Email Newsletter software

Businesses use what’s known as email service providers (ESP) to send marketing emails. 

An email service provider is a software that sends and manages email marketing campaigns.

It’s also referred to as an email marketing platform, email marketing tool, email marketing service, or email marketing software.

Now you might be wondering, can’t I just send marketing emails with my regular inbox provider? Do I really need to pay for a product on top of that?

Technically, it’s possible. (We even explain how in our guide to sending mass email with Gmail.) Beware, though. You’re likely to run into problems with limited email bandwidth, design, and more importantly, email deliverability. Here’s why:

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc. are designed for personal use — not for email blasts. Although they’re free to use, they’re not free bulk email senders. So when a mass email is sent from an ISP, it’s easily flagged by spam filters and your account can be disabled for suspicious activity. 

ESPs, on the other hand, have the necessary infrastructure in place to ensure good email deliverability rates — i.e., the ability to land emails in your subscribers’ inboxes. If you want to set yourself up for email marketing success from day one, get yourself a dedicated email marketing service.

How to choose an email service provider

With hundreds of ESPs on the market, it’s hard to know which one is right for your business. 

Some of the most popular options include Sendinblue, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Convertkit, Mailjet, Mailerlite, and HubSpot.

Here are some questions to help narrow down your options:

• What’s your budget? If it’s very limited, then cheap email marketing services should be your starting point.
• What kind of emails do you plan to send, and how often? This’ll give you an idea of your required email volume (i.e. number of email sends). 
• If you’ve already got a list of opt-in contacts, how many are there? 
• What’s your skill level when it comes to designing emails? If you’re a complete beginner, you’ll want a drag-and-drop email editor. Email templates will also come in handy. On the other hand, if you prefer to code emails from scratch, you’ll be on the lookout for an HTML editor.
• Do you plan to set up automated email workflows? See what the ESP offers in terms of email marketing automation. Some solutions only offer basic autoresponders. 
• If your business communicates with different buyer personas, what contact list segmentation capabilities are offered?
• Will your business be sending transactional emails? (Note that these are not considered email marketing.) Some folks like to manage these emails with a separate service, while others prefer all emails under the same roof with a tool like Sendinblue. 

It’s also a good idea to consider your future needs. Found an ESP you like? Do some simulations: “If my list grows to x, how much will this ESP cost? If I want to add x to my strategy, does this ESP have the feature-set to support me? What sort of integrations or apps will I be able to add on?”

Optimism for the future is a good thing, but don’t get carried away. Of course, stay focused on the essentials for now. 

How much does email marketing cost?

Email marketing costs can vary widely depending on the size of your email list, the quantity of emails you send, the level of support you need, and the technical specifications you’re looking for.

For some, free email marketing plans offer more than enough functionality. For others, email marketing can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars per month.

As you’re exploring different options, you’ll notice most providers base their pricing on the number of contacts on your email list. This pricing model can be attractive to those just starting out, but costs rise considerably once your list grows. 

But growing your subscriber base is the whole point of email marketing!

The Best Email Marketing Tools

These are the best email marketing tools for email marketers to use:

1. MailChimp.

MailChimp made a name for itself in the email marketing world a long time ago, in part because it’s free to use (in a limited capacity).

This platform is super easy to use, making it convenient for beginners, and with it, you can create lists from scratch, import subscribers, customize your emails, and track them all in the same platform.

You can even use it to optimize your CTAs to get more subscribers. And they have tons of excellent email newsletter templates!

2. Sendinblue.

Sendinblue is an all-in-one marketing software with features such as Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, SMS, Chat, CRM, Landing Pages, Shared Inbox, and more.

You can store unlimited contacts and send up to 300 emails per day using the forever-free plan, or go further with a simple pricing model based on the monthly email volume. Plus, you can cover your entire marketing funnel in one place. 

3. Constant Contact.

Constant Contact is one of the most robust email marketing tools available today. With it, you’ll get tons of email templates you can use to create the perfect email newsletter, and specialized features catered to your specific industry (including promotional ideas).

You’ll also get support in the form of live chat and user-based discussion forums, so you can get instant feedback on your ideas and/or technical assistance.

4. Easysendy.

EasySendy is a hybrid email marketing software. It allows you to build and run regular campaigns, autoresponder campaigns, and even drip email campaigns.

As with other email marketing tools, it has a drag-and-drop editor, email list management, segmentation, and a variety of email templates.

5. Infusionsoft by Keap.

Infusionsoft is a Keap product and email automation software that specializes in marketing automation. It integrates with your CRM platform so you can keep your sales and marketing strategies working in perfect harmony.

It’s a great tool if you’re interested in long-term lead nurturing campaigns, since it keeps your approach as hands-free as possible.

6. SendPulse.

SendPulse is a sort of marketing automation powerhouse. Apart from the core marketing email toolset, SendPulse helps to automate SMS and Web Push notifications and messenger chatbot campaigns.

With SendPulse, you can design custom subscription forms, create email templates, run A/B tests, segment your subscribers, and much more, even with a free plan.

7. Omnisend.

Omnisend is one of the more robust email marketing tools on this list, but it doesn’t sacrifice user-friendliness. Omnisend offers a full suite of email marketing features, including a drag-and-drop visual builder, email capture tools, and tons of templates for both email and automation workflows.

Unlike other email marketing platforms, Omnisend allows you to add several channels to the same automation workflow: email, SMS, push notifications, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, and more.