AWeber vs Ortto
AWeber is a email marketing platform while Ortto is a all-in-one marketing platform. AWeber has been around since 1998, giving it a 17-year head start over Ortto (founded 2015). AWeber starts at $15/mo, while Ortto has custom pricing. Their pricing is not measured the same way, so we don't rank them on price. AWeber offers a free plan (500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/month), while Ortto does not. AWeber stands out with landing pages, while Ortto offers SMS marketing.
Quick Verdict
AWeber wins on deliverability, free tier.
Ortto wins on rating, integrations.
It's a close call — your choice depends on your specific needs.
AWeber
Powerfully simple email marketing
AWeber is one of the original email marketing platforms, serving small businesses since 1998. It offers the largest template library (600+) and an impressive integration ecosystem. While its automation isn't as advanced as newer competitors, its reliability and excellent affiliate program make it a solid choice.
Ortto
All-in-one CDP, marketing automation, and analytics platform for lifecycle marketing
Ortto (formerly Autopilot) is an all-in-one marketing platform that combines a Customer Data Platform, visual journey-based automation, and built-in analytics into a single solution. Founded by Australian brothers Michael and Chris Sharkey, it features AI-powered content tools, lead scoring, SMS and email campaigns, and pre-built playbooks for common marketing workflows. Best suited for mid-market teams running lifecycle marketing at scale. Pricing is quote-only.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | AWeber | Ortto |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Starting Price | $15/mo | Custom |
| Free Plan | 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/month | No free plan |
| Founded | 1998 | 2015 |
| Email Templates | 600 | 80 |
| Integrations | 750 | 800 |
| Deliverability Rate | 97.8% | 95% |
| Marketing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| A/B Testing | Yes | Yes |
| Landing Pages | Yes | No |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | Yes | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | No | Yes |
| Ecommerce Features | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | No | Yes |
| Web Push Notifications | Yes | No |
| Live Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
AWeber: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + 600+ email templates (largest library)
- + 750+ integrations
- + Established and reliable (since 1998)
- + Free plan available
- + Excellent affiliate program (up to 50% recurring)
Cons
- − Interface feels dated compared to newer tools
- − Automation capabilities lag behind competitors
- − Free plan is limited
- − Lite plan restricts automations to 3
- − No SMS marketing
Ortto: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Unified platform combining Customer Data Platform, marketing automation, and analytics — no need for separate tools
- + Visual journey builder is intuitive with drag-and-drop for building complex multichannel automations
- + Excellent segmentation and lead scoring capabilities based on real-time behavioral data
- + Consistently praised customer support with quick response times across all plan tiers
- + Pre-built playbooks and automation templates significantly reduce setup time for common workflows
Cons
- − No public pricing and no starter tier: every plan is quoted by sales, which rules out most small businesses
- − Transactional emails are Enterprise-only
- − Business and Enterprise plans require annual commitment with no monthly option
- − Steep learning curve for the CDP and advanced reporting features
The Verdict
Ortto edges ahead with a 4.4/5 rating compared to AWeber's 4.2/5. The gap comes mainly from support (4.8 vs 4.2) and feature depth (4.8 vs 4.3). On deliverability, AWeber reports 97.8% compared to 95% for Ortto — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | AWeber | Ortto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $15/mo | Custom |
| Deliverability | 25% | 97.8% Winner | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.2/5 | 4.4/5 Winner |
| Integrations | 10% | 750 | 800 Winner |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes Winner | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose AWeber if…
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You're a small businesses
- + You're a solopreneurs
Choose Ortto if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You're a mid market saas and e commerce companies running lifecycle marketing at scale
- + You're a marketing teams wanting a unified cdp with automation and analytics in one platform