EmailOctopus vs Sender
EmailOctopus and Sender are both popular choices in the email marketing platform space. EmailOctopus is the more affordable option at $9/mo, which is $1 less than Sender's $10/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. Sender has the edge with A/B testing, SMS marketing, ecommerce integrations. Both tools work well for beginners and startups.
Quick Verdict
EmailOctopus wins on price, deliverability, integrations.
Sender wins on rating.
Best for most users: EmailOctopus (beginners).
EmailOctopus
Email marketing made easy
EmailOctopus is a stripped-back email marketing tool that focuses on simplicity and affordability. It's ideal for small businesses and creators who want the essentials without paying for features they won't use. Built on Amazon SES for reliable deliverability.
Sender
Affordable email and SMS marketing
Sender offers one of the most generous free plans in email marketing, combined with built-in SMS capabilities. It's an excellent choice for budget-conscious businesses that need both email and SMS marketing without breaking the bank.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | EmailOctopus | Sender |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Starting Price | $9/mo | $10/mo |
| Free Plan | 2,500 subscribers | 2,500 subscribers |
| Founded | 2014 | 2012 |
| Email Templates | 100 | 50 |
| Integrations | 1,000 | 50 |
| Deliverability Rate | 97.5% | 97% |
| Marketing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| A/B Testing | No | Yes |
| Landing Pages | Yes | Yes |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | Yes | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | No | Yes |
| Ecommerce Features | No | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | No | Yes |
| Web Push Notifications | No | No |
| Live Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Analytics | No | No |
EmailOctopus: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Generous free plan (2,500 subscribers)
- + Very affordable Pro plan
- + Simple and clean interface
- + Good deliverability using Amazon SES
- + Easy migration from other platforms
Cons
- − Limited feature set compared to competitors
- − No A/B testing
- − Small template library
- − Basic automation capabilities
- − No ecommerce features
Sender: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Extremely generous free plan (2,500 subs, 15,000 emails)
- + Built-in SMS marketing on all plans
- + Very affordable paid plans
- + Ecommerce integrations for abandoned cart
- + No credit card required for free plan
Cons
- − No A/B testing
- − No landing page builder
- − Smaller integration ecosystem
- − Less well-known brand
- − Limited advanced features
The Verdict
Sender edges ahead with a 4.7/5 rating compared to EmailOctopus's 4.2/5. The gap comes mainly from support (4.8 vs 3.8) and feature depth (4.4 vs 3.9). On deliverability, EmailOctopus reports 97.5% compared to 97% for Sender — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | EmailOctopus | Sender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $9/mo Winner | $10/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 97.5% Winner | 97% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 Winner |
| Integrations | 10% | 1000 Winner | 50 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose EmailOctopus if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($9/mo)
- + You're a bloggers
- + You're a solopreneurs
Choose Sender if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You need A/B testing
- + You're a ecommerce