Keap vs Sender
Keap is a all-in-one marketing platform while Sender is a email marketing platform. Keap has been around since 2001, giving it a 11-year head start over Sender (founded 2012). Sender is the more affordable option at $10/mo — that's $289 less than Keap's $299/mo entry point. Sender offers a free plan (2,500 subscribers), while Keap does not. Keap has the edge with advanced analytics.
Quick Verdict
Keap wins on integrations.
Sender wins on price, deliverability, rating, free tier.
Best for most users: Sender (small businesses).
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.
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 | Keap | Sender |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Starting Price | $299/mo | $10/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | 2,500 subscribers |
| Founded | 2001 | 2012 |
| Email Templates | 70 | 50 |
| Integrations | 5,000 | 50 |
| Deliverability Rate | 93% | 97% |
| 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 | ✓ | ✕ |
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
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 Keap's 4.2/5. The gap comes mainly from value for money (4.8 vs 3.7) and deliverability (4.6 vs 3.9). On deliverability, Sender reports 97% compared to 93% for Keap — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Keap | Sender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $299/mo | $10/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 93% | 97% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 5000 | 50 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Keap if…
- + You need advanced analytics
- + You're a sales driven small businesses
- + You're a service based businesses
Choose Sender if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($10/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a small businesses
- + You're a ecommerce