ScoreApp and email marketing tools like the ones outlined in this article.
Email marketing tools are good for managing your email list and sending emails, but they are usually not built for lead generation. Some of these tools offer some helpful tools but they are not a replacement for lead generation tools that are purpose built.
Best email marketing tools for businesses
I’ve rounded up the best, but each of them is better suited for a different type of business, budget, goals and audience. So, let’s look at them one by one to find the perfect email marketing platform for you.
HubSpot
This is more than a basic email marketing tool. HubSpot is an entire CRM platform to bring marketing, content management, sales and customer service together.
So, I especially recommend it to large businesses or marketing teams looking for in-depth analytics and automation.
Cost – freemium and from £17/mo
Pros
- All in one platform – HubSpot is a CRM first. So, you’ll have EVERYTHING in one place
- Integrations – Should you need to connect it to external tools, there are +1000 to choose from
- Analytics – They’re really robust, and they’ll help you track everything from click-through rates to downloads and… pretty much any kind of interaction
- Automation and additional features – Create custom workflows, segment your audience and send more targeted emails automatically
- User-friendly – Considering it’s a full CRM, HubSpot is fairly easy to master
Cons
- Might be expensive – The professional plan starts at £702/mo. HubSpot does have a free version and starter plan, but they’re limited. Plus, the price of the latter goes up quite drastically as you grow your audience. It’s also worth noting that HubSpot requires you to commit to a full 12-month contract
- Might be more than you need – Planning on making the most of all its features (and you have the budget for it)? Then, HubSpot is fantastic. But if you already have a CRM, it’d make more sense to invest in a simpler email marketing tool
Mailerlite
This is a straightforward email marketing software to send newsletters, set up automated workflows and create landing pages or basic websites.
Given its affordable pricing model and simple systems, Mailerlite is perfect for individuals and small-to-medium companies.
However, it might not be for you if you run a large business or need more complex automations.
Cost – freemium and from £7.32/mo
Pros
- Affordable – Even though it’s quite limited, the free plan covers up to 1000 subscribers (which is pretty generous, compared to most email marketing tools). As for the paid ones, you can start with as little as £7.32/mo for up to 500 subscribers. And to give you an idea, you’ll pay less than £20/mo even when you reach 5000
- User-friendly – From its interface to the drag-and-drop email builder and templates: it’ll be a breeze to get started with Mailerlite
- Integrations – You can connect it to +140 external tools
- Segmentation and personalisation – It’s easy to divide your audience based on all kinds of criteria and nurture them accordingly
- Landing pages – You can create attractive landing pages and even simple websites
- Deliverability – With a 95.41% rate, the risk of ending up in the Spam folder is extremely low
Cons
- Limited automation – Its workflows are easy to set up. And if you have a simple business model and lead generation process? They might be all you need. However, if you wanted to go more in-depth, Mailerlite might not be the best email marketing tool for you
- Limited analytics – You can track things like email open rates, subscribers and landing page performance. It’s just not as advanced as other email marketing tools on this list
- No CRM features – If you haven’t already got a CRM (and were hoping for an all-in-one marketing tool), it’s just not for you
Mailchimp
With a 70% market share, this is the most popular email marketing platform. Mailchimp is simple, fairly affordable and versatile.
It might not be the most attractive choice for large companies. Still, it’s ideal for beginners, individuals and small businesses.
Cost – freemium and from £10.73/mo
Pros
- User-friendly – Mailchimp is one of the most beginner-friendly email marketing tools. Its intuitive interface and simple editor make it easy to get started (even if it’s your first time using an email marketing platform)
- Integrations – You can connect it to +250 tools
- Additional features and automations – Mailchimp can act as a CRM, and it offers interesting features like forms and landing pages. It also takes automation to the next level, especially when opting for its top plans
- Deliverability – At 91.39%, its rate is slightly lower than Mailerlite but still impressive
- Analytics – They’re a bit more in-depth than Mailerlite
Cons
- Pricing model – Mailchimp can be affordable but… it’s tricky. For example, it’ll charge you for unsubscribed and inactive contacts, too. It’s also not the most cost-effective option if you have a large list (or are planning on growing one)
- Limited forms and landing pages – They’re not the most customisable, unless you’re happy to start coding
ActiveCampaign
This platform brings together emails, marketing automation and CRMs to deliver an excellent customer experience.
You can choose different bundles depending on your needs, like Email & Marketing Automation or CRM & Sales Management.
Overall, I mainly recommend ActiveCampaign to small-to-medium businesses or large marketing teams looking for advanced automation and CRM features.
Cost – from £24.41/mo
Pros
- Comprehensive – Depending on your needs, you might be able to use it as an all-in-one platform
- Advanced features – ActiveCampaign offers interesting options (like lead scoring) and more developed workflows to send super targeted emails automatically
- Integrations – You can connect it to +900 tools and apps
- Analytics and testing – This is one of the best email marketing tools to review your efforts, from A/B testing to in-depth analytics
Cons
- Learning curve – Well, all those advanced features come at a cost. It’ll probably take you a while to familiarise yourself with ActiveCampaign
- Deliverability – Some users reported problems with their emails going straight to Spam
- Might be expensive – ActiveCampaign hasn’t got a free plan, and the cheapest ones have limited features. If they include all you need, this tool can be relatively budget-friendly. But if you were hoping for more advanced options? Be prepared to fork out at least £121.18/mo
ConvertKit
Its website and marketing materials clarify it right from the start: this is an email marketing tool for creators.
So, ConvertKit might not be for you if you run a different type of business, especially an eCommerce.
But it’s one of the best options for bloggers, online businesses and individuals who prioritise content marketing.
Cost – freemium and from £7.32/mo
Pros
- For creators – It’ll help you grow your audience and automate your email marketing, from selling digital products to monetising your newsletter
- Segmentation – ConvertKit is very subscriber-centric. For example, you can tag and segment your audience strategically and create more personalised workflows
- Deliverability – It has one of the highest deliverability rates
- Scalable – Its pricing structure can be more cost-effective if you’re planning on growing your audience. For instance, you’ll only pay just over £80/mo for a whopping 10k subscriber list
Cons
- Learning curve – It’s intuitive when it comes to its basic features, but some advanced ones can be more difficult
- Limited integrations – You can connect ConvertKit to +40 tools. Objectively, this might be all you need! It’s just less impressive than the other email marketing tools on this list
- Limited design and features – Some of the features you’re hoping for might not be as in-depth as other email marketing tools (like its analytics) or… not there at all (like CRM functions)
- Not for everyone – If you’re not a content creator, it’s probably NOT the best option for you, and particularly if you run an eCommerce. For instance, you can’t send transactional emails
Zoho Campaigns
Part of Zoho’s software suite, this is a handy email marketing tool to create automated workflows and personalise your communications.
I especially recommend it to businesses and marketing teams that value advanced features or already use Zoho Suite.
Cost – freemium and from £2.40/mo
Pros
- Affordable – Zoho Campaigns is one of the cheapest email marketing tools. You’re looking at just over £18 for 5000 subscribers
- Advanced features – Considering its low price tag, it offers an impressive range of features, from interactive options to segmentation and A/B testing
- Analytics – You can track everything
- Integrations – It’s compatible with the rest of Zoho Suite and several external tools
Cons
- Learning curve – Its interface and template editor might not be the most intuitive
- Deliverability – A few users complained about their emails going straight to Spam
ScoreApp
This is our platform: it’s not a traditional email marketing tool, but it can act as one… and do much more!
We built ScoreApp to make quiz marketing easy for all businesses. You’ll get to attract relevant warm leads with a free quiz, segment them, nurture them and sell more (and more easily).
So, you’ll build an entire funnel to take full control of your lead generation, sales and email marketing.
Cost – freemium and from £24/mo
Pros
- Fully automated funnel – From the actual quiz lead magnet to segmentation and drip sequences, you’ll take more people from leads to customers – quickly and easily
- Gamification – You’ll stand out right from the start and engage your audience with an attractive quiz lead magnet (not a boring PDF)
- Segmenting and nurturing – ScoreApp supercharges this! You’ll segment your audience based on their quiz answers. So, get ready to go more in-depth and nurture them strategically
- More sales – Save time and money by pre-qualifying your leads through your quiz questions. You’ll only get on calls with those who are the right fit and have the budget! It’ll also be easier to close those calls successfully because you’ll know SO MUCH about each prospect
- Affordable – We won’t charge you more as your list of subscribers grows. We also have an excellent free plan
- Analytics – They’re robust and in-depth but easy to understand
Cons
- Not a traditional email marketing platform – If you already have an effective funnel, it’d make more sense to look for a basic email marketing tool
- Not white-labelled – At this stage, we haven’t got an option to remove our branding altogether (but you can still personalise your quiz and add your logo and brand styles)
All prices were correct at the time of publishing this article
ScoreApp combines quiz marketing and email marketing in one easy-to-use software
You could have separate tools to attract those leads, turn them into subscribers and nurture them via email.
But why not have everything in one place?
Once you set up your ScoreApp quiz, you’ll rely on a fully automated funnel that keeps doing all that for you.
So, take full control of your lead generation and email marketing: create your quiz today and for FREE.
