If you’re looking to automate your email marketing efforts, you’re on the right track.
Data from Ascend2’s 2023 study reveals that email marketing is the top marketing task marketers plan to automate, followed by social media management and paid ads.
Enter the quest for the best email automation tool – MailerLite vs. Mailchimp. Which one should you choose?
Whether you are a novice blogger, a burgeoning startup, or a well-established brand, this comparative exploration delves into the nuts and bolts of both platforms, helping you pin down the tool that best aligns with your marketing goals and technical comfort.
What is MailerLite? Founded in 2010, MailerLite has carved out a space as a straightforward yet powerful email marketing tool aimed at small to medium-sized businesses.
MailerLite's journey began in 2005 as a web design agency, pivoting to email marketing by 2010 after the team discovered a passion for it. The shift was driven by a desire to offer businesses a straightforward yet potent tool to aid their growth.
Today, MailerLite is more than just a software company; it embodies a culture built on trust, dedication, and shared values, with a team of over 160 people—from designers and developers to world travelers and dreamers—spread across 40+ countries.
Key Features Send mails Build websites Collect leads Sell products What is Mailchimp? Mailchimp began as a small venture called the Rocket Science Group, which was focused on web design for large corporate clients.
In 2001, founders Ben Chestnut and Dan Kurzius shifted gears to create Mailchimp, a platform designed to democratize technology for small businesses, giving them access to powerful digital marketing tools previously available only to large enterprises. This move aimed to empower small business owners with tools to help them grow and succeed on their terms. Over the years, Mailchimp has evolved to support small businesses and larger enterprises with a broad array of marketing and automation tools.
In 2021, Mailchimp was acquired by Intuit, reinforcing its commitment to supporting small businesses with even more resources. Today, Mailchimp is a global platform that serves millions of users worldwide. As mentioned in our HubSpot vs. Mailchimp comparison, the latter helps users engage customers and expand their businesses across multiple channels.
Key Features Email marketing AI marketing tools Websites Audience management Marketing automation Templates MailerLite vs. Mailchimp: Automation Features Both MailerLite and Mailchimp offer sophisticated marketing automation tools designed to implement ecommerce email marketing best practices , but their approaches cater to different user needs and complexities.
Mailchimp's Automation Features Mailchimp is renowned for its advanced, data-driven automation capabilities that support a wide range of marketing activities:
Customer Journey Builder . Allows users to create up to 1.5 million different customer journeys, leading to a reported increase in order volume by up to 7x when using these automated paths.Behavior Triggers and Segmentation . Utilizes user behaviors like page visits or purchase history to trigger personalized marketing messages, enhancing the relevance of communications.Multichannel Automation . Integrates email, social media, and other channels into a seamless campaign execution that can increase engagement metrics significantly; users have seen up to 127% increase in click rates with automated emails.A/B Testing . Tests multiple aspects of email campaigns to optimize performance based on real-time data.E-commerce Integrations . Automatically sends targeted emails like abandoned cart reminders or order confirmations, which have proven to boost customer retention.MailerLite's Automation Features MailerLite provides an intuitive and streamlined automation experience that emphasizes ease of use and accessibility:
Email Workflows . Automated emails that guide subscribers through each step of their journey, from welcome emails to post-purchase follow-up.Triggered Emails . Reacts instantly to subscriber actions such as joining a group or completing a form, allowing for timely and relevant engagement.Customizable Triggers . Includes triggers based on specific dates, signup activities, and other subscriber-specific actions, making it ideal for personalized campaigns.Multi-Trigger Automation . For advanced plan users, MailerLite offers the ability to combine multiple triggers to initiate a single workflow, enhancing the customization of user interactions.Integration Capabilities . While not as extensive as Mailchimp, MailerLite offers essential integrations that facilitate seamless automation across various platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.MailerLite vs. Mailchimp: Pricing and Plans When evaluating MailerLite vs. Mailchimp pricing structures, it's evident that both platforms cater to a range of business sizes, from startups to large enterprises.
MailerLite Pricing MailerLite offers a Free Plan, which supports up to 1,000 subscribers and includes 12,000 monthly emails. Its Growing Business Plan is priced at $9 per month (billed yearly), and its Advanced Plan costs $18 per month (billed yearly), both of which offer enhanced features. They also have Enterprise Solutions, which offers tailored pricing for large businesses.
Mailchimp Pricing Mailchimp’s Free Plan is Ideal for beginners, offering basic tools needed to start email marketing but with limits on the number of emails and contacts. Its Essentials Plan starts at $13 a month for 500 contacts, and the Standard Plan begins at $20 a month for 500 contacts. Mailchimp also features a Premium Plan at $350 per month for 10,000 contacts, including comprehensive analytics, unlimited journey points, and premium support options.
MailerLite vs. Mailchimp: Pros and Cons Here's a detailed look at the advantages and drawbacks of each service to help guide your decision.
MailerLite Pros: Simple and user-friendly Cost-effective Strong automation capabilities MailerLite Cons: Fewer integrations Limited advanced features Mailchimp Pros: Extensive features and integrations Advanced reporting and analytics Robust multichannel marketing Mailchimp Cons: More expensive Steeper learning curve Final Verdict For small to medium-sized businesses, MailerLite may be the better choice if simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use are your primary concerns. It offers a solid set of features that are easy to use right from the start without a significant investment.
For larger ventures or those needing advanced features, Mailchimp is the recommended option if your marketing strategies require extensive integrations, advanced segmentation, and deep analytics.
