Email marketing software is essential for businesses of all sizes. It lets you send professional bulk email campaigns and newsletters, automate follow-ups, and track results in real time. In fact, nearly everyone uses email – around 92% of online adults check their inbox regularlyoptinmonster.com. With 376 billion emails sent globally each dayoptinmonster.com, email remains a powerful way to reach customers. Using dedicated email marketing tools ensures deliverability, personalization, and compliance (with unsubscribe links and address requirements that simple Gmail lacksnameboy.com). The right software helps you manage campaigns, segment contacts, and optimize messages with features like A/B testing and analytics. It can even boost ROI: businesses earn an average of $36 for every $1 spent on email marketingoptinmonster.com.
Key benefits of email marketing platforms include:
- Bulk email delivery: Easily send newsletters or promotions to large subscriber lists without spam issues.
- Drag-and-drop builders: Create professional emails and templates without coding, making campaign design quick and simplenameboy.comhubspot.com.
- Automation tools: Trigger welcome series, follow-ups, or drip campaigns automatically, saving time and engaging customers at the right momentsnameboy.comhubspot.com.
- Personalization & segmentation: Tailor content to each subscriber’s preferences or behavior (using tags, segments, and dynamic content) to boost opens and clicksnameboy.comhubspot.com.
- Analytics & optimization: Track open rates, click-throughs, and conversions so you can refine your strategy. Many platforms offer heatmaps, A/B testing, and send-time optimizationbrevo.comhubspot.com.
Choosing the wrong tool can cost time and reputation. With email ROI so highoptinmonster.com, businesses need a robust solution that fits their goals and budget. Below we compare 10 best email marketing software for 2025, highlighting their standout features, pricing, and use cases. Whether you’re a small business owner, marketer, or ecommerce entrepreneur, this guide will help you pick the right email campaign management software email marketing software.
1. Mailchimp – Best for Easy Startups
Mailchimp is one of the most popular and trusted email marketing platformsnameboy.com. It’s ideal for beginners and small businesses thanks to its generous forever-free plan (up to 500 subscribers) and intuitive interface. The platform offers a drag-and-drop email builder and hundreds of predesigned templates, making it easy to craft eye-catching newslettersnameboy.com. You can integrate Mailchimp with tools like Shopify, Salesforce, and WooCommerce for seamless data syncing. It also supports automation and transactional emails: set up welcome series, birthday emails, or cart abandonment campaigns in a few clicks, and even use Mailchimp for order confirmationsnameboy.com. Advanced features include audience segmentation and “multivariate testing” to optimize subject lines and content. For small businesses on a budget, Mailchimp’s free plan and pay-as-you-grow pricing are a big plus (paid plans start around $13/month for unlimited sends)nameboy.com email marketing software
Mailchimp’s strength lies in its simplicity. New users get quick results: its email templates are responsive and mobile-optimized (important since ~50% of users delete emails not optimized for mobileoptinmonster.com). The platform’s analytics dashboard shows open rates, click rates, and ROI. Note that Mailchimp is generally a marketing-focused tool, so its CRM functionality is limited (after Intuit’s acquisition, it still focuses on campaigns rather than full sales automationen.wikipedia.org). Overall, Mailchimp is a great free email marketing tool to launch your first campaigns and grow from there email marketing software
2. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) – Best for Growth
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a comprehensive marketing suite built for growing businesses. It combines email, SMS, chat, and even WhatsApp in one platformbrevo.com. For email, Brevo offers a visual drag-and-drop editor, a rich template gallery, and advanced personalization. Users highlight that Brevo has “all of the features you need in an email marketing software,” including responsive templates, HTML editing, and real-time statsnameboy.com. The free plan is attractive too: you can send 300 emails per day to unlimited contacts, and paid plans start around $25/month for higher volumesnameboy.com.
Key features of Brevo include automated workflows (autoresponders for welcomes, order confirmations, etc.), segmentation, and A/B testing to find the best subject lines. Importantly, Brevo has built-in AI assistant tools to streamline content creation. As noted on Brevo’s blog, “Our AI assistant helps you generate subject lines, marketing content, and more” directly within the platformbrevo.com. It can suggest email copy and design elements, speeding up campaign creation. Brevo also handles transactional emails (order notifications, password resets, etc.) alongside marketing campaignsbrevo.com email marketing software
For businesses that expect to scale, Brevo’s omni-channel approach is valuable. It tracks email engagement, and you can even use its site-tracking pixel to trigger campaigns. The platform integrates well with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce. Overall, Brevo is a powerful bulk email sending tool with modern AI and automation features, making it a top choice for growing online stores and mid-size businesses email marketing software
3. HubSpot Email Marketing – Best for CRM Integration
HubSpot’s email marketing tool is part of the free HubSpot CRM platform, making it ideal for businesses that want tightly integrated sales and marketing. You get professional-grade email features – drag-and-drop editing, a template library, and A/B testing – at no cost for up to 2,000 email sends/month. The standout aspect is CRM integration: you can use contact data (like name, company, lifecycle stage) to personalize content, and create automation workflows that follow up based on contact behaviorhubspot.com. For example, you might send a welcome email, then automatically tag contacts or notify sales reps when they open or click.
HubSpot’s interface also uses AI-assisted tools. You can generate subject lines and email copy using AI writing features, or let the system optimize send time for each subscriber. As HubSpot’s site notes: “Design and send professional email campaigns with drag-and-drop editing and pre-built templates, use AI to write subject lines and email copy, and take advantage of email automation to personalize emails with CRM data”hubspot.com. These AI features help speed up campaign creation. Reporting dashboards in HubSpot link email metrics to deals and revenue, so you see the full funnel impact.
In summary, HubSpot is best when you need email marketing fully integrated with a CRM. The free tools are robust, and paid Marketing Hub plans unlock more automation and AI analytics. It’s excellent for B2B and inbound marketing strategies, enabling a smooth handoff from email leads to sales outreach. (For pure email marketing without CRM, HubSpot may be overkill and higher-priced, but for many businesses the automation and data sync justify it.)
4. ActiveCampaign – Best for Automation & CRM
ActiveCampaign is another popular platform that emphasizes automation and CRM features. It’s an all-in-one marketing suite that includes email, marketing automation, sales CRM, and messagingnameboy.com. Users can choose from 250+ email templates or build one via drag-and-drop. ActiveCampaign’s strength is its automation builder – you can create complex workflows (“if this then that” sequences) triggered by opens, clicks, or contact tags. For instance, tagging a subscriber or adding them to a list can instantly kick off multi-step nurtures email marketing software
According to Nameboy’s review: “ActiveCampaign is a great email platform… they also offer marketing automation, sales and CRM”nameboy.com. This means every email you send is stored in a contact record, and you can sync with Salesforce or 900+ other apps. Other unique features: unlimited image hosting (so you can store brand assets), geotracking, and the ability to create deals when contacts engage. The interface shows real-time campaign performance and automations report metrics. A downside is ActiveCampaign’s steeper learning curve and pricing – it’s more expensive than basic tools, reflecting its advanced capabilities email marketing software
ActiveCampaign is ideal for businesses that want deep automation email marketing tools. For small businesses, the Lite plan provides email marketing with basic automation. For those needing CRM integration, the Plus plan adds sales pipelines and more. In short, ActiveCampaign shines when you need to build sophisticated customer journeys that blend emails with CRM-driven tasks email marketing software.
5. GetResponse – Best for Webinars & Multichannel
GetResponse is a feature-rich email marketing service known for its versatility. It offers unlimited emails (even on the basic plan), hundreds of responsive templates, and a straightforward drag-and-drop email designernameboy.com. One standout feature is easy email personalization: merge fields let you address subscribers by name, and you can tailor content blocks per segment. GetResponse also provides a vast Shutterstock image library (2+ million images) to make your newsletters visually strikingnameboy.com.
Beyond email, GetResponse includes webinar hosting and landing pages, making it a multi-channel marketing platform. The built-in marketing automation builder has a visual flowchart interface for email sequences, autoresponders, and customer journeys. Nameboy notes GetResponse’s “drag and drop autoresponder organizer” and “advanced segmentation features”nameboy.com. Pricing scales by contacts, but a free tier is available up to 500 contacts. Overall, GetResponse is an all-in-one email marketing and webinar tool – great for businesses that also engage leads via online events or need comprehensive marketing features in one place email marketing software.
6. Constant Contact – Best for Ease of Use
Constant Contact is one of the oldest email marketing services and remains highly user-friendly. It offers a simple drag-and-drop builder and a gallery of professional templates that are mobile-responsivenameboy.com. Users can quickly customize colors, images, and text to fit their brand. Key features include automatic welcome emails, subject line testing, and real-time campaign analytics. According to a Nameboy review, Constant Contact gives you “97% deliverability” and strong supportnameboy.com. The platform also has easy list management (import contacts, segment lists) and integrates with most ecommerce and CRM tools email marketing software.
A big plus is support and resources: Constant Contact provides live chat and webinars to help users. It’s especially popular among small businesses, nonprofits, and non-technical users because of its clean interface. A 30-day free trial is available (after which pricing is contact-based). Constant Contact lacks some advanced automations of newer tools, but it excels at core tasks: sending newsletters, managing RSVPs, and tracking opens. In summary, Constant Contact is a small business email tool that lets you get campaigns up and running with minimal setup and high deliverabilitynameboy.com email marketing software.
7. Campaign Monitor – Best for Design & Journeys
Campaign Monitor stands out for its design-oriented features. It offers an award-winning drag-and-drop email builder and access to hundreds of polished, mobile-ready templatesnameboy.com. If you want your newsletter to look stunning, Campaign Monitor gives you the tools – from color themes to the unique “visual journey designer” for automations. This journey designer is a visual map that helps you create customer paths (welcome series, birthday emails, etc.) with an intuitive flowchart.
Campaign Monitor’s review highlights include easy-to-use editing and a “visual journey designer” that keeps your audience engagednameboy.com. The service has high customer satisfaction (≈99% happy customers noted in one sourcenameboy.com) and allows you to start free without a credit card. It also provides AMP for email support (interactive emails) and A/B testing. Pricing is per campaign or subscription-based by number of emails. Campaign Monitor is great for businesses that prioritize email design and user experience, such as creative agencies, event organizers, and marketers looking for advanced template capabilities email marketing software.
8. AWeber – Best for Small Audiences
AWeber is a veteran email platform that remains popular with small businesses and bloggers. It offers unlimited emails (even on its free plan up to 500 subscribers) and a wide range of templates. The drag-and-drop builder is easy to use, and AWeber’s template gallery is organized by industry and campaign type (newsletters, promotions, etc.)nameboy.com. A standout feature is the ability to automatically turn blog posts into email newsletters, saving time for content creators.
AWeber supports automation through tagged autoresponders: you can tag contacts based on opens or clicks and trigger follow-up sequencesnameboy.com. It also provides basic segmentation and email analytics. The company offers strong customer support and extensive tutorials. While AWeber may lack some high-end marketing automation of competitors, it’s reliable and straightforward. Its focus is on serving small audiences and entrepreneurs. If you want a free email marketing tool to send newsletters and simple automations to a few hundred subscribers, AWeber is a solid choice (the free plan and 30-day trial make it low-risk to try).
9. Klaviyo – Best for Ecommerce Analytics
Klaviyo is a top pick for ecommerce businesses and online retailers. It integrates deeply with ecommerce platforms (Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, etc.) to pull purchase and browsing data into your email strategy. This means you can send highly targeted messages like product recommendations or cart reminders with ease. Klaviyo’s interface shows rich customer profiles, and its segmentation is extremely flexible (e.g. “customers who bought Product X but not Y”).
While Klaviyo isn’t explicitly mentioned in our earlier sources, it’s widely regarded as the best newsletter software online for ecommerce due to its data-driven features. It offers email and SMS marketing in one platform, advanced A/B testing, and automated flows for post-purchase, win-back, and VIP customers. Pricing is based on active contacts; a free tier is available for up to 250 contacts. In terms of design, Klaviyo provides a template library and a decent drag-and-drop builder. For any business selling products online, Klaviyo’s analytics and revenue tracking make it a powerful (if somewhat pricey) email tool.
10. Moosend – Best for Budget-Friendly
Moosend is a newer platform that offers a generous free plan and simple UI, making it appealing for startups and small teams. It provides drag-and-drop email editing, hundreds of templates, and AI-powered product recommendations. Notably, Moosend includes AI-based subject line suggestions and send-time optimization on even lower plans. It also features automation workflows similar to others on this list (welcome series, transactional emails, etc.), and real-time analytics email marketing software.
While Moosend wasn’t in our primary research sources, it’s worth including as a free email marketing tool (it’s free for unlimited emails to up to 1,000 subscribers). It’s often compared to MailerLite or Sendinblue. Moosend’s templates and forms are modern and fully responsive. The platform also offers 24/7 support on paid plans. In summary, Moosend is an excellent budget-friendly email marketing software, providing many features of premium tools at a lower cost – ideal for very small businesses or those just starting.
Additional Considerations
Aside from these top 10, consider what specific needs your business has:
- Transactional Emails: If you need to send system-triggered emails (order confirmations, password resets, notifications), look into specialized tools. Many marketing platforms (like Brevo) support transactional mail as wellbrevo.com. Dedicated SMTP and API services like SendGrid or Amazon SES offer high deliverability for pure transactional email, but those lack marketing features.
- AI and Automation: Modern platforms increasingly use AI. Brevo and HubSpot, for example, include AI assistants to generate email content and subject linesbrevo.comhubspot.com. Look for “predictive sending” or AI subject lines in software comparisons if that’s a priority.
- CRM Integration: If you already use a CRM (like Salesforce or Zoho) or need one, choose tools built for integration. HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, and Zoho Campaigns (and others) sync contacts and activities so sales and marketing share data. This can boost conversion rates by aligning email leads with sales outreach.
FAQs
What is email marketing software?
Email marketing software is an online service or tool that lets businesses create, send, and manage email campaigns and newsletters. Unlike sending bulk emails from a regular inbox, specialized software includes features like subscriber list management, campaign automation (drip series), drag-and-drop email templates, analytics (open/click rates), and compliance tools (unsubscribe links). It helps ensure emails reach inboxes and provides metrics to improve future campaignsoptinmonster.comoptinmonster.com.
What features should I look for in the best email marketing software?
Key features include an easy drag-and-drop email builder, responsive design templates, and high email deliverability. Look for automation capabilities (like autoresponders or behavior-based triggers), list segmentation, A/B testing, and detailed analytics (open rates, clicks, conversions). Also consider free plan options, contact limits, and integrations with your ecommerce or CRM. If needed, features like SMS marketing or social sharing may be valuable too.
Are there free email marketing tools available?
Yes. Many platforms offer free or forever-free plans to get started. For example, Mailchimp, Brevo (Sendinblue), HubSpot, AWeber, and Moosend all have free tiers with limits on contacts or sends. These free plans let small businesses send basic campaigns without upfront cost. As your list grows, you can upgrade to paid plans. A free plan is a good way to try out a tool’s interface and templates before committing.
Which email marketing software is best for small businesses?
For small businesses and budgets, look for ease of use and low-cost plans. Mailchimp and AWeber offer simple interfaces and free tiers, Constant Contact provides excellent support, and Zoho Campaigns (not detailed above) integrates with Zoho CRM. Omnisend and Moosend have free tiers that include automation and form builders, ideal for small e-commerce. Ultimately, choose a tool that fits your list size and provides needed features – many small businesses start free and scale up.
Can email marketing software handle transactional emails?
Some email marketing platforms include transactional email capabilities. For instance, Brevo (Sendinblue) allows you to send both marketing and transactional emails through the same dashboardbrevo.com. However, specialized services like SendGrid, Mailgun, or Amazon SES are often used for purely transactional emails at very high volumes. If your business needs things like invoice emails or password resets, ensure your email provider supports SMTP/API sending or consider integrating a transactional service for those messages.
How important is CRM integration?
CRM integration can greatly enhance email marketing effectiveness. When your email tool syncs with your CRM, you can send highly personalized emails using customer data (like purchase history or support tickets). It also keeps marketing and sales aligned – for example, when an email lead fills a form, a sales rep can follow up immediately. For this reason, platforms like HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, and Salesforce Pardot (for enterprise) are popular choices if you need CRM-email alignment.
Conclusion
Choosing the right email marketing software can transform how you reach customers. The tools above – from Mailchimp’s simplicity to ActiveCampaign’s automation and HubSpot’s CRM synergy – offer solutions for different business needs. When selecting a platform, consider your list size, budget, required features (automation, templates, AI), and how it will integrate with your marketing stack. Each of the software above has strengths: free plans for beginners, advanced analytics for data-driven teams, or e-commerce focus for online stores.
Ultimately, the best email marketing software is one that your team will actually use consistently. Most offer free trials – try a couple to see which interface and features you prefer. Then set up segmented campaigns, craft engaging newsletters, and let the software track opens and conversions. By doing so, you can boost customer engagement and ROI significantlyoptinmonster.comoptinmonster.com.
Happy emailing – and don’t forget to share your success stories or ask questions in the comments below!
