High-quality lead generation is one of the first challenges you’ll face when you’re starting a business. When it comes to converting traffic into purchases and visitors into regular customers, your email list plays an important role. 

The right email marketing solution is essential to your business. eCommerce stores need an effective way to connect with potential customers and retarget existing customers.

What is ConvertKit?

ConvertKit is an email marketing tool used by startups, established businesses, and bloggers. It has a set of tools that enable you to capture emails of visitors on your site, send a set of emails to new subscribers, manage your subscribers, send single mass email campaigns and automate your email marketing based on different types of subscribers. (READ More: Everything you need to know about ConvertKit)

It is a software application primarily designed for bloggers and people who sell products through an online store, but not for people who want to target multiple audiences. (READ: Frequently Asked Questions about ConvertKit)

ConvertKit is an excellent email marketing platform but if you need to check out other alternatives, we have compiled the top 5 ConvertKit alternatives to give you several options.

What are the benefits of ConvertKit?

Below are some of the benefits you can get out of ConvertKit: 

Single List

Unlike other email marketing services such as AWeber and MailChimp that charge you per email per list, ConvertKit only charges you once per email because there is only one list. All subscribers to your mailing list have their unique profile where you can tag and segment them easily. 

Nice Looking Opt-in Forms

One of the major frustrations with other email services is that their opt-in forms are well unattractive out of the box and challenging to configure. You can customize them if you know what you’re doing. Meanwhile, ConvertKit makes it easy to set up simple and attractive opt-in forms for beginners. 

Built-in Landing Page Templates

Landing page templates allow you to create a whole page dedicated to your opt-in. This is a feature you can pay separately for with a strong software designer such as LeadPages. With ConvertKit, you can set up a simple landing page at no extra cost. 

Easy-to-Follow Autoresponder Sequences

Autoresponders are a term for automated sequences of emails you can send out to your subscribers. ConvertKit makes the process easier by displaying all of your email messages in one view in your account dashboard. You can even drag and drop your messages to change the sequence. (READ: How to set-up ConvertKit for email marketing) 

Broadcasting while Excluding

Broadcast emails are one-time messages that can be written and distributed at any time to your subscriber list. Since you only have a single list, ConvertKit makes it easy to send a broadcast while excluding specific segments of your list. 

For instance, you may want to send out a notice about a sale on one of your products but don’t want to send it to customers who have already purchased the product. (READ: How ConvertKit works)

Tagging based on your subscriber’s activity

ConvertKit lets you tag and then segment potential leads in your subscriber list based on their activity on your website or through your email message. For instance, you can include a link to your ConvertKit emails to assess a new product’s interest. If one of your subscribers clicks on the link, ConvertKit can tag that person automatically as being interested. 

Easy to understand analytics

When you log into your ConvertKit account, you will see an easy-to-understand subscriber graph that shows you by the day which forms are growing your subscriber list. 

Integration with Other Software Applications

ConvertKit integrates directly with other software applications like LeadPages, OptinMonster, Acuity, Shopify, and more. ConvertKit is also one of the few email marketing services that have been chosen to integrate directly with the Rainmaker Platform. 

Features of a good email marketing platform

Before we move on to our suggested alternatives of ConvertKit, let us first establish what makes a good email marketing platform. 

Segmentation

This feature should be non-negotiable for you. Segmentation means dividing your email list according to location, interests, age, gender, online activities, and more. One of the best aspects of the Internet 2.0 is personalization of the user experience, which has enabled marketers to tailor their messages more effectively. 

Performance Tracking

Once you send out your emails, you want to know their performance, including open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, bounce rates, and unsubscribes. Keep in mind that even the worst results are an opportunity to fix your mistakes.

ConvertKit reports show which email forms result in the highest subscription rate, which campaigns have the best results, and how your customization reflects on your performance. 

Merge Tags

One of the best ways to improve your email content along the way is by merging tags. At first glance, it may seem like a complicated programming task but this is not the case. All you need to do is drop a specific “code” from the available sheet and the platform will turn it into personalized content. 

What are some of ConvertKit’s alternatives?

ConvertKit has built its reputation for being a solid and straightforward tool for sending customized content to your subscribers and growing your business. It allows you to segment your email list, personalize each part based on the customer’s actions and interests and reach them at the right moment.

Albeit worth it, its effectiveness may be a little pricey for some. That’s why we have compiled the top 5 ConvertKit alternatives that you can use. 

AWeber

AWeber is a pioneer in email marketing and is one of the first to launch autoresponders. Because of its superior autoresponders, AWeber is one of the best alternatives to ConvertKit. Its users can store information and records about their contacts, making it easy for them to make insight-based decisions. 

AWeber also has a unique campaign for its users to accomplish customer engagement with an optional follow-up series whenever they release a marketing campaign. (READ: AWeber vs ConvertKit)

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign offers a comprehensive approach to managing customers and emails. While it doesn’t have strong email design capabilities, it provides an array of productivity features, such as:

•     Email marketing tools
•     Marketing automation tools
•     Sales and CRM platform
•     Messaging solutions
•     Machine learning capabilities

ActiveCampaign offers a free trial option and has plans starting at $9 monthly. Prices vary depending on the features and size of your contact list. 

Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor is another alternative to ConvertKit. This tool offers a complete solution for automated email marketing. Some of its features are:

•     Email marketing tools
•     Marketing automation tools
•     Personalization tools
•     Contact management tools
•     Signup forms
•     Analytics
•     Apps and integrations

Campaign Monitor features a powerful drag-and-drop editor to help you create effective emails. Like ActiveCampaign, plans start at $9 per month and increase based on your contact list and the features you want. 

Constant Contact

Another alternative to ConvertKit that offers additional services is Constant Contact. Aside from email marketing, it offers other features that can boost your company’s productivity, such as:

•       Email marketing tools
•       Marketing automation tools
•       eCommerce integration
•       Website builder
•       Logo maker
•       Professional marketing advice

The plans for Constant Contact start at $20 per month. You can send unlimited emails regardless of your plan, and the plan prices increase based on features and number of contacts. 

GetResponse

Another powerful ConvertKit alternative is GetResponse. This tool is an all-in-one email marketing solution for businesses that want a simple automation solution. Their features include some of the most crucial marketing tools, such as:

•     Email marketing software
•     Marketing automation tools
•     Landing page solutions
•     Ready-made auto funnels
•     eCommerce and social media integration
•     Webinars

GetResponse offers a generous 30-day free trial. Its plan starts at $15 per month for 1,000 contacts and a selection of features, and the prices increase with additional features and the number of contacts. (READ: ConvertKit vs GetResponse)

 

Before deciding on the best alternative for your business, consider 3 things:

• The size of your contact list will drive the cost of your plan. Some plans only include a few features, so compare wisely.
• App and software integrations are a big help to boost your email performance.
• Consider your marketing plan and how the best email marketing software can accommodate multichannel solutions, such as SEO strategy and social media campaigns.

 

(ALSO READ: Sendlane vs ConvertKit)