Flodesk vs Keap
Flodesk is a email marketing platform while Keap is a all-in-one marketing platform. Keap has been around since 2001, giving it a 18-year head start over Flodesk (founded 2019). Flodesk starts at $38/mo versus $299/mo for Keap. Flodesk offers a free plan (Free list-building tools (forms, landing pages, audience tools); email sending requires paid plan), while Keap does not. Keap has the edge with A/B testing, SMS marketing, advanced analytics.
Quick Verdict
Flodesk wins on price, deliverability, rating, free tier.
Keap wins on integrations.
Best for most users: Flodesk (designers).
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.
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 | Flodesk | Keap |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Starting Price | $38/mo | $299/mo |
| Free Plan | Free list-building tools (forms, landing pages, audience tools); email sending requires paid plan | No free plan |
| Founded | 2019 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 40 | 70 |
| Integrations | 20 | 5,000 |
| Deliverability Rate | 96% | 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 | ✕ | ✓ |
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
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
Flodesk edges ahead with a 4.6/5 rating compared to Keap's 4.2/5. The gap comes mainly from value for money (4.6 vs 3.7) and deliverability (4.5 vs 3.9). On deliverability, Flodesk reports 96% compared to 93% for Keap — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Flodesk | Keap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $38/mo | $299/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 96% | 93% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.6/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 20 | 5000 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Flodesk if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($38/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a designers
- + You're a creatives
Choose Keap if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need API access for custom integrations
- + You need A/B testing
- + You need advanced analytics