Home >> Finding and Keeping Customers >> Best Email Marketing Solutions for Small Business
Email marketing can be overwhelming, especially if you’re doing it on your own. But good news! It doesn’t have to be. With so many tools out there that streamline the process, it’s easier than ever to accomplish your goals. Even better? This list of the best email marketing solutions for small business has everything you need.
Whether you’re an experienced pro or just getting started, you can find the email marketing platform that’s right for you. Based on thousands of responses from small business owners like you and market research, this guide will help you understand your options.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- The best email marketing providers for small businesses
- Examples of how small business owners like you are succeeding with email marketing
- Resources to help you master email marketing and grow your business
8 Top Email Marketing Platforms for Any Small Business
Here are the best email marketing tools to help your small business thrive, no matter your industry, budget, or experience level. We break down what each tool is best for, top reasons for choosing them, recent changes they’ve made to help, their cost, and even special discounts.
Not sure why small businesses do email marketing or what it can do for your business? Check out these benefits of email marketing before you read the list.
1. Constant Contact: Best for all small businesses
Constant Contact is one of the largest, fastest-growing email marketing services in the world and for good reason—ease of use and affordability.
Because it’s specifically designed for small businesses, you don’t have to worry about the enterprise-level features of many email marketing providers, making Constant Contact an easy choice for most businesses on Alignable.
What type of business is Constant Contact best for?
Constant Contact is one of the few email marketing solutions that works for small businesses of all sizes and industries. Some successful businesses that use their service include nonprofit, real estate, retail, home services, fitness, professional services, education, and travel.
Why you should consider using Constant Contact
- Established and trusted platform
- Requires no technical skills or support staff
- Customizable templates
Innovative ways they stay a leader in email marketing for small businesses
Constant Contact was re-established as a stand-alone company in 2021 and in that process, updated its marketing automation, campaign design, and e-commerce features.
These innovations helped the platform be more user-friendly and efficient, making it easier and faster to send meaningful messages to your audience.
Cost
Constant Contact charges monthly based on the number of contacts you have. You can send as many emails as you want to that audience without increasing your monthly fee.
Tiered pricing starts at $20/month for up to 500 contacts. Features will vary based on your chosen plan.
Free trial: 60-day trial, no credit card required.
Want to try Constant Contact? Use this link to receive:
- 10% off your monthly subscription
- 15% off a 6-month prepaid subscription
- 20% off a 12-month prepaid subscription
2. ConvertKit: Best for creators
ConvertKit is a marketing platform specifically for creators (think artists, writers, podcasters, etc) that helps them grow their email list, build connections with their audience, and scale their business.
What type of business is ConvertKit best for?
Online creators like photographers, artists, musicians, videographers, writers, podcasters, educators, YouTubers, and coaches will get the most value out of ConvertKit.
Why you should consider using ConvertKit
- Built specifically for creator-type businesses
- All-in-one solution (landing pages, email, payment)
- Subscriber management system
Innovative ways they stay a leader in email marketing for small businesses
Like all small business owners, creators do more than produce content; they’re also owners, customer support, marketers, and salespeople. Because ConvertKit is a platform built by creators for creators, they understand what they need in a marketing platform.
Their powerful solution serves your email marketing needs and amplifies all the other marketing work you do.
Cost
ConvertKit charges monthly based on the number of contacts you have. You can send as many emails as you want without adjusting the monthly fee.
Starting price: $0/month for up to 300 contacts, making this one of the best free email marketing software services out there for creators. With a wide range of other features that vary based on plan, you can pick and choose the options that best fit your needs.
Want to try ConvertKit? Use this link to try for free.
3. GetResponse: Best for fast growing businesses
Up next on our list of the best email marketing solutions for small businesses is GetResponse, a leading provider that also offers a wide range of other marketing tools. With the goal of becoming an all-in-one marketing solution, this is a great option for businesses looking to combine their email marketing, sales management, and online presence tools.
What type of business is GetResponse best for?
GetResponse works best for small businesses that are just starting with email marketing or those who are growing quickly.
Why you should consider using GetResponse
- Create landing pages along with email marketing campaigns
- All-in-one marketing platform (email, sales, and online presence)
- Robust and easy-to-understand data reporting
Innovative ways they stay a leader in email marketing for small businesses
In a word: efficiency. GetResponse offers more features to support email marketing than any platform on the market.
With landing page creation and optimization, conversion funnels, marketing automation, and lead generation, you can easily automate and consolidate essential marketing functions all in the same tool.
Cost
GetResponse charges monthly based on the number of contacts you have and the features you choose.
Starting price: $0/month for up to 500 contacts.
Want to try GetResponse? Use this link to try for free.
4. Keap: Best all-in-one solution
Keap is an excellent all-in-one sales and marketing automation software that helps you get organized, follow up, and automate to create repeatable, predictable growth.
Way more than an email marketing service, Keap pairs email marketing with other automation tools to help you consolidate your marketing efforts.
What type of business is Keap best for?
Keap works for all small businesses, no matter what stage of growth you’re in. Because their product is all-in-one, it works best for businesses with $100K – $3M in revenue, 1 to 10 employees, and 500 or more contacts in their database.
Their most successful customers have been in business for 2+ years.
Why you should consider using Keap
- To automate your lead capturing and nurturing of potential customers
- An all-in-one solution (email, CRM, sales, payment, appointments)
- Excellent 1:1 support and coaching
Innovative ways they stay a leader in email marketing for small businesses
Keap continues to add other tools to help your business like text marketing, payments, the Keap Business Line, appointment scheduling, and a landing page builder.
Their easy automation builder helps you quickly trigger follow-up to your current or future customers. Already a campaign pro? Their advanced automation builder gives you the power to customize your outreach to engage new and existing customers.
Cost
Keap charges monthly based on the number of contacts you have and the features you choose.
Starting price: $40/month for up to 500 contacts
Free trial: 14-day free trial
Want to try Keap? Use this link to receive 50% off your first 3 months.
5. Campaign Monitor: Best for E-Commerce & Retail
Campaign Monitor gives small businesses everything they need to succeed with email marketing, including Shopify integrations and other easy-to-use tools to make automation a breeze.
What type of business is Campaign Monitor best for?
Campaign Monitor is best for small businesses that are focused on e-commerce & retail. With easy ways to integrate with Shopify, you can create segmented lists and targeted campaigns based on customer behavior.
Why you should consider using Campaign Monitor
- Tools to engage with your customers
- Unique, drag and drop email templates
- Excellent data segmentation options and Shopify integrations
Innovative ways they stay a leader in email marketing for small businesses
Campaign Monitor continues to update its interface and the ease and flexibility of its platform. Their beautifully designed and unique email templates help your messages pop compared to other providers. And their data segmentation options are top-tier allowing you to send or exclude segments and lists in any of your campaigns.
Cost
Campaign Monitor charges based on the number of emails you send and the features you choose.
Starting price: $9/month for sending 2,500 emails.
Want to try Campaign Monitor? Use this link to receive 10% off any membership—must register for a demo to receive discount.
6. Sendinblue: Best for start-ups
Sendinblue is one of the most affordable, comprehensive tools available. But don’t let the features scare you—they’re known for being easy to use and adaptable, so you can choose the features you need when you need them.
They’re also innovating to make the platform an all-in-one hub for all of your marketing needs.
Who is Sendinblue best for?
Sendinblue is best for small businesses that currently have a smaller marketing budget but will be looking to scale quickly. Because they have affordable (and free!) options, you’ll be able to hit the ground running as soon as you capture customer email addresses.
What type of business is Sendinblue best for?
- Affordable price point with options to scale
- Basic CRM functionality included
- Access to template creation services
Innovative ways they stay a leader in email marketing for small businesses
Sendinblue has recently expanded their features beyond email marketing to serve as an all-in-one digital marketing tool. Their new features include advanced automation, customer relationship management (CRM), text (SMS) marketing, and template creation services.
Cost
Good news! For up to 300 emails per day with no contact limit, Sendinblue costs $0/month, making this a great free email marketing tool to try. Paid plans start at just $25 per month.
Want to try SendinBlue? Use this link to try for free.
7. Mailchimp: Best for new businesses
Mailchimp is one of the most used email marketing platforms on the market. With a variety of affordable plans that offer a range of helpful features, Mailchimp is the go-to for many small businesses.
And their services go beyond just email marketing—they also offer other marketing automation tools to help you hit all of your goals.
What type of business is Mailchimp best for?
Because Mailchimp is so affordable, it’s best for new businesses with less than 10,000 contacts in their database.
Why you should consider using Mailchimp
- Customer growth features (landing pages, custom sign-ups, advertising)
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- Full suite marketing hub
Innovative ways they stay a leader in email marketing for small businesses
Mailchimp has recently added e-commerce features, improved marketing automation, integrated CRM, and website hosting and design to its offerings. These features add to Mailchimp’s goal of creating one unified platform for all small business digital marketing needs.
Cost
Mailchimp’s pricing model is based on the number of contacts you have in your database. Features will vary based on your chosen plan.
Starting price: Their free plan offers up to 2,000 contacts with limited features for $0/month. Paid plans start at just $10 per month depending on the features you choose.
Want to try Mailchimp? Use this link to try for free.
8. Emma: Best for franchises & advanced features
Emma is a high-end, easy-to-use email marketing tool with advanced features and 1:1 customer service. Because it’s meant for mid-sized or franchise businesses that have established skills, it costs a bit more than the other email marketing solutions on this list.
What type of business is Emma best for?
Mid-sized or franchise businesses who already know the ropes of email marketing.
Why you should consider using Emma
- Advanced A/B testing
- 1:1 customer service
- CRM integration
Innovative ways they stay a leader in email marketing for small businesses
Emma offers high-end email marketing but makes it accessible for small businesses. With features like advanced A/B testing, an enhanced user interface, dedicated customer support, advanced reporting, and template capabilities, it can take your email marketing to the next level.
Cost
Emma charges monthly based on the number of contacts you have and the features you want to include. Paid plans start at $89 for sending 2,500 emails per month.
Want to try Emma? Use this link to receive 10% off any membership—must register for a demo to receive discount.
Bonus: Local marketing agencies
Not an expert but want your email marketing to thrive? Try a local marketing agency that specializes in email marketing.
Agencies can help with market research, landing page creation, welcome/follow-up automated emails, newsletters, promotions, email design, content creation, analytics, and much more!
Check out the best local marketing agencies in your area.
How Businesses on Alignable Succeed with Email Marketing
Now that you know what solutions you try, you might be wondering how email marketing works for real business owners like you. Thankfully, thousands of small businesses on Alignable use email marketing to help their business succeed.
Here are just a few of their tips and stories.
“All businesses should consistently use email marketing. To maximize your growth, view it as a way to nurture your relationships and not exclusively as a sales tool. Delivering valuable content will increase engagement and click-through rates, ultimately increasing overall sales.”
—Katrina Summers, Founder and CEO at KSB Sales & Marketing Agency in Apollo Beach, FL
“Email marketing has played a critical role in my 25+ years as a business owner. It’s easy to use, affordable, and trackable, which is key. Who wants to spend money on marketing that’s not working? Email marketing makes it easy to quantify leads and revenue.”
—Greg Chamblin, Owner of Freedom UNlimited Business Coaching in Pickerington, OH
“We take a targeted approach to email marketing and have been incredibly successful. Our unsubscribe rate is almost non-existent, our open rate is 80%, and our recipients frequently use the promotions we feature. My preferred provider is Constant Contact.”
—Kimberly Probst, Front Range Christian School in Littleton, CO
“Email marketing helped me land two of my most lucrative business deal in my career of 26 years. My tip for business owners is, if you put the time to create valuable content, the return will be worth it.”
—Dr. Claudia White, Owner of The White Sand Consultants, Inc. in Trabuco Canyon, CA
Resources to Help You Master Email Marketing
Ready to take your email marketing to the next level? Start by choosing the best provider for your business or exploring the features of the one you already have. With a little practice and the right tool, you’ll be on your way to more customers, more revenue, and a more successful business.
Need some help? These resources can make you an email marketing superstar.
- Try an email marketing service provider from the list: What one best fits your needs, budget, industry, and audience? Reach out using the links provided.
- Join a group: Join the All Things Email Marketing Group on Alignable to ask your most pressing questions and share your best tips.
- Explore local resources: Check out local marketing agencies on Alignable that offer email marketing services.
- Attend an educational event: Stay tuned for upcoming events featuring email marketing options and education to help you make the best choice for your business.
How do you promote your business through email marketing? Share your favorite tools and tips in the comments.
Alignable continues to be an industry leader in the support of small business growth.
As a member, an a educator, I always have an opportunity to utilize their suggestions and advice to help move my business forward.
Thank you again for your support and continued leadership in small business success.
We do a lot of e-mail marketing for clients and you didn’t even list “Active Campaign,” which in our line of work and the different industries we service is HANDS DOWN the best service. We recommend it to any who ask, even though we will work with what they currently have. Many of our clients have converted over after we share the benefits. Just my “2 cents.”
Those are my thoughts exactly. Active Campaign should definitely be on this list as a top provider.
Great to see members like Dr. Claudia featured 👍🏾
I do PR for far less $ 😉