Mailerlite vs ActiveCampaign. Which tool wins?

Introduction

Are you searching for an email marketing tool that can improve your business's marketing strategy?

Email marketing is an essential component of any business, and it can be overwhelming to choose between the many options available.

Two of the most popular email marketing tools on the market today are Mailerlite and ActiveCampaign.

In this article, we will compare the features, pricing, and benefits of these two tools to help you make an informed decision. Whether you are a small business owner or a marketer, you will find this comparison useful in determining which tool is the right fit for your business.

So, let's dive in and find out which tool wins the battle of Mailerlite vs ActiveCampaign.

Pricing

Mailerlite offers a simple pricing structure.

The cost is based on the number of subscribers you have, with plans starting at $10 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers.

The price increases as your subscriber count grows. For example, the cost for up to 2,500 subscribers is $15 per month.

Mailerlite also offers a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers. This plan includes basic features, such as email automation and a drag-and-drop editor.

ActiveCampaign has a more complex pricing structure.

The cost is based on the features you need, as well as the number of contacts you have. Plans start at $9 per month for up to 500 contacts, but this plan does not include all of the features.

To get access to all of the features, you will need to upgrade to a higher plan. For example, the Plus plan, which includes automation and CRM features, starts at $49 per month for up to 500 contacts.

When it comes to pricing, both Mailerlite and ActiveCampaign offer affordable options.

However, Mailerlite's pricing structure is more straightforward and easier to understand. Additionally, Mailerlite offers a free plan, something that ActiveCampaign does not provide.

Overall, if pricing is a significant factor for your business, Mailerlite may be the better option. However, if you need more advanced features, ActiveCampaign may be worth the investment.

Ease of Use

When it comes to choosing an email marketing tool, one of the most important factors to consider is ease of use.

First, let's take a look at Mailerlite. This email marketing tool is known for its user-friendly interface and simple navigation.

From creating and designing email campaigns to managing subscribers and analyzing performance reports, Mailerlite makes it easy for users to get started with email marketing. Additionally, Mailerlite offers a variety of templates and drag-and-drop editors that make creating professional-looking emails a breeze.

Aspect	Mailerlite	ActiveCampaign
User Interface	Clean and intuitive	Busy and overwhelming
Email Builder	Easy to use with drag-and-drop editor	Flexible but complex
Automation Setup	Simple and straightforward	Powerful but requires learning curve
Integrations	Limited but easy to set up	Extensive but can be confusing
Learning Curve	Minimal	Steeper

On the other hand, ActiveCampaign has a steeper learning curve for beginners. While the tool offers a wide range of features and customization options, it can be overwhelming for those who are new to email marketing.

However, once users become familiar with the platform, they will find that the tool offers a lot of flexibility and advanced automation options.

Overall, when it comes to ease of use, Mailerlite is the winner. Its intuitive interface and easy-to-use features make it a great choice for beginners or those who want to get started with email marketing quickly.

However, if you are willing to invest the time and effort to learn the more complex features of ActiveCampaign, it may be a better choice for those who need more advanced automation and customization options.

Automation

Automation is a key feature in both Mailerlite and ActiveCampaign.

These email marketing tools allow you to create complex automation workflows that help you engage with your customers and prospects in a more personalized way.

Mailerlite's automation features are more basic compared to ActiveCampaign.

It offers a visual automation editor that allows you to create simple automation workflows.

You can create workflows that trigger when a subscriber joins a particular group or when they open an email.

You can also send follow-up emails based on subscriber behavior.

While Mailerlite's automation features are not as advanced as ActiveCampaign, they are still useful for small businesses or those just starting with email marketing.

ActiveCampaign's automation features are more advanced compared to Mailerlite.

It offers a visual automation builder that allows you to create complex automation workflows.

You can create workflows that trigger when a subscriber joins a particular group, when they open an email, or when they visit a specific page on your website.

ActiveCampaign also offers advanced segmentation and tagging features that allow you to target specific groups of subscribers with personalized messages.

You can create automation workflows that send targeted messages based on subscriber behavior, such as abandoned cart reminders or product recommendations.

ActiveCampaign's automation features are more powerful and flexible compared to Mailerlite.

However, they also require more time and effort to set up and manage.

ActiveCampaign's automation features are more advanced and are suitable for businesses that require more powerful and flexible automation workflows.

Reporting and Analytics

Being able to track the performance of your campaigns and gain insights into what works and what doesn't is crucial to improving your email marketing strategy.

Both Mailerlite and ActiveCampaign offer robust reporting and analytics features, but there are some differences between the two tools.

Mailerlite offers a variety of reporting options, including campaign reports, subscriber reports, and automation reports.

Campaign reports provide information on open rates, click-through rates, and more, while subscriber reports give you insights into your subscriber list, including new subscribers, unsubscribes, and bounces.

Automation reports allow you to track the performance of your automated campaigns.

One unique feature of Mailerlite's reporting is the ability to compare campaigns. This allows you to see how different campaigns performed against each other and make data-driven decisions for future campaigns.

Aspect	Mailerlite	ActiveCampaign
Email Performance	Basic reporting with open and click rates, bounce and unsubscribe rates	Advanced reporting with detailed engagement metrics, A/B testing, and revenue tracking
Segmentation Analysis	Limited segmentation options and basic analysis capabilities	Robust segmentation tools with advanced analysis and customer behavior tracking
Campaign Comparison	Limited side-by-side campaign comparison	In-depth campaign comparison and performance insights
Conversion Tracking	Basic conversion tracking capabilities	Advanced conversion tracking with customizable goals and tracking options
Automation Analytics	Basic automation analytics with simple performance metrics	Advanced automation analytics with detailed funnel tracking and goal monitoring
Integrations	Limited third-party integrations for data analysis and reporting	Extensive integrations for seamless data syncing and advanced reporting capabilities

ActiveCampaign also provides detailed reporting and analytics features. In addition to standard campaign reports, ActiveCampaign offers a visual campaign builder that allows you to track how subscribers engage with your campaigns.

You can see how subscribers move through your automation workflows and identify areas where you may be losing subscribers.

Another unique feature of ActiveCampaign's reporting is the ability to track website behavior.

By adding a tracking code to your website, you can see how subscribers interact with your website after clicking through from your email campaigns.

Customer Support

MailerLite offers 24/7 customer support through email and live chat.

Their support team is known for being responsive and helpful.

They also have a knowledge base with articles and tutorials to help users solve common issues on their own.

ActiveCampaign offers 24/7 customer support through email, live chat, and phone.

They have a reputation for providing excellent customer support, with quick response times and knowledgeable representatives.

Like MailerLite, they also have a knowledge base with helpful articles and tutorials.

While both MailerLite and ActiveCampaign offer excellent customer support, ActiveCampaign comes out on top due to their additional support option of phone.

This can be a game-changer for businesses who need immediate assistance with complex issues.

List Management

Mailerlite offers a simple and user-friendly interface for managing your email lists. You can easily import and export contacts, add new subscribers via forms, and segment your lists based on various criteria such as location, interests, and behavior.

One standout feature of Mailerlite is the ability to create custom fields for your subscribers. This means you can collect additional information beyond the standard name and email address, such as phone numbers, birthdays, or even custom fields specific to your business needs.

This can help with personalization and targeting of your email campaigns.

Mailerlite also offers a range of automation features to help manage your lists. You can set up automated workflows based on triggers such as new subscribers or specific actions taken by subscribers, such as clicking a link or making a purchase.

Aspect	Mailerlite	ActiveCampaign
List Segmentation	Basic segmentation options with limited criteria	Advanced segmentation capabilities with custom fields and tags
List Import/Export	Easy import and export of contacts in various formats	Seamless import and export with advanced mapping options
List Cleaning	Basic list cleaning features to remove duplicates and inactive contacts	Advanced list cleaning with automatic suppression and bounce management
Subscriber Management	Basic subscriber management with basic contact details	Advanced subscriber management with detailed contact profiles, activity history, and lead scoring
GDPR Compliance	Provides GDPR-friendly features and tools for data protection	Comprehensive GDPR compliance tools and features for data privacy
Unsubscribe Options	Standard unsubscribe options for contacts	Customizable unsubscribe options and preferences center for subscribers
List Growth Tools	Basic signup forms and pop-ups for capturing leads	Advanced list growth tools like personalized forms, lead magnets, and exit-intent pop-ups

ActiveCampaign takes list management to the next level with advanced automation and segmentation features.

You can segment your lists based on a range of criteria such as location, behavior, and interests, and use this information to personalize your email campaigns.

ActiveCampaign also offers advanced automation features such as conditional logic, which allows you to create complex workflows based on multiple triggers and conditions.

For example, you could set up a workflow that sends a specific email based on a subscriber's behavior and interests.

Another standout feature of ActiveCampaign is the ability to create dynamic content within your emails.

This means you can create one email with different content based on a subscriber's location, behavior, or interests.

This can help with personalization and relevance of your email campaigns.

ActiveCampaign takes list management to the next level with advanced automation and segmentation features.

Templates and Design

Mailerlite has over 100 pre-designed templates that users can choose from. These templates are organized by industry and are easily customizable to fit the user's needs.

Users can also create their own templates from scratch using Mailerlite's drag-and-drop editor.

Mailerlite's editor is user-friendly and allows users to change colors, fonts, and images to match their brand's style.

The editor also includes a variety of content blocks, such as text, images, buttons, and social media links, to make it easy to create engaging emails.

ActiveCampaign offers a similar range of templates that users can customize to fit their brand's style.

However, unlike Mailerlite, ActiveCampaign's templates are not organized by industry.

ActiveCampaign's email editor is also user-friendly and includes a drag-and-drop interface.

Users can easily add, remove, and rearrange content blocks to create their desired layout. Additionally, ActiveCampaign's editor offers more advanced design features, such as custom CSS and HTML editing.

Both Mailerlite and ActiveCampaign offer a range of templates and design options to help users create engaging and professional-looking emails.

However, ActiveCampaign's more advanced design features give it an edge over Mailerlite for users who require more customization options.

Conclusion

After analyzing the features of both Mailerlite and ActiveCampaign, it is clear that ActiveCampaign is the winner in this comparison.

ActiveCampaign offers more advanced automation features, including visual automation workflows and lead scoring.

It also provides more personalized and targeted email campaigns with its advanced segmentation options and dynamic content.

Furthermore, ActiveCampaign's CRM capabilities are more robust, allowing businesses to manage their contacts more effectively and track their interactions with them.

Although Mailerlite is a good choice for basic email marketing needs, ActiveCampaign's advanced features and capabilities make it a more powerful and effective tool for businesses looking to grow and improve their marketing efforts.

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