Email marketing has become a non-negotiable for businesses, creators, and entrepreneurs. When looking to engage audiences, drive sales, and grow brands, email marketing is the best way to accomplish these goals. Two of the most popular email marketing platforms available today are Flodesk and Mailchimp. Each comes with its own set of features and strengths. If you’re wondering which is best-suited to your needs, this comparison will help you decide.
Overview of Flodesk
Flodesk is relatively new in the email marketing scene (started in 2019), but it’s quickly gaining popularity due to its insanely stunning email templates and user-friendly interface. You don’t need to be techy to use Flodesk to easily create beautiful emails.
Overview of Mailchimp
Mailchimp, on the other hand, is a veteran in the email marketing world. Founded in 2001, it’s one of the most established platforms, offering a wide range of tools, including email marketing, automation, customer relationship management (CRM), and advanced analytics.
Pricing: Flodesk vs. Mailchimp
Flodesk
Flodesk’s pricing is very straightforward. It offers a flat-rate pricing model—$38 per month regardless of your list size or the number of emails you send. This pricing appeals to many users, especially those with growing email lists, as they don’t have to worry about price increases as their subscriber list grows.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp offers tiered pricing based on the number of subscribers and the features you want access to. It has a free plan (up to 500 contacts) and several paid plans, including the Essentials, Standard, and Premium tiers. The cost grows significantly with the size of your email list and the features you require. While Mailchimp can start out relatively inexpensive for small lists, it can become costly as your audience grows.
Comparison: If you have 10,000 subscribers using Flodesk, you pay $38 monthly. If you have 10,000 subscribers on Mailchimp you pay $135 monthly. This is on their current 2024 pricing.
Which is better for pricing?
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- Flodesk is ideal if you want predictability in pricing. If you’re planning to scale your email list without worrying about cost increases, Flodesk’s flat rate is an excellent value.
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- Mailchimp is a more affordable option for small businesses and those who are just starting, but costs can rise quickly as your list grows and as you need more features.
Ease of Use: Flodesk vs. Mailchimp
Flodesk
Flodesk is known for its drag-and-drop editor and beautiful design. Its user interface is clean and modern, making it extremely easy for beginners. The focus is on creativity, with aesthetically pleasing email templates that are easy to customize. Flodesk doesn’t overwhelm users with too many options, which keeps the workflow simple and efficient. Flodesk also includes automations and analytics that are super easy to use.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp has more features and options, but it’s not as user-friendly. This can be a little bit overwhelming for those who don’t feel comfortable with technology. It has a learning curve, especially for users who are unfamiliar with email marketing platforms. However, once you get the hang of it, Mailchimp offers a wide range of tools and templates for customization. It also includes options like A/B testing, automations, and analytics.
Which is better for ease of use?
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- Flodesk wins when it comes to simplicity and ease of use. If you’re someone who values design (which I do) and wants to create stunning emails without getting bogged down by technology, Flodesk is a better option.
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- Mailchimp is best-suited for users who need more robust features and are willing to spend some time learning the platform.
Design and Templates: Flodesk vs. Mailchimp
Flodesk
Flodesk is definitely, hands down, my pick for design. It offers a ton of stunning templates that are modern, stylish, and visually appealing. If your brand is all about aesthetics, Flodesk gives you the ability to create emails that truly stand out. The templates are easy to customize, and you don’t need any coding skills to get professional-looking emails.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp offers a wider variety of templates and customization options compared to Flodesk. However, the designs tend to be more basic. You can get more out of Mailchimp’s templates if you’re familiar with HTML or CSS, as they allow for more customization than Flodesk does. I found that Mailchimp’s design was much harder to use and took way longer to achieve the look I wanted.
Which is better for design?
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- Flodesk is your go-to if design and aesthetics are your priority. Its templates are visually superior, perfect for creatives, influencers, and businesses that need beautiful, on-brand emails.
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- Mailchimp offers more flexibility and customization, but the design quality out of the box is more basic. It’s better for those who prioritize function over form or need highly tailored emails.
Automation Features: Flodesk vs. Mailchimp
Flodesk
Flodesk offers basic automation features. You can set up welcome sequences, abandoned cart emails (if integrated with Shopify), and other simple workflows. While it does a good job for basic needs, Flodesk doesn’t provide the level of automation customization that more advanced users may require. As far as simplicity goes, Flodesk is much more user-friendly, especially for someone who isn’t super techy.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp’s automation features are a little bit more robust. You can create highly targeted customer journeys, set up complex workflows based on user behavior, and implement multistep automations. Whether you’re sending personalized product recommendations, re-engaging inactive subscribers, or setting up intricate sales funnels, Mailchimp’s automation features can handle it all.
Which is better for automation?
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- Flodesk is a good choice for users who need only basic automation features.
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- Mailchimp wins for more advanced automations. If your marketing strategy relies heavily on automated workflows, Mailchimp will give you more flexibility and options.
Analytics and Reporting: Flodesk vs. Mailchimp
Flodesk
Flodesk provides advanced analytics, such as open rates, click rates, and delivery rates. The reporting is clear and easy to understand. It gives indepth details to how your emails, forms, checkouts, and workflows are performing. If you’re looking for detailed insights into your campaigns, Flodesk gives a lot of data to analyze and assess.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp has a few more advanced analytics. It offers comprehensive reporting that includes detailed insights into your audience’s behavior, including geolocation, engagement over time, click maps, and social performance. Mailchimp also provides more advanced data like lifetime customer value and predicted demographics, which can help businesses make data-driven decisions.
Which is better for analytics?
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- Flodesk is great if you only need basic reporting.
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- Mailchimp is the better option if you require more advanced data to inform your marketing strategy.
Integrations: Flodesk vs. Mailchimp
Flodesk
Flodesk offers a limited number of integrations. It connects with tools like Shopify and Zapier. However, the range of integrations is minimal compared to more established platforms. They are continually adding more and more integrations as time progresses.
Mailchimp
Because Mailchimp has been around longer, they offer hundreds of integrations. Whether you’re using e-commerce platforms, CRMs, or social media tools, Mailchimp likely integrates with it. The broad range of integrations makes it a better choice for businesses with complex tech stacks or those that rely heavily on third-party apps.
Which is better for integrations?
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- Flodesk works for basic needs but doesn’t have as many third-party integrations.
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- Mailchimp wins for integrations, especially if you’re running a more complex business with various tools.
Customer Support: Flodesk vs. Mailchimp
Flodesk
Flodesk offers email support and has a growing library of online resources. The platform is known for being user-friendly, so users may not need as much help navigating it.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp offers 24/7 customer support (depending on your plan) via email, live chat, and phone support for higher-tier customers. It also has extensive resources, including guides, tutorials, and a community forum.
Which is better for support?
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- Flodesk customers don’t tend to need as much support because of the simplicity. It provides good support but may be slower.
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- Mailchimp offers more support options, especially for those on paid plans.
Conclusion: Which Platform Is Best for You?
Ultimately, the decision between Flodesk and Mailchimp comes down to your business needs:
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- Choose Flodesk if you value design and simplicity and want a flat-rate pricing structure. It’s perfect for small businesses, creatives, and individuals who want to send visually stunning emails without dealing with overly complex features. Flodesk provides everything a small business owner needs to have successful email marketing.
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- Choose Mailchimp if you need advanced automation, in-depth analytics, and a wide range of integrations. If aesthetics aren’t a priority to you, this option would work. Mailchimp is intended for businesses that require more complex email marketing tools and have the budget to accommodate Mailchimp’s pricing structure as they scale.
I’ve used both software programs, and Flodesk is the winner for me. The flat-rate pricing, beautiful templates, and ease of use make Flodesk my email marketing software of choice. If you’re interested in using Flodesk, you can use my 50% off code HERE.
