How to Choose Email Marketing Software

Email is still the highest-ROI marketing channel, but platforms vary widely in automation power and pricing model. Here's how to choose.

Know what you're optimizing for

• Newsletters and content: creators and publishers want great deliverability and simple authoring.
• E-commerce: you need product blocks, abandoned-cart flows, and store integrations.
• B2B nurture: you want automation tied to your CRM and lead scoring (HubSpot territory).

Understand the pricing model

Email tools price on list size, emails sent, or both — and the model matters more than the headline rate:

• Per-contact pricing punishes big, low-engagement lists. Prune inactive subscribers.
• Per-send pricing suits infrequent senders with large lists.
• Watch for features (automation, A/B testing, segmentation) gated behind higher tiers.

The features that matter

• Automation/workflows: the real value is in triggered sequences, not one-off blasts.
• Segmentation: sending the right message to the right slice of your list drives results.
• Deliverability: the best features are useless if your mail lands in spam — check the provider's reputation.
• Templates and editor: you'll live in this daily; make sure it's pleasant.

Don't pay for a list you should clean

Because pricing scales with contacts, regularly removing unengaged subscribers both improves deliverability and cuts cost. A smaller, engaged list outperforms a big, stale one.

The shortlist

Mailchimp for an approachable all-rounder with a free tier; HubSpot when you want email tightly integrated with a CRM and broader marketing automation. Trial with a real campaign and watch your open and click rates, not just the editor.