Kit (ConvertKit) vs EngageBay
Kit (ConvertKit) is a email marketing platform while EngageBay is a all-in-one marketing platform. Kit (ConvertKit) has been around since 2013, giving it a 5-year head start over EngageBay (founded 2018). EngageBay is the more affordable option at $14.99/mo — that's $18.009999999999998 less than Kit (ConvertKit)'s $33/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. EngageBay has the edge with SMS marketing, a drag-and-drop editor.
Quick Verdict
Kit (ConvertKit) wins on deliverability, integrations.
EngageBay wins on price, rating.
Best for most users: EngageBay (small businesses on a budget).
Kit (ConvertKit)
Email marketing built for creators
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is purpose-built for online creators including bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, and course creators. It emphasizes simplicity and deliverability over complex design features, making it ideal for text-based newsletters and automated sequences.
EngageBay
All-in-one CRM for marketing, sales & support
EngageBay is a bootstrapped all-in-one CRM platform that bundles marketing automation, sales pipeline management, helpdesk ticketing, and live chat into a single affordable package. Founded in 2018 as a cost-effective alternative to HubSpot, it serves over 150,000 businesses with a free plan supporting up to 15 users. Its strongest differentiator is delivering the full marketing-sales-support stack at a fraction of enterprise CRM pricing, making it particularly attractive to budget-conscious SMBs.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Kit (ConvertKit) | EngageBay |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Starting Price | $33/mo | $14.99/mo |
| Free Plan | 10,000 subscribers | 250 contacts, 1,000 branded emails, up to 15 users |
| Founded | 2013 | 2018 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 100 |
| Integrations | 90 | 30 |
| Deliverability Rate | 98.2% | 95% |
| 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 | ✓ | ✓ |
Kit (ConvertKit): Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Excellent creator ecosystem with built-in monetization
- +Intuitive visual automation builder
- +Generous free plan up to 10,000 subscribers
- +Strong deliverability rates
- +Creator-focused features like tip jars and paid newsletters
Cons
- −Limited email template design options
- −Gets expensive at higher subscriber counts
- −No SMS marketing capabilities
- −Basic reporting compared to competitors
- −No drag-and-drop email editor
EngageBay: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Exceptionally affordable all-in-one platform combining CRM, marketing, sales, and support — Pro plan at $119.99/mo vs HubSpot at $900+/mo
- +Generous free plan supports up to 15 team members with email marketing, CRM, helpdesk, and live chat included
- +Highly rated customer support (4.8/5 on Capterra) with live chat and real human agents available 24/5
- +Built-in landing page builder with 87 templates, web forms, pop-ups, and SMS marketing included from Basic plan
- +Strong marketing automation with visual workflow builder, lead scoring, and A/B testing on Growth plan and above
Cons
- −Limited email editor widgets and somewhat outdated email template designs compared to modern competitors
- −Reporting module offers only basic analytics — lacks advanced custom reporting depth for data-driven teams
- −Per-user pricing model becomes expensive as teams scale beyond 5-10 users, especially on Growth and Pro plans
- −Occasional performance issues including slow page loads and intermittent bugs reported by users
- −Steep learning curve for advanced features — the breadth of the all-in-one platform can overwhelm new users
The Verdict
Kit (ConvertKit) and EngageBay 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, Kit (ConvertKit) reports 98.2% compared to 95% for EngageBay — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Kit (ConvertKit) | EngageBay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $33/mo | $14.99/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 98.2% | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 90 | 30 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Kit (ConvertKit) if…
- + You're a bloggers
- + You're a creators
- + Excellent creator ecosystem with built-in monetization
Choose EngageBay if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($14.99/mo)
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You're a small businesses on a budget
- + You're a startups replacing hubspot