Benchmark Email vs Constant Contact
Benchmark Email is a email marketing platform while Constant Contact is a all-in-one marketing platform. Constant Contact has been around since 1995, giving it a 9-year head start over Benchmark Email (founded 2004). Constant Contact is the more affordable option at $12/mo — that's $25 less per month than Benchmark Email's $37/mo entry point. Benchmark Email offers a free plan (500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user), while Constant Contact does not. Constant Contact has the edge with SMS marketing, ecommerce integrations. Both tools work well for small businesses and nonprofits.
Quick Verdict
Benchmark Email wins on rating, integrations, free tier.
Constant Contact wins on price, deliverability.
Best for most users: Constant Contact (small businesses).
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.
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 marketing capabilities and social media integration set it apart, though its automation features lag behind newer competitors.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Benchmark Email | Constant Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $37/mo | $12/mo |
| Free Plan | 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user | No free plan |
| Founded | 2004 | 1995 |
| Email Templates | 200 | 300 |
| Integrations | 1,500 | 300 |
| Deliverability Rate | 47.1% | 97% |
| Marketing Automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| A/B Testing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag & Drop Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| SMS Marketing | ✕ | ✓ |
| Ecommerce Features | ✕ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-Language | ✓ | ✕ |
| Web Push Notifications | ✕ | ✕ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Advanced Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
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
Constant Contact: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Longest 60-day free trial in the industry
- +Excellent event marketing features
- +300+ templates and integrations
- +Strong brand recognition and trust
- +Social media posting included
Cons
- −No free plan
- −Automation is basic on lower tiers
- −Gets expensive with larger lists
- −Interface feels outdated in places
- −Limited advanced features
The Verdict
Benchmark Email edges ahead with a 4.3/5 rating compared to Constant Contact's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from ease of use (4.9 vs 4.3) and value for money (4.6 vs 4). On deliverability, Constant Contact reports 97% compared to 47.1% for Benchmark Email — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Benchmark Email | Constant Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $37/mo | $12/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 47.1% | 97% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.3/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1500 | 300 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | 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're a beginners
- + You're a multilingual teams
Choose Constant Contact if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($12/mo)
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You're a event marketing