Best Email Marketing Software — Top Picks and How to Choose

Email marketing remains a high-ROI channel in 2025, but the vendor landscape is crowded. According to Statista (via PCMag), roughly 360 billion emails were sent daily in 2024 — and that number is expected to grow by 2027 [https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-email-marketing-software]. Choosing the right ESP affects deliverability, automation complexity, and your ability to measure revenue from campaigns. Below are the top picks from recent testing and reviews, why they matter, and how to choose.

Quick winners (who to try first)

• Best all-around / small-to-mid businesses: Mailchimp — widely rated and easy to use (Capterra reports Mailchimp with a 4.5/5 user rating) [https://www.capterra.com/email-marketing-software/].
• Best for ecommerce: Klaviyo, Omnisend — built to sync product & purchase data and drive revenue [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/best-email-marketing-for-ecommerce/].
• Best for marketing automation / power users: ActiveCampaign — advanced automations and CRM features [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/best-email-marketing-for-ecommerce/].
• Best value & multichannel: Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) — email + SMS + WhatsApp on budget-friendly plans [https://www.brevo.com/blog/best-email-marketing-services/].
• Best enterprise / integrated stack: HubSpot — full marketing hub + CRM for larger teams [https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-email-marketing-software].

Each of these appears frequently in authoritative roundups (PCMag, EmailToolTester, Brevo) and has strong integrations and documentation you can test quickly with a trial.

Why these platforms stand out (evidence from reviews)

• Mailchimp: a mainstream pick with strong feature breadth and user familiarity; cited by Capterra as a top-rated ESP (4.5/5) [https://www.capterra.com/email-marketing-software/].
• Klaviyo & Omnisend: recommended for ecommerce because they natively sync store data and power revenue-reporting automations (EmailToolTester: “Omnisend, Klaviyo, and ActiveCampaign are among the best email marketing software for ecommerce stores.”) [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/best-email-marketing-for-ecommerce/].
• ActiveCampaign: praised for automation power and deliverability in tests — ideal if you need complex customer journeys [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/best-email-marketing-for-ecommerce/].
• Brevo: offers email-based pricing with multichannel features and a generous free tier; highlighted as an Editors' Choice / best small-business automation option in some reviews [https://www.brevo.com/blog/best-email-marketing-services/], [https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-email-marketing-software].

Key selection criteria (what actually matters)

1. Deliverability and reputation: platforms with strong sending infrastructure and DKIM/SPF/DMARC setup will land more mail. Look for deliverability test results and reports from independent reviews (e.g., EmailToolTester deliverability studies) [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/email-deliverability-test/].
2. Integrations & data sync: ecommerce stores need direct Shopify/WooCommerce/BigCommerce links so product events (abandoned cart, purchases) become triggers.
3. Automation & personalization: ability to create multi-step flows, conditional content, and dynamic product blocks.
4. Reporting & revenue attribution: connect emails to orders and measure actual ROI.
5. Pricing model: contact-based (many ESPs) vs. send-based (Brevo) can change your cost dramatically as lists grow.
6. Support & onboarding: availability of live chat, documentation, and migration help if you’re moving hundreds of thousands of contacts.

Pricing & deliverability notes (real examples)

• Omnisend and Klaviyo are frequently recommended for ecommerce — Omnisend lists starter pricing examples, while Klaviyo’s free tier is limited but powerful for small storefronts [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/best-email-marketing-for-ecommerce/].
• Brevo’s model (pay for sends rather than contact count) can be cheaper for businesses with large, infrequently messaged contact lists [https://www.brevo.com/blog/best-email-marketing-services/].
• Deliverability: EmailToolTester’s tests note MailerLite and ActiveCampaign often score well in deliverability checks — a practical metric to consider before buying [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/email-deliverability-test/].

Quick decision guide — pick by primary need

• If you need simple, reliable campaigns and lots of templates: start with Mailchimp [https://www.capterra.com/email-marketing-software/].
• If you sell products online and want revenue-driven emails: test Klaviyo or Omnisend for store-first workflows [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/best-email-marketing-for-ecommerce/].
• If you need deep automation that becomes a full marketing engine: try ActiveCampaign [https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/best-email-marketing-for-ecommerce/].
• If budget and multichannel (SMS/WhatsApp) matter: evaluate Brevo’s send-based pricing and free plan [https://www.brevo.com/blog/best-email-marketing-services/].
• If you need enterprise-level CRM + marketing hub: evaluate HubSpot (expect higher cost, strong integration) [https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-email-marketing-software].

Practical testing checklist (what to trial in 7–10 days)

• Import a representative segment and check how the vendor counts contacts (active vs. stored/unsubscribed).
• Build a welcome automation and an abandoned-cart flow (for ecommerce) to test triggers and personalization.
• Send test campaigns to seed inboxes and review deliverability to Gmail/Outlook/Yahoo.
• Review analytics: can you attribute orders to the campaign and see revenue per email?
• Export/backup contacts and test how easy it is to migrate away (data portability).

Migration & compliance tips

• Clean your list first: remove hard bounces and long-inactive addresses to protect sender reputation.
• Set up DKIM/SPF/DMARC before you send bulk mail; most ESPs provide step-by-step guides.
• Confirm GDPR and regional compliance if you market in the EU or other regulated regions.

Takeaway: the best ESP is the one that maps directly to your business goals — revenue attribution and ecommerce features for stores, deep automation for lifecycle marketing, and predictable pricing for budget-conscious teams. Start with a short trial, test deliverability and automations with real data, and measure revenue impact before committing to a yearly plan.

Want help choosing between two options? Tell me your platform, list size, and primary goal (sales, engagement, or retention) and I’ll recommend the closest fits and a 7-day trial checklist tailored to your use case.