We’re lucky to live in a time when we have seamless access to so many fantastic tools and software programs for marketing. But the downside of having so many choices is the difficulty of picking the right ones to work with. This is the case with email automation software as there are so many options out there the task of finding the right one can take a while.

Email marketing is a very useful tool in the hands of marketing teams and freelancers. Automated tools have made developing and implementing email marketing campaigns a breeze. So whether you’re a marketing specialist looking to expand the reach of your brand or a freelancer working with a vast number of clients each of whom demands a unique approach to their email marketing campaigns, automated software can take the edge of this challenging task.

But if you’re overwhelmed with the number of automated email marketing programs out there and can’t come to a decision, here are five of the best email automation platforms in 2023 and what makes them unique.

Mailchimp

You’ve likely heard of Mailchimp and if you’re subscribed to any website, there’s a good chance that you’ve received automated emails sent using this software. Over 1.3 million companies use Mailchimp as it holds the title of the most popular email marketing platform.

Mailchimp provides great all-around email marketing software that helps with lead generation and broadcasting. On top of that, Mailchimp provides tons of other great tools for eCommerce marketing and even web design.

Pros

• Beginner friendly — A versatile tool for companies that are preparing to start marketing via email.
• Intuitive email automation process — Despite how multifunctional it is, Mailchimp is designed with user-friendliness in mind.
• Creative tools — Mailchimp offers a set of creative options for marketing specialists looking to take their email marketing outside the box.
  

Omnisend

Automated email systems are very effective marketing tools for eCommerce platforms. Omnisend’s email automation software has a greater focus on eCommerce. It offers automation presets tuned for small to medium eCommerce businesses. Automated emails can be sent to prospective clients about new products, sales, and order updates to keep clients in the loop, as well as attract new customers.

After integrating Omnisend into your eCommerce platform and adjusting a few basic settings and preferences, the automated email system will be ready to go.

Pros

• eCommerce-focused software — Gives your eCommerce platform a nice boost through automated email marketing.
• Automation presets — Choose from the many email automation presets that are optimized for effective eCommerce marketing.
• SMS and web push notifications — Omnisend provides SMS and push notifications that are linked directly to your eCommerce platform.
  

Benchmark Email

While we haven’t mentioned any prices, bundles, or packages so far, it’s worth noting that Benchmark Email is a completely free email automation app. It comes with a generous number of tools that make it the perfect software for startups, small businesses, or freelancers.

But pricing isn’t the only thing that it has going for it; Benchmark Email is also very user-friendly and provides tons of versatile features. The software is designed in such a way that even if you’ve had no experience in email marketing, you can still quickly put together an automated system and have it working in no time.

Benchmark Email also has a dedicated support team that’s always ready to answer any questions or guide you through the process of integrating Benchmark Email into your workflow.

Pros

• Drag-and-drop creation — Even those with little to no experience in coding or plain-text editing can create professional emails through a drag-and-drop system.
• Feature-packed —  On top of email automation, Benchmark Email also provides analytics, a large number of email presets, a landing page and pop-up builder, and Smart Content, which helps users create fresh email copy.
• Reasonable pricing — The free version of Benchmark Email includes pretty much everything a growing business or rising freelancer needs for their email marketing.
  

Active Campaign

A crucial aspect of marketing is making each person in your target demographic feel that you’ve taken the time to understand them and their needs. Active Campaign is preloaded with hundreds of automation presets that can be adapted to your diverse audience, improving your customer relations as a result.

If you wish to build greater trust with your audience through email marketing, Active Campaign is highly recommended. You’ll notice just how much of a difference a personal touch can make in email marketing.

Pros

• Effective customer relations — Get more out of your customer interactions through emails personalized to your clientele.
• Easy-to-use — Efficiently create emails and have them automatically sent in no time.
• Analytics — Gather data on the performance of emails to help improve the effectiveness of future email marketing campaigns.
  

Hubspot

Are you in search of an all-in-one marketing software suite that comes with everything you’ll need for a successful marketing campaign? Then you’ve just answered the question, what is Hubspot?

Hubspot is an automation platform that contains a number of CRM tools necessary for diversifying your marketing campaign. You can automate emails, social media marketing, and blog posts all on one platform, making it easy to diversify your content and reach a wide audience.

Pros

• Automation on all fronts — Automated email, social media, and web marketing tools allow your company to market itself through a variety of channels.
• Pay as you contact — Hubspot works with a flexible payment system, where you only pay for contacts you are currently marketing to.
• Learn as you do — Hubspot also hosts a variety of marketing and sales courses, covering such topics as lead management, streamlining workflow, and business ideas for marketing.
  

Mixmax

Mixmax is another all-rounder in terms of sales engagement and email automation software, as it comes with all the necessary tools you’ll need to create and maintain your automated email marketing and sales outreach. It can be easily integrated into software that you and your team most likely use, such as Gmail, Slack, Zoom, Salesforce, etc.

So, while Mixmax doesn’t come with every tool and plugin that other similar software tends to include, its intuitive interface and pricing model are great for businesses looking to start an email marketing campaign.

Pros

• Easy integration - Mixmax can be integrated into a variety of other workplace software;
• Intuitive UI - The easy-to-navigate dashboard and user interface make it simple to use even for those who are less tech-savvy;
• Convenient client tracking - Client tracking gives you tons of insight into the performance of your email marketing campaign.

Automate Your Email Marketing

These are only five of the many email automation platforms out there. There are plenty of others that provide their own unique specializations and tools, such as the Mailtrap automated email testing system or Convertkit.

And now that we’ve narrowed down the options, you should have a better idea of which email automation software is right for you. Consider the needs of your business, how you plan to use email marketing, and how it’s going to help you grow. Once you’ve answered those questions about your own needs and expectations, your choice should be pretty clear.