Benchmark Email vs Braze
Benchmark Email is a email marketing platform while Braze is a all-in-one marketing platform. Benchmark Email has been around since 2004, giving it a 7-year head start over Braze (founded 2011). Benchmark Email starts at $19/mo, while Braze has custom pricing. Their pricing is not measured the same way, so we don't rank them on price. Benchmark Email offers a free plan (500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user), while Braze does not. Benchmark Email stands out with landing pages, while Braze offers SMS marketing and ecommerce integrations.
Quick Verdict
Benchmark Email wins on rating, integrations, free tier.
Braze wins on deliverability.
Best for most users: Benchmark Email (beginners).
Benchmark Email
Straightforward email marketing with all features on every plan
Benchmark Email is a multilingual email marketing platform founded in 2004 that takes an all-features-included approach, giving every user access to automation, A/B testing, and analytics regardless of plan tier. Available in 9 languages with global support, it appeals to international teams and nonprofits, though its significantly below-average deliverability rate (47.1% in third-party testing) is a serious concern that undermines its otherwise user-friendly design.
Braze
Rewrite the rules of customer engagement with AI
Braze is a leading enterprise customer engagement platform that enables brands to orchestrate personalized, cross-channel experiences at massive scale. With AI-powered decisioning and real-time journey orchestration, it is purpose-built for large consumer brands and mobile-first companies.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Benchmark Email | Braze |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $19/mo | Custom |
| Free Plan | 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user | No free plan |
| Founded | 2004 | 2011 |
| Email Templates | 200 | 100 |
| Integrations | 1,500 | 170 |
| Deliverability Rate | 47.1% | 97.5% |
| 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 | No | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | Yes | Yes |
| Web Push Notifications | No | Yes |
| Live Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
Benchmark Email: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + 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
- + Intuitive drag-and-drop editor with mobile-optimized templates and device previews
- + Generous free plan with 500 contacts and 2,500 emails per month including AI content generation
- + Simple contact-based pricing that scales predictably without hidden charges for features
Cons
- − 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
- − Slow product development cycle with features lagging behind competitors in automation and ecommerce capabilities
- − No migration support for non-enterprise customers when switching from another email platform
Braze: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Industry-leading cross-channel orchestration across email, SMS, push, web, and WhatsApp
- + BrazeAI provides predictive intelligence and content optimization
- + 170+ turnkey integrations including data warehouses
- + Publicly traded (NASDAQ: BRZE) with proven enterprise reliability
- + Real-time data processing supports sub-second personalization at scale
Cons
- − Enterprise-only contracts typically start at $50,000+/year
- − Steep learning curve with complex setup requiring dedicated implementation resources
- − Overkill for small businesses or teams with simple email marketing needs
- − No free plan or self-serve trial available
- − Implementation timeline typically requires months, not days
The Verdict
Benchmark Email edges ahead with a 4.3/5 rating compared to Braze's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from value for money (4.6 vs 3.2) and ease of use (4.9 vs 3.8). On deliverability, Braze reports 97.5% compared to 47.1% for Benchmark Email — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Benchmark Email | Braze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $19/mo | Custom |
| Deliverability | 25% | 47.1% | 97.5% Winner |
| Rating | 25% | 4.3/5 Winner | 4.1/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1500 Winner | 170 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes Winner | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Benchmark Email if…
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You're a beginners
- + You're a small businesses
Choose Braze if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You're a enterprise companies
- + You're a mobile first brands