9 Of The Best Email Marketing Platforms For South African Businesses

Email marketing platforms are tools that allow businesses to design, send, and track email campaigns for marketing purposes. These platforms typically offer a variety of features such as email automation, list segmentation, analytics, and A/B testing to optimize email campaigns. Below are 9 of the top email marketing platforms, each with its own strengths and target audience.

Platform Pricing
Mailchimp
Free plan with basic features

Up to 500 contacts – R280 per month

Up to 1,500 contacts – R630 per month
Constant Contact
Lite – $12 per month (R216 per month)

Standard – $35 per month (R630 per month)

Premium – $80 per month (1440 per month)
Active Campaign
Starter – $15 per month (R270 per month)

Plus – $49 per month (R882 per month)

Pro – $79/month (R1422 per month)
Kit
Free plan with up to 10,000 subscribers

Creator – $25 per month (R450 per month)

Creator Pro – $50 per month (R900 per month)
Klaviyo
Free plan

Email plan – $45 per month (R810 per month)

Email & SMS – $60 per month (R1080 per month)
Moosend
Free plan available

Pro – $9 per month (R162 per month)
MailerLite
Free plan available

Growing business – $9 per month (R162 per month)

Advanced – $18 per month (R324 per month)
Brevo
Free plan available

Starter – $8 per month (R144 per month)

Business – $16 per month (R288 per month)

Rand/Dollar Exchange Rate Assumed is R18 to $1. 

  1. Mailchimp

Best for: Small to medium-sized businesses, beginners

  • Features:
    • Drag-and-drop email builder
    • Pre-designed email templates
    • Email automation and segmentation
    • A/B testing for campaigns
    • Detailed analytics and reporting
    • Integrations with popular tools like Shopify, WordPress, and social media platforms
  • Pricing: Offers a free plan with basic features for smaller lists; paid plans provide more advanced automation, analytics, and higher sending limits.
  1. Constant Contact

Best for: Small businesses, entrepreneurs

  • Features:
    • Easy-to-use email editor
    • Pre-built templates and customizable designs
    • List segmentation and tagging
    • Email automation and drip campaigns
    • Social media posting and ad management
    • Event marketing features (RSVP, ticketing)
  • Pricing: Offers a 60-day free trial; paid plans are based on list size, with more advanced features at higher tiers.
  1. ActiveCampaign

Best for: Businesses focused on email automation, CRM, and sales

  • Features:
    • Advanced email automation workflows
    • Customer relationship management (CRM) tools
    • Segmentation and dynamic content
    • A/B testing and split testing
    • In-depth reporting and analytics
    • Integration with over 850 apps and services
  • Pricing: No free plan, but a 14-day free trial is available. Pricing is based on the number of contacts, with more features unlocked at higher tiers.
  1. Kit (formerly ConvertKit)

Best for: Creators, bloggers, influencers, and online businesses

  • Features:
    • Simple, user-friendly interface
    • Visual automation workflows for easy email sequence creation
    • Landing page builder and forms for list building
    • Tagging and segmentation of subscribers
    • Email broadcasting and newsletters
  • Pricing: Offers a free plan with basic features. Paid plans are based on the number of subscribers and provide more advanced automation and features.
  1. Klaviyo

Best for: E-commerce businesses

  • Features:
    • Advanced segmentation based on customer behavior and purchase history
    • Personalized email and SMS marketing automation
    • A/B testing and analytics for optimizing campaigns
    • Integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more
    • Pre-built email templates and product recommendation features
  • Pricing: Offers a free plan for up to 250 contacts and 500 email sends; pricing increases based on the number of contacts and emails sent.
  1. Moosend

Best for: Growing businesses and marketers seeking cost-effective solutions

  • Features:
    • Drag-and-drop email editor
    • Marketing automation with workflow builder
    • A/B testing and advanced reporting
    • Subscription forms and landing page tools
    • E-commerce integrations and product recommendations
  • Pricing: Free plan available for up to 1,000 subscribers; paid plans offer more advanced features at affordable prices.
  1. MailerLite

Best for: Small businesses, bloggers, and creators

  • Features:
    • Easy-to-use email campaign builder
    • Automation workflows and tagging
    • Landing page builder and pop-ups for list building
    • A/B testing and detailed reporting
    • Integrations with eCommerce platforms and social media tools
  • Pricing: Free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month; paid plans unlock more features and greater sending limits.
  1. Brevo

All-in-one marketing automation platform designed for small to medium-sized businesses. Brevo is known for its ease of use, affordability, and comprehensive feature set that includes email marketing, SMS marketing, and CRM tools.

 

Email Marketing Features:

  • Email Campaigns: Create and send customizable email campaigns with a drag-and-drop editor.
  • Templates: A wide variety of professionally designed templates to get you started quickly.
  • Segmentation: Easily segment your email list based on customer behavior, demographics, and engagement history for targeted campaigns.
  • A/B Testing: Test different subject lines, designs, or content to optimize email performance.
  • Email Automation: Set up automated workflows for welcome emails, drip campaigns, abandoned cart reminders, etc.

Brevo offers a flexible pricing structure based on the number of emails sent and the features needed. There are free and paid plans:

  • Free Plan: Includes 300 emails per day and access to basic features such as email campaigns, SMS, and marketing automation.
  • Lite Plan: Starts at a low cost and provides additional features, including unlimited email sends, advanced reporting, and more.
  • Premium and Enterprise Plans: Provide full access to Brevo’s advanced tools like segmentation, A/B testing, and priority support, suitable for larger businesses with more complex needs.

Choosing the best email marketing platform depends on your specific needs. Each platform offers unqiue features that cater to different busiess requirements. It’s essential to assess what works best for your target market, budget and marketing goals.