The Top 5 Constant Contact Alternatives & Competitors
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Constant Contact (read our review) is undoubtedly a premium option for email marketing. Everything just works so well. There is no arguing that Constant Contact’s full suite of marketing tools takes mundane email marketing to a whole new level with social media, text, and more, all designed to help you better reach your customers.
So what’s the beef?
Our biggest criticism of Constant Contact is that it is more expensive than most of its competitors, and comes with fewer standard features.
Some of you out there will be happy to pay the extra cost in exchange for an app that is so solid, but others will be looking for better value. With that in mind, we have rounded up a few great alternatives to Constant Contact. Let’s get into the comparison.
Learn More About Our Top Picks
| Company | Best For | Next StepsBest For |
|---|---|---|
SendinBlue  | SendinBlue is the best free email marketing software for businesses that have large contact lists. | SendinBlue is the best free email marketing software for businesses that have large contact lists.
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Benchmark Email  | Benchmark is best for businesses that are serious about their image in email campaigns and want a low learning curve. | Benchmark is best for businesses that are serious about their image in email campaigns and want a low learning curve.
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Mailchimp  | Mailchimp is the best bang for your buck in terms of what you can do in your email campaigns. | Mailchimp is the best bang for your buck in terms of what you can do in your email campaigns.
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HubSpot CRM  | HubSpot is best for companies looking for both marketing and CRM tools and have the budget to spend on the robust features they need to grow. | HubSpot is best for companies looking for both marketing and CRM tools and have the budget to spend on the robust features they need to grow.
|
ActiveCampaign  | ActiveCampaign is best for companies ready to seriously target growth. | ActiveCampaign is best for companies ready to seriously target growth.
|
Read more below to learn why we chose these options.
Table of Contents
Top 5 Alternatives To Constant Contact
Constant Contact is a respectable email marketing software option, but we find the value falls short compared to the robust tools in their competitors such as Sendinblue, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Benchmark, or ActiveCampaign. Check out our list below to read why we recommend these five alternatives to Constant Contact.
1. SendinBlue - Best Email Software For Large Lists
SendinBlue
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With generous plan features, SendinBlue ranks as the best free email marketing software for businesses that have large contact lists. You’ll get unlimited storage, substantial email volume, and even advanced segmentation features on the free plan.
As far as features, the responsive design tools and the built-in image editor is head and shoulders beyond what’s in many email marketing software platforms. SendinBlue’s automation and segmentation features provide the tools to run a targeted campaign
The free plan with SendinBlue is remarkably generous and offers many features including unlimited contacts, customizable sign-up forms, transactional email, and even email support.
Jumping up to the Lite plan starts at $25/month and gives you unlimited daily sending limits in the campaign and transactional platform, and again, you pay the same no matter how many contacts you have. Check out our full SendinBlue Review for our complete pricing and feature list.
Sendinblue Website Capture 2020
Pros
- Advanced segmentation on the free plan
- Generous templates
- Robust features
Cons
- Limited integrations
- Phone support not on all plans
2. Benchmark - Most Comfortable Learning Curve
Benchmark Email
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Benchmark is an affordable option with a low learning curve. It is best for businesses that are serious about their image in email campaigns and don’t want to compromise on the finished product.
Benchmark brings the heat to this email marketing battle with hundreds of templates. When you combine the template library with survey and video support, throw in the option for dedicated email servers and a wealth of integrations, and Benchmark enters the fray in full force. Benchmark also provides you access to a code editor to tweak your emails precisely, if you have the coding skills to make it work.
In terms of ease-of-use, Benchmark is as straightforward as you could wish for. Many email marketing options these days go out of their way to lower the learning curve for their products, but that does not diminish Benchmark’s achievement with the pure usability of this app. When I tested it, it felt a bit like the digital equivalent of sinking into your favorite chair — it was that comfy.
Benchmark is consistently more affordable than Constant Contact. You’ll find a full-featured free plan as well as the first paid plan starting at $13.99/month. To learn more about Benchmark’s features, user reviews, and pricing plans, check out our full Benchmark Review.
Benchmark Website Capture 2020
Pros
- Easy-to-use platform
- Excellent value
- Excellent customer service
Cons
- Occasional bugs reported
- Limited sign-up form options
Get Started with Benchmark Email
3. Mailchimp - Most Bang For Your Buck
Mailchimp
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Mailchimp offers a robust feature set for a comparatively low cost, and we think it provides the best bang for your buck. With timezone-based sends, geolocation reporting, and integrated custom forms, users have quite the toolset with Mailchimp. Add into that excellent automation with an extensive library of pre-written scripts, and it is no surprise that Mailchimp is one of the most recognized email marketing software companies on our list.
It also helps that this app is a joy to use. In terms of ease-of-use, Mailchimp is nearly peerless, with a fantastic email builder that practically begs users to put together campaigns. With a plethora of integrations and add-ons as well, it seems unlikely that you will need anything you can’t find there.
Cost-wise, it’s one of the best values out there. The cost does increase with your list size and as you add features, but Mailchimp provides quite a few options when it’s time to scale. Mailchimp offers a generous free plan with paid plans starting at $9.99/month, which includes A/B testing and free 24/7 email and chat support. For full pricing and feature information, check out our full Mailchimp Review.
Mailchimp Website Capture 2020
Pros
- Easy to use
- Low monthly cost
- Advanced marketing features
Cons
- Costs increases with subscribers
- Limited customer support
4. HubSpot - Best For Industrious Marketing Goals
HubSpot CRM
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HubSpot is best for companies looking for both marketing/CRM tools and that have the budget to spend on the robust features they need to grow.
HubSpot is a ginormous platform built for industrious marketing needs. You can access email marketing features through the Marketing or the CRM silos. If you’re already a customer of CRM Starter, you’ll have access to some of the basic email marketing features and can send up to 2,000 emails a month. When you upgrade to Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise, you’ll unlock features like A/B testing, time zone sending, and Smart content. You can also create custom email templates and have a lot more freedom in the look and feel of your email campaign.
The Marketing silo works a little bit differently. Starting at $50/month, you’ll only get 1,000 contacts, which we think might be a little steep unless you consider the full-featured marketing tools that come along with it. For those who are just starting out or who have modest budgets and goals, another option on our list might be best.
HubSpot Marketing features include quite a lot at the Starter level:
- Landing pages
- Ad management
- Live chat Conversational bots
- Forms
- List segmentation
- Email health insights
- Ad retargeting
- Form follow-up emails
The feature list is inspiring to say the least, but we don’t love that the next plan up jumps to $800/month.
Hubspot is for the mid to large size company that’s going to devote the resources to a complete marketing landscape. To learn more, check out, Are HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing Services Right For You?
Hubspot Web Capture 2020
Pros
- Feature-rich plan
- Powerful marketing tools
- Trusted by consumers
Cons
- May be cost-prohibitive
- Learning curve
5. ActiveCampaign - Most Advanced Capabilities
ActiveCampaign
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ActiveCampaign is one of the most comprehensive and advanced email marketing apps best for companies ready to seriously target growth.
While most email marketing software options these days provide some level of automation, few take the concept quite as far as ActiveCampaign. Despite the steep learning curve, most users report feeling empowered to use the advanced features from ActiveCampaign because of extensive customer support options. Both self-service and in-person options receive high marks of appreciation from users — there are many features to master here, none of them seem entirely out of reach.
One of the best things about ActiveCampaign is the value that it represents. It is a consistent surprise that so many advanced features are offered here for its price. The Lite Plan starts at $9/month and includes unlimited email sending, 500 automation recipes, marketing automation, and more. For more on pricing and features, check out our ActiveCampaign Review.
Web Capture Of Active Campaign 2020
Pros
- Numerous Features
- Excellent Automation Tools
- Integrated CRM
Cons
- Steep Learning Curve
- Cost Increase With Subscribers
Looking For One Of These Names?
If you’re looking for the names below, know that they are solid email marketing platforms. However, we don’t consider these two better options over Constant Contact because they have similar downsides:
Campaign Monitor
Campaign Monitor provides a well-rounded email marketing platform, but we can’t recommend it over Constant Contact because it’s pricing structure can also get a bit steep as your subscribers grow and it, too, has mixed customer reviews.
While you’ll find similar core features, nothing screams “best” in the platform. If you’re interested in learning more, check out our full Campaign Monitor review. If you’ve set your mind on this service, be sure to use the 30-day trial and read any contract before you seal the deal, as we’ve seen reports of automatically renewing contracts with a somewhat strict cancelation policy.
Campaigner
Similarly, we also can’t recommend Campaigner as a good alternative to Constant Contact because of its higher cost. Many of the basic features just aren’t available until you hit a high price point, so for the average small business, it’s probably not the best-suited option.
Campaigner also has some mixed reviews that could signal some cause for concern. Read our full Campaigner Review to find out more about pricing, features, and what to watch out for before deciding on this email software.
Which Constant Contact Competitor Is Right For Me?
In the end, your final decision should come down to what you need from your email marketing software and your budget. It will also save you some time and a lot of hassle if you consider how your marketing efforts will grow and evolve over the next few years.
While changing email marketing platforms is possible, it isn’t always easy to move all of your data and contacts. That’s why we always recommend taking advantage of the free plan or trial to get a feel of the service before making your final decision.
Hungry for more email marketing tips? Check out How To Create A Successful Email Marketing Strategy and 6 Easy Tips To Improve Your Email Marketing.
In Summary: Top 5 Alternatives To Constant Contact
- SendinBlue: SendinBlue is the best free email marketing software for businesses that have large contact lists.
- Benchmark Email: Benchmark is best for businesses that are serious about their image in email campaigns and want a low learning curve.
- Mailchimp: Mailchimp is the best bang for your buck in terms of what you can do in your email campaigns.
- HubSpot CRM: HubSpot is best for companies looking for both marketing and CRM tools and have the budget to spend on the robust features they need to grow.
- ActiveCampaign: ActiveCampaign is best for companies ready to seriously target growth.
Emily Hale
Emily is a content and social media strategist based in Indianapolis. She enjoys discovering new topics and planning content that empowers small business owners to make better choices for their businesses. When she's not in the thick of doing research for Merchant Maverick, she likes painting, meandering through nature and spotting wildlife, or relaxing with her rescue pup, Jetta.
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Hi, is this contact form working ?
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Hi Stuart,
How can we help?
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thanks for the helpful information,
Ed Susskind
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This article is spot on re: SendinBlue being a good option for not a lot of money. We’ve been using them for a few months for a 60k/month email newsletter. The cost to do this is less than $40 each time! We tried MailChimp for a while but eventually found everything we needed [for less $] with SiB. Best things about SiB: responsive template, design elements, easy-to-use tools, great customer service, value. Cons: website UX/UI could be a little better and more intuitive, plus sometimes uploading/approving large contact lists can be slow. They also really reward their customers, for example we received a few hundred email credits for free by simply following them on social media.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this post and may be outdated.
I still think that Mailerlite is the greatest alternative to Constant Contact, you can check this comparison table: https://www.mailerlite.com/constant-contact-alternative Cheers!
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GetResponse is my favourite one
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