The Complete Guide to Choosing the Best Email Service for Your Small Business in 2024

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways for small businesses to nurture relationships and drive sales. But with so many providers out there, how do you determine the best email service for your unique needs?

With 15 years of experience helping sites maximize their email marketing success, I‘ve used all of the top platforms extensively. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll compare the 7 best options available based on key factors like list size, sending volume, automation, analytics, deliverability, integration, support, and more.

Why Email Marketing Is Essential for Every Small Business

Let‘s first look at some statistics that highlight the value email marketing delivers for small businesses:

• Email boasts a median return-on-investment (ROI) of 122% – That means for every $1 you invest, you can expect to see $1.22 back, on average [1].

• Email is 40X more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined in acquiring new customers [2].

• 80% of small businesses using email marketing have reported an increase in sales [3].

• Customers who purchase via email spend 138% more on average than those who don‘t receive email offers [4].

• Email nurtures relationships, allowing you to consistently provide subscribers with valuable, relevant content over time.

The numbers don‘t lie – email marketing should be a cornerstone of your small business marketing strategy.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing an Email Service Provider

Not all email services are created equal. Depending on your business‘s needs, certain factors will be more or less crucial to weigh when deciding on a platform.

List Size

How many contacts do you need to store? Many email providers limit the size of your list on their free or lower-cost plans. You‘ll want to choose a platform that can accommodate current subscribers plus expected growth.

Sending Volume

The number of emails you need to send per month impacts the cost. If you only send a monthly newsletter, lower volume plans are fine. If you want to send promotions multiple times per week, look for higher volume plans.

Automation

This is the ability to trigger emails based on subscriber actions like opening an email, clicking a link, or making a purchase. Automation is essential for intersecting with customers at the right time.

Analytics

Open and click tracking provide data and insight into how well your campaigns are working. Higher-end plans offer more customizable reports.

Deliverability

You want a provider who ensures your emails reliably land in subscribers‘ inboxes vs being flagged as spam. Deliverability rates above 90% indicate emails are reaching their destination.

Integration

If you need to connect your email platform to other software like your CRM, ecommerce store, etc, then API integration capabilities are essential.

Support

Look for providers offering multiple options like phone, live chat, and email support in case you need assistance.

Now that we‘ve covered the key factors to evaluate, let‘s explore the top 7 email services for small businesses…

1. Constant Contact – Our #1 Recommendation

Constant Contact earns our top recommendation, especially for small businesses, due to its ease of use, stellar deliverability, and unparalleled customer support.

I‘ve used them for over 10 years across various client sites and continue to be impressed with their platform, performance, and support team.

Key Features

• Intuitive drag-and-drop email builder to create professional, branded templates quickly

• Deliverability rate consistently over 96% – higher than industry average

• Automation for sending subscriber welcome sequences, birthday messages, etc

• Robust analytics with custom reports to track opens, clicks, unsubscribes, etc

• Landing page and Facebook ads integration all in one place

• Mobile-optimized emails for strong engagement on phones and tablets

Ideal For

Constant Contact shines for small businesses, nonprofits, churches, and bloggers needing an easy-to-use solution with deliverability you can count on.

Pricing

• Free Trial – 60 days free, no credit card required

• Paid Plans – Starting at $9.99/month billed annually

20% off discount for WPBeginner readers

Support

Phone, chat, email, robust knowledge base – Constant Contact‘s support is second to none. Their onboarding guides new users through setup.

2. Omnisend – For Ecommerce Email Marketing

For ecommerce brands, Omnisend is a great choice, with powerful automation tailored to online shopping behavior.

I‘ve used them for several WooCommerce sites and been very pleased with their platform‘s ability to turn insights into targeted email campaigns.

Key Features

• Automated triggers like abandoned cart, post-purchase follow-ups

• Pre-built workflows for browse abandons, product reviews, etc

• ROI reporting shows revenue driven by each campaign

• Intuitive drag-and-drop editor with mobile optimization

• Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce integrations

Ideal For

Omnisend is designed for online retailers who want to drive more repeat purchases and lifetime value through targeted, automated email workflows.

Pricing

• Free Plan – 250 contacts, full-featured

• Paid Plans – Starting at $10.83/month billed annually

Support

Email and in-app messaging support during business hours. Video tutorials and docs help guide users.

3. ConvertKit – For Bloggers, Authors

For professional bloggers, authors, and creators distributing content upgrades, ConvertKit is an excellent choice.

I‘ve used them for several years to create funnels based on content downloads, webinar signups, and course enrollments.

Key Features

• Create sequences triggered by content upgrades or purchases

• Powerful segmentation to personalize emails

• Excellent deliverability with inbox placement over 97%

• Top-rated support and community for creators

• Plans built around bloggers‘ and creators‘ needs

Ideal For

ConvertKit excels at equipping bloggers, authors, and creators to use content to build their email lists.

Pricing

• Free Trial – 14 days free

• Paid plans – Starting at $29/month

Support

Top-notch email based support and robust community resources.

4. Sendinblue – Affordable All-In-One Platform

Sendinblue wins as a cost-effective option bundling email, SMS, automation, CRM, and landing pages in one place.

I‘ve used them for side project sites on a budget and been impressed with their features per dollar.

Key Features

• Email, SMS, CRM, landing pages in one platform

• Generous free plan with automation

• Intuitive drag-and-drop editor

• 300+ mobile-responsive templates

• CRM integrates email, calls, live chat

Ideal For

Sendinblue is ideal for budget-conscious users wanting an integrated platform beyond just email.

Pricing

• Free Plan – Unlimited contacts, automation

• Paid Plans – Starting at $25/month

Support

Support via email and in-app chat. Help center offers ample resources.

5. Mailchimp – Generous Free Plan

With its forever-free plan for under 2k contacts, Mailchimp is a popular starter option, especially for extremely small businesses.

I‘ve used them over the years for many smaller sites before upgrading. The free plan is quite capable.

Key Features

• Forever-free plan for under 2k contacts

• User-friendly drag-and-drop builder

• Automation limited to paid plans

• Integrates with ecommerce platforms

• Mobile and social sharing options

Ideal For

Mailchimp suits very small businesses willing to outgrow the free plan‘s limited features over time.

Pricing

• Free plan – 2k contacts forever

• Paid plans – Starting at $11.25/month

Support

Email and in-app support. Extensive self-serve knowledge base.

6. HubSpot – For an All-in-One CRM

For small businesses wanting an integrated CRM and marketing platform, HubSpot is a solid pick.

I‘ve used them for several mid-sized B2B sites to unify emails with lead tracking.

Key Features

• Free CRM plan includes email marketing

• Powerful personalization and automation

• Deep integrations as business scales

• All-in-one marketing, sales and service

• Growing suite of tools beyond email

Ideal For

HubSpot works for businesses wanting close CRM integration with email and marketing.

Pricing

• Free CRM plan – Includes email features

• Paid plans – Starting at $45/month

Support

Email, chat, phone support alongside wide knowledge base.

7. MailerLite – Generous Free Tier

MailerLite is another great free option combining generous features with excellent deliverability.

I‘ve used them for free trials or starter sites needing basic opt-ins and newsletters.

Key Features

• Forever-free plan with automation

• Generous limits of 12k contacts

• Lovely, responsive templates

• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop builder

• Plans from $10/month

Ideal For

MailerLite suits very small businesses with basic email needs who still want automation.

Pricing

• Free plan – 12k contacts, automation

• Paid plans – Starting at $10/month

Support

Email support and extensive self-service knowledge base.

Summing Up – Choosing the Best Email Service Provider for Your Small Business

So which email marketing platform is best for your small business?

For simplicity and deliverability, Constant Contact is my top recommendation, especially for small businesses and nonprofits. Their customer support is unmatched.

Omnisend offers powerful ecommerce automation tailored for online brands.

ConvertKit caters specifically to creators‘ needs with content upgrade automation.

Sendinblue bundles email, SMS, CRM, and marketing automation affordably.

MailChimp and MailerLite provide the most generous and fully-featured free plans.

For an all-in-one integrated platform, look to HubSpot.

No matter which you choose, focus on growing your list! OptinMonster makes it easy to convert web traffic into email subscribers.

What questions do you still have about choosing the best email service provider for your small business? Let me know in the comments!