It’s no secret that marketing automation is a highly effective way to increase your revenue and provide a consistent experience for all of your visitors and customers.
From automatically welcoming new subscribers and sending personalized offers, to moving prospects through your sales pipeline, automation keeps everything ticking over without your active focus every day.
Learn the essentials
Stop leaving money on the table. Your emails can win back customers and grow revenue. Learn the essential messages that attract and retain customers, and stand out from the competition.
The challenge is that there are so many marketing automation software options, and these platform’s usability, features, customer support, and price vary.
To help you make an informed decision, we tested 11 top marketing automation platforms rated on G2, and this article shares what we found.
Marketing automation tools are software/platforms that help streamline and automate various marketing tasks and workflows. They can help businesses execute repetitive tasks, such as sending emails, social media posting, and customer segmentation.
Campaign management is a common feature of these tools. With marketing automation tools, businesses can oversee and optimize marketing campaigns from a centralized dashboard, providing valuable performance insights.
These tools can also integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) systems to consolidate customer data.
How to choose marketing automation software
The right automation tools can help you catalyze your marketing effort and drive better results. Here are some factors to consider when choosing the best marketing automation tools for your business:
1. Business needs
Before you choose an automation tool, analyze your marketing needs, goals, and current processes. Identify the marketing areas you want to prioritize and the repetitive tasks that overwhelm your team.
Identify core areas such as email marketing, social media management, or lead nurturing workflows where automation will be valuable. Doing so will help you determine the most suitable marketing automation software options.
Also, consider the scope of your business and the volume of your marketing activities. Small businesses might need a basic solution with minimal features. However, high-volume enterprises require software to handle large amounts of data and automate complex workflows.
2. Key features
Features are another essential factor when choosing marketing automation software. Carefully assess the tool’s functionality in relation to your business needs.
The main offerings to look for are email marketing, lead management, campaign automation, analytics and reporting, and integration with other business tools like ecommerce platforms or content management systems (CMS).
Avoid unnecessary features that may incur additional charges. Review the platform’s key features and prioritize tools that will help streamline your workflows.
3. Ease of use and integration
Your marketing automation software should be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing your team to easily learn and use the platform. Examine the tool’s interface, workflow, and user experience to see if it aligns with your team’s technical proficiency.
Ideally, your marketing automation software should connect with your CRM systems, email marketing services, social media platforms, and other business tools. It should enable seamless data flow between systems and reduce manual data transfer and human errors.
4. Customer support
The marketing automation platform should have quick and responsive customer support options to ensure a smooth onboarding process and ongoing assistance.
Ideal support includes multiple channels, such as readily available phone support, email, and live chat for quick questions. It should also have a comprehensive knowledge base with helpful articles and tutorials.
Additionally, consider the support hours. Some providers offer 24/7 support, which can be beneficial if your business operates in different time zones.
5. Cost and ROI
The cost and pricing structure for marketing automation tools can vary based on the required features or contacts on your list. Analyze your budget and marketing needs to determine the most cost-effective option.
Opt for software that provides all the necessary tools within your budget. Consider the scalability of the pricing, not just the initial cost. Select a tool that can easily accommodate your business’s growth and expansion needs without incurring excessive costs.
The best marketing automation software
In this article, we’ll be looking at the following platforms:
Omnisend — Best automation features for ecommerce businesses
HubSpot — For CRM automation (sales, service, and marketing)
Marketo Engage — For enterprise-level automation
Drip — For B2B startup marketing
Plann — For social media marketing automation
Brevo — For getting started with email automation
Keap — For mid-sized businesses
Braze — Made for large companies to engage more customers
EngageBay — For sales and support
ActiveCampaign — For small businesses
Salesforce — For enterprises and nonprofits
Use our email pricing calculator below to quickly compare costs and features with other top platforms. Input your desired number of contacts, choose up to two other email marketing providers from the list, and see how Omnisend stacks up against them.
Quick email provider pricing comparison
Quickly and easily compare the top email marketing providers so you can find the best platform for your ecommerce store needs.
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You can compare Omnisend and 2 more providers at once.
Omnisend
Klaviyo
Mailchimp
Drip
Moosend
Active Campaign
Get ResponseGetResponse
MailerLite
You can compare Omnisend and 2 more providers at once.
If you’ve heard the myth that email marketing has to be expensive, you’ll want to pay attention to Omnisend. It’s 40% cheaper than the leading email service provider, and even its free plan has the same features that you’ll find on the paid plans. Omnisend provides a range of features specifically designed to support online retailers, including email, SMS, and push marketing, as well as automated workflows to help you make sales on autopilot.
Omnisend integrates with a wide range of ecommerce platforms, including WooCommerce and Shopify, making it easy for businesses to automate their marketing processes and improve their customer engagement.
Keep your customers engaged after they’ve purchased
Send different welcome emails for different signup forms
Reactivate your dormant customers
Cons
You’re limited to 250 contacts on the Free plan. This is ideal for beginners or those using Omnisend to test a small segment of your email list. However, the Free plan offers unlimited features and 24/7/365 live chat and email support.
Who should use this marketing automation software
Omnisend is ideal for ecommerce businesses looking to automate their marketing efforts.
2. HubSpot — For CRM automation (sales, service, and marketing)
Rating from users (G2): 4.4/5
Image via HubSpot
HubSpot’s marketing automation tool is designed to help businesses grow by streamlining their marketing and sales processes. Its features and integrations make it easy for businesses to create targeted, personalized customer experiences as well as track and measure performance.
HubSpot offers a range of pre-built templates and a CRM for contact management. However, its customization options are limited, especially for businesses that require more advanced marketing solutions.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
HubSpot is ideal for businesses of all sizes. However, it is more suitable for mid to large companies with a larger budget, especially businesses that require a more comprehensive and scalable marketing automation solution.
Pricing
Free: $0/month
Marketing Hub Starter: $20/month/seat for up to 1000 contacts
Starter Customer Platform: $20/month/seat for up to 1000 contacts
Professional: $890/month for up to 2000 contacts
Enterprise: $3,600/month for up to 10,000 contacts
3. Marketo Engage — Best for enterprise-level automation
Rating from users (G2): 4.1/5
Image via Adobe
Marketo Engage offers a range of features for lead management, lead nurturing, email marketing, and analytics. Its advanced features, such as lead scoring and lead prioritization, make it a top choice for large businesses looking to streamline their lead generation and conversion processes.
Personalize experiences with active listening and triggered content
Sync B2B audiences between Marketo Engage and Adobe Target
Cons
Marketo Engage’s customer support can be limited, with some users reporting long wait times for help or assistance with technical issues. This can be a drawback for businesses that require a high level of support, especially in the early stages of setting up and using the platform.
Drip provides a range of features when you choose the best email marketing software. Drip provides email marketing, lead nurturing, and analytics and focuses on ecommerce. Its simple and intuitive interface, combined with its ecommerce focus, makes it a top choice for B2B startups looking to grow their customer base quickly.
What you can do with it
Cart abandonment recovery
Customer segments based on behavior and preferences
Manage and track leads throughout the customer journey
Cons
Users report that Drip’s customer support team is frequently backed up, and the lack of phone support can often make it difficult to get immediate resolutions.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
Drip marketing automation software is designed for B2B startups and small businesses looking for a powerful and flexible platform for automating and optimizing their marketing operations.
Pricing
The tool has a 14-day free trial with one pricing plan that starts at $39/month for 2.500 people
Plann Social Media Scheduler is an all-in-one Instagram and social media content planner, scheduler, and strategist with post ideas and free templates, plus a free link-in-bio tool. It is an innovative tool designed to streamline social media management and optimize the online presence of businesses and individuals.
Plann’s robust features and integrations empower users to create targeted, personalized experiences for their audience and effectively track and measure their social media performance.
What you can do with it
Simplify social media management
Visual content planning
Audience analysis
Post customization
Hashtag research and management
Collaboration and approval workflow
Cons
Limited customization options for advanced or unique marketing requirements. Some features may be more suited for mid to large-sized businesses with larger budgets. Certain integrations or specialized platforms may not be supported.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
It’s ideal for businesses and individuals looking to streamline and optimize their social media management. Similarly, marketing teams looking for an efficient tool to plan, schedule, and analyze social media content, as well as professionals who want to maintain an active social media presence without spending so much time and effort, will benefit from this tool.
Pricing
The tool comes with a 7-day free trial. It has three pricing plans:
Power user: Starts at $15/month, suitable for solopreneurs
Build: Starts at $30/month, ideal for small teams
Grow: Starts at $75/month, perfect for growing businesses
6. Brevo — For getting started with email automation
Rating from users (G2): 4.5/5
Image via Brevo
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a cloud-based marketing automation platform designed for businesses getting started with email automation. It provides a range of features for email marketing and SMS marketing and landing pages with a simple and intuitive interface.
What you can do with it
Email and SMS marketing
Customizable email templates
Drag-and-drop editor
Get real-time data to monitor performance
Craft welcome journeys for lasting relationships
Cons
The limit of 300 emails a day on the Free plan means that Brevo may not be suitable for those with large email lists.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
Brevo’s affordability and ease of use make it a top choice for small businesses looking to get started with email automation.
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) provides a range of features for lead management, lead nurturing, email marketing, and analytics, focusing on mid-sized businesses.
What you can do with it
New lead capture
Appointment reminders
Sales nurture
Purchase follow-up
One-click upsell and cross-sell
Cons
Text messaging is only available in the US, and phone services are only available in the US and Canada.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
Keap’s affordable pricing and focus on small businesses make it a top choice for small to mid-sized businesses looking to streamline their customer engagement process.
Pricing
Ignite: $299/month
Grow: $399/month
Scale: $599/month
8. Braze — For large companies to engage more customers
Rating from users (G2): 4.5/5
Image via Braze
Braze provides large businesses with the tools to build, launch, and manage targeted, multi-channel marketing campaigns. Features include email marketing, push notifications, in-app messaging, and customer insights.
What you can do with it
Intuitive journey building
Dynamic personalization
Test and optimize messaging, frequency, and channels
Intelligent timing and sending based on user behavior
Data integration and sharing acceleration
Cons
Because Blaze is designed for large businesses, they are higher cost than most on this list.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
Large businesses that want to retain customers and convert them into repeat customers.
Pricing
You need to contact the sales team for pricing plans.
EngageBay’s platform is designed for sales and support. It provides a range of features for automating and optimizing lead generation, lead nurturing, sales, and support processes.
What you can do with it
Appointment scheduling
Email and chat support
Live chat
Store unlimited contacts and build stronger relationships
Send personalized messages to target audiences
Cons
Users have reported that the training materials could be better, suggesting that the platform is not as intuitive as they would like.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
EngageBay’s focus on sales and support makes it a top choice for businesses looking to streamline their customer engagement process.
Pricing
EngageBay has four different plans — all in one: marketing, CRM, sales bay, and services bay. The all in one pricing plans includes:
ActiveCampaign combines email marketing, automation, and CRM in a single platform, making it easy to manage customer interactions. With its user-friendly interface, businesses can create automated campaigns, manage their contacts, and monitor their performance with ease.
What you can do with it
Automatically send welcome emails to new contacts
Trigger a reminder for important customer dates
See your entire customer lifecycle in the automation map
Integrate with the marketing tools you already use
Track goal analytics and conversions
Cons
The platform’s reporting and analytics capabilities are not as comprehensive as some other marketing automation tools, making it more challenging to measure the impact of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
ActiveCampaign is best suited for small businesses looking for an affordable and easy-to-use solution to automate their marketing processes.
Salesforce offers robust features and capabilities to support large businesses and nonprofits. With its powerful analytics and reporting capabilities, businesses can measure the impact of their marketing campaigns and make data-driven decisions.
What you can do with it
Carry out A/B and multivariate testing
Build workflows with their visual editor
Monitor SEO keywords
Identify your hottest leads
Boost prospect engagement with AI
Cons
The platform requires a significant investment in terms of time and resources to fully utilize its capabilities, making it challenging for businesses to get the most out of it without proper training and support.
Who should use this marketing automation tool
Salesforce is designed for larger businesses that require a scalable and flexible solution to support their marketing efforts.
We selected the platforms in this article based on their reputation as well as G2 user reviews. Ultimately, the best marketing automation software for your business will depend on your specific needs, goals, and budget.
Before choosing a platform, it’s essential to carefully evaluate your requirements and research each option to ensure that the software meets your current and future needs.
Bernard is the Sr. Director of Communications & Creative at Omnisend, with a passion for good research, helping ecommerce businesses with their marketing automation needs, and beating absolutely everyone in Mario Kart 64.
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These are the Omnisend features that can help you get the results mentioned in the article.
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