Best Benchmark Email Alternatives
Benchmark Email is still a credible choice for beginners, especially if you value ease of use and feature depth plus automation and segmentation. But people usually start looking elsewhere when extremely poor deliverability rate of 47.1% in emailtooltester's january 2024 independent test, consistently ranking near the bottom and segmentation is limited to within individual lists only -- cannot create cross-list segments for flexible targeting.
8 realistic alternatives stand out here, and each solves a slightly different problem. 8 start below Benchmark Email's $37/mo entry price.
The most common reasons people explore Benchmark Email alternatives: extremely poor deliverability rate of 47.1% in emailtooltester's january 2024 independent test, consistently ranking near the bottom, and segmentation is limited to within individual lists only -- cannot create cross-list segments for flexible targeting. These are real tradeoffs, not dealbreakers for everyone — but if they affect your workflow, the alternatives below address them directly. Among these 8 alternatives, 8 are cheaper and 5 score higher in our ratings. The best choice depends on what matters most to you — price, features, or ease of use.
Benchmark Email — Free plan available (free plan: 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user). Rated 4.3/5.
- + All features included on every plan including free -- no feature gating between tiers
- + Available in 9 languages with live customer support in each, making it ideal for international teams
When it makes sense to switch
- + Switch if your main blocker is "Extremely poor deliverability rate of 47.1% in EmailToolTester's January 2024 independent test, consistently ranking near the bottom". That issue is a recurring theme across the alternatives on this page.
- + Switch if price pressure matters: EmailOctopus starts at $9/mo versus $37/mo for Benchmark Email.
- + Switch if you want the strongest all-around option first: Sender scores 4.7/5 versus 4.3/5.
When staying with Benchmark Email is still rational
- • Benchmark Email is still worth keeping if you already rely on its strengths in ease of use and feature depth plus automation and segmentation.
- • Stay put if migration cost is higher than the gain. Rebuilding automations, forms, templates, and reporting usually matters more than saving a few dollars per month.
- • Stay with Benchmark Email if "All features included on every plan including free -- no feature gating between tiers" is the reason you chose it in the first place.
Quick comparison snapshot
This table is here to answer the first decision question quickly: are you mainly leaving Benchmark Email for price, ease of use, feature depth, or fit for a different audience?
| Tool | Starting price | Free plan | Best for | Biggest edge | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark Email Current tool | $37/mo | 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user | beginners and small businesses | ease of use and feature depth plus automation and segmentation | Extremely poor deliverability rate of 47.1% in EmailToolTester's January 2024 independent test, consistently ranking near the bottom |
| Mailchimp
Read review →
| $13/mo | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month | small businesses and beginners | ease of use and value for money plus automation and segmentation | Free plan severely limited (500 contacts, 1,000 sends) |
| Sender
Read review →
| $10/mo | 2,500 subscribers | small businesses and ecommerce | ease of use and value for money plus automation and segmentation | No A/B testing |
| MailerLite
Read review →
| $10/mo | 1,000 subscribers | small businesses and beginners | ease of use and value for money plus automation and segmentation | Free plan limited to 1,000 subscribers |
| EmailOctopus
Read review →
| $9/mo | 2,500 subscribers | beginners and bloggers | ease of use and value for money plus automation and segmentation | Limited feature set compared to competitors |
Common reasons to look for Benchmark Email alternatives
- - Extremely poor deliverability rate of 47.1% in EmailToolTester's January 2024 independent test, consistently ranking near the bottom
- - Segmentation is limited to within individual lists only -- cannot create cross-list segments for flexible targeting
- - Fewer than 30 pre-designed email templates despite marketing claims of 200+, limiting design variety
Better pricing
Mailchimp
Turn emails into revenue
Mailchimp is the most widely recognized email marketing platform, used by millions of businesses worldwide. Acquired by Intuit in 2021, it offers a fu...
Mailchimp makes sense if you still want a tool for beginners and small businesses but need a different balance of price and capability. Compared with Benchmark Email, Mailchimp starts at $13/mo, lower than Benchmark Email's $37/mo and it adds SMS marketing and ecommerce integrations. The tradeoff is free plan severely limited (500 contacts, 1,000 sends).
Sender
Affordable email and SMS marketing
Sender offers one of the most generous free plans in email marketing, combined with built-in SMS capabilities. It's an excellent choice for budget-con...
Sender makes sense if you still want a tool for beginners and small businesses but need a different balance of price and capability. Compared with Benchmark Email, Sender starts at $10/mo, lower than Benchmark Email's $37/mo, it adds SMS marketing and ecommerce integrations, and it currently rates higher (4.7/5 vs 4.3/5). The tradeoff is no A/B testing.
MailerLite
Email marketing tools for growing businesses
MailerLite is known for its simplicity, affordability, and clean design. It's one of the best options for small businesses and beginners who want prof...
MailerLite makes sense if you still want a tool for beginners and small businesses but need a different balance of price and capability. Compared with Benchmark Email, MailerLite starts at $10/mo, lower than Benchmark Email's $37/mo, it adds ecommerce integrations, and it currently rates higher (4.6/5 vs 4.3/5). The tradeoff is free plan limited to 1,000 subscribers.
EmailOctopus
Email marketing made easy
EmailOctopus is a stripped-back email marketing tool that focuses on simplicity and affordability. It's ideal for small businesses and creators who wa...
EmailOctopus makes sense if you still want a tool for beginners and small businesses but need a different balance of price and capability. Compared with Benchmark Email, EmailOctopus starts at $9/mo, lower than Benchmark Email's $37/mo. The tradeoff is limited feature set compared to competitors.
Constant Contact
Small business marketing made easy
Constant Contact is one of the most established email marketing platforms, particularly strong for small businesses and nonprofits. Its event marketin...
Constant Contact makes sense if you still want a tool for small businesses and nonprofits but need a different balance of price and capability. Compared with Benchmark Email, Constant Contact starts at $12/mo, lower than Benchmark Email's $37/mo and it adds SMS marketing and ecommerce integrations. The tradeoff is no free plan.
Moosend
All-in-one email marketing and automation
Moosend is a budget-friendly email marketing platform that punches above its weight class. Despite its low price point, it offers solid automation, tr...
Moosend makes sense if you still want a tool for small businesses but need a different balance of price and capability. Compared with Benchmark Email, Moosend starts at $9/mo, lower than Benchmark Email's $37/mo, it adds ecommerce integrations, and it currently rates higher (4.7/5 vs 4.3/5). The tradeoff is no free plan (30-day trial only).
Omnisend
Ecommerce email and SMS made easy
Omnisend is an ecommerce-focused marketing platform that combines email, SMS, and web push notifications. It offers pre-built automation workflows for...
Omnisend makes sense if you still want a tool for small businesses but need a different balance of price and capability. Compared with Benchmark Email, Omnisend starts at $16/mo, lower than Benchmark Email's $37/mo, it adds SMS marketing and ecommerce integrations, and it currently rates higher (4.6/5 vs 4.3/5). The tradeoff is not suitable for non-ecommerce use cases.
Privy
Ecommerce email and SMS marketing built for Shopify stores
Privy is an ecommerce-focused email and SMS marketing platform built specifically for Shopify stores, combining conversion popups, email campaigns, an...
Privy makes sense if you still want a tool for beginners but need a different balance of price and capability. Compared with Benchmark Email, Privy starts at $24/mo, lower than Benchmark Email's $37/mo, it adds SMS marketing and ecommerce integrations, and it currently rates higher (4.6/5 vs 4.3/5). The tradeoff is limited to ecommerce use cases — not suitable for B2B, SaaS, or non-store businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Benchmark Email? +
EmailOctopus is the cheapest option in this comparison at $9/mo. That makes it the first tool to check if you are leaving Benchmark Email mainly for budget reasons.
What is the best Benchmark Email alternative for beginners? +
Sender is the strongest beginner pick in this set because it leads on ease of use and still covers the core workflow most teams need when moving away from Benchmark Email.
Is Benchmark Email still worth it in 2026? +
Benchmark Email is still worth it if you specifically value ease of use and feature depth plus automation and segmentation and you are not blocked by extremely poor deliverability rate of 47.1% in emailtooltester's january 2024 independent test, consistently ranking near the bottom or segmentation is limited to within individual lists only -- cannot create cross-list segments for flexible targeting. If those tradeoffs are already slowing you down, one of the alternatives on this page will usually be a better fit.
Which Benchmark Email alternative is best overall? +
Sender is the strongest all-around option in this group on our current ratings at 4.7/5. It is the safest starting point if you want a balanced replacement rather than the cheapest or most niche alternative.