Email marketing remains one of the highest-ROI channels available to businesses. Studies consistently show returns of $36-42 for every dollar spent on email marketing. But with dozens of platforms available, choosing the right tool can be overwhelming.
The truth is, there’s no single “best” email marketing tool. The right choice depends on your business size, budget, technical comfort level, and specific needs. Let’s break down the major players and help you find your match.
The Major Players
Mailchimp
Best for: Small businesses wanting an all-in-one marketing platform
Mailchimp is the most recognized name in email marketing, and for good reason. They’ve evolved from a simple newsletter tool into a comprehensive marketing platform.
Pros:
- Generous free tier (up to 500 contacts)
- Intuitive drag-and-drop email builder
- Extensive template library
- Built-in landing pages, social posting, and basic CRM
- Robust automation capabilities
- Excellent deliverability rates
Cons:
- Pricing escalates quickly as your list grows
- Features can feel bloated if you just need email
- Customer support has declined in recent years
- Some advanced features locked behind expensive tiers
Pricing: Free up to 500 contacts, then $13-350+/month depending on features and list size
Our take: Mailchimp is a solid choice for businesses that want everything in one place and are willing to pay for convenience. However, if you’re only doing email, you may be paying for features you don’t use.
MailerLite
Best for: Budget-conscious businesses and creators who want simplicity
MailerLite has quietly become a favorite among small businesses and creators. It offers most of what Mailchimp does at a fraction of the price.
Pros:
- Very affordable pricing
- Clean, intuitive interface
- Excellent email builder
- Good automation features
- Free tier includes automation (up to 1,000 subscribers)
- Great customer support
- Built-in website and landing page builder
Cons:
- Fewer integrations than larger platforms
- Template selection is more limited
- Advanced reporting requires paid plans
- Approval process can be strict for new accounts
Pricing: Free up to 1,000 subscribers, then $10-20+/month
Our take: MailerLite offers exceptional value. For most small businesses, it provides everything needed without the premium price tag. It’s our go-to recommendation for businesses just starting with email marketing.
Beehiiv
Best for: Newsletter creators and media companies
Beehiiv is the new kid on the block, built specifically for newsletter creators by the team behind Morning Brew. It’s optimized for growing and monetizing an audience.
Pros:
- Built for newsletter-first businesses
- Excellent growth tools (referral programs, recommendations)
- Built-in monetization (paid subscriptions, ad network)
- Modern, clean interface
- Great analytics focused on newsletter metrics
- Generous free tier
Cons:
- Less suited for traditional business email marketing
- Fewer automation capabilities than competitors
- Limited e-commerce integrations
- Relatively new platform (less proven track record)
Pricing: Free up to 2,500 subscribers, then $49-99+/month
Our take: If you’re building a newsletter as a primary business or content strategy, Beehiiv is purpose-built for that use case. For traditional business email marketing, other tools may be more appropriate.
ConvertKit
Best for: Creators, bloggers, and course sellers
ConvertKit (recently rebranded as “Kit”) is designed specifically for creators who want to build and monetize an audience.
Pros:
- Excellent for selling digital products
- Visual automation builder
- Tag-based subscriber management (no duplicate charges)
- Strong creator community and resources
- Good deliverability
- Built-in commerce features
Cons:
- Email design options are intentionally minimal
- Higher pricing than some competitors
- Less suitable for traditional businesses
- Limited template variety
Pricing: Free up to 10,000 subscribers (limited features), then $25-50+/month
Our take: ConvertKit shines for creators selling courses, ebooks, or memberships. The tag-based system is elegant, and the focus on deliverability over design reflects a philosophy that plain-text emails often perform better anyway.
Constant Contact
Best for: Local businesses and organizations needing phone support
Constant Contact has been around since 1995 and remains popular with traditional small businesses.
Pros:
- Excellent phone and chat support
- Event management features
- Social media tools included
- Very beginner-friendly
- Good for non-profits (discounts available)
- High deliverability rates
Cons:
- More expensive than modern alternatives
- Interface feels dated compared to newer tools
- Automation is limited on lower tiers
- Contact limits can be restrictive
Pricing: $12-80+/month depending on features and contacts
Our take: If phone support is crucial to you, Constant Contact delivers. But for most businesses, newer platforms offer better value and more modern features.
Klaviyo
Best for: E-commerce businesses
Klaviyo has become the dominant email platform for online stores, particularly those on Shopify.
Pros:
- Deep e-commerce integrations
- Powerful segmentation based on purchase behavior
- Pre-built flows for abandoned carts, post-purchase, etc.
- Excellent SMS marketing integration
- Revenue attribution reporting
- Predictive analytics
Cons:
- Expensive, especially as lists grow
- Overkill for non-e-commerce businesses
- Steeper learning curve
- Email design can feel less flexible
Pricing: Free up to 250 contacts, then $20-1,000+/month based on contacts
Our take: For e-commerce, Klaviyo is hard to beat. The ROI often justifies the higher cost through automated revenue recovery and smart segmentation. But if you’re not selling products online, look elsewhere.
When to Use a CRM Instead
Email marketing tools are great for newsletters and campaigns, but as your business grows, you may need more sophisticated contact management. That’s where Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools come in.
HubSpot
Best for: Growing businesses that need sales + marketing alignment
HubSpot offers a free CRM that includes email marketing, making it an interesting hybrid option.
What HubSpot adds beyond email tools:
- Contact management with detailed interaction history
- Deal tracking and sales pipeline
- Meeting scheduling
- Live chat and chatbots
- Customer service ticketing
- Detailed contact scoring
Pros:
- Free CRM with email marketing included
- Excellent for B2B businesses
- Scales from startup to enterprise
- Strong reporting and attribution
- Great educational resources
Cons:
- Can become expensive quickly
- Complexity may be unnecessary for simple needs
- Email builder is less intuitive than dedicated tools
- Some features require paid Marketing Hub
When to choose HubSpot: If you have a sales team, need to track customer interactions across multiple touchpoints, or want marketing and sales to share the same data, HubSpot’s integrated approach makes sense.
Other CRM Options
- Salesforce: Enterprise-grade CRM with email capabilities through Marketing Cloud. Expensive but comprehensive.
- Zoho CRM: Budget-friendly HubSpot alternative with email marketing integration.
- Pipedrive: Sales-focused CRM with basic email capabilities. Great for small sales teams.
- ActiveCampaign: Sits between email marketing and CRM, excellent for automation-heavy businesses.
How to Choose: A Decision Framework
Consider Your Primary Use Case
Newsletter/Content → Beehiiv or ConvertKit If your main goal is building an audience through content, choose a platform optimized for that.
E-commerce → Klaviyo Selling products online? The e-commerce integrations will pay for themselves.
General Business Marketing → MailerLite or Mailchimp For most small businesses, these all-in-one platforms strike the right balance.
Sales-Focused B2B → HubSpot When you need to align marketing with sales activities, a CRM makes more sense.
Consider Your Budget
| Platform | 1,000 contacts | 5,000 contacts | 10,000 contacts |
|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | Free | $39/mo | $73/mo |
| Mailchimp | $13/mo | $69/mo | $100/mo |
| Beehiiv | Free | $49/mo | $49/mo |
| ConvertKit | Free | $66/mo | $100/mo |
| Klaviyo | $30/mo | $100/mo | $150/mo |
| HubSpot | Free | $18/mo | $800/mo* |
*HubSpot’s jump reflects moving to Marketing Hub Professional
Consider Your Technical Comfort Level
Beginner-friendly: MailerLite, Mailchimp, Constant Contact Moderate learning curve: ConvertKit, Beehiiv, HubSpot Advanced users: Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign
What We Recommend for CNY Businesses
For most Central New York small businesses we work with, here’s our typical recommendation:
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Starting out (under 1,000 contacts): Begin with MailerLite’s free tier. It’s powerful enough to grow with you and won’t cost anything until you’ve proven email works for your business.
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Growing business (1,000-10,000 contacts): Stay with MailerLite or consider Mailchimp if you need more integrations. The cost is reasonable and the tools are mature.
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E-commerce focus: Move to Klaviyo. The revenue you’ll recover from abandoned cart emails alone often covers the cost.
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Newsletter as the business: Consider Beehiiv for its growth tools and monetization options.
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B2B with sales team: HubSpot’s free CRM with email marketing provides a foundation you can build on.
Getting Started Right
Whichever platform you choose, focus on these fundamentals:
Build Your List Properly
- Use double opt-in to ensure quality subscribers
- Offer something valuable in exchange for email addresses
- Never purchase email lists (it damages your reputation and violates most platform terms)
Start with Consistency
Before complex automation, commit to a regular sending schedule. Weekly or bi-weekly is sustainable for most small businesses.
Focus on Value
Every email should provide value to the reader. If you’re only sending promotions, expect unsubscribes.
Monitor and Adjust
Pay attention to open rates, click rates, and especially unsubscribe rates. They’ll tell you what’s working.
The Bottom Line
The “best” email marketing tool is the one you’ll actually use consistently. Fancy features mean nothing if the platform sits untouched.
For most small businesses, start simple and affordable. MailerLite gives you room to grow without upfront investment. As your needs become clearer, you can always migrate to a more specialized platform.
The most important thing isn’t which button you click to send—it’s that you’re building genuine relationships with your audience through valuable, consistent communication.
Need help setting up your email marketing strategy? Contact Astrochimp for guidance on choosing the right platform and creating email campaigns that actually convert.