Finding a low-cost yet powerful newsletter service for your small business can be a challenge. When we just started out with Bluchic in 2012, MailChimp was the first email marketing service we used.
Their service was perfect for us since the free option – for up to 2,000 subscribers and send 10,000 emails per month – could do exactly what was needed to get our feet off the ground.
Then, we had more subscribers, which was a good problem to have. We had more people to email and market our Elementor WordPress themes.
But as we surpassed the free plan limit, we had to upgrade our plan with Mailchimp and it can become rather expensive. That’s when we decided to switch from MailChimp and look for a better alternative.
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We wouldn’t mind trying a newsletter service that wasn’t as popular as MailChimp. We knew our diamond-in-the-rough was somewhere out there.
Our search came up with three MailChimp alternatives that are worth sharing, with an emphasis on cost-effectiveness as well as offering a variety of options that fit our small business needs.
Note: When looking at the cost-effectiveness of your newsletter service, it’s really important to look at the features you will have access to and the future cost of the service as your list grows. Whilst one service provider might appear to be cheap now, as your list grows it may become more expensive than an alternative that was slightly more expensive to start with.
Let’s take a look!
Mailchimp Alternatives #1 | Flodesk
Pricing plan
Their pricing is super simple. For $38 per month, you get unlimited subscribers and access to all features. Special offer: if you sign up through our link, you’ll get 50% off the first year of Flodesk
This is for you if:
Flodesk stands tall above the rest when it comes to creating stunning newsletters. If you’re all about visuals and creating beautiful-looking emails, then Flodesk is for you!
Key features include visual workflows and marketing automation, easy-to-use and customizable form builders, and stunning templates to make your life even easier.
Related post: Learn how segmenting your recipients can help you re-engage your email list.
Mailchimp Alternatives #2 | MailerLite
Pricing plan
Free for up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month.
Up to 1,000 subscribers and unlimited emails for $9 per month.
1,001-2,500 subscribers and unlimited emails for $15 per month.
2,501-5,000 subscribers and unlimited emails for $29 per month.
5,001-10,000 subscribers and unlimited emails for $47 per month.
This is for you if:
MailerLite is the email service provider that we’re using now. Some of their features include automation, a Subscriber Management tool, and A/B Split Testing.
The best part about MailerLite is the unlimited emails, even on the $10 per month plan. We recommend MailerLite if you want to focus on those few subscribers and send as many emails as you would like.
Related post: Learn how you can get people to engage with your email newsletter with these tips!
Mailchimp Alternatives #3 | Convertkit
Pricing plan
Up to 1,000 subscribers, unlimited forms and unlimited emails for $29 per month.
1,000-3,000 subscribers, unlimited forms and unlimited emails for $49 per month.
3,000-5,000 subscribers, unlimited forms and unlimited emails for $79 per month.
This is for you if:
Convertkit is extremely popular with course creators and entrepreneurs alike. It has some beautiful form designs that are easy to customize and even easier to embed onto your WordPress site.
Some key features include visual automation, tagging, segmentation, and an easy-to-use landing page builder.
We recommend Convertkit if you want to be able to tag and segment your list in lots of different ways to really target your emails and marketing.
Related post: Find out how effective emails can be and learn how to build and use an email list!
Final Thoughts
The free plan from MailChimp is great for small businesses that are just starting out. But it all comes down to the email marketing service that fits your needs and goals.
Before you start your search, list the criteria for your needs and goals.
Don’t forget to think about the future of your list in terms of the number of subscribers and features that you might want to use further down the line.
For us, we wanted a service that didn’t cost much, was easy to use, and has features like automation & integration with our online shop. By focusing on our criteria, we managed to narrow down the search.