March 27, 2024
5 min read
Matt Gray

The 4 Best Email Newsletter Platforms in 2024

Email newsletters are key for talking to customers directly and boosting sales. In 2024, the choice of platform can make or break your email marketing. 

This article lines up the top email newsletter platforms this year, including what to expect with each one.

Why Are Email Newsletters Important?

Email newsletters are important for communicating with your customers. They let businesses share news, tips, and deals in customers' inboxes. This form of outreach allows you to keep your audience updated. Once you've gained their interest, they come back for more. 

Newsletters help build a relationship. They turn one-time visitors into loyal fans. Plus, they're cost-effective. Unlike ads that cost every time, newsletters reach a wide network of people. My Founder OS newsletter audience is central to the success of my business as a whole.

Newsletters also give you control. You decide when and what your customers see, ensuring your message hits home. For these reasons, email newsletters are a top pick. They allow you to keep customers engaged and interested. 

What Are Some Key Features of an Effective Email Newsletter Platform?

When picking a top-notch email newsletter platform, there are some must-have features. 

Easy Design Tools

Look for a platform that offers drag-and-drop editors. Also, look for pre-designed templates. This makes creating professional-looking emails simple. You can do it even if you don't know how to code. The right tools can turn your ideas into stunning emails in minutes.

Automation

This feature allows you to set up emails based on your customers' actions. For example, signing up or making a sale. It's like having a helpful assistant who ensures no one gets forgotten.

Personalization

Some platforms let you add personal touches to your emails. For example, using a customer's name or suggesting products based on past purchases. Personalizing emails makes each customer feel like the email is just for them.

Analytics

A good platform provides detailed reports. Reports should include how many people open your emails, click links, etc. This information is gold. It helps you understand your audience's likes so you can do more of it.

Reliable Support

Sometimes, things don't go as planned. When you hit a snag, having access to prompt, knowledgeable support can save the day. Whether through chat, email, or phone, knowing help is there can give you peace of mind.

Choosing an email platform with these features will set you up for success. Each is crucial in ensuring your emails hit the mark and achieve your goals.

The 4 Best Email Newsletter Platforms

ConvertKit offers email, automation, and monetization tools that can help you scale your business and grow your audience — and it’s my favorite tool to use for email newsletters. 

With a Creator Network, customizable templates, and automation for emails, ConvertKit offers a full suite of tools and resources that can help you make the most of your marketing efforts. 

Some of my favorite features on ConvertKit include:

  1. Recommendations: ConvertKit’s Recommendations feature can help you grow your newsletter audience thanks to tips and insights from other entrepreneurs in your niche. 
  2. Visual Automations: Organize your subscribers, trigger email sequences, and set up customer journeys with ConvertKit’s Visual Automations feature. 
  3. Integrations: ConvertKit integrates with a wide variety of sites and tools, like Shopify and Patreon. 
  4. No Coding Required: Arguably one of the best things about ConvertKit is that you don’t need to understand HTML or coding in order to create effective emails. ConvertKit’s templates, layout blocks, and design elements give you everything you need without coding (unless you want to). 

How Much Does ConvertKit Cost?

ConverKit has three main pricing tiers:

  • Newsletter: This tier is completely free, and includes up to 10,000 subscribers, one basic Visual Automation, and one email sequence, plus features like audience segmentation and free recommendations.
  • Creator: At $25 a month, this tier includes 1,000 subscribers with unlimited Visual Automations and unlimited email sequences. It also includes all of the features from the Newsletter plan, plus special features like customizable recommendations and third-party integrations. 
  • Pro: At $50 a month, this tier includes 1,000 subscribers with unlimited Visual Automations and unlimited email sequences. It also includes all of the features from the Creator plan, plus special features like a newsletter referral system, Facebook custom audiences, and advanced reporting. 

2. MailChimp

MailChimp is a well-known email platform and a complete marketing tool. It offers everything from email to ads and automation tools.

MailChimp is easy to use and has many features, and it helps you talk to your customers in a way that feels personal.

MailChimp’s best features include:

  1. Customized Emails: Choose from many premade templates to make your emails stand out. You don't need to be a designer to create something beautiful. This platform is ideal for beginner businesses and startups. 
  1. Marketing Automation: Send the right message at the right time without doing anything. Set it up once and let it run by itself. This is part of the setup process and helps with email marketing. Once you set your preferences, emails will fire based on a customer action.
  1. Audience Insights: Learn about your customers with advanced analytics. See what they like and how they interact with your emails. You can see when they open an email. How long did they spend in the email? If they click on an external link. This information is crucial for business growth.
  1. Integration With Other Tools: MailChimp software connects with many different tools. For example, you might use Shopify or WordPress. This makes your life much easier because you only have to connect the tools.
  1. A/B Testing: Try different versions of your emails to see which one works best. You can send version A and review the results, then send a version B if you aren’t getting the results you wanted.

MailChimp also has tools to help you find more people to whom to send emails, and with automation, you can focus on other parts of your business while MailChimp handles your email scheduling. MailChimp’s personalization features also mean more people will open and read your emails — with custom emails, you will gain a better reach. 

How Much Does MailChimp Cost?

MailChimp's prices change based on how many emails you send and how many people you send them to.

  • Free Plan: $0/month for up to 2,000 contacts. Great for beginners.
  • Essentials: Starting at $13/month for more customization.
  • Standard: Starting at $20/month for automation and insights.
  • Premium: Starting at $350/month for all features and advanced support.

MailChimp is great for any business, especially if you want to do more than send emails. It's perfect if you want a tool that helps with all parts of marketing.

In 2024, connecting with your customers in many ways is key. MailChimp lets you do that.

3. Beehiiv

Beehiiv is making waves among content creators. It focuses on delivering powerful email marketing tools. Perfect for bloggers, writers, and media outlets, it’s becoming a go-to.

Some creators love Beehiiv for its simplicity and content-focused features. Whether you're a solo blogger or a growing media empire, Beehiiv tailors to your needs.

Some of Beehiiv’s features include:

  1. Intuitive Content Design: Beehiiv offers a user-friendly interface. Creating appealing emails is a breeze, even for beginners. All you have to do is choose a template you like. You can use their text editor, automation, and artificial intelligence tools. 
  1. Tools To Grow: Tools designed to boost reader interaction stand out. Polls, comments, and analytics help you understand your audience better. Beehiiv offers the tools you need to increase your engagement.
  1. Integration: Beehiiv plays well with popular platforms. Integrating with your blog or website is hassle-free. 
  1. Advanced Analytics: Their tools give deep insights into your content's performance. Understand your audience's behavior to tailor your strategy. 

Beehiiv's focus on engagement deepens bonds with your readers. Plus, Its intuitive design tools mean more time creating content and less time managing emails. You can do this through automation. Beehiiv also offers analytics to help provide you with a clear picture of what works so you can refine your approach. 

How Much Does Beehiiv Cost?

As your subscriber list grows, Beehiiv grows with you. There are flexible pricing options to fit your needs. 

  • Launch: $0/month, up to 2,500 subscribers, and includes most features
  • Grow: $42/month, up to 10,000 subscribers, includes polls, custom domain, and premium subscriptions
  • Scale: $84/month, up to 100,000 subscribers, includes all Grow plan features and a referral program
  • Enterprise: Contact directly, unlimited subscribers, and a dedicated account manager

4. MailerLite

MailerLite has become a favorite among business owners. They have over 1.4 million users at the moment. Users appreciate the software's simplicity, robustness, and affordability. It’s designed to cater to marketers at every level. The platform provides an intuitive experience that simplifies email marketing without sacrificing functionality.

MailerLite is popular because it's easy, powerful, and doesn't cost a lot. It's made for all kinds of marketers, making sending emails simple and fun.

MailerLite’s best features include:

  1. Easy Email Creation:Drag-and-drop editor is the top feature. All you have to do is choose a template. Then, you can drag pictures and text around to make your email look nice. You don't need to know how to code to make perfect emails.
  1. Automated Workflows: Set up emails to send on their own schedule. Emails can be set to go out based on what your readers do, which makes your emails more personal.
  1. Making Emails Personal: Add personalized touches to your emails. This makes all readers feel like you're talking right to them. Customers are more willing to buy when they feel a brand speaks to them and their needs.
  1. Checking Your Success: The software has an analytics tool. You can check the number of subscribers. You can see how many people open your emails and click on links to know what works best. You can even see who marks your emails as spam.
  1. Help When You Need It: If you get stuck, there's always someone ready to help you out, any time, day or night. Their customer support service runs 24/7.

MailerLite has eye-catching templates that will make your audience want to read your emails. Plus, using a template means you can spend more time thinking of what to say in your emails instead of fighting with technology.

MailerLit is designed so anybody can use it, even if you're not a tech wizard. There is no coding involved. However, if you are more experienced, there are more advanced templates you might find useful.

How Much Does MailerLite Cost?

MailerLite is great because it's free if you don't have many email addresses. When your list gets bigger, you pay more, but it's based on how many addresses you have. This means you only pay for what you need.

  • Free: $0/month, up to 1,000 subscribers, and includes a drag-and-drop editor.
  • Growing Business: $54/month, up to 10,000 subscribers, and selling digital products.
  • Advance: $289/month, up to 50,000 subscribers, HTML editor, and automation features.

MailerLite is perfect for small to medium businesses. It is also good for anyone starting out who wants to send emails without making it too hard. It's also great if you want to do more with your emails without spending much money or time.

How To Choose the Right Platform for Your Needs

When you’re trying to choose the best newsletter platform for your needs, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

First, consider how big your business is. Larger companies may need more features than smaller ones. 

Then, think about your budget. How much can you afford to spend on newsletter tools? This can help you decide which platform to use. 

Your audience is key, too. Who are you talking to with your emails? Knowing this can help you pick a platform that speaks their language. My audience primarily consists of business founders and aspiring entrepreneurs, so my Founder OS newsletter focuses on tips and tricks for business growth.

Also, think about what you want to achieve. Different platforms have different strengths, like design or analytics. 

Last, consider your tech skills. Some platforms are super user-friendly, while others may require more tech knowledge. These things can help you find the perfect match for your business's email needs.

For me, ConvertKit stands out above all — it’s intuitive, full of a wide range of useful features and tools, and it gets the job done easily. ConvertKit’s automations and more sophisticated functionality for creators are a key reason why it’s a superior choice. It’s my number one recommendation when it comes to building effective newsletters without a hassle. 

Conclusion

Picking the right tool for your email newsletters is super important. It can help your business talk to your customers in a way they like. 

In 2024, platforms like MailerLite, MailChimp, Beehiiv, and ConvertKit lead the pack. They offer cool features that fit different business sizes, goals, and budgets. 

Check out these platforms and see which one lines up with what your business needs. With the right tool, you can ensure your emails hit the mark every time.

Founder OS can help you level up your online business. Check us out today, and subscribe to the Founder OS newsletter for weekly tips for business growth.

Topics & categories

Matt Gray

Founder & CEO of Founder OS

I’ve built 4 successful companies and a community of over 14 million people. My mission is to help 100,000,000 founders automate their business and hit $5,000,000 profit per year. I help you grow your personal brand and business in just 3 minutes a week.

Join 171,976+ founders and marketers getting actionable growth insights every week.

5 star

The proof is in the pudding. Matt’s approach has helped grow Herb to 14 million people and he has one of the fastest-growing personal brands I’ve ever seen.

Sahil Bloom

Investor | Entrepreneur | Creator

5 star

Matt’s advice is super on point because it’s practical. He’s gone through and done everything that he preaches. If you don’t want to spend hours digging up frameworks on content, growth, marketing, and general startup advice - talk to Matt, read his newsletter, or sign up for his course.

Luba

Founder, Zarta

5 star

Matt is an absolute beast when it comes to audience and community growth. He has one of the fastest growing brands online and is an incredible teacher. He goes above and beyond to help founders - you can tell he genuinely cares. Would highly recommend working with him.

Brett Adcock

Founder, Figure, Archer, Vettery