Quick answer: Our top pick is ClickFunnels, followed by MailerLite and Kit (formerly ConvertKit). Entry prices start near $97/mo. All 5 are compared below on price, strengths and the key trade-off of each, so you can match one to your needs.
Every pick is here for a concrete reason, spelled out below. This guide rounds up the 5 tools we'd actually recommend for Marketers, with what each does best, what it costs, and who should pick it.
Each pick was judged on the job in this guide rather than a generic scorecard, weighing results, price and ramp-up time. Pricing is taken from public plans at the time of writing.
Free up to 500 subscribers; Lite, Plus and Unlimited paid tiers.
Small businesses
The picks, ranked
1. ClickFunnels Landing Pages
Funnel and landing-page builder with email/automation, courses and checkout for direct-response marketing. Picked here for how cleanly it handles sales funnels.
Why it's on this list: The category-defining funnel builder, bundling pages, checkout, courses and email for direct-response marketers. A natural fit for direct-response marketers and info-product sellers who build sales funnels first and email second.
Standout features:
Backpack affiliate management (Pro)
Sales funnel and landing page builder (ClickFunnels 2.0)
Standout strength: Includes courses, checkout and email in one platform.
Worth knowing: Affiliate pays 30-40% recurring, 45-day cookie, with 'Dream Car' bonus.
Pricing: No free plan (trial); from ~$97/mo (Startup) up to Pro tiers.
Clean, affordable email marketing with drag-and-drop editor, automations, landing pages and websites. Best suited to teams that care most about budget-conscious senders.
Why it's on this list: The value pick: a genuinely pleasant interface and core features at one of the lowest price points in the category. A natural fit for budget-conscious beginners, bloggers and small businesses wanting simple automation and landing pages cheaply.
Standout features:
24/7 email support (chat on Advanced)
Clean drag-and-drop email editor with unlimited monthly emails on paid plans
Standout strength: Among the cheapest credible tools with a clean, modern UX.
Worth knowing: All paid plans include unlimited monthly emails.
Pricing: Free up to 1,000 subscribers; Growing Business and Advanced paid tiers scaling with subscribers.
Creator-first email marketing with visual automations, landing pages and a built-in commerce/newsletter ecosystem. Best suited to teams that care most about creators and newsletters.
Why it's on this list: The default newsletter platform for creators who want tagging, automations and built-in product/subscription selling in one tool. Aimed squarely at creators, newsletter writers, coaches and digital-product sellers who value list growth and simple automation over heavy ecommerce features.
Standout features:
Creator Network and newsletter referral/recommendation system to grow lists
Subscriber engagement scoring and deliverability reporting on Creator Pro
Standout strength: Generous free Newsletter plan up to 10,000 subscribers.
Worth knowing: Rebranded from ConvertKit to Kit in 2024; same product and affiliate program.
Pricing: Free up to 10,000 subscribers (limited); Creator from ~$15/mo; Creator Pro from ~$29/mo, scaling with list size.
All-in-one email marketing with automation, webinars, landing pages and AI campaign tools. Best suited to teams that care most about webinars + email in one tool.
Why it's on this list: One of the few platforms that bundles webinar hosting directly with email marketing and automation. Made for sMBs and course/webinar sellers who want email plus webinars and landing pages in a single subscription.
Standout features:
Built-in webinar hosting (up to 100 attendees on Marketer)
Long-standing email marketing platform with automation, landing pages and strong deliverability. A strong default when small businesses is the priority.
Why it's on this list: A 25+ year veteran whose main edge is reliable deliverability and genuine 24/7 phone support. Made for small businesses and long-time email senders who value deliverability and human support over cutting-edge automation.
Standout features:
Split testing and webpage/cart tracking (Plus)
AI writing and design assistance
Standout strength: 24/7 phone support on Plus, rare in the category.
Worth knowing: Affiliate program offers a very long 365-day cookie.
Pricing: Free up to 500 subscribers; Lite, Plus and Unlimited paid tiers.
Don't over-think the ranking: the gap between adjacent picks is small. Decide what you can't compromise on — price, a specific strength, or learning curve — and let that pick for you. Free tiers and trials mean a 30-minute hands-on test beats another hour of reading.
FAQ
What is the best option in this list?
We'd reach for ClickFunnels first, though the ‘best’ tool is the one whose trade-offs fit your priorities — compare the entries before deciding.
Are there free options?
Yes — ClickFunnels and GetResponse offer a free plan or tier, so you can validate fit before paying. Check each entry's pricing line above.
How were these tools chosen?
Each pick is judged on fit for the specific job in this guide — its real strengths, pricing and who it suits — using features and facts drawn from independent reviews and the vendors' own documentation, cited in Sources below.
How often is this guide updated?
We revisit pricing and rankings regularly as vendors change plans and ship features.
Sources
The features, strengths and facts cited for each pick above are drawn from these independent reviews and vendor pages: