Please note: even though we check prices regularly, we can’t guarantee that changes will be reflected immediately. We’d recommend checking the provider’s website for final prices.
With our email marketing cost calculator, you can compare the prices of MailChimp, GetResponse, Aweber, ActiveCampaign, Constant Contact, Mailerlite, Brevo, Mailjet, ConvertKit, Drip, Moosend, HubSpot, Sender, Zoho, Benchmark and Mailify. Note that our calculator displays pricing for the email service provider’s cheapest plans – some providers offer multiple tiers with different features.
* Brevo, Mailjet and Mailify charge based on number of emails sent, rather than number of subscribers – so this comparison assumes 1 email sent per subscriber per month.
A Closer Look at Email Marketing Service Costs
“Pay as you go” vs. Subscription Pricing: what’s the difference?
While most email marketing services these days use subscription-based pricing, there are also a few that offer pay as you go plans. Pay as you go means that you purchase credits before you send out email campaigns. You only pay when you use it and there is no minimum term. This is ideal if you send newsletters sporadically.
With a subscription you will be paying a fixed monthly or yearly amount that usually relates to the number of subscribers you have in the database. Very often, there is no limit with regards to the number of emails you can send. This option is ideal if you send out at least one newsletter campaign per month, or send a lot of automated email campaigns.
Which email marketing software is the cheapest?
As you can see in our calculator, some providers are more affordable than others. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the cheapest email marketing services we’ve found in our research (based on a small list of 1,000 subscribers). Not all are included in our email marketing cost calculator, so if you’d like to learn more about each one, click on the relevant provider:
| Email marketing service | Price per month for 1,000 subscribers |
|---|---|
| Maildroppa | $5 |
| Zoho Campaigns | $8 |
| Sender | $10 |
| SendPulse | $12 |
| MailerLite | $15 |
| Moosend | $16 |
| GetResponse | $19 |
| Omnisend | $20 |
TIP: Two other great low-cost options are Brevo and Mailjet, who charge based on number of monthly emails sent, rather than your list size. Brevo's prices start at $25 a month for 20,000 emails, while Mailjet's start at $15 a month for 15,000 emails. This makes them ideal if you have a large list but only send a handful of campaigns each month.
Which of the email marketing services you have reviewed is the best?
Our tests show ActiveCampaign, GetResponse, and MailerLite at the top of the list. In the table above you can also see our current star rating for each of them (if available). Check out our comparative overview for more information, and see how these providers compare to Mailchimp here.
Do email marketing platforms offer discounts for nonprofit organizations?
Some of them do, yes. In fact, you can usually get a discount of between 15-50% if you're a nonprofit organization. To find out which providers offer this, read our guide on the best email marketing platforms for nonprofits.
Why is provider XYZ not included?
Some providers don’t publicize their prices. Enterprise level email providers have a different target group, mainly large corporations, and use individual pricing schemes for each customer. As a result, we can’t comment on those providers.
Should you be missing a provider on our list despite this explanation, send us a message!
Other Email Marketing Campaign Costs
Because of the affordability of email marketing services, an email marketing strategy can be a very cost-effective method of reaching your audience, especially compared to traditional channels like print advertising or direct mail. With an estimated ROI of 3600%, even a modest investment can yield impressive results.
However, like any other marketing strategy, it does come with additional costs. When calculating your email marketing campaign costs, these should all be taken into account.
Email Design Costs
Email design is a key cost factor to consider in email marketing. The appearance of an email or newsletter helps make the first impression, and can drive customer engagement and trust. A well thought-out design also ensures a good user experience, guiding readers through the content and making your message and calls to action clear.
Luckily, you have several different options when it comes to designing your email newsletters:
Option 1: Use your email marketing service’s templates
The majority of email marketing platforms include ready-made newsletter templates, which can be easily personalized with your branding. This enables you to generate professional, eye-catching emails with no extra expense, except the time you’ve spent modifying the templates.
But, if you're looking to go above and beyond what your email service gives you, you might need to invest a little extra in one of the following options.
Option 2: Building your own template using a template builder
There are many external template builders available, one of which is Stripo. This platform allows you to design professional-looking email templates without the need for any coding knowledge, which can be uploaded to your email service provider.
However, while Stripo and similar builders are user-friendly, designing attractive and effective emails still requires time and a keen eye for design. The cost will also vary depending on the plan you choose, with more advanced features and templates typically costing more.
Cost: From $15 per month, depending on how many templates/features you need (based on Stripo prices)
Option 3: Purchasing a Template from an online marketplace
Marketplaces like Themeforest offer pre-designed email templates for sale. These templates are usually created by professional designers and come in a variety of styles to match your brand.
They can be a good option if you want a professional design without hiring a designer, as they're generally affordable. However, the cost can vary depending on the complexity and quality of the design.
One downside is that you might find other companies using the same template, which could dilute your brand uniqueness. You'll also need to ensure the template is compatible with your email marketing software and adjust the template to fit your brand and content.
Cost: From $20-120 per template (based on Themeforest prices)
Option 4: Hiring a Designer to Create New Templates
Hiring a designer (or a design agency) allows you to get an email design that's tailor-made to fit your brand and your goals. The designer can work with you to create a unique and effective layout, choose the right colors and typography, and optimize the design for different devices and email clients.
However, this is generally the most expensive option. Costs can vary widely depending on the designer's experience and the complexity of the design. You'll also need to factor in the time it takes to communicate with the designer and provide feedback on the design.
Cost: From $300-1,200 per template (based on 99design prices)
Email/Newsletter Content Creation
Creating content is a significant part of the process, and can be quite an investment. If you're putting together newsletters in-house, you need to account for the time required to brainstorm, draft, proofread, and refine each piece. Even if you’re using tools like ChatGPT, writing top-notch copy isn't a walk in the park – it demands time and skill, especially if it isn't something you do regularly.
That's where a professional copywriter comes into the picture. A copywriter understands how to craft engaging, persuasive content. They know how to write compelling subject lines that increase open rates, and they understand how to create content that motivates readers to take action.
If you're considering bringing a copywriter or content marketer on board to handle your email content, remember to factor in these costs.
Cost of hiring a freelance writer: From $150-500 per email, depending on email length (based on Upwork prices)
List Building
While building an email list is crucial for email marketing, it's important to remember that it can involve various costs, from running ads and creating content, to investing in technology and cleaning the list. Each of these steps requires either time, money, or often both. And unlike the previous costs we’ve discussed, these aren’t “either/or” options – often, you’ll need to invest in various tactics to build your email list.
Paid advertising
One common way to build an email list is through running paid advertisements, such as sponsored posts, search engine ads, or display ads. The cost of these ads can vary widely based on your targeting options, competition, and the platforms you choose.
Costs: Around $1-4 per click for a Google Ads campaign
Lead magnets
Lead magnets are the incentives you offer to potential subscribers to encourage them to sign up. Common lead magnets can include eBooks, white papers, discount codes, or exclusive content. Creating these can take time or require hiring a professional.
Cost of professionally writing and producing an ebook: From $400-3000, depending on length and design
Webinars
Hosting webinars to attract subscribers is another popular method for growing an email list. However, you’ll need to invest in a reliable webinar platform. If you're hiring expert speakers or producing high-quality content, these could also add to your costs.
Cost of webinar hosting software: From $50-500 per month, depending on number of attendees
TIP: If you’re looking for an email marketing service that includes webinar hosting, check out GetResponse – one of the few email platforms to offer this niche feature.
Content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO)
Content marketing and SEO involve creating valuable content that attracts potential subscribers to your website, but it requires either time to create the content yourself, or money to hire content creators.
Cost of an SEO-optimized blog post written by freelance writer: From $250-1,000 per post
Landing pages
Finally, you might also need campaign-specific landing pages to capture email addresses. If your email marketing platform doesn’t provide a landing page builder, you’ll need to invest in additional software, which often comes with monthly or annual fees.
Cost of landing page software: From $50-200 per month
TIP: Most of the email marketing services we review include landing page features. There are also a number of landing page builders that can be used for free, with some restrictions.
What about buying or renting an email list?
Although it used to be fairly common practice, we wouldn't recommend buying or renting an email list. This could put you at risk of violating privacy laws like the GDPR and CAN-SPAM Act, since the recipients haven't explicitly agreed to receive my emails.
Additionally, these lists can result in low engagement and high bounce rates, which could harm your sender reputation and negatively affect the deliverability of your emails.
Analytics and Testing Costs
Testing marketing emails is an important step in ensuring their effectiveness and deliverability. Unfortunately, testing tools aren’t usually included within the offering of most email marketing services.
Here are some common types of email testing, and the costs you can expect to incur when running them:
Spam testing
Spam testing involves checking the email content and structure to ensure it doesn't trigger spam filters, and is more likely to reach the recipient's inbox rather than the spam folder.
Providers like Litmus and Email on Acid offer spam testing features that include simulating spam filters, deliverability insights, and content checks, helping marketers optimize their email content and structure to improve deliverability and avoid spam folders.
Cost of spam testing software: From $80-150 per month
Design testing
Design testing ensures that the email looks and functions as intended across different devices, email clients, and screen sizes. This testing helps maintain consistent branding and a positive user experience. Again, these services are available from providers like Litmus and Email on Acid, so they’re included in the cost of the above spam testing software.
Deliverability testing
Deliverability testing ensures that emails are successfully delivered to the recipients' inboxes and don't end up in spam folders. While they may be included in your spam testing software (e.g. as in the case of Email on Acid), you can expect to pay the following for a standalone service like GlockApps:
Cost of deliverability testing software: From $50-100 per month
Training Costs
If you or your team aren't experienced with email marketing, you may need to invest in training or courses to understand best practices and strategies. Online learning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and HubSpot Academy offer comprehensive courses taught by industry experts, covering various aspects of email marketing. However, costs may vary, and some courses can be relatively expensive.
Additionally, email marketing software providers like ActiveCampaign, Hubspot, Mailchimp, and ConvertKit offer resources, guides, and workshops to help users maximize their platforms' potential. While these are often free, they may not cover more advanced or in-depth topics outside of the software's features.
Cost of email marketing training course: Can range from free to around $500 per participant, depending on provider and course content
Email Marketing Agency Costs
If you lack the expertise or resources to run effective email marketing campaigns in-house, considering the option of hiring an email marketing agency can be beneficial. These specialized agencies can handle the entire implementation of your email marketing strategy, from planning and selecting appropriate services, to launching your campaigns.
By partnering with an agency, you gain access to their experience, which leads to time savings and scalability in managing your email marketing efforts. However, hiring an agency comes with costs, which can vary widely based on the agency's services and the level of collaboration. So, finding a balance between the benefits and your budget will be crucial.
Cost of email marketing agency for small business: From $500-2,000 per month
Email Marketing Cost: Final Thoughts
Email marketing services offer a budget-friendly and effective way to connect with your audience. But remember, running a successful email campaign involves more than just the subscription costs.
Don't overlook the other expenses like creating compelling content, designing eye-catching emails, and investing in tools for testing and deliverability.
It's also worth considering the option of partnering with an email marketing agency to benefit from their expertise.
Balancing the affordability of email services with smart investments in content, design, and optimization tools will help you achieve your marketing goals and build strong relationships with your customers. So, as you plan your email marketing strategy, remember to budget for the full picture and make decisions that best suit your business needs.
Do you find our Email Marketing Cost Calculator useful? Let us know what you think!
