The Cheapest Email Marketing Software Options on the Market in 2024

Cheapest Email Marketing Software

Are you looking for the cheapest email marketing software to keep your costs under control? 

Let's be honest: businesses nowadays have access to a plethora of digital tools to connect and engage with their customers, but one channel reigns supreme: email marketing. 

The data speaks volumes: for every dollar spent, businesses get $36 in return . One report also found that email is 40 times more effective at acquiring customers than social media platforms like Facebook or X. 

As your business expands and your subscriber base grows, your expenses in email marketing also increase. The pricing structures of email marketing software can be complex and, without a well-defined strategy for acquiring and managing subscribers, there's a risk of investing in platforms that don't match your business objectives. It's crucial to choose an email marketing platform that aligns with your growth and goals.

So, in today's article, we're not only going to share with you a list of cheap email marketing services but also let you know why self-hosting might be the most affordable email marketing solution. 

What Exactly Is Self-Hosted Email Marketing Service

As the name suggests, self-hosting allows you to manage all your email marketing needs on your server rather than using an external service. 

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Self-hosted email marketing tools can offer all the features of a third-party service. You will be able to automate your email marketing campaigns, monitor your performance, and keep your email list safe. But the benefits of a self-hosted solution don't stop here: 

• You have complete control over your entire email ecosystem, from data protection and marketing automation to email list management. You can segment your email list based on criteria relevant to your business and create campaigns that are perfectly tailored to the needs of your audience;
• You can customize every step of your campaign, from the signup forms to the landing pages. You can also create custom email templates that fit your business’ style and personality;
• You have control over all the features and can set it up so it fits your business needs. 

Although a self-hosted provider gives you more control and can help you reduce costs (as we'll show you) you need to understand that this solution requires more technical expertise to manage the infrastructure, ensure cyber security compliance, and handle deliverability issues. 

How a Self-Hosted Email Marketing Service Can Help You Cut Costs 

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Email marketing service costs are not always clear cut as different providers can base their pricing on different factors, such as: 

• The number of subscribers: With some platforms, like Mailchimp or MailerLite, the costs increase as your email list grows. Some of these services also offer unlimited emails regardless of how big your contact list is, but the costs can increase substantially as your business scales. 
• The number of emails sent: With some services, like Brevo, you can pay as you go, which means that the cost of your email marketing will be influenced by how many emails you send in a month.
• The number of features: While most platforms offer free plans with some basic capabilities, you will have to pay more if you want advanced features like email marketing automation, web push notifications, conversion monitoring, and so on. ActiveCampaign, for example, bases its pricing on the list of features you can access and the price can range from $9 per month (billed yearly) to $229 per month (billed yearly.) 

While you can probably find some cheap email marketing services and start with the basic plan, this is not a long-term solution. As your business grows, you won't have any option but to upgrade your plan. 

That's not the case with a self-hosted solution. With MailWizz , for example, you only have to pay a one-time fee but get access to a wide range of features. You don't have to worry about fluctuating costs based on your needs or paying more to access advanced functionalities. 

Let's take a better look at the costs of different platforms and see why self-hosted software truly is an affordable solution. 

Self-Hosted vs External Email Software: A Cost Comparison 

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If you are looking for the cheapest email marketing software, it's important to have a clear overview of how much you can expect to pay for different tools. 

Here's a look at the costs associated with some of the platforms out there:

• Brevo: Brevo is a well-known software that offers great features. While they do offer a free plan, you can only send 300 emails per day with it. If you need to surpass this daily limit, their starter plan costs $25 per month for 20,000 emails per month and goes all the way to $69/month for 100,000 emails per month. 
• Mailchimp: Mailchimp is perhaps one of the best-known cheap email marketing services. It's easy to use and offers pre-designed email templates and AI-automated workflows. Mailchimp also offers a free trial with limited features, but it can get quite pricey as your business scales. 
• Constant Contact: Constant Contact has been around for quite some time and it's easy to see why. It features easy-to-use email templates, marketing automation, as well as transactional emails. They offer a 60-day free trial, which is great if you are just getting started with your email marketing efforts. Beyond that, you will have to pay $12 per month for 500 contacts and basic email features. 
• SendGrid: SendGrid is another provider that is best known for its automated email campaigns, A/B testing, sign-up forms, and pre-made emails and landing pages. You can get started for free and get just 100 emails per day, but if you need more than that, their Essentials plan starts at an estimated $19.95 per month. 

How does a self-hosted plan compare to this, and why is it an affordable email marketing tool? 

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As exciting as it may be to see your email list growing and your efforts paying off, a higher monthly bill probably isn’t what you need.  Self-hosted email marketing services like MailWizz require just a one-time payment to access unlimited emails, unlimited contacts, six months of free support, and countless advanced features like: 

• Email lists, email campaigns, and survey overviews;
• An easy drag-and-drop email template builder;
• Robust segmentation that allows you to send personalized emails;
• Advanced tracking and monitoring of your campaigns;
• Integration with various third-party services and applications;
• Frequent update. 

Who Might Benefit from Self-Hosted Email Marketing Software? 

A common misconception is that startups and small businesses are usually looking for the cheapest email marketing software. While it's true that these companies have tighter budgets and are more conscious about their expenses, the reality is that self-hosting can be an economical solution for a wide range of organizations. 

Self-hosting can be a cost-effective solution for large corporations that need to send a significant number of emails regularly. Organizations in industries like healthcare or finance might also prefer self-hosting not only because it's an affordable email marketing software but also because it can provide full control over their data.

A niche business might also prefer an open-source platform for its customization capabilities in addition to its low costs. 

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The one-time cost of setting up a self-hosted software is certainly an appealing alternative to ongoing subscription fees, but it's important to understand that these platforms do require some technical knowledge for setting up, maintenance, and troubleshooting. 

But, when you look at the long-term cost benefits, it becomes evident that self-hosting can help you keep costs under control while your business scales. 

How To Choose the Best Cheap Email Marketing Software? 

Some cheap email marketing services are certainly appealing, but they offer very little in return. So, how can you find the best email marketing software that's also affordable? 

• Analyze your budget: Determine from the beginning how much you are willing to pay. Ask yourself: can my businesses sustain the increasing costs of email marketing services? Maybe a higher initial setup cost might prove to be more beneficial in the long term. 
• Examine the features: Before choosing any cheap service, make sure you have a good understanding of what you need to create effective newsletter campaigns. Some self-hosted services have limited capabilities, while others offer sophisticated features that could meet the needs of even the largest corporations. Review everything carefully to save yourself a lot of costly trial and error. 

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• Can it Scale? This is one of the most important questions you should ask yourself. An affordable option will be of no use if it can't meet your increasing demands. 
• Ease of integration: Your email marketing needs don't exist in a vacuum - you need to be able to connect your software with your CRM, e-commerce platform, and other marketing tools. Opt for a system that also offers ease of integration. 

Why MailWizz Might Be the Right Email Marketing Software for You 

You cannot afford to ignore email marketing, but you also can't afford to pour precious dollars into expensive tools. Most services out there do offer free plans or start with a small fee, but let's be honest, this small cost is only temporary. As your business grows and your email marketing needs increase, you can expect higher monthly bills. 

With MailWizz , you don't have to worry about increasing costs. A one-time fee will give you access to everything you need to run and manage your campaigns. 

It doesn't matter if you have 10 subscribers or 10,000 subscribers or if you need just some basic features or complex or sophisticated automation software. With MailWizz , there are no recurring payments. You pay once and enjoy unlimited everything. 

If you'd like to learn more about MailWizz’s pricing and features, don't hesitate to get in touch!