EmailOctopus

"KISS for email marketing"

Comments: I use it to send a weekly email to my former ukulele students (300+). I also send out 'tech tips' to authors on a semi-regular basis.

Pros: What I love most about email octopus is the simplicity of it. The interface is minimal by design which doesn't derail me when I just need to get an email out to my lists.

Cons: I would love it if they supported markdown.

"Probably one of the best & most cost-effective ESP's out there!"

Comments: Truly outstanding customer service. Quick response times and always willing to go out their way to ensure that you are properly looked after. This too is one of the key reasons why we are still with EO and have no intention of leaving. Solid company and staff all round!

Pros: The thing we love most, is that when you link your Amazon SES account with Email Octopus, you can get a real bargain, esp. when compared to other ESPs out there. The user interface is very intuitive and simple to use, yet, it comes with very advanced email marketing features. All in all, we can recommend EO to anyone looking for an advanced email marketing system that doesn't break the bank.

Cons: In terms of advanced segmentation, the current version is still somewhat limited, but I've been in touch with their support team who have ensured us that it's on it's way. But other than that, no complaints whatsoever.

Alternatives Considered: SendGrid

Reasons for Choosing EmailOctopus: MailChimp is good, but far too expensive, esp. when you have a larger email database and send out weekly newsletters.

Switched From: Mailchimp

Reasons for Switching to EmailOctopus: While SendGrid is known for their ultra-high deliverability rate, the UX of their platform is sub-optimal. We managed to figure things out, but their built-in email templates were seriously lacking in creativity and weren't optimised for mobile at all. After signing up with Email Octopus, we ensured that everything was properly set up with Amazon SES (which granted, took a bit of reading up), but we now have an above average deliverability, open and click rate.

"Unfair comparison with Mailchimp"

Comments: I like it, but that's because I found workarounds. Fx. I design the NewsLetter in MailChimp and copy/paste the HTML. It works fine that way.

Pros: I moved from MailChimp, because of the price tag. Octopus is way cheaper, but it's still possible to send the same quality emails and that's​ great.

Cons: 1. A better interface to make your own template/design. Limitations in fonts, sizes, etc 2. List features are limited. No way to create segments or groups based on subscriber data. 3. Regarding reports: A graphic overview of where the clicks are placed.

"Simple mailing lists"

Comments: I don't think I've ever had a better experience integrating with an API than with EmailOctopus. Their email support is also one of the best I've ever dealt with.

Pros: I like how quickly I was able to set it up. I also frequently give their API documentation as an example of a perfectly written document. While composing a new campaign, the UI doesn't get in the way and I'm able to just get down to work.

Cons: I couldn't figure out a way to "merge" multiple user lists, or send a campaign to users from multiple different lists at once.

"Reliable and cost-effective"

Comments: Overall I've been very pleased. I have tried several other providers and found that this service is excellent and compares well with other providers who charge a lot more for similar features.

Pros: EmailOctopus offers a reliable platform at an excellent price, and the level of customer support is particularly good. Questions are answered promptly and efficiently. The platform is easy to use and has a good range of features.

Cons: I'd like to see the drag and drop email editor improved. It works well enough and the emails look good, but it is not as slick as other editors I've used.

Alternatives Considered: MailerLite and Mailchimp

Reasons for Choosing EmailOctopus: I wanted to switch from a self-hosted email platform to a hosted one, and it was important that the service I chose integrated with Bookfunnel and my website.

Reasons for Switching to EmailOctopus: I've tried all those listed and a few more. MailerLite let me down several times. They were unreliable and their support was poor. Sendfox is very basic and charges for options such as single optin lists. Mailpoet has a great editor and integrates with my site beautifully, but it didn't integrate with Bookfunnel, and that was a dealbreaker. Mailchimp has become very expensive.