Breakdown of Today’s Top Email Marketing Tools
And What Each One Does Better Than the Others
Filed Under: Email Marketing | Read Duration: 10–12 min
Abstract:
When it comes to picking the right email marketing tool for your team, the task can feel daunting to say the least. This article breaks down six of today’s leading email marketing platforms — Mailchimp, Constant Contact, ConvertKit, Klaviyo, MailerLite, and HubSpot — and compares them based on ease of use, automation, segmentation strength, integration capabilities, reporting, and price. Whether you’re a small business dipping into email for the first time or a scaling e-commerce brand needing powerful automation, this guide gives you a strategic breakdown so you can choose the right platform with confidence.
Quick Takeaways:
✅ Choosing the right email platform depends on your business goals, team size, and automation needs.
✅ Evaluate pricing, scalability, and integrations before committing—your platform should grow with your business.
✅ The best results come from using your email platform strategically—align campaigns with your audience, content, and business objectives.
Mailchimp — The “Training Wheels” of Email Tools (and we say that lovingly)
Best for: small businesses, beginners, small lists
Why people choose it: it’s simple, affordable, and hard to mess up.
Mailchimp is like Canva: intuitive, visual, and accessible. It’s a fan-favorite when businesses are just getting serious about email marketing.
What makes Mailchimp great:
Drag-and-drop builder that’s easy to customize
Pre-built customer journeys to automate nurture emails
Good analytics dashboards
Works with almost every major tool (Shopify re-integration is back, woo!)
Where it falls short:
Automations get limited unless you upgrade
Costs go up quickly as your subscriber list grows
Use Mailchimp if:
You don’t need crazy complex segmentation or personalization yet — you just need to start emailing like a professional.
Constant Contact — The Local Business Powerhouse
Best for: event-focused businesses, nonprofits, small local orgs
Why marketers choose it: great event management + SMS capability
Think: gyms, restaurants, chambers of commerce, retail shops — Constant Contact shines when your marketing involves promotions, RSVPs, and getting butts in seats.
What makes Constant Contact great:
Built-in event + RSVP tools
SMS messaging and social posting (yep — inside the same dashboard)
Fantastic customer support
Where it falls short:
Automations aren’t as advanced as ConvertKit or HubSpot
Use Constant Contact if:
You host events or want a platform that helps nurture an in-person local audience.
ConvertKit — Made for Creators, Not Corporations.
Best for: coaches, course creators, influencers, personal brands
Why creators love it: tagging + segmentation based on behavior
ConvertKit is the opposite of Mailchimp: it’s less about pretty templates, more about sending the right message to the right subscriber at the right time.
What makes ConvertKit great:
Visual automation builder (arguably the best UX of all ESPs)
Tag-based segmentation (powerful)
Commerce tools for digital products and paid newsletters
Where it falls short:
Fewer design options (templates are simple)
Not ideal for e-commerce product catalogs
Use ConvertKit if:
You sell ideas, coaching, or content.
Klaviyo — The E-commerce Revenue Engine.
Best for: Shopify/WooCommerce/e-commerce brands
Why marketers choose it: attribution + automation = chef’s kiss
Klaviyo is the most data-powered email/SMS platform for online stores.
What makes Klaviyo great:
Deep Shopify integration (product and revenue attribution per email)
Predictive analytics (like estimated customer lifetime value)
Advanced automation flows (browse abandonment, win-backs, upsells)
Where it falls short:
Not ideal for non-e-commerce businesses
Use Klaviyo if:
You run an online store and care about revenue reporting per email.
MailerLite — The Budget-Friendly Underdog.
Best for: startups, new brands, freelancers selling services
Why people stick with it: premium features at non-premium cost
MailerLite gives you:
A drag-and-drop builder
Solid automation tools
Landing pages and pop-ups
…without the pricing curve of Mailchimp or ConvertKit.
Where it falls short:
Fewer integrations than the big platforms
Support is slower on the free plan
Use MailerLite if:
You want smart automations without paying $400/month.
HubSpot — CRM + Email + Automation + Sales… All in One Place.
Best for: growing B2B companies, multi-channel sales teams
Why marketers choose it: everything lives in one ecosystem — CRM, marketing automation, reporting, and email.
HubSpot isn't just email marketing. It’s a marketing automation platform + CRM. Think of it like a control center that aligns your marketing and sales teams.
What makes HubSpot great:
Visual workflow automation with powerful branching
Free CRM that tracks every contact interaction
Website tracking & lead scoring
Seamless integration with sales pipelines and deal stages
Advanced reporting across the entire customer journey
Where it falls short:
Price scales fast as you add contacts + add automation features
Can be overwhelming for new marketers
Use HubSpot if:
You want marketing and sales in one place and automation that turns leads into revenue.
Sources & Further Reading
Mailchimp: Product & Pricing Pages
Constant Contact: Feature Overview + 2024 Product Updates
ConvertKit Creator Economy Report + Documentation
MailerLite: Feature Overview + Automation Documentation
Ready to upgrade your email marketing?
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Whether you’re looking to optimize your email marketing, streamline workflows, or unlock higher ROI, our Discovery Call is the perfect first step.
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