Benchmark Email vs Keap
Benchmark Email is a email marketing platform while Keap is a all-in-one marketing platform. Benchmark Email is the more affordable option at $27/mo — that's $272 less than Keap's $299/mo entry point. Benchmark Email offers a free plan (500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user), while Keap does not. Keap has the edge with SMS marketing, ecommerce integrations.
Quick Verdict
Benchmark Email wins on price, rating, free tier.
Keap wins on deliverability, integrations.
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.
Keap
CRM-powered sales and marketing automation for small businesses
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft, founded 2001, acquired by Thryv in 2024) is a premium all-in-one CRM and marketing automation platform built for sales-driven small businesses that need contact management, email sequences, SMS marketing, invoicing, and appointment scheduling in a single tool. Its strength lies in powerful automation workflows and a dedicated Customer Success Manager, but the $299/month starting price for just 1,500 contacts makes it one of the most expensive options in its category.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Benchmark Email | Keap |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Starting Price | $27/mo | $299/mo |
| Free Plan | 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user | No free plan |
| Founded | 2004 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 200 | 70 |
| Integrations | 1,500 | 5,000 |
| Deliverability Rate | 47.1% | 93% |
| 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
Keap: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Powerful drag-and-drop automation builder that handles complex multi-step sales workflows with conditional triggers
- +True all-in-one platform combining CRM, email, SMS, invoicing, payments, and appointment scheduling
- +Dedicated Customer Success Manager included with every plan for hands-on onboarding and support
- +Deep contact management with tagging, segmentation, and centralized views that reduce manual data entry
- +Built-in text marketing with tiered messaging plans and voice minutes integrated directly into automations
Cons
- −Extremely expensive at $299/month for only 1,500 contacts, with costs escalating quickly for additional contacts and users
- −Steep learning curve with complex campaign builder layouts and no undo button, causing frustration during setup
- −Email marketing capabilities feel half-baked compared to dedicated email platforms despite the premium pricing
- −Invoicing feature is rigid and does not support hourly billing or flexible customization
- −Dated mobile experience and slow feature development compared to more agile competitors like GoHighLevel
The Verdict
Benchmark Email and Keap are closely matched — both score within 0.1 points of each other in our overall rating. Your decision should come down to specific needs rather than overall quality. On deliverability, Keap reports 93% compared to 47.1% for Benchmark Email — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Benchmark Email | Keap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $27/mo | $299/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 47.1% | 93% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1500 | 5000 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Benchmark Email if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($27/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a beginners
- + You're a small businesses
Choose Keap if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You're a sales driven small businesses
- + You're a service based businesses