Last Updated on January 19, 2024 by Alex Birkett
Looking for a Constant Contact alternative? Skim this.What is Constant Contact?
Founded in 1995, Constant Contact is one of the oldest ESPs to exist. It caters to small businesses, eCommerce businesses, nonprofits and individuals, providing tools they need to capture email leads and scale their growth exponentially. Constant Contact boasts powerful features like drag-and-drop editors, A/B split testing, campaign management, autoresponders, tag-based data segmentation, automation options, ROI tracking, customizable CTA buttons, CRM and data analysis tools, to mention a few. Over the years, Constant Contact has included several features like social media campaigns and customer surveys that distinguish them from their competitors. But just as with every ESP, Constant Contact has upsides and downsides. Pros of Constant Contact- The UI is intuitive and easy-to-use.
- It is great for capturing email leads and engaging with them.
- It offers social media campaign integration.
- It has a strong data security framework in place.
- Unlike most of its competitors, Constant Contact’s free trial lasts for 60 days.
- There is a great discount for nonprofits.
- There is a high deliverability rate of 97%.
- The email templates are responsive and elegant.
- As your list grows, the plans become pricier.
- There is no live support on weekends.
- There is no advanced reporting and analysis.
- Although the templates are responsive, they lack flexibility.
- Some functionality is obscure and may confuse new users.
The Best Constant Contact Competitors for 2024
- MailerLite
- ActiveCampaign
- SendinBlue
- SendPulse
- HubSpot Email Marketing Software
- ConvertKit
- MailChimp
- GetResponse
- Campaign Monitor
- Benchmark Email
1. MailerLite
Source: MailerLite
Ideal for: Bloggers/creatives, solopreneurs, freelancers and small businesses
Overall G2 Score: 4.7/5
Pricing: Free plan that allows users to send up to 12,000 emails per month. The paid plans start at $10/month with unlimited emails.
MailerLite is a web-based email marketing solution that is trusted by more than 800,000 companies worldwide. Started in 2010, this ESP boasts an elegant design and powerful features that help freelancers and SMEs conduct email marketing campaigns at an affordable cost. MailerLite provides features for list building, landing page creation, automation, popup management, amongst others.
I use MailerLite presently as the ESP for a literary blog I run and I find it to be very efficient for my current needs, which are easy, straightforward and simple. However, I have noticed that results are hardly satisfactory when you try to execute complex workflows or need comprehensive reporting.
Unlike Constant Constant, MailerLite offers a permanently free plan that contains a lot of powerful features to help beginners to get a feel of how email marketing works. With this plan, one can send emails to up to 1,000 subscribers for free.
MailerLite is commonly cited as one of the most popular Mailchimp competitors as well as Constant Contact alternatives. It’s wonderful for beginners.
Key features of MailerLite
- A/B split testing
- Drip campaigns
- Dynamic content
- Unlimited image library
- List management tools
- Reporting/analytics
- Customer polls and surveys
- Event-triggered actions
- Autoresponders
- WYSIWYG editor
- Subscriber management
- Signup and popup forms creation and management
- Nifty data segmentation options
- Good marketing automation options
- Landing page editor and website builder
- Third-party software integrations
- Helpful email and live chat support
- The minimalistic interface is easy to navigate.
- The plans are very affordable.
- The landing page and website builder are solid.
- The user interface is simple and easy to navigate.
- The support team operates in 12 popular languages.
- It has a comprehensive knowledge base.
- It offers a permafree plan that gives users access to many powerful email marketing features.
- It has three email editors: a rich text editor, a drag-and-drop editor, and a custom HTML editor.
- The approval process is very strict. If you are rejected, MailerLite won’t tell you the reason why.
- Although the templates are responsive, the customization and personalization options are limited.
- You cannot integrate social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
- There is not spam/design testing.
- There is no phone support.
- The automation builder is not flexible for complex workflows.
2. ActiveCampaign
Source: ActiveCampaign
Ideal for: Small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs
Overall G2 Score: 4.6/5
Pricing: No free plan. Instead it offers a 14-day free trial. The paid plans start at $9/month (the Lite plan) and the Enterprise plan starts at $229/month.
Founded in 2003, ActiveCampaign is one of the most powerful CRM and MA platforms with advanced features that can help companies, no matter their size, target growth on a large scale. The advanced marketing automation options provided by ActiveCampaign enable businesses to track their customers and leads through efficient automations.
Unlike Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign’s features are very complex. You shouldn’t go near ActiveCampaign if you’re not familiar with setting up complex automations and workflows because you might get overwhelmed.
While Constant Contact has more integration options than ActiveCampaign, ActiveCampaign boasts an in-built sales CRM system that Constant Contact doesn’t have.
Key features of ActiveCampaign
- Powerful, advanced marketing automation options
- Responsive drag-and-drop automation builder
- Autoresponder options
- Different split-testing options
- Engaging email funnels
- Contact and lead scoring
- CRM sales automation
- Custom workflows
- Automated customer experience
- Machine learning
- Pre-made email templates
- Granular segmentation options
- Channel integrations
- It can be used for a wide range of email marketing areas.
- It has great performance and deliverability rate (about 97%).
- It has versatile goal tracking features.
- It integrates with third-party software seamlessly.
- There’s an ActiveCampaign mobile app to help users manage their CRM data and campaigns on the go.
- There’s a Chrome extension that helps you connect ActiveCampaign to your Gmail account should you need it.
- The customer service support is great.
- It has a very steep learning curve.
- There is an absence of drip functionality.
- Only higher-priced plans have the lead scoring feature.
- The user interface is convoluted.
- The price plans can be very expensive, especially if you have a large list.
- If you want your form to look very different from the default template provided, you have to manually write custom CSS code.
- The email editor can be slow sometimes.
3. Sendinblue
Source: Sendinblue
Ideal for: SMEs and eCommerce businesses
Overall G2 Score: 4.6/5
Pricing: Free plan that allows users to send up to 300 emails daily. The paid plans start at $25/month (the Lite plan).
Sometime ago, Sendinblue was regarded as one of the most basic and limited email marketing tools. However, the France-based email marketing platform has evolved into one of the best Constant Contact competitors.
Now, Sendinblue boasts several advanced features and marketing options that help you engage your list and manage your email campaigns effectively and efficiently. It has advanced tracking and reporting features that help you improve the performance of your campaigns.
Sendinblue offers SMS marketing, which Constant Contact doesn’t.
Key features of Sendinblue
- Two-channel marketing automation
- Drag-and-drop editor to create newsletters and emails
- A/B testing capabilities
- Strong email marketing functionality
- Triggered automation
- Customizable sign-up forms
- Responsive template designs
- Ads retargeting
- Unlimited contacts
- Detailed segmentation
- Email and phone customer support
- Integration of eCommerce plugins like Shopify, Magento and WooCommerce
- CSV and Text File Contact List imports
- It is beginner-friendly and doesn’t require technical skills.
- It is very affordable.
- The email automation is solid.
- Their deliverability rates are good.
- The landing page editor has modern template options.
- There is unlimited storage space for data and images.
- The registration form templates are advanced and have cool personalization features.
- The landing page editor is only available on the Premium and Enterprise plans.
- You are allowed to set up logins for multiple users only on the Premium and Enterprise plans.
- Sendinblue’s reports don’t include social or sale conversion data.
- Their free plan has a daily sending limit of only 300 emails.
- There are limited third-party integrations available.
4. SendPulse
Source: SendPulse
Ideal for: SMEs, eCommerce, retail businesses, and banks
Overall G2 Score: 4.6/5
Pricing: Free plan for up to 500 subscribers and 15,000 emails. The paid plans start at $9.85 per month.
SendPulse is an ESP that is well suited for businesses related to tourism, eCommerce and banking. This Constant Contact competitor is packed with many versatile tools and contacting features.
One very unique feature of SendPulse is their SMS messaging. They work with over 800 cell phone network providers globally to ensure that personalized SMS notifications are delivered promptly. You can also increase the effectiveness of your messages by segmenting your list based on customer activity.
Key features of SendPulse
- Drag-and-drop editors
- Landing page builder
- Transactional emails
- Personalized SMS messages
- SMS autoresponders
- Good API
- Artificial Intelligence technology
- Viber messaging
- Web push monetization
- Exceptional marketing automation features
- Multilingual phone support and live chat support
- It has a low learning curve.
- It is very affordable.
- The drag-and-drop email builder is really intuitive and easy to navigate.
- You can preview email content before sending it to customers.
- You can end up to 15,000 emails per month for free.
- You can send bulk emails at a go.
- The customer support is fast and friendly.
- Sometimes, the emails go to Gmail’s Promotion tab or spam.
- Occasionally, newsletter sending is blocked after the email list is updated.
- Although you can cancel push notifications, you cannot pause or amend them.
- The email builder can be a bit buggy sometimes.
5. HubSpot Email Marketing Tools
Source: HubSpot
Ideal for: Businesses of any size
Overall G2 Score: 4.4/5
Pricing: HubSpot’s email marketing tool itself is completely free. If you need to purchase the Marketing Hub, prices start at $50/month
HubSpot is an all-in-one growth platform and innovator of inbound marketing. They are known for their free CRM and their formidable marketing automation platform. HubSpot, as a whole, offers a large all-inclusive suite of marketing products. In 2019, HubSpot launched their completely free email marketing tool as part of the free HubSpot CRM.
This free email marketing tool is a Constant Contact alternative that offers email templates, customization options, a wide range of personalization and triggers. Alongside HubSpot’s email marketing tool, a user will also get the entire suite of products which include the CRM, ads management, online form builder, and live chat, amongst others.
When the CRM and automation features are combined, a user will be able to create personalized emails to engage with their subscriber list. HubSpot can also connect seamlessly to a user’s website data to enable them craft their emails based on site activity.
Compared to Constant Contact, HubSpot has a wider range of automation features. HubSpot’s signup forms and popup builder is also more customizable than that of Constant Contact.
Key features of HubSpot Email Marketing Tools
- Customizable email templates
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Advanced marketing automation options
- Deeply personalized emails based on customer information
- Signup form and popup builder
- A/B testing
- Ad retargeting
- Landing page templates and builder
- List segmentation
- Ads management
- Comprehensive analytics to optimize marketing campaigns
- They are beginner-friendly and require no advanced technical skills.
- Powerful enough for users with more complex needs.
- It has a high deliverability rate.
- The customer support is outstanding.
- They integrate seamlessly with a wide variety of third-party apps and software.
- Their customization options are second to none.
- The plans can get very expensive quickly.
- The lower packages lack A/B testing.
- You have to pay for additional technical support.
6. ConvertKit
Source: ConvertKit
Ideal for: Content creators/creatives (bloggers, musicians, artists, podcasters, YouTubers, etc.) and SMEs
G2 Score: 4.4/5
Pricing: Free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers. The paid plans start at $29/month (the Creator plan). Free trials for the paid plans last 14 days
Created in 2013, ConvertKit is a relatively new, but powerful email service provider that is very easy to use. This Constant Contact alternative is most suited for content creators and SMEs to help grow their audiences.
I have personally used ConvertKit to build email lists for multiple blogs, and the feature I love most is the targeted emails and detailed segmentation features. The automations, tagging, sequences and list management are extremely easy to do and you don’t have to spend extra bucks taking a course on how to create an automated workflow on ConvertKit. At least I didn’t—and I’m the least tech-savvy person on the face of the earth.
ConvertKit offers more advanced automation options than Constant Contact. It also doesn’t have an email template gallery, so the reader can focus on the actual email content, which subsequently improves deliverability.
Key features of ConvertKit
- Automated funnels and sequences
- Responsive landing page and email templates
- Autoresponders
- Customizable forms and CTA buttons
- Great marketing automation options
- Subscriber management tools
- Detailed segmentation and tagging system
- Free landing page builder
- Event-triggered emails
- Beginner-friendly rule builder
- Easy WordPress integration
- Sell digital products and subscriptions
- 24 x 265 live chat and email support
- It combines powerful features with simplicity-of-use.
- It offers a wonderful user experience.
- You can create multiple forms for different opt-in incentives.
- It has great automation functionality.
- You won’t get charged for duplicate subscribers.
- The segmentation is very flexible because it is tag-based, not list-based.
- It integrates well with membership sites.
- There are only three email template formats. Email newsletter templates are absent.
- It is not as affordable as Constant Contact, where you get more bang for your buck.
- It lacks integrations with eCommerce platforms.
- The A/B split testing is limited to just the subject lines.
- There is a lack of test emails for autoresponders.
- Although the templates are responsive, they lack flexibility and customization options.
7. MailChimp
Source: MailChimp
Ideal for: Small businesses
Overall G2 Score: 4.3/5
Pricing: MailChimp offers a free plan for up to 2,000 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month. The paid plans start at $9.99/month (the Essentials) and the highest-priced plan, the Premium plan, starts at $299/month.
MailChimp is one of the giants of ESPs and is a popular choice for blogs, businesses and agencies alike. This Constant Contact competitor has a suite of powerful tools that can provide all your marketing needs. MailChimp also provides free and low-priced services that include an email editor, elegant email templates and up-to-date features.
Before I sold my first blog, I used MailChimp for my email marketing. With MailChimp’s content studio, I could create my own visual element library. I also loved using the marketing CRM and address finder. However the features that stood out most to me were the flexible drip and trigger campaigns that allowed me automate my workflows very easily.
Although MailChimp’s paid plans have advanced features, I did find the free plan to be a bit limited compared to other MailChimp alternatives.
Key features of MailChimp
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Customizable signup and popup forms
- Marketing CRM
- A/B split testing options
- Great automation features
- Website builder
- Email and landing page templates
- Over 300 third-party app integrations
- Social media integrations and metrics
- Predicted insights
- Efficient list management tools
- In-depth reports and analytics
- Ready-to-use email campaigns
- Helpful email and chat support
- The drag-and-drop editor is very beginner-friendly.
- It is very affordable for start-ups and nonprofits that work with limited budgets.
- The templates make it easy to create newsletters and emails.
- You can import or create your own email templates.
- The list segmentation system is flexible and tag-based.
- The visual workflow builder is very helpful for users who are not tech-savvy.
- You have access to detailed comparative metrics.
- The user interface might be hard to navigate as more features are added.
- The form functionality and design options are limited, especially in the free plan.
- As your list grows, MailChimp’s features might seem basic depending on your needs.
- There is no phone support.
- The free plan does not include email customer service.
- It does not support APIs or transactional emails.
- The delivery rate is okay, but there’s room for improvement.
8. GetResponse
Source: GetResponse
Ideal for: Companies of any size
Overall G2 Score: 4.1/5
Pricing: GetResponse does not offer a free plan. It offers a 30-day free trial on paid plans that start at $15/month for 1,000 subscribers.
GetResponse is a range of tools that offer digital marketers efficient email marketing and campaign management tools.
With GetResponse, you will get a wide range of user-friendly optimization tools. Through its complex automated series and email tracking options, GetResponse can help you increase traffic, boost lead conversions, and automate contact management efforts.
One very unique feature of GetResponse that Constant Contact does not have is the integration of webinars that allow up to 500 attendees (the number varies with the different pricing tiers though). Get Response also features a conversion funnel builder, which Constant Contact does not.
Key features of GetResponse
- Drag-and-drop email and landing page editor
- Cutting-edge marketing automation tools
- Flexible data segmentation features
- Third-party integrations
- A/B testing and analytics for emails and landing pages
- Autoresponder tools
- 1000+ iStock images
- Single automated opt-in imports
- Comprehensive reports
- In-depth reporting options
- Third-party integrations
- It is very easy to use.
- If the ‘Basic’ plan is sufficient for you, GetResponse is very affordable.
- You get very generous discounts when you pay upfront for one or two years.
- The marketing automation features are very advanced.
- The webinar functionality is top-notch.
- The ‘Conversion Funnel’ is really great for small businesses to manage all their social media ads, e-commerce and sales funnel all in one place.
- Support comes in a wide range of languages.
- You can try all GetResponse features free for 30 days without entering your card details.
- Custom DKIM is provided on all the available plans.
- The landing page and forms drag-and-drop editor is a bit outdated.
- Unless you’re on the ‘Max’ plan, you can’t get phone support. You’d only be able to use live chat and email support, which are very timely.
- A third-party syncing tool like Zapier is required for many GetResponse.
- Webinar attendees cannot be more than 500.
- Users are not able to switch data capture forms on or off on mobile devices.
9. Campaign Monitor
Source: Campaign Monitor
Ideal for: SMEs
Overall G2 Score: 4.1/5
Pricing: Campaign Monitor does not offer a free plan. It is free to send campaigns to up to five people. If you wish to send campaigns to more than five people, you have to choose a paid plan which starts at $9/month for up to 2,500 emails. The higher-priced plans let you send unlimited emails.
With more than 2 million marketers across 250,000 businesses, Campaign Monitor is a leading email marketing software suitable for all marketing experts. With Campaign Monitor, users can create and send mass mails, set up autoresponders, automate their marketing processes and monitor the progress of their campaigns closely.
Key features of Campaign Monitor
- Drag-and-drop email editor
- Fully customizable email templates
- Personalized email templates
- Advanced marketing automations
- Hyper-targeted list and data segmentation
- Sign-up forms and landing pages
- A/B split testing
- Third-party integrations
- The user interface is extremely easy to use.
- Importing data into Campaign Monitor is a straightforward process.
- The templates are modern and beautiful.
- A variety of web fonts are available in the templates.
- The marketing automation features are comprehensive and top-of-the-line.
- The data segmentation options are granular.
- It is very expensive.
- The A/B testing functionality is limited to just two variants
- All plans, but the most expensive one, offer only email support.
- There are only 60 Campaign Monitor templates.
- There’s no distinct landing page editor.
- The analytics and reporting functionality are rather basic.
10. Benchmark Email
Source: Benchmark Email
Ideal for: SMEs and NPOs
Overall G2 Score: 4.1/5
Pricing: Benchmark Email offers a free plan that allows unlimited contacts and up to 250 emails per month. The paid plans start at $13/month.
Benchmark is as straightforward as anyone could wish for; its low learning curve does not get in the way of usability.
This worthy Constant Contact alternative offers powerful tools that provide continued growth when utilized to their full potential. The wide range of templates, survey and video support, dedicated email servers and third-party integrations give it an edge over Constant Contact.
I didn’t use Benchmark for a very long time, but during the time I did, my favorite feature was the code editor. If you have coding skills, this feature will help you tweak your emails precisely. Their advanced automaton features help users achieve better customer engagement.
Benchmark is one of those Constant Contact competitors that focus more on SMEs and NPOs than the rest of their users. They also have a plethora of supported languages that help them provide excellent customer support.
Key features of Benchmark
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Code editor
- Customer polls and surveys
- A/B split testing
- Drip campaigns
- Campaign tracking
- Responsive email templates
- Great marketing automation options
- Email list management tools
- Live editing and photo editing
- Mobile optimized emails
- Email library
- Dynamic content
- Popups and signup forms management
- Inbox checker
- Reporting and analytics
- It is very simple to use and easy to navigate.
- It is very affordable.
- The live customer support is really helpful.
- There is Google Analytics tracking.
- There are lots of user segment options.
- The chat support and customer service are excellent.
- The tracking information on set campaigns is detailed.
- You have control over the look and feel of the final email
- The email editor can be glitchy and restrictive.
- There are limited signup form options.
- There is no Gmail or other third-party contact integration.
- There is no mobile preview.