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Mailchimp vs Flodesk: Is It Time to Make the Switch?
Two of the most popular email marketing platforms are MailChimp and Flodesk. MailChimp is the most well-known and widely used of the two because it's been in the business for years. It is, in fact, one of the first email marketing software programs on the market. While MailChimp offers many features to grow an online business, it does have pros and cons.
Flodesk is the new kid on the block. But despite being on the scene for only a few years, it's been winning over entrepreneurs globally.
Say you're considering changing your email marketing software or looking for one for the first time; which one is better, MailChimp or Flodesk? In this guide, we are checking out the pros and cons of these email marketing software programs to determine which one makes the best fit for your business:
MailChimp
MailChimp launched in 2001 as a side project and became so widely used within just a few short years that it was delivering 10 billion emails by 2014. By 2016, MailChimp had won numerous awards and was ranked 7 by Forces on its 2016 Cloud 100 list. Each day, MailChimp gets about 14K new users.
Pros
- Affordable
- Ideal for small businesses
- Trusted and secured platform
- Advanced options for different formats
- Easy integration with various third-party integrations
- With built-in analytics and tracking
Cons
- Slow form builder
- Limited embedded form options
- Requires advanced custom CSS to customise forms and emails
- Complicated interface
- Complex back-end system
- Limited high-end design options for fonts and graphics
Affordable and designed for small businesses, MailChimp makes email automation a breeze as long as you have some technical know-how. The platform is secure, and integration with many third-party apps is relatively smooth.
While MailChimp is one of the most widely used email automation apps on the market, it's also one of the most outdated. There are few options for form designs as well as font and graphics, so staying on-brand will be complicated if you're trying to maintain a certain aesthetic. The platform also requires advanced custom CSS if you want to customise the forms and emails according to your brand. The complex back-end and complicated interface do not help; there is a learning curve in navigating the program.
Flodesk
Flodesk started in 2019, and in the short time it launched, it won over content creators and online entrepreneurs, particularly female solopreneurs, with its gorgeous email templates, simple workflows, and user-friendly front and back end.
Flodesk is known for its clean, minimalist dashboard, intuitive user interface, and user-friendly editing tools. The platform is GDPR compliant. Flodesk offers a range of useful tools for creating forms, workflows, template emails, and even Shopify integrations. The design-centric templates and formats make Flodesk popular among lifestyle bloggers, fashion editors, beauty influencers, and home decor gurus.
Pros
- Beautiful email design
- Unique font and style options
- Easy drag-and-drop form and email builder
- Simple, user-friendly interface
- Stylish templates for emails and forms
- Seamless Shopify integration
- Dependable automation flows
- A secure and safe platform
- No extra charge for more subscribers
- Preset brand colours and styles for on-brand emails and forms
- Social media-optimised formats
Cons
- Limited e-commerce integration
- Limited integration with WooCommerce and other third-party plugins
- Limited Shopify segmentation
The clean, minimalist back-end and trendy, eye-catching email and opt-in forms are a huge draw for entrepreneurs, but e-commerce integration remains limited. That said, Flodesk is a relatively new service and is expected to improve e-commerce integration for big online stores soon.
Mailchimp vs. Flodesk: Which is Better for Your Business?
Features
Both platforms are feature-rich but being the veteran in the industry, it's not surprising that MailChimp offers more features. MailChimp started as a basic email marketing software program but has since grown into a CRM. It's not suitable for beginners or solopreneurs and is best for small to medium-sized businesses.
Flodesk is a new service, so the features are still limited to email marketing. However, the platform is setting its sights on bigger and better features in the near future. Flodesk is best for indie business owners, solopreneurs and design-focused influencers.
Winner: MailChimp
Templates
MailChimp has dozens of form and email templates to choose from; some are free, and most are paid templates. But all the forms are focused most on function rather than form. The templates are outdated, and customising these can be downright tedious because of the CSS-based customisation option.
Flodesk is best known for its wide range of modern, attractive forms and sleek templates. The developers expertly combined form and function into every design. Customisation is easy with Flodesk's drag-and-drop feature. You can also import font and visuals if you cannot find the right one from Flodesk's hundreds of font style options.
Winner: Flodesk
Pricing
Between the two services, MailChimp is more expensive. The price is not as high as other services, but MailChimp still commands premium pricing for its tiered services. The prices will also change depending on the growing size of your mailing list.
On the other hand, Flodesk offers a flat rate of $38 or 34 pounds for unlimited access to all of its features. That's an unprecedented offer, and no other email marketing programs offer the same price. Flodesk does not have a free plan like MailChimp (limited plan), but it provides a 30-day trial, and you will access all of its features throughout the free trial period.
Winner: Flodesk
User Experience
MailChimp is notorious for its tough learning curve. You cannot simply edit a template or form unless you know how to use codes. The navigation is laggy, complicated, and clunky. The features are more complex, so the service is best for advanced users. The complicated back-end systems will require much tinkering. Even embedding a form on a site using codes will need a lot of testing to get it right.
Flodesk is one of the easiest-to-use email marketing software programs in the business, thanks to its drag-and-drop editing feature and intuitive interface. Navigating the back-end is easy, and you won't deal with codes when editing and embedding forms on your website.
Winner: Flodesk
MailChimp has more to offer to advanced users, but the clunky forms, complicated navigation, and outdated designs will put off users with minimal technical skills. For me, Flodesk wins with its intuitive interface, easy customisation, and affordable price point. Flodesk may have limitations with e-commerce integration, but it's still a new program, and developers are sure to grow its features soon.
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