The great debate of Flodesk vs Mailchimp. We’re digging into the comparison.
Update- As of 2024, we have switched to ConvertKit. To read more about our review of Flodesk vs ConvertKit, head this way. In the meantime, this blog post below is our honest comparison between Flodesk vs Mailchimp.
If you’re a small business owner, marketer, or entrepreneur looking for an email marketing platform, chances are you’ve encountered both Flodesk and Mailchimp. Both platforms offer great features and have legions of loyal users. So which one is the right fit for your business? Which one will save you time with automation? Which platform will save you money?
We were once loyal users of Mailchimp and made the switch in 2022 to Flodesk. We will get into the pros and cons of both, and our overall thoughts on why we decided to switch to Flodesk. Let’s take a closer look at Flodesk vs Mailchimp.
Why an Email Marketing Platform?
Sure, social media is great and all, but building your email list is building your community. Think about it. How many people do you give your email address to? If someone is loyal enough to get on your email list, they truly believe in what you are sending out or trust that you are not going to spam them.
Plus, Meta, Elon, or any other media mogul is going to take your email community away from you. This is your community!
If you want to switch email marketing software companies, marketing tools, or any platform, your email list is YOUR email list. Cherish it!
Flodesk vs Mailchimp: How we arrived here
Let’s start by telling you that for years we were with Mailchimp. It just seemed like the platform most people used. It was easy. Sure, it was a little boring, but it was comfortable. As our mailing list grew, so did the price. As our need for automation grew, so did the price.
We tried out Flodesk and the first thing we noticed was the aesthetic. Wow. It is just…wow! We’ll get into the pricing and ease of use in just a moment.
Flodesk
When it comes to Flodesk, one of its biggest selling points is its modern design. The drag-and-drop editor makes creating emails simple and straightforward even for complete beginners. Plus, it offers a wide range of templates so you don’t have to start from scratch when designing emails.
If you have zero design experience, you don’t have to have any graphic software. Flodesk has enough templates to make you very happy with the look and feel of your emails. However, this platform isn’t free – but there are no changes when your list grows or when your needs grow. It is $38 per month and that includes just about everything you could want. If you ever want to add a checkout option for shopping, it is $59 per month. Those prices are flat and do not change.
We have a Flodesk discount code if you want to save 50% off of your first year to make it $19/month. You can grab that discount code here.
Mailchimp
As we spoke about, for many years, Mailchimp has been a go-to choice for small businesses and entrepreneurs that needed an easy-to-use email marketing platform. It offers a range of features and provides users with plenty of flexibility and customization options.
We hear people all the time say, “but they have a free plan.” Sure. They have a free plan that limits you to 500 contacts, no tracking, and very limited branding options. Your goal is to grow your email community. With that being said, the pricing structure is not very helpful for small businesses.
You start around $13 per month but as you add on the things you need and grow, you could be paying around $350 per month. We’re not sure about you, but that is a lot to us, for email marketing.
Also, its user interface can be overwhelming for some people – especially beginners – and there are extra fees for things like automation or advanced segmentation. Ugh… ugh…ugh. Are you understanding where we are leaning towards?
Flodesk vs Mailchimp Pricing Structure
As if we haven’t talked about it. Let’s dig in a bit more.
The pricing structure that Mailchimp offers has long been a sticking point for many users. The cost of their plans increases as you add more contacts, which can be frustrating if your customer base is constantly changing. On top of that, some features like simple social media sharing are only available in higher-tier plans, making it difficult to access all the features you need without breaking the bank.
On the other hand, Flodesk offers a flat rate fee no matter how many contacts you have. This makes it easier to budget for your email marketing expenses—you always know exactly how much you’ll be paying each month. You don’t want pressure on the fact that you are growing your community. It’s a good thing! Why should you be penalized for it?!
Plus, with Flodesk all features are included in their plan so there’s no need to upgrade unless you want to add additional team members, accounts, or a checkout option.
Flodesk vs Mailchimp Design Options
When it comes to design options, both platforms offer a range of templates and customization options so that you can create emails that match your brand aesthetic perfectly. However, Mailchimp tends to favor more traditional designs while Flodesk encourages users to explore more creative options like video backgrounds and interactive elements such as quizzes and polls. This allows businesses to stand out from the crowd and engage their customers in new ways.
Flodesk vs Mailchimp Automation Features
Automation is key in email marketing—it allows businesses to send personalized messages quickly and easily without having to create each one from scratch manually. In this regard, both platforms offer comprehensive automation capabilities.
However, Flodesk takes it one step further by allowing users to create ‘sequences’—a series of automated emails sent out over time at specific intervals—with just a few clicks of the mouse. This makes staying in touch with customers easier than ever before.
We have found that the Flodesk workflows make things so much more productive. Yes, their automation is great, but we want to add that if you need help, they have guides to follow, but their immediate customer service doesn’t exist.
Our Choice for Flodesk vs Mailchimp
If you are considering Flodesk vs Mailchimp, for us, there is a clear winner between the two. That is Flodesk. When it comes to choosing an email marketing platform; you want marketing automation that works best for your business needs and goals.
Both platforms offer great features but have their own strengths and weaknesses. We are not denying that Flodesk does not have flaws. Our open rate has not increased much, and the onboarding process was a bit of a nightmare in getting Flodesk to understand our sender reputation.
Ultimately, only you can decide which platform will help make your email campaigns successful. If you would like to save some money, you can use our Flodesk referral code HERE. 50% off if the first year is a BIG DEAL!
You can always use the referral but of course, use the 30-day free trial. If you don’t like it, you can opt-out. You don’t pay for anything without trying it out first. Again, a win for Flodesk.
Frequently Asked Questions | FAQs
It is an easy process, logistically. However, we did have issues with our emails going into spam when we made the switch. Flodesk walked us through a ton of backend work on our website, connecting the DNS records with Flodesk, but once that was done, it seemed to work itself out. I’d say, it was still worth the switch, but the process was not fun.
Yes! That is one of the fabulous things about it. We love our WordPress! You can design wonderful pop-ups, and inline forms, or connect with platforms like Zapier to send info between the two. They work beautifully together and it is easy.
Absolutely. Similar to Mailchimp and most email marketing platforms, you can have a landing page for any segment sign-up, create a workflow for a freebie, or do anything you’d like. You can use their templates or create your own but theirs are really modern and pretty.
We are thrilled to have made the switch to ConvertKit. While we are happy to have left MailChimp for Flodesk, we are happier to have now landed with ConvertKit. You can read more about that in our discussion of Flodesk vs ConvertKit.
