Why SendPulse Might Just Dominate Email Marketing in 2025 While Everyone Else Scrambles to Keep Up

Ever wonder why email marketing just won’t quit, even in this TikTok and AI-dominated world? Well, it’s not just stubborn—it’s downright brilliant at delivering insane returns. Imagine this: for every dollar you throw in, you’re pulling back an average of $36, sometimes even $42 in certain niches. That’s not just good; that’s wild ROI kicking in. With nearly half the planet—4.6 billion people—checking their inboxes daily (and that number’s climbing), email remains deeply embedded in how we consume info and do business. Sure, social media grabs headlines, but email? It’s the steady heavyweight champ in the digital arena.

Now, here’s the kicker—people aren’t just opening their emails once a day; over 40% are eyeing their inboxes three to five times daily. That’s almost like checking your phone for the time, except with emails that can automate and personalize themselves to pump 320% more revenue than those one-off blasts. Crazy, right? So, if you’re serious about scaling your business in 2025, picking the right email marketing platform is no casual decision—it’s mission-critical. In this piece, we’re going deep, weighing the top 10 platforms—think SendPulse, Mailchimp, Brevo, and the rest—against the kind of features that matter: automation savvy, AI chops, multi-channel reach, and of course, price. Ready to crank up your marketing game? Let’s dive in and make those email dollars work harder.

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Email marketing is far from passé—in fact, it’s one of the highest-return channels in digital marketing today. In 2025, studies consistently show that for every $1 spent, businesses receive an average return of $36—and in some sectors, even up to $42—making email easily one of the most cost-effective tools available. With roughly 4.6 billion email users worldwide and projections exceeding 4.8 billion by 2027, the reach of email continues to widen significantly.

Engagement is still strong: over 93% of people check their email daily, with 42% checking between three and five times per day—showing just how integrated email remains in our routines. At the same time, marketers are doubling down on automation and personalization—automated emails can generate 320% more revenue than one-off campaigns, while dynamic content drives higher engagement across the board.

With performance metrics like these, choosing the right email marketing platform isn’t just smart—it’s essential. In this article, we’ll compare the 10 best email marketing platforms of 2025—including SendPulse, Mailchimp, Brevo (Sendinblue), MailerLite, ActiveCampaign, GetResponse, Omnisend, Constant Contact, HubSpot, and Klaviyo—based on key strengths like automation, personalization, AI capabilities, multi-channel functionality, and pricing so you can confidently grow your ROI.

SendPulse

SendPulse is an all-in-one marketing automation platform founded in 2015. It stands out by combining email, SMS, web push, and chatbot campaigns on a single platform, plus a free CRM and landing page builder. As of mid-2025, SendPulse reports 3 million registered users worldwide.

Its drag-and-drop email editor supports A/B testing and segmentation, and its visual “Automation 360” builder lets you create multi-step flows based on dozens of triggers (page visits, link clicks, purchases, etc.). SendPulse also offers AI-powered tools, including optimal send-time prediction and dynamic content. The platform is available in multiple languages and offers 24/7 support, reflecting its global focus.

In addition to its multi-channel communication tools, SendPulse also provides access to a large library of responsive email templates — all of them mobile-friendly by default. Marketers also get a built-in email verifier, ensuring that campaigns are sent only to valid addresses. The best part? Both features are available for free, making SendPulse even more cost-effective compared to competitors.

Channels: A true multi-channel marketing hub—not just email. SendPulse brings together email, SMS, Viber campaigns, web push notifications, and chatbots for Facebook Messenger, Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Viber. Everything is managed from a single dashboard, enabling businesses to reach customers wherever they are without needing to juggle multiple tools.
Automation: The Automation 360 builder goes far beyond basic autoresponders. It allows complex visual workflows with multi-branch logic, triggered actions, and event-based messages. With Automation 360, it’s possible to launch emails, SMS, push notifications, and even chatbot conversations automatically, giving marketers unmatched flexibility and control.
AI & Personalization: With AI-driven features like Perfect Timing, every message arrives at the moment a subscriber is most likely to open it. Personalization is advanced: use dynamic content blocks and subscriber variables to deliver campaigns that feel like one-to-one conversations at scale.
Free Plan: One of the most generous free tiers in the industry—up to 500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month, plus 3 chatbots and push campaigns for 10,000 users. Startups and small businesses receive enterprise-grade tools at no cost, while scalable paid plans unlock dedicated IP addresses, higher quotas, and advanced features.
Standard Plan: $5.30/month for up to 500 subscribers. Includes unlimited email sends, responsive templates, A/B testing, and a built-in email validator for free.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a US‑based email marketing pioneer (founded in 2001) that has evolved into a full marketing suite. It’s known for a polished interface and ecosystem (email, landing pages, postcards, ads) and was acquired by Intuit in 2021. By 2014, Mailchimp was already sending over 10 billion emails per month for its users.

Mailchimp offers drag-and-drop email creation, A/B testing, and basic marketing automation on its free/standard plans. A key strength is its extensive integrations and marketing CRM (audiences, tags). Unlike some rivals, Mailchimp’s free plan limits you to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails/month, and many advanced automations require paid tiers.

Channels: Primarily email (templates/editor) plus some multi-channel ads; basic postcard mailing. (No built-in SMS or push notifications.)
Automation: Offers multi-step email workflows on Standard/Pro plans, including welcome series, abandoned-cart follow-ups, and simple audience triggers.
AI & Personalization: Generative AI email content and subject lines on higher tiers; dynamic merge tags for personalization. Advanced segmentation requires paid plans.
Free Plan: Free for up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails/month. Free users get basic email scheduling and tagging; must upgrade for advanced reports or larger lists.
Essentials Plan: $13/month for 500 contacts and 5,000 monthly sends. Includes templates, A/B testing, and 24/7 email support.

Brevo (Sendinblue)

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a French-origin platform that brands itself as an “all-in-one” marketing suite. It offers email marketing with a drag‑and‑drop editor, A/B testing and advanced segmentation, SMS marketing, and even a live chat widget on your site.

Brevo also includes a built‑in CRM, landing page builder, transactional messaging (SMTP/API), and social ad retargeting. In reviews, Brevo is praised as a robust business tool, providing chat and CRM alongside email/SMS automation. The free plan allows unlimited contacts but caps emails to 300/day.

Channels: Email, SMS, and Chat (on-site) marketing altogether; also, landing pages and CRM database.
Automation: Multi-step workflows (Marketing Automation) trigger on list actions, purchases, birthdays, page visits, etc. Supports transactional and cart flows.
AI & Personalization: AI-powered A/B testing and send-time optimization; conditional content in emails.
Free Plan: A free tier with unlimited contacts, but limited to 300 emails/day (~9,000 emails/month). Includes basic email & SMS campaigns, and workflows.
Starter Plan: $9/month for 5,000 emails per month. Removes branding, unlocks basic reporting, and provides 24/7 email support.

MailerLite

MailerLite is a Latvian email tool known for simplicity and value. It has over 1M users (bloggers, small businesses).

MailerLite’s strengths include a very easy drag-and-drop email and website builder, as well as automation and forms. It includes landing pages, pop-up forms, and even simple websites in the free tier. Unique features include built‑in photo editing and a content manager. However, it has fewer native channels – no SMS or push – focusing on core email and basic marketing.

Channels: Email marketing (drag‑drop editor + templates), websites/landing pages, pop-ups. No native SMS or push support.
Automation: Has an intuitive workflow editor for welcome series, tagging triggers, and basic e-commerce automations (e.g., change tags on purchase). Multi‑trigger automations on higher plans (Advanced plan adds multiple triggers).
AI & Personalization: Includes conditional content blocks on paid plans; simple merge tags for personalization. (No advanced AI tools currently.)
Free Plan: Free forever up to 1,000 contacts and 12,000 emails/month. Free users get automation, forms, and landing pages. No credit card needed.
Growing Business Plan: $10/month for up to 500 subscribers. Includes unlimited monthly emails, templates, and automation tools.

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign (founded in 2003) is a US marketing automation leader targeting small/medium businesses. It combines email marketing with a CRM and one of the most powerful automation engines on the market. Users praise its “recipes” (prebuilt automation templates) and deep segmentation.

ActiveCampaign supports email, SMS (via Twilio integration), on-site messages, and even WhatsApp – all tied to its contact database. It emphasizes AI/predictive features: the platform includes AI-driven “Predictive Sending,” conditional content, and a content generator on higher tiers.

Channels: Primarily email and SMS; includes on-site notifications and WhatsApp in newer offerings. Full CRM capabilities (deal pipelines, sales automation).
Automation: Extremely robust – visual workflows with 900+ triggers/actions, branching logic, goal tracking, and multi-step campaigns. “Recipes” and prebuilt templates make setup fast.
AI & Personalization: AI-powered predictive sending and content (e.g., optimize delivery time, personalization strings); advanced conditional emails. Segment contacts on unlimited criteria.
Free Plan: None (offers a 14-day free trial). Pricing scales by contacts and features; advanced Automations and AI come in Pro+ plans.
Starter Plan: $15/month for 1,000 contacts, 10,000 emails, and automation.

GetResponse

GetResponse, founded in 1998, is a veteran marketer’s choice. It began as an email autoresponder and has grown into a full digital marketing suite. Today, it serves 400,000+ customers across 180+ countries.

GetResponse’s standout feature is its breadth: besides email and landing pages, it offers webinar hosting, online course creation, and e-commerce integrations. It has strong automation (visual workflows, triggers like cart abandonment), and AI tools (AI email/landing-page generator, and “Perfect Timing” send-time optimization). GetResponse also supports multiple channels: you can send email, SMS campaigns, or web push notifications from one account.

Channels: Email, Web Push, SMS, live chat, and webinar tools all under one roof.
Automation: Robust “Autoresponders” and workflow builder: send emails or SMS based on complex triggers (clicks, purchases, page visits), plus webinar follow-ups.
AI & Personalization: Built-in AI content generation for email and landing pages; “Perfect Timing” and “Time Travel” to auto-adjust send times to each subscriber. Powerful segmentation and dynamic content support personalization.
Free Plan: No free tier (free trial only). Paid plans include webinars and advanced features.
Email Marketing Plan: around $19/month for up to 1,000 contacts. Includes automation, autoresponders, and funnels.

Omnisend

Omnisend is a specialized e-commerce marketing platform focusing on email + SMS automation. It’s built for online stores (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, etc.) and includes product integration.

With Omnisend, you can send branded, “shoppable” emails (with product blocks) and cart-recovery campaigns. Its automation library features many prebuilt workflows for welcome series, birthdays, and abandoned carts, which merchants can easily drag and drop to customize. Omnisend also supports web push notifications. A unique selling point is generous free SMS: it even includes some SMS credits on free and paid plans.

Channels: Email & SMS are core channels; also, web push and forms. All templates support embedding product info/dynamic discount codes.
Automation: Robust for e‑commerce – prebuilt workflows (welcome, cart recovery, order follow-up) plus splits and branching. Easy drag-drop automation editor.
AI & Personalization: Basic segmentation by purchase behavior and engagement; dynamic discount codes. AI features are emerging (Omnisend AI offers subject-line suggestions, etc.).
Free Plan: Free up to 250 contacts with 500 emails and 500 web push notifications per month (plus ~$1 SMS credit). Unlimited emails and web push notifications, but with very low SMS usage.
Standard Plan: $16/month for up to 500 subscribers and 6,000 emails. Includes automation workflows, e-commerce features, and SMS add-ons.

Constant Contact

Constant Contact (founded in 1995) is a veteran US platform popular with small businesses and nonprofits. It emphasizes ease of use and live support. Its email editor and templates are simple but effective. Over time, it has added social media posting tools and a basic CRM, aiming to be a one-stop marketing shop.

Unique interactive features include built-in email polls and RSVP surveys. Recent updates introduced multi-channel campaigns (email + social + mobile) under its “Toolkit.”

Channels: Email and basic mobile/SMS app campaigns; plus social posting (Facebook/Instagram) and events (RSVP). Has a free integrated CRM and a mobile app.
Automation: Offers autoresponder series (e.g., welcome series) and simple segmenting. Dynamic content blocks allow some personalization. Advanced automation (multi-step triggers) is only available on higher Premium plans.
AI & Personalization: Added an AI-powered email builder on higher tiers, featuring strong list segmentation and dynamic merge tags for customization. Good email deliverability tools.
Free Plan: None (free trial only). Even the “Lite” plan starts at $12/month for up to 500 contacts.
Lite Plan: $12/month. Includes core email marketing tools, templates, and basic list growth features.

HubSpot

HubSpot’s Email Marketing tool is part of the HubSpot CRM/Marketing Hub. It leverages HubSpot’s powerful free CRM to personalize emails. Over 248,000 customers in 135 countries use HubSpot Marketing (as of 2025).

The email tool itself is modern: drag-and-drop with dozens of templates, plus AI to write subject lines and body copy. Emails can auto-personalize with CRM data (name, company, lifecycle stage) and trigger follow-ups (e.g., drip workflows based on opens or clicks). HubSpot also natively ties into ads, social scheduling, chatflows, and meetings – all under one platform.

Channels: Email campaigns and newsletters, plus chat, ads, and organic social (as part of HubSpot’s suite). Deep CRM integration means data flows freely.
Automation: Basic email workflows (e.g., follow-up emails) are included even in the free tier. More complex automation (branching, multi-step funnels) is available in paid Marketing Hub plans.
AI & Personalization: HubSpot offers AI-generated subject lines and email copy, as well as built-in A/B testing. You can personalize extensively using CRM fields and conditional logic on premium plans.
Free Plan: The HubSpot CRM (free) includes email marketing features with up to 2,000 sends/month. No free limit on contacts. Paid plans add advanced features.
Starter Plan: $17.50/month for 1,000 contacts. Provides professional email campaigns fully integrated with HubSpot CRM.

Klaviyo

Klaviyo is a leading email+SMS platform for consumer brands (founded 2012). It positions itself as the “CRM for consumer brands,” focusing on data-driven personalization. Klaviyo seamlessly integrates with ecommerce platforms (Shopify, Magento, etc.), pulling in purchase data to automate tailored messages. It excels at dynamic segmentation and flows (e.g., browse abandonment, personalized product recommendations).

Klaviyo also introduced advanced AI tools: AI subject lines, predictive sending, and built-in deliverability optimization. The free tier is generous for try-out: up to 250 contacts with 500 email sends and 150 SMS credits. It includes all core features (email editor, flows, segments) so you can get started risk-free.

Channels: Primarily email and SMS (two-way texting). (Newer channels like push and WhatsApp are in private beta.) Integrates tightly with ecommerce data and supports in-email product feeds.
Automation: Extensive event-based flows (e.g., welcome series, post-purchase, win-back). Very granular segmentation (profiles can have endless custom properties). Prebuilt templates are available for common e-commerce flows.
AI & Personalization: AI-powered content generation and scheduling. Embedded CDP: Klaviyo unifies customer data to predict churn, LTV, and send the right message at the right time.
Free Plan: Free for up to 250 contacts (500 emails/month) and 150 SMS credits. After that, pricing scales steeply by contact count.
Email Marketing Plan: $45/month for 1,000 contacts.

To Sum it Up

When comparing the best email marketing software in 2025, SendPulse consistently rises above the competition. It goes beyond being just an email tool by offering a true omnichannel marketing platform that integrates email, SMS, web push, chatbots, landing pages, and CRM into one seamless ecosystem. This all-in-one approach enables businesses to streamline communication, reduce costs, and foster stronger connections with their audiences.

What makes SendPulse especially powerful is its combination of ease of use and advanced automation tools. The intuitive drag-and-drop editor, paired with AI-powered features, allows marketers to craft compelling campaigns, generate optimized content, and deliver messages at the perfect time for maximum engagement. The Automation 360 builder makes multi-step customer journeys simple to design, even for beginners. With one of the most generous free plans on the market, SendPulse offers unbeatable value for small businesses and growing brands.

In short, if you are looking for a scalable, AI-driven, and budget-friendly email marketing platform, SendPulse is the clear winner. It is not only the best choice for startups and SMBs but also a future-proof solution for any company ready to embrace smarter, omnichannel communication in 2025. While you’re still here, and if you’re ready to take your marketing past email, explore these top WhatsApp marketing tools that make customer support easier and campaign automation seamless.

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