By Phil Norris January 23, 2024
Sending e-mail newsletters is widely known as some of the efficient methods to succeed in, interact, and convert your viewers, with over 90% of promoting professionals describing e-mail advertising and marketing as at the very least considerably vital to enterprise success.
So it’s no shock that the overwhelming majority of manufacturers ship e-mail campaigns at the very least as soon as per week:
To maintain your viewers engaged and make your content material memorable, it’s essential select a publication software program device that makes it straightforward to design stunning, high-engagement emails that land the place you need them to: in the principle inbox.
However with lots of of publication platforms to select from, it’s laborious to know the place to start out.
That’s why we’ve carried out the analysis for you and compiled our checklist of the 9 finest publication software program platforms, highlighting their:
- Person critiques
- Key options
- Free performance
- Technical help
- Pricing
And we’ve even offered sensible suggestions for selecting your ultimate publication software program device.
Let’s get into it…
How to decide on the very best e-mail publication software program: What to search for
The general finest e-mail publication platform for you will naturally rely by yourself particular necessities. However the overwhelming majority of content material creators, coaches, on-line market sellers, and small companies ought to prioritize instruments that provide the next options:
Excessive e-mail deliverability
Whenever you ship emails to your pals, household, and colleagues out of your private or enterprise account, you possibly can really feel fairly assured they’ll attain their supposed vacation spot.
It’s because you’ve acquired a historical past of back-and-forth conversations.
However this is probably not the case once you’re sending your publication, so that you’ll positively need a device that permits excessive e-mail deliverability.
Many publication software program platforms shout about their sky-high e-mail supply, however that doesn’t assure your newsletters will truly be seen.
Why?
As a result of e-mail supply isn’t the identical as e-mail deliverability; these six further letters make a complete world of distinction:
- E-mail supply is whether or not the receiving mail server accepted the e-mail and delivered it to the mailbox, no matter which folder it lands in.
- E-mail deliverability is whether or not the e-mail is positioned within the recipient’s main inbox.
In different phrases, even when a device claims a 99.9% supply price, your newsletters may nonetheless find yourself in spam, promotions, updates, or another folder that by no means will get checked.
So don’t be swayed by flashy-sounding supply statistics; discover out what they’ll do to maximise your e-mail deliverability.
As an illustration:
- Do they require a confirmed opt-in e-mail? This straightforward affirmation helps stop folks from receiving unsolicited newsletters.
- Do they permit folks utilizing their platform to import a bought e-mail checklist? This can be a main purple flag that they permit spam to be despatched from their publication platform.
- Do they adhere to ISP (Web Service Supplier) requirements for managing and sending opt-in e-mail?
These are just some of the proactive measures that assist publication platforms obtain sturdy deliverability.
Strive-before-you-buy capabilities
Finally, one of the best ways to know if a platform is best for you is to learn the critiques and suggestions, be sure that it’s acquired all the precise options, then strive it your self.
For that purpose, it is best to search for publication software program instruments that provide a very free plan, not only a limited-time free trial, so you possibly can navigate the varied options and see if it’s match.
A 14-day trial simply isn’t sufficient to essentially familiarize yourself with a platform.
Simple-to-use e-mail builder
Ideally, you don’t need to pay builders to code your emails and graphic designers to make them look good — you need to do it your self (even in the event you don’t have a ton of technical expertise).
So we advocate prioritizing platforms with user-friendly e-mail builders, like a drop-and-drop editor for including and arranging your design.
Constructed-in monetization
Not all e-mail instruments have built-in ecommerce performance.
This can be a key consideration, as a result of most individuals don’t begin e-mail newsletters for the sake of it — they do it to make cash, whether or not via…
…or another tactic.
No matter your monetization technique, be sure that your chosen publication platform helps it.
Time-saving content material creation instruments
Not everyone seems to be a pure born designer or copywriter.
And even in case you are, it’s nonetheless good to have a serving to hand once you’re feeling just a little uninspired.
That’s why we advocate selecting a publication platform that options inventive help instruments like:
- AI writing aids that can assist you brainstorm concepts and switch them into participating copy.
- RSS feeds so as to add your most up-to-date posts, podcasts, movies, and merchandise in your emails.
- Options that mean you can make fast updates to each facet of your newsletters.
- Constructed-in graphic design instruments like Canva so as to add wealthy pictures to your emails.
Dynamic segmentation
Just about each publication platform gives some kind of viewers segmentation performance, which lets you lower and slice your e-mail checklist based mostly on shared traits and behaviors.
However to essentially stand out, you need a publication platform that permits dynamic segmentation.
Conventional segments are static, which suggests a buyer will stay in a section till you progress them to a brand new one.
In the meantime, dynamic segments replace in actual time based mostly on buyer behaviors.
As an illustration, think about you run an ecommerce retailer. If a consumer spends $300 inside three months, they might be routinely moved to your dynamic “VIP buyer” section, so you possibly can ship them focused newsletters encouraging them to purchase much more.
Instruments to develop your viewers
Sadly, e-mail lists don’t develop by themselves.
You want some approach to get folks to subscribe via touchdown pages, sign-up types, and popups.
Don’t have your individual web site?
That’s not essentially an issue, as a result of some e-mail publication platforms will host your type or touchdown web page for you.
9 finest publication software program platforms
Now let’s take a extra in-depth have a look at every platform…
1 – AWeber
Critiques
Finest for: All-round publication performance
AWeber is finest for folks in search of an all-round e-mail publication platform that does a little bit of every little thing. Nice for coaches, content material creators, bloggers, affiliate entrepreneurs, and sellers on on-line marketplaces like Etsy.
Key options
- #1 on-line graphic design device, Canva, constructed straight into the e-mail builder.
- Common theme settings permits you to change fonts, colours, buttons, dividers, and extra from a single management.
- E-mail routinely despatched to subscribers the second you publish new blogs, movies, merchandise, and extra.
- RSS feed that can auto-display titles, descriptions, and pictures for revealed content material and merchandise.
- Drag-and-drop e-mail builder for straightforward publication customization.
- Signup types and touchdown pages to assist develop your publication checklist.
- Gross sales pages and a number of cost choices to monetize your publication.
- Dynamic content material and segmentation allow you to ship customized viewers experiences.
- Internet push notifications on all plans allow you to succeed in your viewers past the inbox.
- In-house e-mail deliverability crew with in depth deliverability administration and experience.
- AI writing device to brainstorm concepts and create draft newsletters in seconds.
- Break up-testing permits you to measure which topic line, preview textual content, message content material, and ship time variants ship the very best outcomes.
Buyer Help
All AWeber customers — even these on the free plan — can contact the help crew through dwell chat and e-mail help, whereas paying clients may entry cellphone help.
Free performance
On AWeber’s free plan you possibly can have as much as 500 subscribers and ship as much as 3,000 emails a month. It additionally gives entry to superior instruments, together with a touchdown web page builder, lead seize types, and segmentation.
Pricing
Paid plans begin at $12.50 monthly for as much as 500 subscribers and limitless emails.
Join an AWeber account in the present day.
2 – Fixed Contact
Critiques
Finest for: Multichannel advertising and marketing
Fixed Contact is an effective match for entrepreneurs seeking to leverage a number of channels — e-mail, SMS, and social media — from inside a single platform.
Key options
- AI-powered topic line suggestions.
- Use the drag-and-drop editor or begin with certainly one of 200+ templates.
- Personalize your newsletters with dynamic content material blocks that replace based mostly on who sees them.
- Use the cellular app to handle campaigns out of your cellphone.
- Bolt on SMS messaging to run multichannel advertising and marketing campaigns.
- Lengthen your attain by posting on Fb, Instagram, and LinkedIn from inside the platform.
- Generate leads utilizing the built-in touchdown web page builder.
Technical Help
All Fixed Contact clients can entry self-service, dwell chat, and phone-based help, no matter which plan they’re on. Nevertheless, they don’t provide e-mail help.
Free performance
Fixed Contact doesn’t have a free product tier. As an alternative, it gives a 60-day free trial with a 100-email ship restrict.
Pricing
Costs begin at $12 monthly for as much as 500 contacts and 5,000 month-to-month e-mail sends.
3 – Mailchimp
Critiques
Finest for: Superior publication analytics
Information-driven entrepreneurs will love Mailchimp’s refined reporting instruments, which offer real-time insights on emails, automations, ecommerce efficiency, and extra.
Key options
- Get inspiration in your publication design from a library of 100+ pre-built e-mail templates.
- Optimize your publication campaigns utilizing superior analytics and reporting instruments that pull in knowledge from a number of platforms, together with Google Analytics and Shopify.
- Create high quality content material sooner with generative AI instruments, out there on Mailchimp’s Commonplace and Premium plans.
- Construct optimized touchdown pages and even a complete web site utilizing the Mailchimp platform.
- Ship customized messaging at scale utilizing multichannel automations.
- Combine with 300+ apps and instruments, together with QuickBooks, Shopify, and WooCommerce.
Technical Help
Mailchimp’s technical and buyer help varies by value plan. Necessities and Commonplace subscribers get 24/7 e-mail and chat help, whereas top-tier Premium clients take pleasure in cellphone and precedence help. On the free plan, customers are restricted to e-mail help — and just for the primary 30 days after they join.
Free performance
Mailchimp’s free plan contains as much as 500 subscribers and 1,000 month-to-month e-mail sends, plus types, touchdown pages, and restricted entry to reporting instruments and publication templates.
Pricing
Paid plans begin at $13 monthly for as much as 500 subscribers and 5,000 month-to-month e-mail sends.
4 – MailerLite
Critiques
Finest for: Low-cost e-mail advertising and marketing
MailerLite is likely one of the lowest-cost publication platforms available on the market.
Key options
- Design emails your means utilizing both the drag-and-drop editor, wealthy textual content editor, or HTML e-mail editor.
- Collect viewers suggestions by embedding surveys inside your newsletters.
- Add social sharing options to broaden your viewers.
- Goal a number of audiences with a single e-mail by filtering who can see sure content material sections.
- Monetize your publication by connecting your on-line retailer or promoting digital merchandise and subscriptions.
- Get a headstart with 50+ professionally designed publication templates.
Technical Help
All paying MailerLite clients obtain 24/7 e-mail help, whereas Superior and Enterprise subscribers additionally get entry to dwell chat help. In case you’ve acquired a free MailerLite account, you’ll must make do with as much as 30 days of e-mail and chat help.
Free performance
MailerLite’s free plan permits you to ship 12,000 month-to-month emails to as much as 1,000 contacts and in addition contains entry to the platform’s touchdown web page, lead seize type, and automation builders.
Pricing
Paid plans are priced from $10 monthly for as much as 500 subscribers and limitless emails.
5 – Flodesk
Critiques
Finest for: Massive publication lists with easy wants
Whether or not you’ve acquired 100 publication subscribers or 100,000, Flodesk costs you a similar month-to-month sum (though there’s an additional value for ecommerce performance).
Key options
- Pay one fastened price, regardless of how briskly your publication grows, with a single value plan for as much as 100,000 subscribers.
- Make data-backed selections by analyzing your hottest emails, sending occasions, and extra.
- Develop your publication checklist by constructing sign-up types and touchdown pages.
- Create on-brand newsletters by importing your individual fonts and branded graphics (though customized fonts aren’t suitable with all e-mail suppliers).
- Bolt on ecommerce performance to monetize your content material via gross sales pages, cost processing, and checkout flows.
Technical Help
Flodesk solely gives email-based technical help. They reply emails from 6 am to six pm ET, usually inside two enterprise days.
Free performance
Flodesk does technically provide a free plan, however it doesn’t embrace any newsletter-sending performance — only a free link-in-bio device for lead technology.
Pricing
To ship e-mail newsletters via Flodesk, you’ll have to pay $35 monthly (plus an additional $24 monthly so as to add ecommerce performance). The e-mail advertising and marketing plan contains as much as 100,000 subscribers.
6 – Substack
Critiques
Finest for: Thought leaders and influencers
If you have already got an enormous viewers and want to monetize via paid newsletters, Substack might be the proper publication platform. It’s not fairly as efficient in the event you’re attempting to develop an e-mail checklist from scratch.
Key options
- Monetize your newsletters by charging your readers subscriptions of $5 – $75 monthly.
- Ship newsletters freed from cost; Substack simply takes a lower of your subscription charges.
- Swap your current publication to Substack by importing mailing lists and content material archives from Medium, Tumblr, WordPress, and different platforms.
- Resolve which posts to publish without cost and which to maintain behind your subscription paywall.
- Develop your viewers with in-platform suggestions, visitor posts, mentions, and referrals.
Technical Help
You may attain out to Substack’s help crew through dwell chat or by submitting a request via an onsite type.
Free performance
Substack is completely free for writers; they make their cash by charging a proportion of your subscription charges.
Pricing
Whilst you don’t technically pay Substack something, they preserve 10% of your subscription charges. You retain the remainder, minus bank card and transaction charges.
7 – ActiveCampaign
Critiques
Finest for: Enterprise-grade e-mail advertising and marketing
ActiveCampaign’s refined segmentation instruments and multi-user modifying performance make the platform a well-liked selection for advertising and marketing groups at large companies. Plus it’s comparatively expensive, which could postpone particular person content material creators and smaller groups.
Key options
- Arrange stunning campaigns in minutes utilizing the drag-and-drop e-mail designer.
- Ship focused e-mail campaigns at scale with ActiveCampaign’s segmentation and dynamic content material instruments.
- Run break up checks to know which newsletters generate essentially the most opens, clicks, and gross sales.
- Get impressed by lots of of responsive e-mail templates for B2B and B2C entrepreneurs.
- Hold your sender fame excessive with automated list-cleaning to take away inactive contacts.
- Collaborate on publication design and marketing campaign setup with multi-user modifying.
Technical Help
ActiveCampaign clients can entry technical help through dwell chat or by submitting a request via an onsite submission type.
Free performance
ActiveCampaign doesn’t have a free plan. As an alternative, it gives a 14-day free trial that features entry to most — however not all — of the platform’s options.
Pricing
Paid plans are priced from $29 monthly for 1,000 contacts and 10,000 month-to-month e-mail sends.
8 – GetResponse
Critiques
Finest for: Publication insights
In case you’re the kind of marketer who likes to investigate dwell knowledge and course-correct quick, GetResponse is a powerful selection, supplying you with real-time entry to a bunch of key publication metrics (suppose open charges, click-through charges, bounce charges, and extra).
Key options
- Construct and host limitless webinars for as much as 1,000 dwell attendees and retailer as much as 20 hours of webinar recordings.
- Generate participating, industry-specific topic strains straight away with the AI creator device.
- Design skilled emails rapidly with drag-and-drop blocks of textual content, pictures, CTA buttons, and extra.
- Browse a library of 200+ e-mail templates optimized for numerous advertising and marketing targets.
- Construct segments based mostly on subscribers’ onsite actions and the way they work together together with your newsletters.
- A/B check topic strains, pictures, publication layouts, and CTA buttons to optimize marketing campaign efficiency.
- Monitor key metrics and knowledge factors like open charges, click-through charges, and click on maps in actual time.
Technical Help
Free customers don’t get any technical help. All paying clients obtain e-mail and chat help, whereas Enterprise clients can entry cellphone help. Chosen Max subscribers may attain out via Slack.
Free performance
The free GetResponse plan provides you an inventory for as much as 500 contacts and allows you to ship as much as 2,500 newsletters monthly. It additionally contains entry to the platform’s touchdown web page builder, sign-up types, and web site builder.
Pricing
GetResponse’s paid plans begin at $15.60 monthly for as much as 1,000 contacts and limitless month-to-month emails.
9 – ConvertKit
Critiques
Finest for: Content material creators who want a primary publication device
ConvertKit doesn’t provide essentially the most superior reporting or refined segmentation. However in the event you’re a content material creator who simply needs to ship e-mail newsletters (whereas benefiting from some neat viewers development instruments), it’s a nice selection.
Key options
- Create newsletters utilizing the easy, block-based visible e-mail builder.
- Embed a number of content material sorts — together with tweets, movies, and merchandise — in your newsletters.
- Use tags and segments to prepare your publication subscribers from a single e-mail checklist.
- Develop your viewers via ConvertKit’s built-in suggestions engine, or by utilizing the platform’s touchdown web page and sign-up type builders.
- Monetize your content material by charging a subscription payment or promoting digital merchandise like on-line programs and ebooks.
Technical Help
ConvertKit gives three completely different tiers of buyer help. Free customers must depend on neighborhood help, whereas paying clients get e-mail and dwell chat help. Creator Professional subscribers obtain precedence help.
Free performance
ConvertKit’s free plan contains as much as 1,000 subscribers and limitless e-mail broadcasts, touchdown pages, and sign-up types.
Pricing
The entry-level ConvertKit plan, Creator, prices $9 monthly for as much as 300 subscribers and limitless publication sends. It additionally features a bunch of performance that’s not out there on the free plan, equivalent to automated e-mail sequences and the chance to develop your e-mail checklist via paid promotions with different creators.
Select the very best all-round publication software program
Naturally we’re biased, however we really consider AWeber is the very best publication software program for many use instances — particularly in the event you’re a content material creator, coach, on-line market vendor, affiliate marketer, or small enterprise.
Our costs are inexpensive.
Our e-mail creation instruments are easy to grasp, however with all the delicate options it’s essential create beautiful, participating content material each time — suppose an AI-powered writing help, built-in Canva entry, and extra.
Our common theme settings mean you can change colours and fonts, add buttons and dividers, and far more moreover — all from a single management.
Our signup types and touchdown pages enable you to construct a devoted viewers of people that can’t wait in your subsequent publication.
And that’s only for starters.
In fact, we don’t count on you to take our phrase for it.
See for your self by signing up for a free account in the present day!