Loops vs Ortto
Loops is a email marketing platform while Ortto is a all-in-one marketing platform. Ortto has been around since 2015, giving it a 7-year head start over Loops (founded 2022). Loops starts at $49/mo, while Ortto has custom pricing. Their pricing is not measured the same way, so we don't rank them on price. Loops offers a free plan (1,000 contacts, 4,000 sends/month, Loops branding), while Ortto does not. Ortto has the edge with A/B testing, SMS marketing, ecommerce integrations.
Quick Verdict
Loops wins on rating, free tier.
Ortto wins on integrations.
Best for most users: Loops (saas startups).
Loops
The email platform built for SaaS
Loops is a developer-first email platform designed exclusively for SaaS companies, combining marketing and transactional email in a single clean interface. Built by Y Combinator alumni, it features a Notion-style block editor, event-based automation triggered by user behavior like signups and upgrades, and contact-based pricing with unlimited sends. Its standout strength is letting small SaaS teams replace both their marketing email tool and transactional service (like SendGrid) with one unified platform.
Ortto
All-in-one CDP, marketing automation, and analytics platform for lifecycle marketing
Ortto (formerly Autopilot) is an all-in-one marketing platform that combines a Customer Data Platform, visual journey-based automation, and built-in analytics into a single solution. Founded by Australian brothers Michael and Chris Sharkey, it features AI-powered content tools, lead scoring, SMS and email campaigns, and pre-built playbooks for common marketing workflows. Best suited for mid-market teams running lifecycle marketing at scale. Pricing is quote-only.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Loops | Ortto |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Starting Price | $49/mo | Custom |
| Free Plan | 1,000 contacts, 4,000 sends/month, Loops branding | No free plan |
| Founded | 2022 | 2015 |
| Email Templates | 15 | 80 |
| Integrations | 24 | 800 |
| Deliverability Rate | 95% | 95% |
| Marketing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| A/B Testing | No | Yes |
| Landing Pages | No | No |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | No | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | No | Yes |
| Ecommerce Features | No | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | Yes | Yes |
| Web Push Notifications | No | No |
| Live Chat | No | Yes |
| Advanced Analytics | No | Yes |
Loops: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Clean Notion-style block editor with extremely fast email creation and minimal learning curve
- + Unified platform for both marketing and transactional emails eliminates need for separate services like SendGrid
- + Simple contact-based pricing with unlimited sends and no per-seat charges on all paid plans
- + Strong developer-focused API with direct integrations for Stripe, Supabase, Clerk, and webhook support
- + Founder-led customer support with direct access via live chat, email, and 1:1 Calendly calls
Cons
- − Limited automation logic — lacks advanced multi-branch workflows and conditional logic found in mature platforms
- − No built-in CRM or detailed contact history, requiring external tools for relationship management
- − Editor has reported bugs including no undo functionality, risking accidental content loss
- − Narrow SaaS-only focus makes it unsuitable for ecommerce, media, or non-tech industries
- − Very small integration ecosystem (24 native integrations) compared to competitors with hundreds
Ortto: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Unified platform combining Customer Data Platform, marketing automation, and analytics — no need for separate tools
- + Visual journey builder is intuitive with drag-and-drop for building complex multichannel automations
- + Excellent segmentation and lead scoring capabilities based on real-time behavioral data
- + Consistently praised customer support with quick response times across all plan tiers
- + Pre-built playbooks and automation templates significantly reduce setup time for common workflows
Cons
- − No public pricing and no starter tier: every plan is quoted by sales, which rules out most small businesses
- − Transactional emails are Enterprise-only
- − Business and Enterprise plans require annual commitment with no monthly option
- − Steep learning curve for the CDP and advanced reporting features
The Verdict
Loops and Ortto are closely matched — both score within 0.2 points of each other in our overall rating. Your decision should come down to specific needs rather than overall quality.
| Criterion | Weight | Loops | Ortto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $49/mo | Custom |
| Deliverability | 25% | 95% | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.6/5 Winner | 4.4/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 24 | 800 Winner |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes Winner | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Loops if…
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a saas startups
- + You're a developer first teams
Choose Ortto if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You need A/B testing
- + You need advanced analytics