Everybody’s telling you about ConvertKit*. For good reason, it’s a feature-rich and marketing-optimized email tool.
It’s right up there with Substack* or Mailchimp in terms of popularity and user base.
That being said, ConvertKit has notable downsides:
- the free plan is quite limited, especially in terms of automation with is the main attraction of email marketing software
- that means you only get automations on the paid plan for at least $9 per month (at 300 subscribers max)
- paid plans get expensive really fast, for 1000 subscribers, you’re already paying $25 a month
Alternatives you haven’t heard about
Since ConvertKit might not be the greatest tool for beginners who need to keep their spendings in check, here are two platforms you need to consider if ConvertKit isn’t your jam.
You won’t be disappointed.
1. Sendinblue
This juggernaut has been around since 2007 and resides in Paris with additional offices in Berlin, Delhi, and Seattle. It offers a lot for free.
Key free features:
- unlimited contacts (yeah, no limit on email list members like on virtually any other platform out there)
- automations and segmentation
- GDPR-ready
- wide range of plugins and integrations for other services
Limitations:
- no landing pages on free plan
- 300 mails per day on free plan
- the backend is extensive, a lot to learn here
- sometimes it’s a little confusing, in other words the learning curve is quite steep
Overall, Sendinblue is a more than worthy competitor to ConvertKit, MailChimp, and all the other automation systems out there. See for yourself!
2. EmailOctopus*
The next company is EmailOctopus*. They reside in London.
Founded in 2015, this company shines with its beautiful interface and backend, easy structure, and an incredible support team. I’ve sent a couple of requests via email and got answers in minutes. Yes, MINUTES!
- 2500 contacts & 10,000 emails a month for free
- amazing support
- Zapier & Make integrations
- Multistep automations
- Landing page builder & sign up forms
- Affordable pro plan, a lot cheaper than alternatives like ConvertKit, Mailchimp, etc.
- Referral rewards
Limitations:
- You need to pay for more than 2500 contacts
- You need to pay if you need more than 10,000 emails per month
Overall, EmailOctopus offers a lot for free and the paid plan is very reasonably priced compared to other services, including ConvertKit, MailChimp, or MailerLite. See for yourself!
The bottom line
ConvertKit is popular. This is mainly due to its affiliate marketing system and general marketing strategy.
It’s not a bad service at all, but it gets pricey really quickly, and the free plan has severe limitations for an email marketing tool.
I also don’t like the backend and the writing tool that much. That’s personal preference.
Both, Sendinblue and EmailOctopus, are strong competitors for ConvertKit and email marketing platforms in general.
You don’t hear about those two platforms a lot, though. A shame.
Now you know!
Take a look at these two if you’re on the hunt for a great email marketing & newsletter service.
