Free email marketing services; here is the complete list
In Association with
Are you a small business looking for a reliable email marketing service without breaking the bank?
You have probably heard of the big names but they all cost big bucks. As a small business, you either don’t have the budget for that or want to start small and subscribe to the premium services as you grow.
Lucky for you, we did the research for you and came up with a list of the best email marketing software that you can get started with today, absolutely for free.
Factors to consider when choosing an email marketing service
There are a variety of factors that go into choosing the perfect email marketing service for your small business, including features, integration, price, and customer support. However, you might also consider ease of use, security, mobile capability, and reputation to find the best service for you.
There is no point in choosing a tool that doesn’t have all the essential features your business needs. Some of these features are CRM, analytics and reporting, automation to make your work easy, and mobile optimization amongst others.
Integration with third-party apps and software is an important element in any marketing tool. It makes work easier if you can handle most of the tasks in a single dashboard. For email marketing, you may want software that integrates with Shopify, WordPress, and any other software you use.
As for price, all of the tools we listed today offer a reliable free version. However, they also come with premium packages, allowing users to upgrade as they scale up their business.
When you decide to invest, consider your budget and how much you are willing to spend on the software. Then, check out the pricing of different companies and their pricing model. Don’t forget to also check the quality of service to ensure you get what you are paying for.
Additionally, a friendly user interface that is easy to navigate is a must-have for an email marketing service. Creation tools like drag-and-drop features, pre-designed templates that are easy to customize, and a clear manual that can guide you through a process are important factors to consider as they make work fast and easy.
Customer service is also extremely important. The last thing you want is to get stuck and can’t get the help that you need, as this is a huge waste of time and money. Choose software that offers reliable customer service. Live chat and phone support are always the best as you get to speak to their representatives directly. Unlike emails and online forms where you may need to wait for days or even weeks to get a response.
To keep your information safe, look for an email marketing service that offers security features like SSL encryption to protect your data and your subscribers' data.
To cater to a mobile audience, and considering the fact that most people use smartphones and small devices, you want software with great mobile compatibility. This will ensure your email campaigns and messages get to your subscribers without any glitches and will boost topline outreach by tapping into a broader audience.
Finally, for you to ensure that all these factors are met, check the reputation of a software company before investing in them. Find out what other people are saying about them and read their experiences.
Top 12 free email marketing services
1. Mailchimp
Mailchimp is a popular email marketing software that allows users to create and send newsletters, promotional emails, and automated campaigns.
It is one of the first tools to offer free-to-use email marketing features such as email templates, audience management, basic reporting, and marketing automation.
You can send up to 1,000 emails per month to a maximum of 2,000 subscribers on the free plan, which is a generous allowance for small businesses and non-profit organizations. You can also access a library of email templates and customize them according to your requirements.
Other features you get with Mailchimp’s free version include basic analytics and reporting features, which allow you to track email open rates, click-through rates, and subscriber engagement. Additionally, you get marketing automation such as abandoned cart emails and welcome series.
However, as you would expect, there are some limitations to the free plan compared to the paid version. For example, you cannot access advanced segmentation, A/B testing, or multivariate testing features. You are also stuck with the Mailchimp logo in your emails and can’t access priority customer support.
Generally, Mailchimp's free version is an excellent option for small businesses and non-profit organizations looking to get started with email marketing. It may have its limitations but it provides many of the essential features required for email marketing, making it a suitable choice for beginners.
Mailchimp has 4 subscription packages. You can sign up for free and use the free version of the software or subscribe to their premium services as follows;
- Essentials package at $13/ month
- Standard package at $20/ month
- Premium package at $350
2. Mailjet
Mailjet offers a free version of its email marketing service, which includes some of the essential features for email marketing. You can send and track up to 6000 emails a month, manage a contact list of up to 2000 subscribers, and set up automated email campaigns such as welcome emails, post-purchase follow-ups, and abandoned cart reminders.
The platform provides tools for email design and creation such as the drag-and-drop email builder. This makes it easy even for beginners with no coding skills.
Other features you get are email deliverability tools to ensure emails land in your subscribers’ inboxes, basic email tracking and reporting metrics (such as open rates, click rates, and unsubscribes), and access to 24/7 live chat support.
Mailjet's free version is obviously limited compared to its paid plans but is definitely an excellent option for small businesses and individuals who need a simple and easy-to-use email marketing service.
MailJet Premium Prices
If the free plan isn’t enough for you, you can subscribe to any of their 3 paid memberships;
- Essential starting at $15/ month
- Premium starting at $25/ month
- Get a quote for a custom plan
3. Sendinblue
Sendinblue is a one-stop-shop digital marketing tool with a reliable email marketing platform that offers a free plan for users to get started with their email campaigns.
It offers a generous free version that allows users to send up to 300 emails per day, with no limit on the number of contacts. This is a great option for small businesses or startups with a limited budget.
It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create and send emails and provides a range of templates to choose from, which can save time and effort.
You also get deliverability tools and automation features such as welcome emails and abandoned cart emails, which help improve customer engagement and conversions.
SendinBlue Premium Prices
If you want to upgrade from the free plan, you can choose any of their premium services as follows;
- Starter plan starting at $25/ month
- Business plan starting from $65/ month
- Enterprise plan with a custom price
4. MailerLite
MailerLite offers a range of features that you can use to create professional-looking emails and landing pages, for free. The drag-and-drop editor and pre-designed templates allow users to create and customize emails as required.
One of the standout features of MailerLite is its automation workflows. This allows users to create automated email campaigns based on factors like sign-ups, purchases, and engagement. You can also segment your email list to target specific groups of subscribers with tailored content.
It offers robust analytics and reporting tools to help you track the success of your email campaigns. You can track open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, as well as perform A/B testing to optimize your campaigns.
The free version allows up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month, which is ideal for small businesses and startups. The paid plans offer more advanced features and higher subscriber limits.
MailerLite Premium Prices
Premium plans for MailerLite are;
- The growing business plan goes for $9/ month
- Advanced Plan goes for $19/ month
- Get custom pricing for the Enterprise Plan
5. Moosend
Moosend may not be as popular as other email marketing tools but it is just as handy. It offers a variety of free features for businesses and individuals looking to grow their email lists and reach their target audience.
These features include a drag-and-drop email editor, list management tools, automation workflows, and reporting and analytics features. These allow you to create custom emails just by dragging and dropping text, images, and other elements into a template and help you manage your email lists, segment contacts, and import/export data.
You can use the automation workflows and reporting and analytics features to create automated email campaigns, based on signups or purchases, and track email campaign performances, such as open rates, and click-through rates.
It also offers great integrations with a variety of other tools, including e-commerce and social media platforms.
Overall, the free Moosend plan is a great option for those just starting out, while the paid plans offer additional features for businesses looking to scale their email marketing efforts. It is a solid choice for anyone looking for an easy-to-use and affordable email marketing tool.
Moosend Premium Prices
Keep in mind that Moosend only offers the free version for 30 days. You don’t have to give your payment details or worry about giving out your credit card information. Just sign up and get started.
- $9/ month for the Pro Plan
- Custom pricing for the Enterprise Plan
6. Omnisend
Omnisend is an email marketing automation platform that offers a range of tools to help businesses create and send targeted email campaigns, automate messages, and track customer behavior.
The free version of Omnisend provides access to basic email marketing features, such as customizable templates, a drag-and-drop email editor, list segmentation, and basic automation workflows.
You can also enjoy a user-friendly interface and responsive customer support, and get to send up to 15000 emails per month.
On the downside, expect some limitations on the free version including the limited number of emails you can send per month and restricted access to advanced features like A/B testing and advanced automation workflows.
Omnisend Premium Prices
Want to upgrade from the free plan? Choose any of their two premium plans depending on your requirements;
- Standard Plan for $16/ month
- Pro Plan for $59/ month
7. SendPulse
SendPulse offers both free and paid plans for businesses of all sizes. The paid version is more advanced and offers premium features that you wouldn’t otherwise access on a free plan.
The free version is still a good option for small businesses that need basic email marketing features such as email designer tools, automation, contact management, and integrations with other essential software.
The drag-and-drop email editor makes a fast and easy-to-use email editor for SendPulse users. It lets you create professional-looking emails quickly and easily. The contact management feature also comes in handy when you need to import up to 500 subscribers to your email list. You can send up to 15000 emails per month.
When it comes to automation, analytics, and integrations, you get all the basic features such as welcome emails, abandoned cart emails, and integration with third-party platforms like Zapier, Shopify, and WordPress.
Sendpulse Premium Prices
SendPulse Premium subscription includes;
- The standard plan is $6.40/ month
- Pro Plan goes for $7.68/ month
- Enterprise Plan goes for $10.75/ month
8. CleverReach
Since 2007, CleverReach has been providing email marketing services to both small startups and big businesses. The iCloud-based email software offers paid subscriptions and a free version that you can sign up for depending on the size of your business and requirements.
The free plan comes with key features needed to run decent email marketing campaigns, making it a great option if you are just starting out.
This includes a drag-and-drop editor and pre-designed templates for your email campaign creation, which allows you to easily create professional-looking emails or create your own custom email designs.
Automation and contact management features let you create new email lists, manage contacts, and even segment them to tailor your email content to specific audiences. You can use automation tools to set up a welcome series that automatically send a sequence of emails to new subscribers.
Other important features CleverReach provides are analytics and reporting. This provides detailed reports on your email campaign performance, including open rates, click-through rates, and more. You can also track the success of your campaigns over time.
Integration with other platforms such as WordPress, Salesforce, and Shopify is easy, and you get to send up to 1,000 emails per month to up to 2500 subscribers.
CleverReach Premium Prices
You can get a custom price depending on the size of your business or pay $30/ month for up to 2600 subscribers, $50/ month for up to 5000 subscribers, and $79/ month for up to 7500 subscribers.
9. HubSpot
HubSpot is a popular tool among business owners and marketers. The software offers multiple different functionalities for different purposes in marketing including a range of free email marketing features that help businesses create, manage, and track their email campaigns.
For starters, you get at least 2000 email sends every month of the free plan. This is quite generous compared to some of its alternatives that only allow up to 500 emails.
It offers an easy-to-use interface, with creator tools to design and customize your emails. Contact segmentation comes in handy when creating an email campaign and promotion. You can segment your contact lists and tailor your ads based on criteria such as location, behavior, and interests.
Features like email scheduling, and personalization help you personalize your emails to your specific recipients and schedule them to be sent at a specific time and date, ensuring that the emails are sent at the most effective time for your audience.
Email tracking provides detailed analytics on email performance, including open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates, allowing you to measure the success of your email campaigns and make improvements where necessary.
HubSpot Premium Prices
HubSpot offers a whole marketing suite with multiple features and tools. It offers free email hosting where you can send up to 2000 emails a month to up to 500 recipients. You can also upgrade to their premium packages at;
- $16/ month for the starter plan
- $655/ month for the Enterprise plan
10. EmailOctopus
EmailOctopus offers a range of free tools for businesses and individuals to send emails to their subscribers. Some key features you get with this software include a friendly interface, customizable templates, and autoresponders.
This means you can easily create and send your emails using customizable templates. You can change or adjust colors, fonts, and overall email designs to match your business brand and help your audience understand your emails and take action as you anticipate.
The autoresponders help set up automated emails to be sent to your subscribers based on the data you have collected from their actions such as signing up for your email list or making a purchase. This works well with the analytics feature that provides detailed analytics on the performance of your email campaigns, including open rates, click-through rates, and more.
With the free plan, you can send up to 10, 000 emails per month to up to 2,500 subscribers.
EmailOctopus Premium Prices
EmailOctopus offers two subscription plans. The free version allows you to send 10,000 emails a month with a limited subscriber number of 2,500, and the Pro version costs $8/month.
11. Sender.net
Sender.net is a cloud-based email marketing tool that offers a free plan for users with up to 2,500 subscribers and up to 15,000 email sends per month. It comes with features and tools that make your email marketing endeavors fast and easy.
You get a drag-and-drop editor, predesigned templates, automation, Integration, analytics and reporting, mobile compatibility, and email deliverability.
These functionalities allow you to set up automated email campaigns, track the performance of your campaigns, and even integrate with popular platforms such as Shopify, HubSpot, SalesForce, and WordPress.
It also provides A/B testing features to test different subject lines, sender names, and email content to see which performs better with your audience, as well as advanced segmentation to segment your subscriber list based on different criteria such as location, interests, and behavior.
Sender.net Premium Prices
Sender has three more subscription options for those who want more than just the basic features offered in the free plan. These include;
- Standard Plan for $8.33/ month
- Professional Plan for $29.17/ month
- Custom pricing for the Enterprise plan
12. Zoho Campaigns
Zoho offers a free email marketing tool called Zoho Campaigns, which allows users to create and send email campaigns, automate email sequences, track email metrics, and more. These tasks are enabled by features such as contact management tools, email metrics, automation, and integrations.
You can choose from a variety of customizable templates, and add images, videos, and any other files as it fits your campaigns. With email automation, you can set up automated emails based on your subscribers’ data such as sign-ups, birthdays, abandoned carts, and more.
The contact management functionality allows you to import and manage your contact lists in Zoho Campaigns, and also segment your lists based on various criteria such as location, demographics, and subscriber behavior.
Other features Zoho Campaigns offer in the free plan include social media sharing that lets you share your campaigns on social media platforms, integrations with other Zoho apps, customizable signup forms, A/B testing, and email metrics that provides detailed analytics on email campaigns, including open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates. Users can also track subscriber engagement over time.
Zoho Campaigns Premium Prices
If you want to take your email marketing a notch higher, you can choose any of the options available for Zoho campaigns including;
- Pay-as-you-go starting at $14
- Standard plan starting at $3
- Professional plan starting at $3.75
Benefits of email marketing
As technology changes how businesses handle their marketing, email marketing continues to perform well and offer great ROIs year after year.
Compared to other marketing channels, email marketing is relatively inexpensive. It requires little to no upfront investment, and the cost of sending emails is low, making it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes.
With email marketing, businesses can target specific groups of people with personalized messages based on their demographics, interests, and behaviors. This allows for better engagement and higher conversion rates.
Email marketing is also highly measurable, allowing businesses to track metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and more. This data can be used to optimize future campaigns and improve overall performance.
By providing valuable content, personalized recommendations, and special offers, businesses can keep their customers engaged and loyal over time, drive more conversions, and increase revenue.
As seen in this article, you don’t need to be a tech guru or have a lot of money to get started with email marketing. All you need is good email marketing software with all the essential features to run your email marketing campaigns.
We have made it easy for you and compiled a complete list of free email marketing services you can try out today. We also chose the ones that allow scalability, and come with premium features so you can always upgrade as your business grows.
