Mailchimp
Constant Contact
Campaign Monitor
1. User sentiment: AWeber edges out with better user ratings, but both platforms satisfy their core audiences
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rating | 4.4/5 (5000+ reviews) | 4.1/5 (6000+ reviews) | 4.7/5 (1,000+ reviews) |
| Ease of Use Sentiment | Praised for powerful features but can be complex as noted in online reviews | Beginner-friendly | Consistently praised as intuitive |
| Customer Support Satisfaction | Well-rated | Generally, well-regarded for accessible support but some online reviews have mentioned longer support response time | Highly rated with personalized support |
| User Loyalty | Strong among SMBs and ecommerce | Strong among small businesses and nonprofits | Many users report 10+ years of usage |
| Best for → | Businesses wanting advanced features | Absolute beginners prioritizing simplicity | Marketers prioritizing usability and design |
While Mailchimp and Constant Contact are highly rated among small businesses, Campaign Monitor by Marigold consistently earns praise for its intuitive interface and exceptional customer support.
"LOVE Campaign Monitor... it's very user friendly. The support is exceptional. It helps us reach a large audience in a personal way and a format which drives results above industry benchmarks.”
2. Design & user experience: Constant Contact wins on simplicity, Mailchimp offers more power
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email Builder | Drag-and-drop with New and Classic builders | Drag-and-drop email editor | Intuitive drag-and-drop email builder with visual design focus |
| Template Library | A wide variety of industry-specific templates | Mobile-responsive templates organized by purpose | Mobile-optimized templates with auto-branded options |
| Design Complexity | Two editor modes for different skill levels | Single, streamlined editor focused on ease | Balance of simplicity and customization |
| Mobile Optimization | Responsive templates with mobile preview | Automatic mobile adaptation | All templates fully optimized for mobile |
| Brand Consistency | Creative assistant for branding consistency | BrandKit pulls assets directly from website | Auto-branded templates from website URL |
| Best for → | Users wanting design flexibility | Users prioritizing speed and simplicity | Marketers who value high-quality, professional design |
Constant Contact’s single editor approach eliminates confusion, while its BrandKit automatically pulls logos, fonts, and colors from your website.
Mailchimp offers more sophisticated design options with its dual-editor system, but this can overwhelm beginners. The New Builder provides AI guidance and modern features, while the Classic Builder supports advanced customization for experienced users.
Campaign Monitor strikes an optimal balance between the two approaches, offering professional design capabilities without the complexity. Users consistently describe Campaign Monitor templates as "THE BEST looking" and appreciate the auto-branded feature that pulls branding directly from website URLs, eliminating manual design work.
"Campaign Monitor's drag-and-drop editor is much better than other email platforms such as Mailchimp. The interface generally is very intuitive and easy to use...”
3. Automation & journeys: Mailchimp dominates with advanced workflow capabilities
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trigger Options | Behavior, purchase, engagement, and time-based, 60+ triggers | Includes email actions, link clicks, form signups, and ecommerce triggers | Time-based, behavior-based, and event-based triggers |
| Workflow Complexity | Advanced if/else rules with multiple conditions | Simple linear workflows | If/then branching |
| Prebuilt Journeys | Cart recovery, welcome series, re-engagement | Welcome series, event reminders, basic nurture | Prebuilt automated journeys, such as welcome series, abandoned cart, anniversaries, and events |
| Advanced Features | Multivariate testing, predictive sending | Auto-resend to non-openers (standard+) | Send time optimization and time zone sending feature |
| Best for → | SMBs needing straightforward automation | Simple automation needs | Marketers needing sophisticated automation workflows |
Mailchimp offers 60+ behavioral triggers and supports complex branching logic that can adapt based on subscriber actions.
Constant Contact's automation is simplified, offering 1 template on Lite, 3 on Standard, and unlimited custom workflows only on Premium. While this approach works for basic needs, it limits growth potential.
Campaign Monitor provides the sweet spot. With simple branching and prebuilt journeys (welcome series, abandoned cart, anniversaries), the platform makes advanced automation easier to implement without sacrificing capability.
"Wonderful Union saved 40 hours weekly using Campaign Monitor's automated email marketing campaigns and saw a 13% increase in CTR on automated sequences, generating a 700% ROI from email marketing campaigns."
4. Deliverability & performance: Both platforms deliver reliably with slight differences
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery Rate | 99% deliverability rate | 97% deliverability rate | 99% delivery rate with strong reputation |
| Inbox Placement | Strong reputation with major providers | Consistent inbox placement | Strong reputation with email providers |
| Deliverability Tools | Content optimizer, spam testing | AI-powered spam detection for content | Inbox previews, spam testing, and deliverability experts |
| Send Reliability | Consistent performance | Reliable performance | Consistently high performance |
| Analytics Tracking | Comprehensive engagement metrics | Basic to detailed reporting based on plan | Real-time delivery tracking |
| Best for → | High-volume senders | Small to midsized businesses seeking reliable deliverability | Businesses prioritizing reliable delivery with expert support |
Both platforms maintain excellent deliverability standards, though Mailchimp edges slightly ahead with its 99% delivery rate compared to Constant Contact's 97%.
Mailchimp provides more sophisticated deliverability tools, including content optimization and advanced spam testing. The platform's global infrastructure handles high-volume sending more efficiently. Constant Contact focuses on maintaining consistent performance, using AI-powered spam detection to protect sender reputation.
Campaign Monitor matches Mailchimp's 99% delivery rate while providing accessible deliverability support, real-time tracking, inbox previews, spam testing, and non-human click filtering that removes bot (non-human) activity from reports. The platform offers real-time tracking and access to deliverability experts, helping teams proactively manage performance without technical complexity.
"We use Campaign Monitor because it is quite easy to use. It is also very reasonably priced. We haven't had any problems with deliverability or in creating the emails."
5. Segmentation & personalization: Mailchimp offers superior targeting capabilities
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segmentation Options | Predictive and behavioral segmentation | Segment builder with criteria (tags, contact lists, membership, and activity) | Custom fields and advanced segmentation using demographic and behavioral data |
| Dynamic Content | Dynamic content with conditional logic and product recommendations | Dynamic content (premium only) | Dynamic content blocks using if/else logic and custom fields |
| Personalization | AI-driven personalized product recommendations, extensive personalization options (merge tags, behavioral attributes) | Personalize using contact details and custom fields | Supports default tags (name, email) and up to 50 custom fields (birthday, country) |
| Targeting Precision | Predictive demographics and purchase likelihood | Targeting using tags, contact details, and activity | Strong targeting by engagement, behavior, demographics, and preferences |
| Best for → | Data-driven personalization strategies | Simple, straightforward targeting | Marketer-friendly personalization with visual tools |
Mailchimp significantly outperforms Constant Contact in segmentation sophistication. The platform offers predictive segmentation, behavioral targeting, and even predicts customer demographics based on engagement patterns. Mailchimp's dynamic content capabilities allow different email sections to display based on subscriber data, while Constant Contact limits dynamic content to its Premium plan only.
Campaign Monitor bridges the gap with segmentation and personalization tools delivered through a structured and user-friendly platform built for marketers. The platform excels with powerful segmentation tools, including custom fields and behavioral data (location, purchase history, etc), dynamic content, and a fully customizable preference center (frequency, topics). It supports up to 50 custom fields and personalization tags (name, birthday, country).
The Australian Red Cross used Campaign Monitor's preference center and smart segmentation to achieve a 68% increase in open rates, a 201% increase in click-through rates, and a 75% increase in conversions from a single personalized email campaign.
6. Integration ecosystem: Both platforms offer extensive connectivity
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Integrations | 300+ integrations | 300+ integrations | 250+ integrations |
| Ecommerce Platforms | Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace | Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe | Shopify, WooCommerce, MailSync |
| CRM Integrations | Salesforce, Pipedrive, HubSpot | Salesforce, Microsoft, LinkedIn | Integrations with various CRM platforms (Salesforce, Zoho, Zapier) |
| API Flexibility | API access for custom integrations | API access with developer resources | Robust API for custom integrations |
| Best for → | Diverse business needs | Social media-focused businesses | Marketers working with major platforms seeking quality |
While Mailchimp and Constant Contact offer a broader integration volume, Campaign Monitor delivers a focused, marketer-friendly experience—ideal for teams that want dependable, easy-to-deploy email marketing tools.
Girls Who Code leveraged Campaign Monitor's Salesforce integration with custom fields for deeper list precision, helping them achieve a 40% email open rate, 22% click-to-open rate, and a 150% increase in student applications.
7. AI-powered features: Mailchimp leads with comprehensive AI toolkit
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content Generation | Intuit Assist for copy and subject lines | AI copy generator | Content creation with AI writer |
| Design Assistance | Creative Assistant for multi-channel assets | BrandKit for automatic branding | Personalized copy suggestions (adapt your content for specific audiences), auto-branding |
| Optimization Tools | Content Optimizer, Send Time Optimization | Spam detection and content filtering | A/B testing with insights & goals (increase open-rates, click-through rates, and visits to a URL) |
| Predictive Analytics | Customer Lifetime Value, Purchase Likelihood | Limited | Send time recommendation & time zone sending feature |
| Best for → | Comprehensive AI-powered marketing | Marketers preferring simpler AI tools | Focused AI assistance for marketers |
Mailchimp offers a more comprehensive AI toolkit with Intuit Assist providing content generation, Creative Assistant handling design, and predictive analytics forecasting customer behavior. Constant Contact offers BrandKit that automatically applies brand elements and an AI copy generator.
Campaign Monitor offers focused AI tools for marketers—like AI writer to create content and refine copy, send time optimization (sending emails when a subscriber is most likely to engage), and a time zone sending feature that adjusts delivery times to match each subscriber’s local time.
While Mailchimp offers more AI tools, Campaign Monitor's approach provides practical assistance that integrates seamlessly into the workflow without requiring extensive setup or configuration.
8. Pricing & scalability: Constant Contact offers better value for growing lists
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | $0 ( 500 contacts) | 30-day free trial (100 email sends) | $0 (500 contacts) |
| Entry-Level | Essentials: Starts at $13/month | Lite: Starts at $12/month | Lite: Starts at $12 USD/month |
| Mid-Tier | Standard: Starts at $20/month | Essentials: Starts at $35/month | Essentials: Starts at $29 USD/month |
| Premium | Premium: Starts at $350/month | Premium: Starts at $80/month | Premier: Starts at $159 USD/month |
| Best for → | Businesses with low-volume sending | Businesses with variable sending needs | Businesses wanting predictable, straightforward pricing |
Campaign Monitor, Mailchimp, and Constant Contact offer flexible pricing based on your contact and month send needs.
9. Support & resources: Constant Contact excels in personalized assistance
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | Campaign Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support Channels | Email, chat (paid plans), phone (Premium) | Phone and live chat support on all plans, priority support is accessible to premium user | 24/5 global support via multiple channels (email support on all tiers, phone support on Premium) |
| Response Times | Responsive support; priority support access on premium plan | Responsive support; priority support access on premium plan | Fast response times praised |
| Onboarding | Personalized onboarding (Standard+) | 1:1 onboarding | Professional services team |
| Knowledge Base | Extensive documentation | Comprehensive help center with tutorials | Extensive help center, training videos, and email academy (even on Free plan) |
| Best for → | Self-sufficient users | Users wanting hands-on guidance | Businesses valuing responsive, accessible support |
Constant Contact provides phone and chat support across all plans, but priority support is accessible to premium users. Mailchimp offers chat and email support on paid plans, plus phone support on higher tiers.
Campaign Monitor, on the other hand, offers 24/5 global support via email and phone (premium plan), access to deliverability experts regardless of plan tier, onboarding assistance, and extensive resources like training videos and an email academy.
"Been working with Campaign Monitor for 10+ years… Not only does the platform make sending highly-customized emails easy and fun, their support team is phenomenal… Highly recommend."
