19 Email Marketing Platforms for your Music Software Business

Nowadays there are literally hundreds of options for email marketing and its difficult to tell which one is right for you, especially if you’re only getting started.

Thankfully as there are so many options, there’s always something for whatever size your company is, whatever your budget is and where you are on your overall journey.

If you’re just getting started (ie. have 0-1,000 email subscribers) and want a quick recommendation, we would suggest going with either Mailchimp or Klaviyo‘s freeplan as they’re free (up to 250 contacts for Klaviyo and up to 500 contacts for Mailchimp) and very easy to integrate and get setup with. Once you’re a little futher down the path, its hard to argue with the sheer depth of Klaviyo’s automations, analytics, segmentation and other features. Even though it can get quite expensive after a few thousands subscribers, you should easily make more revenue than standard email marketing platforms once you take advantage of Klaviyo’s more advanced features.

While it might be enticing to try go with a self hosted email service (ie. you need your own server to run it) like Sendy, you’ll find it requires a lot of setup (we can highly recommend Digital Ocean for hosting though if you decide to do it), technical knowledge and regular long term maintenance and also lacks some of the more common features that “standard” email platforms offer.

Email Marketing Platforms

This is by no means a “final” list of options, but these are some of the most popular email marketing platforms – all vary in terms of pricing, features and ease of integration, but take a look and see which is best for you at your stage of your company growth. We have not included pricing in this article as pricing regularly changes with providers so can go out of date quickly.

Suggested Platform: Beehiiv

Having used a wide range of email platforms over the years, beehiiv is one of lowest price, easiest to work with and has some of the best and most unique features for growth. Its an all-in-one newsletter platform designed to help content creators build and monetize their audience and its entire platform is designed around this.

You can publish a newsletter which then gets turned into its own post on a website which is pretty useful, but it has some really unique features for growth including:

• Referral program
• Boosts
• Recommendations
• Popups
• Much more

Its worth checking out the website to get a detailed understanding of what they offer, but the referral program and boosts alone are incredible features that I’ve never seen anywhere else. And what’s more its incredibly cheap at $0 for up to 2,500 subscribers!

If that’s not your jam, then here are some alternatives!

1. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is one of the most widely recognized email marketing platforms globally. It offers a user-friendly interface that caters to both beginners and advanced users. Some key features of Mailchimp include:

• Drag-and-Drop Editor: Create visually appealing emails effortlessly.
• Automation: Set up automated email campaigns based on user behavior.
• Segmentation: Target specific audience segments with personalized content.
• Analytics: Monitor campaign performance with detailed reports.

Mailchimp’s free plan is suitable for small businesses, making it accessible to startups and entrepreneurs. However, as your subscriber list grows, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan.

2. Klaviyo

Klaviyo is known for its robust email marketing and automation capabilities, particularly for e-commerce businesses. Some standout features of Klaviyo include:

• Integration: Seamlessly integrates with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify.
• Advanced Segmentation: Target customers based on their purchase history and behavior.
• Personalization: Create highly personalized email campaigns.
• ROI Tracking: Measure the revenue generated from each email campaign.

Klaviyo offers a free trial, but its pricing is based on the number of contacts, making it more suitable for businesses with established email lists.

3. Sendy

Sendy is a cost-effective, self-hosted email marketing platform that’s gained popularity among businesses looking for a budget-friendly option. Key features of Sendy include:

• Affordable: One-time payment for software, with separate fees for email sending through Amazon SES ($0.10/1000 emails)
• List Management: Organize and segment your email lists.
• Automation: Set up drip campaigns and autoresponders.
• Detailed Reports: Track opens, clicks, and other metrics.

Sendy requires some technical knowledge for setup, as it’s self-hosted (so requires you to setup your own server on a platform like Digital Ocean), but it can be a cost-effective solution for businesses with large subscriber lists. There are also some companies that offer dedicated Sendy hosting for you so you don’t need to worry about the technical side of setting up and maintaining the Sendy server yourself.

4. Constant Contact

Constant Contact is a user-friendly email marketing platform, making it a solid choice for beginners. Its features include:

• Email Templates: Choose from a variety of professionally designed templates.
• List Growth Tools: Tools for building your subscriber list.
• Autoresponders: Set up automated email series.
• Tracking and Reporting: Monitor campaign performance.

Constant Contact offers a 60-day free trial and is competitively priced, making it suitable for small to mid-sized businesses.

5. ConvertKit

ConvertKit focuses on helping creators, bloggers, and influencers effectively communicate with their audience. Key features include:

• Subscriber Management: Easy-to-use tagging and segmenting.
• Visual Automation Builder: Create complex automations visually.
• Customizable Forms: Design forms to match your brand.
• Deliverability: High deliverability rates.

ConvertKit’s pricing is based on the number of subscribers, making it accessible to small businesses and content creators.

6. AWeber

AWeber is a well-established email marketing platform with a strong reputation for its reliability. Key features include:

• Email Automation: Easily create automated email sequences.
• Email Templates: Choose from a library of templates.
• List Segmentation: Target specific groups within your subscriber list.
• Reporting and Analytics: Track campaign performance in real-time.

AWeber offers a free plan for up to 500 subscribers and affordable paid plans for growing businesses.

7. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is known for its advanced marketing automation capabilities. It’s suitable for businesses that want to go beyond basic email marketing. Key features include:

• Automation Builder: Create complex automation workflows.
• Dynamic Content: Personalize emails based on user behavior.
• CRM Integration: Manage leads and contacts seamlessly.
• Split Testing: Optimize email campaigns for better results.

ActiveCampaign’s pricing is based on the number of contacts and includes a free trial.

8. GetResponse

GetResponse is a versatile email marketing platform that offers a suite of marketing tools. Some notable features include:

• Email Creator: Easily design emails with a drag-and-drop builder.
• Marketing Automation: Set up automated workflows.
• Webinars: Host webinars to engage your audience.
• Landing Page Builder: Create custom landing pages for campaigns.

GetResponse offers a free trial and competitive pricing based on the number of subscribers.

9. Drip

Drip is an e-commerce-focused email marketing platform known for its powerful automation features. Key features include:

• Behavior-Based Triggers: Send personalized emails based on user actions.
• Visual Workflow Builder: Create complex automation sequences.
• Segmentation: Divide your audience for targeted messaging.
• E-commerce Integration: Integrate with popular e-commerce platforms.

Drip offers a 14-day free trial and flexible pricing based on the number of subscribers.

10. Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor is a straightforward and user-friendly email marketing platform with a focus on design and personalization. Key features include:

• Drag-and-Drop Editor: Easily create visually appealing emails.
• Personalization: Tailor content to individual subscribers.
• Automation: Set up automated customer journeys.
• Analytics: Monitor email campaign performance.

Campaign Monitor offers a free trial and competitive pricing based on the number of emails sent.

11. HubSpot Email Marketing

HubSpot offers a comprehensive suite of marketing tools, including email marketing. Some key features include:

• Marketing Automation: Automate workflows and lead nurturing.
• Personalization: Tailor content based on user behavior and preferences.
• Analytics: Track email performance and customer interactions.
• Integration: Seamlessly connect with other HubSpot tools.

HubSpot Email Marketing is available as a part of their CRM and marketing automation platform.

12. MailerLite

MailerLite is known for its simplicity and affordability, making it a great choice for small businesses and startups. Key features include:

• Drag-and-Drop Editor: Easily create emails without technical expertise.
• Automation: Set up autoresponders and automation sequences.
• Subscriber Segmentation: Target specific groups within your list.
• A/B Testing: Optimize campaigns for better results.

MailerLite offers a free plan with limited features and competitive pricing based on the number of subscribers.

13. Moosend

Moosend is a user-friendly email marketing platform known for its robust automation and personalization features. It offers many of the features of Mailchimp at a lower price. Some highlights include:

• Advanced Automation: Create complex workflows easily.
• AI-Powered Predictive Analytics: Improve campaign performance.
• E-commerce Integration: Target product recommendations to customers.
• Responsive Email Builder: Design emails that look great on all devices.

Moosend offers a free plan with basic features and competitive pricing.

14. Sendlane

Sendlane is an email marketing platform with a strong focus on e-commerce and marketing automation. Key features include:

• Behavior-Based Automation: Trigger emails based on user actions.
• Segmentation: Create highly targeted campaigns.
• ROI Tracking: Measure the revenue generated from email campaigns.
• Personalization: Deliver personalized content to subscribers.

Sendlane offers a 14-day free trial and competitive pricing based on the number of subscribers.

15. Benchmark Email

Benchmark Email provides a suite of email marketing tools, including automation and list management. Notable features include:

• Drag-and-Drop Editor: Create visually appealing emails.
• Automation Pro: Set up automated drip campaigns.
• List Management: Organize and segment your email lists.
• Analytics: Monitor campaign performance in real-time.

Benchmark Email offers a free plan with limited features and competitive pricing for paid plans.

16. Brevo (formally SendinBlue)

Brevo (previously called SendinBlue) is a comprehensive digital marketing platform known for its email marketing and marketing automation features. Here are some of its key offerings:

• Email Campaigns: Create visually appealing emails with a drag-and-drop builder.
• Marketing Automation: Set up workflows based on user behavior.
• SMS Marketing: Combine email and SMS marketing for multichannel outreach.
• Transactional Emails: Send automated transactional emails like order confirmations and receipts.
• Segmentation: Divide your contact list for targeted messaging.
• A/B Testing: Optimize campaigns for better engagement.

Brevo offers a free plan with limited features and competitive pricing for its paid plans, making it suitable for businesses of various sizes.

17. Mailjet

Mailjet is an email marketing platform designed for both marketing and transactional emails. Its notable features include:

• Email Editor: Create responsive and visually appealing emails.
• Transactional Email API: Send automated transactional emails.
• Segmentation: Divide your contact list for precise targeting.
• Marketing Automation: Set up automated campaigns.
• Collaboration Tools: Collaborate with team members on email creation.

Mailjet offers a free plan with limited sending limits and competitive pricing for its paid plans, suitable for businesses seeking a transactional email solution alongside marketing.

18. Omnisend

Omnisend specializes in email and SMS marketing for e-commerce businesses. Here are some key features of Omnisend:

• E-commerce Integration: Seamlessly integrates with popular e-commerce platforms.
• Automation Workflows: Create personalized automation sequences.
• Segmentation: Divide your subscribers based on shopping behavior.
• SMS Marketing: Combine email and SMS for customer engagement.
• Product Recommendations: Recommend products to customers based on their preferences.

Omnisend offers a free plan with limited features and competitive pricing for its paid plans, making it ideal for online retailers.

19. The Newsletter Plugin

The Newsletter Plugin is a unique and versatile email marketing solution that operates directly within the WordPress ecosystem. It is a popular choice for website owners and bloggers who want to seamlessly integrate email marketing into their WordPress-powered websites. Here are some key features of The Newsletter Plugin:

• WordPress Integration: Designed specifically for WordPress, it seamlessly integrates with your website.
• Drag-and-Drop Editor: Easily create and customize emails without any coding.
• List Management: Organize and segment subscribers within WordPress.
• Automation: Set up automated email sequences based on user actions.
• Subscription Forms: Create customizable signup forms to grow your list.
• Analytics: Track email performance and engagement directly from your WordPress dashboard.

The Newsletter Plugin offers both a free version with basic features and premium versions with extended functionality. It’s an excellent choice for WordPress users looking to simplify their email marketing efforts and maintain full control over their email campaigns.

So there you have it. There are so many email marketing options these days that its easy to get overwhelmed. The hands down best platform in our opinion is Klaviyo due to its incredible feature set, but if the price is too much for you, Moosend is a great affordable alternative.