Marketing is a crucial functional area of any business, and making mistakes can have severe consequences. It is essential for companies to carefully plan their marketing strategies to effectively communicate their offerings and promotions to existing and potential stakeholders.
Email marketing has emerged as a highly effective method when implemented correctly. Its primary objective is to convert sales leads and guide them through the sales process. A successful email marketing system not only attracts new customers but also keeps existing ones engaged, providing valuable insights for marketing improvements.
The choice of email marketing software significantly impacts the potential for success. It is crucial to select a platform that allows for the creation of relevant email campaigns and can accommodate future growth. As not all small businesses remain small forever, scalability becomes a critical factor. How well can the platform adjust to your expanding needs?
MailChimp and MailerLite are two prominent email marketing platforms. While MailChimp enjoys greater popularity, MailerLite serves as an excellent alternative in various scenarios. To help you decide which platform suits your business, we have provided a comprehensive MailerLite and MailChimp comparison below.
In general, small businesses seeking a budget-friendly and user-friendly tool with reliable customer support often opt for MailerLite. On the other hand, larger companies that require more than just email marketing, such as high-speed capabilities, CRM integration, and advanced reporting, tend to choose MailChimp.
Ease of Use
When it comes to user-friendliness, both MailerLite and MailChimp excel. They provide intuitive interfaces, making it easy for users of all skill levels to navigate through the platforms. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced marketer, you’ll find it simple to create and manage your email campaigns with these tools.
MailerLite vs MailChimp Features
MailerLite Features
MailerLite offers a comprehensive set of features designed to enhance your email marketing efforts. Some of the notable features include:
- Drag-and-Drop Editor: Create stunning email templates effortlessly with MailerLite’s user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.
- Automation: Set up automated email workflows to engage your subscribers and nurture leads.
- Segmentation: Target specific groups of subscribers based on their interests, behavior, or demographics.
- A/B Split Testing: Test different email variations to optimize your campaigns for better results.
- Forms and Landing Pages: Build beautiful forms and landing pages to capture leads and grow your subscriber list.
MailChimp Features
MailChimp, on the other hand, also offers a range of powerful features to streamline your email marketing activities. Here are some noteworthy features:
- Email Designer: Design eye-catching emails using MailChimp’s flexible and customizable templates.
- Automation: Create automated workflows to send personalized emails based on triggers and customer behavior.
- Audience Segmentation: Segment your subscriber list to deliver targeted content and improve engagement.
- Analytics and Reporting: Gain valuable insights into your email campaigns with detailed analytics and reports.
- Integrations: Connect MailChimp with other tools and platforms to streamline your marketing efforts.
Pricing and Free Plan
MailChimp Pricing
Mailchimp’s first offering is it’s free plan. It’s not a trial, so you can use it indefinitely, so long as you don’t need features that are only available with paid plans. MailChimp offers you marketing CRM, access to the creative assistant, a website builder, a MailChimp domain, and forms/landing pages under this subscription. With this plan, there is one included audience, and you can use it with up to 2,000 contacts.
The first tier of MailChimp pricing comes in the form of its essential plan, which is perfect for email-only senders who require chat or email support around the clock. The cost is a minimum of $13.00 monthly or $3.25 if paid for 12months, for up to 500 contacts and a maximum of $270 monthly for up to 50,000 contacts. Under the essentials package, you get everything that the free plan includes, plus access to all email templates, custom branding, multi-step journeys, A/B testing, and 24/7 email and chat support. Note that you get three audiences with this plan.
The next step up is the standard subscription, which is the one that MailChimp recommends. If your business requires optimization and data-driven automation tools for quicker growth, then this is the plan for you. Of course, you are granted everything that the essentials plan includes. Additionally, you get five audiences with up to 100,000 Contacts, the customer journey builder with branching points, send-time optimization, custom templates, dynamic content, and behavioral targeting. The pricing starts at $20 monthly for up to 500 contacts. At its maximum of 100,000 contacts, the subscription attracts a price of $540 monthly.
The premium plan is MailChimp’s most feature-rich, and it includes a host of advanced features for the professionals who need a more customized experience. This subscription gives you unlimited audiences and 200,000 or more contacts, if required. Everything in the standard subscription is included, plus multivariate testing, phone support, limitless seats, role-based access, comparative reporting, and advanced segmentation. The plan starts at $350 monthly for up to 500 contacts, and it ranges up to $1,190 for 200,000 contacts.
If you have over 200,000 contacts, you can reach out to the MailChimp support team for a custom plan design. Note that MailChimp does not restrict you from going beyond your plan’s maximum contacts or from a choice to send email beyond your send limits. However, it does charge you for these overages.
MailerLite Pricing
According to its website, MailerLite offers straightforward, affordable, and fair pricing to all businesses. The pricing you receive is based on the number of subscribers and emails you plan to send monthly.
Here are the details of MailerLite’s three packages:
- Free Package: MailerLite offers a free plan that allows you to send emails to a limited number of subscribers. It includes basic features such as a drag-and-drop editor, email automation, landing pages, and pop-ups. This plan is suitable for small businesses or those starting with email marketing.
- Growing Business Package: The Growing Business Package is priced at $10 per month. With this plan, you have access to additional features and increased subscriber limits. It offers advanced features like A/B split testing, custom HTML editing, newsletter templates, and priority support. This package is ideal for businesses that are scaling their email marketing efforts.
- Advanced Package: The Advanced Package is priced at $21 per month. It provides all the features included in the Growing Business Package, along with some extra functionalities. With the Advanced Package, you gain access to features like time zone-based sending, click maps, open-by-location reports, and more. This plan is suitable for businesses that require advanced analytics and reporting capabilities.
Available Platforms
Both MailChimp and MailerLite have user friendly web-based platforms, which means they are accessible on any device with internet access and a web browser. Both platforms also have an iOS app that is available from Apple’s storefront. However, while MailerLite does not have an Android application, MailChimp does.
Integrations
MailChimp
MailChimp offers an extensive collection of integrations commands grouped under categories, such as social media, productivity, content, customer service, e-commerce, etc. Some of the integrations are:
- Stripe
- WooCommerce
- LiveChat
- Adobe Photoshop
- Magento
- Calendly
- Zapier
- Grow
MailerLite
MailerLite offers 120 integrations across categories, such as CRM, Facebook, automation, project management, etc. Some of the automations are:
- Gleam
- Gravity Forms
- Zendesk
- Stripe
- Magento
- Slack
- MailChimp
- Basecamp
- GitHub
- Google Docs
Customer Support
Both MailerLite and MailChimp value their customers and provide reliable customer support. You can reach out to them through email, live chat, or their extensive knowledge bases. They also offer helpful resources such as tutorials, guides, and webinars to assist users in maximizing the potential of their platforms.
Conclusion
In the battle of MailerLite vs MailChimp, the right choice ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. Both platforms offer impressive features, ease of use, and reliable customer support. Consider your budget,marketing goals, and the size of your subscriber list when making a decision.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option with a user-friendly interface, MailerLite might be the right choice for you. Their drag-and-drop editor, automation capabilities, and segmentation tools make it easy to create personalized and engaging email campaigns.
On the other hand, if you need more advanced features and robust analytics, MailChimp could be a better fit. With their customizable email templates, powerful automation workflows, and detailed reporting, you can take your email marketing to the next level.
Ultimately, both MailerLite and MailChimp have their strengths and it’s worth considering your specific requirements before making a decision. Take advantage of their free plans to test out the platforms and see which one aligns better with your business needs.
So, whether you choose MailerLite or MailChimp, you can rest assured that you’ll have a reliable email marketing tool at your disposal to connect with your audience, drive engagement, and achieve your business goals.
