Campaign Monitor vs Flodesk
Campaign Monitor and Flodesk are both popular choices in the email marketing platform space. Campaign Monitor has been around since 2004, giving it a 15-year head start over Flodesk (founded 2019). Campaign Monitor starts at $12/mo versus $38/mo for Flodesk. Flodesk offers a free plan (Free list-building tools (forms, landing pages, audience tools); email sending requires paid plan), while Campaign Monitor does not. Campaign Monitor stands out with A/B testing and SMS marketing, while Flodesk offers landing pages. Both tools work well for designers.
Quick Verdict
Campaign Monitor wins on price, deliverability, integrations.
Flodesk wins on rating, free tier.
Best for most users: Campaign Monitor (agencies).
Campaign Monitor
Beautifully crafted email marketing
Campaign Monitor is particularly well-suited for agencies and brands that need polished, branded email campaigns. Its client management features and beautiful template builder make it a popular choice for marketing agencies managing multiple client accounts.
Flodesk
Design emails people love to get
Flodesk is a design-first email marketing platform known for its stunning templates and flat-rate pricing model. It's particularly popular among creative professionals who prioritize visual design over advanced marketing features. The unlimited subscriber pricing makes it excellent value for growing lists.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Campaign Monitor | Flodesk |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Starting Price | $12/mo | $38/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | Free list-building tools (forms, landing pages, audience tools); email sending requires paid plan |
| Founded | 2004 | 2019 |
| Email Templates | 120 | 40 |
| Integrations | 250 | 20 |
| Deliverability Rate | 97.5% | 96% |
| 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 | ✓ | ✕ |
Campaign Monitor: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Excellent email template builder
- +Strong agency features and client management
- +Good deliverability
- +Time zone sending optimization
- +Link review feature prevents broken links
Cons
- −No free plan
- −Lite plan caps at 2,500 emails
- −Premier plan expensive ($159/mo)
- −No landing page builder
- −Limited automation on lower tiers
Flodesk: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Beautiful, design-focused email templates
- +Flat-rate pricing regardless of list size
- +Unlimited subscribers on all plans
- +Simple and intuitive interface
- +Built-in checkout and digital product sales
Cons
- −No A/B testing
- −No API access
- −Very limited integrations
- −No SMS marketing
- −Basic automation compared to competitors
The Verdict
Flodesk edges ahead with a 4.6/5 rating compared to Campaign Monitor's 4.1/5. The gap comes mainly from ease of use (5 vs 4.3) and support (4.4 vs 3.8). On deliverability, Campaign Monitor reports 97.5% compared to 96% for Flodesk — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Campaign Monitor | Flodesk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $12/mo | $38/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 97.5% | 96% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.1/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 250 | 20 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Campaign Monitor if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($12/mo)
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need API access for custom integrations
- + You need A/B testing
Choose Flodesk if…
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You're a creatives
- + You're a bloggers