Email marketing tools for small business owners have come a long way. Whether you're a solopreneur just starting out or a growing brand ready to scale, the right email platform can help you nurture leads, convert customers, and boost retention. We’ve compiled a list of the best email marketing platforms for small businesses and marketing tools available, plus recommendations based on your business needs, budget, and goals.

1. Mailchimp
   Best for: Beginners and small teams
   Mailchimp offers a drag-and-drop editor, pre-built templates, segmentation tools, and basic automation. It’s user-friendly with a generous free plan. However, its automation features are limited unless you upgrade to a higher-tier plan.
2. MailerLite
   Best for: Startups and solo entrepreneurs
   MailerLite stands out for its clean interface, automation builder, A/B testing, and built-in landing pages. It’s one of the most affordable platforms on the market. The downside is that it lacks more advanced CRM features.
3. Brevo
   Best for: Transactional emails and multilingual businesses
   Brevo combines email, SMS, and CRM tools in one platform. It offers automation workflows, heat maps, and a pay-as-you-go pricing model based on email volume, not list size. The template editor can feel a little clunky at times.
4. Constant Contact
   Best for: Event-based marketing and nonprofits
   With strong integration features and event registration tools, Constant Contact makes it easy to promote webinars or fundraisers. While the platform is solid, it lacks more modern automation and testing capabilities.
5. GetResponse
   Best for: Webinars and lead generation
   GetResponse is a robust all-in-one platform with webinar hosting, sales funnels, and advanced automation. It’s ideal for building lead magnets but has a steeper learning curve and higher pricing tiers.

With GetResponse, you get access to a range of features that include:

• Email automation (i.e., scheduled emails)
• Lead scoring and segmentation
• Responsive design templates

6. ActiveCampaign
   Best for: Advanced automation and CRM integration
   ActiveCampaign is known for its deep automation capabilities, predictive sending, and built-in CRM. It’s not ideal for beginners, but it’s a favorite among marketers who want to create complex email workflows.
7. Klaviyo
   Best for: E-commerce brands
   Klaviyo offers powerful automation, product recommendations, and seamless integration with Shopify and other e-commerce platforms. Pricing scales with your list size, so it can get expensive.
8. Omnisend
   Best for: Multichannel automation
   Omnisend supports email, SMS, and push notifications with product pickers and pre-built workflows. It’s a strong choice for e-commerce, although it lacks in-depth CRM features.
9. AWeber
   Best for: Solopreneurs and newsletter creators
   AWeber includes landing pages, an AI-powered writing assistant, and AMP for interactive emails. It’s reliable and well-supported, but the interface feels a bit dated.
10. Moosend
    Best for: Budget-conscious businesses
    Moosend offers behavioral analytics, automation, and an intuitive email builder. It’s very affordable but doesn’t have the depth of features or integrations as some competitors.
11. Drip
    Best for: Direct-to-consumer brands and conversion-focused marketing
    Drip focuses on revenue attribution, advanced customer journeys, and SMS integration. It’s ideal for experienced e-commerce marketers.

Drip has several features that make it stand out from other services in its class:

• Automated emails—You can send automated emails based on your subscribers’ actions within your website, like when they sign up or buy something from your store.
• The ability to track your emails—Drip has a built-in analytics tool that helps you keep track of the performance of your emails. This way, you can see which ones are working best for your business and how many clicks each one gets.
• Email sequences— A series of emails that will be automatically sent to your subscribers based on the actions they take. If someone signs up for your list, they’ll get an introductory email right away.

12. HubSpot

Best for: All-in-one email marketing and CRM platform

HubSpot is one of the most well-known email marketing tools out there, and with good reason. It's a powerful tool that can help you create and send highly effective emails to your customers.

If you're just getting started with email marketing, HubSpot is a great option. Their free plan lets you send an unlimited number of emails and has plenty of features to help you get started. However, if you want more advanced features, such as custom landing pages or A/B testing, then it's worth paying for their paid plans. The thing that makes HubSpot stand out from other email service providers (ESPs) is the integrations it offers with Google Analytics.

Which Email Marketing Tool is Best for Your Business?

How to Do Email Marketing for Small Businesses

1. Choose Your Platform: Pick the right tool based on your business goals and budget.
2. Build Your List: Use website signups, lead magnets, or in-person forms.
3. Segment Your Audience: Group your list by interest, behavior, or location.
4. Create Valuable Content: Mix education, promotions, and updates.
5. Automate Workflows: Set up welcome emails, cart reminders, and follow-ups.
6. Analyze and Optimize: Track open rates and clicks, and test subject lines.

Tips for Getting Started

• Start with a free or low-tier plan until you’re ready to scale
• Use templates and AI tools to save time on writing and design
• Segment early to personalize your outreach
• Focus on delivering consistent value
• Create a simple welcome sequence to introduce your brand

5 Tips for Better Email Marketing

Email marketing is an effective way to reach your audience and build long-term relationships when done correctly. These five best practices, along with the right marketing tools for small businesses, can help improve engagement, deliverability, and conversions.

1. Build an Opt-In Subscriber List

Grow your email list through clear opt-in forms and strong calls to action. Always send emails only to subscribers and include an unsubscribe option to stay compliant and protect deliverability.

2. Test and Optimize Campaigns

Experiment with subject lines, email copy, calls to action, and templates to see what resonates most with your audience. Regular testing helps improve open rates and conversions over time.

3. Track Performance Metrics

Measure opens, clicks, and conversions using analytics tools or your email platform’s reporting features. Reviewing results allows you to refine messaging and target the most engaged segments.

4. Segment Your Audience

Send more relevant messages by segmenting subscribers based on behavior, interests, location, or past purchases. Segmentation improves engagement and increases the likelihood of conversions.

5. Integrate Email with Other Channels

Strengthen your email strategy by integrating it with social media, blog content, and paid campaigns. Consistent messaging across channels helps reinforce brand awareness and maximize ROI.

Need More Than Just Email Marketing?

If you're building a business, you may need more than email marketing tools for a small business to scale. Consider tools like Clicklease, which help small businesses get the equipment they need to grow.

When you're ready to take the next step, get started today.

Have Questions?

Call us at 888-509-5592 or visit our About Us page to learn more about the Clicklease mission and how we support small businesses.