At the moment, AWeber and Mailchimp are two of the most popular email marketing services. These platforms are leaders in email marketing, both in terms of features and prices. Before choosing which service to use, you need to be clear about your goals. An email marketing service is assumed to be used for a long time. So, going beyond their superficial resemblance, so let’s consider their features, prices, available forms, customer support, as well as the number and design of templates.
AWeber Email Marketing Review
The AWeber service was created in 1998 to simplify email marketing for small businesses. Over time, it became a leading emailing platform with over a million users. It is known as the first email service that introduced autoresponders. Today, AWeber offers advanced analytics and optimization features. This service has everything that users need to create mailing lists using templates, free images, autoresponders, and more.
To register and start using AWeber for free, you need to click on the green button found on the home page of this service. You need to provide necessary information about yourself, such as name, address, and credit card number. Then, AWeber offers a welcome video that shows you how to create an account, build your first list, and receive email confirmations.
The user interface of AWeber has a logical and intuitive menu with four sections. The first section displays the main components, such as subscribers, messages, and email lists. The second section shows the available assistance, including online tutorials, webinars, and training videos. The third section contains data on working with subscribers, and the fourth one displays the last messages sent and statistics.
AWeber Features
AWeber offers several different types of sending messages. The service saves your messages in a draft state for enabling you to send them in the form of a broadcast, series, or tests. Based on the triggers, you can create automatic messages with time intervals. Blog broadcasts use an RSS feed while you are sending messages to your subscribers via email. To configure autoresponders, you should make an email list, set up a follow-up series, and add more entries.
This platform offers a visual builder that allows you to create your email lists and make changes in them. Segmentation enables you to connect with targeted groups of users interested in selected topics without disturbing other subscribers. AWeber follows the ISP standards for working with emails. It has strict rules about spamming and closely monitors its users. Anyone who sends unsolicited emails is blocked since AWeber does not accept spam.
Concerning promoting affiliate links, AWeber has no restrictions on their use. Given the synchronization with your Facebook account, your new subscribers will see relevant ads on this social network. However, a particular configuration is required for proper integration. You have to upload your lists manually so that new subscribers can see your notifications.
An analytical dashboard provides you with a clear view of AWeber deliverability, openings, and clicks in a graphical format. You can see what content piqued the audience’s interest. Plus, you can detect who have unsubscribed from your messages and track the reasons. This option is designed better than with other AWeber competitors like Constant Contact, GetResponse, or Drip.
How Much Does AWeber Cost?
AWeber prices depend on the number of subscribers. Its free use implies only 500 addresses and 3,000 emails per month. The tariff plan starts at $ 19 per month and includes a free trial period to familiarize you with all the features. This service does not work on the Pay As You Go plan.
Mailchimp Marketing Automation Services
This platform was developed by Rocket Science Group, founded in 2001. To register and start using the service, Mailchimp collects information in a similar way that AWeber does. However, Mailchimp does not require any bank card data. Although the free plan has some limitations on the number of available features, it has an unlimited trial period. The proper use of Mailchimp requires some knowledge of HTML since this service generates codes to embed them on its system.
Once you finish your registration, you will be forwarded to the dashboard to see your options. The user interface of Mailchimp is not overloaded, and it has more options for templates, campaigns, reports, lists, and automated actions. You can explore additional tips for each procedure. Mailchimp allows you to import lists in both Excel and CSV formats. Be sure to match the information provided to the list fields.
MailChimp Functions
With MailChimp, you can create and submit emailing campaigns, build lists, start making your target audience, invite colleagues, and check the results. Mailchimp offers four main types of campaigns. The most commonly used one is a regular mailing. With installed triggers, you can automate your campaigns. You can send emails immediately or schedule them at a later date. Straight text campaigns are easy to submit because they have no formatting options.
Editing email newsletters requires the backend to make these changes. Mailchimp offers many segmentation options depending on the chosen plan. To create segments, you can use data from automation reports, email domains, and campaign activity. An email automation builder is available to use. You can select the predefined workflows or create your own patterns depending on your goals.
The Mailchimp platform follows the latest technology standards and detects unethical email practices. This service immediately processes spam complaints by moving them to a particular folder. The service has strict guidelines for affiliate links, and it has a long list of blacklisted domains. Also, this platform has many variants for integration. Shopify and Squarespace consider this service as a default option. You can run Facebook ads and Google remarketing campaigns right from your Mailchimp account.
If it comes to autoresponders, Mailchimp requires many additional settings. However, your efforts will pay off with time. Mailchimp offers reports stating bounce, open, click-through rates, as well as other metrics. This information is presented on interactive charts and heat maps to show which actions of yours attracted the most subscribers. AWeber has a strong focus on 24/7 customer support. A toll-free phone number and a live chat option are provided for timely feedback and problem-solving.
Mailchimp Plans of Payments
In terms of pricing policy, Mailchimp offers three plans. The free option enables you to serve up to 2,000 subscribers and send up to 12,000 emails a month. The second tariff starts at $ 10 per month and allows sending an unlimited number of emails. The professional plan starts at $ 199 per month and provides you with endless email marketing options. A big advantage is the Pay As You Go mode, with which sending 1,000 emails will cost $ 30, 5,000 emails — $ 150, and 10,000 emails — $ 200.
Mailchimp Versus Aweber: What Is Better For You?
Both AWeber and Mailchimp strive to provide their subscribers with simplicity and functionality of use. Each of these platforms aims to make the registration process and dashboard navigation as comfortable as possible. These two platforms provide many email templates designed for different needs. However, AWeber offers 700 templates, while Mailchimp — only 100. Both services allow you to customize templates and even code your own ones.
Email templates can be automatically resized to suit different receiving devices. AWeber offers a larger number of templates and tries to make the process of emailing easier for newbies. The difference is that Mailchimp focuses more on usability and makes it more convenient to configure email listing.
Both AWeber and Mailchimp use a drag and drop method to edit email lists. This function allows you to add, move, and edit necessary elements, such as texts, logos, and images. Both services can be integrated with major eCommerce platforms such as WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Shopify. Besides, it is possible to incorporate both services with social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Which autoresponder is the best? Well, both Mailchimp and AWeber make it possible to create time-based autoresponders, i.e. series of emails based on time intervals. Setting up automation with AWeber is a little easier. However, Mailchimp offers significantly more functionality judging by autoresponders compared and an autoresponder comparison chart.
Making an AWeber vs Mailchimp price comparison, we can admit that the prices of these two platforms are similar. However, with relatively small mailing volumes, AWeber looks more attractive. But subject to professional use, the Mailchimp paid tariffs have more advantages, primarily due to the expanded functionality and the Pay As You Go method.
So, both services have slightly different features and tools. Not all of them will necessarily be suitable for you. Speaking about the choice of AWeber or Mailchimp, the latter has more advanced segmentation options and offers more automatic emailing functionality. Mailchimp offers more options for reporting and designing messages. Besides, importing data is somewhat smooth with Mailchimp.
Generally, AWeber is aimed at less tech-savvy subscribers. So, it is better than Mailchimp in this aspect. Simultaneously, Mailchimp has limitations on affiliate links and pays much less attention to customer support. If these two parameters are not crucial for you, then Mailchimp is the better option over AWeber.