When it comes to email marketing software, AWeber and MailerLite are two of the most well-known platforms on the market. Choosing the right one for your business is crucial to allow you to create professional email campaigns, grow your lists, and track your results over time.
In this article, we compare AWeber vs MailerLite across several key criteria to help you determine which solution best fits your business needs and budget. Specifically, we analyze and contrast features and functionality, ease of use, customization options, integrations, analytics, reliability, customer support, pricing, and more.
Our goal is to provide an informative, unbiased comparison to empower aspiring business owners with the knowledge to select the best email marketing platform for their unique requirements.
1. Understanding the Basics
AWeber was founded in 1998 by Tom Kulzer. It is one of the largest email service providers with over 120,000 customers. AWeber has established itself as an industry leader.
MailerLite launched in 2010. The founder, Ignas Rubezius is from Vilnius, Lithuania. Over 1 million businesses use MailerLite globally, though AWeber still edges them out in the US market share.
Both companies have active social media presences:
In terms of market position, AWeber commands 29.6% of the email marketing industry based on the number of customers. Its main competition is MailChimp, which edges it out by 0.7% for the #1 US spot. MailerLite has a 12% global market share, establishing itself as the 3rd largest email service provider internationally after AWeber and MailChimp.
2. Features and Functionality
Automation
AWeber
AWeber offers a visual email editor to create broadcasts and automation flows using drag-and-drop tools. You can trigger emails based on subscriber actions, schedule sends, and integrate with webinars or landing pages.
Key automation features include welcome emails sent immediately when a subscriber signs up, RSS-to-email campaigns that pull blog post content, and follow-up sequences based on subscriber engagement.
You can set delays, create segments, and customize further based on tags and user profiles. Advanced options include split testing email content, linking automation together to create complex workflows, and integrating with over 750+ third-party apps via Zapier.
Overall, AWeber provides robust automation for savvy marketers. The workflow builder enables intricate sequences with multiple conditional paths. However, for beginners, it may feel overwhelming compared to MailerLite’s simplicity.
MailerLite
MailerLite focuses on easy drag-and-drop automation with pre-built templates for common uses like welcome series, course sequences, weekly digests, and more. All core features are included free for up to 1,000 subscribers.
Automation triggers include time delays, specific actions, date-based schedules, and tags/segments. Email content pulls in subscriber fields and custom properties for personalization. You can also create multi-step workflows using a straightforward visual builder.
While MailerLite doesn’t offer quite the complexity of AWeber, its simplicity makes it easy for novices to create automated sequences without learning a complex system. The range of pre-built templates provides helpful starting points.
Winner: Tie
This MailerLite AWeber autoresponder comparison shows that both email marketing service providers offer extensive email automation capabilities to engage subscribers over time. AWeber offers more advanced options for sophisticated users while MailerLite earns points for simplicity and ease of use.
For the average small business owner getting started with email marketing and landing page building, MailerLite may be less intimidating. But AWeber enables greater customization for your digital marketing campaigns. We consider it a tie between the two platforms in this category.
Email Templates
AWeber
AWeber offers hundreds of professionally designed email templates across dozens of niches and campaign types. You can fully customize templates using the drag-and-drop editor in the email builder and landing page builder, which comes with personalized elements, images, and custom CSS/HTML code.
All templates are mobile-optimized and coded with responsive design for effective email marketing campaigns. Options range from simple one-column layouts to more advanced templates with complex grid structures and intricate formatting.
AWeber makes it easy to design on-brand email templates that match your website. While you have extensive control to customize, those without coding skills may find some complex templates overwhelming to edit.
MailerLite
MailerLite focuses more on drag-and-drop simplicity in its template builder vs advanced customization options. The template editor is easy to use with responsive blocks that resize for mobile.
While MailerLite has fewer total templates than AWeber, the templates that are available span common marketing use cases with an emphasis on simplicity and flexibility. Less experienced users will find it easier to edit MailerLite templates.
Overall the template options are sufficient for most small businesses, if not as robustly extensive as AWeber’s. However, the simplicity of editing the sign-up forms and email templates does make up for it for non-technical users.
Winner: AWeber
AWeber wins when it comes to the quantity and quality of professionally designed email templates. The expansive library covers nearly any use case and provides ample starting points whether you want a simple one-column newsletter or a complex promotional template design.
While MailerLite templates may rank better for ease of editing, AWeber balances customization and pre-designed visual excellence.
Segmentation
AWeber
AWeber enables both basic segmentation using tags and lists as well as advanced options like segmentation funnels and custom subscriber profiles.
You can create manual segments or set up automated segmentation rules based on subscriber behavior, interests, demographics, and more. Segment subscribers via tags, link clicks, email engagement, location, custom fields, and other data points.
Advanced features include segmentation funnels for multi-step targeting and integration with 3rd party data sources like analytics and CRM platforms to leverage external data points for segmentation.
Overall, AWeber provides robust, complex segmentation capabilities for sophisticated email marketers. The breadth of options allows extremely customized, personalized communication through segments.
MailerLite
MailerLite offers straightforward tag-based segmentation to group subscribers and sends targeted campaigns. You can manually assign tags or set up automation to tag subscribers who take certain actions.
While MailerLite doesn’t offer AWeber’s depth of custom fields, profiles, and segmentation funnels, its features do cover the basic needs of small business owners getting started with targeted email marketing.
The interface simplifies creating segmented groups without extensive configuration. However, advanced users may find MailerLite lacking in some enterprise-level segmentation functionality offered by AWeber.
Winner: AWeber
AWeber wins when it comes to segmentation flexibility and customization power.
MailerLite offers a simplified, tag-based approach ideal for email marketing beginners, while AWeber provides greater complexity for advanced personalization, intricate behavioral targeting, and custom subscriber profiles that enterprise marketing teams demand. For advanced segmentation needs, AWeber is the clear leader.
Analytics
AWeber
AWeber provides robust analytics to track email opens, clicks, unsubscribes, shares, link click-through rates, browsing behavior, and more.
Dashboards display high-level campaign performance metrics while drill-down reports showcase granular data on individual sends. You can analyze stats by segment and view heatmaps showing user click patterns. Integrations with Google Analytics and ad platforms provide further insights.
Advanced features include A/B testing capabilities and opportunities to customize reports. The breadth of available behavioral, demographic, and engagement analytics allows deep analysis. For savvy email marketers, these insights inform segment targeting and content optimization.
However, smaller businesses may find the expansive analytics overwhelming compared to MailerLite’s streamlined reporting.
MailerLite
MailerLite focuses its analytics on providing the core email metrics most important for small business owners rather than in-depth analysis.
The dashboard displays open, clicks, unsubscribes, spam complaints, links clicked, etc. You can view graphs and stats for individual campaigns as well as compare performance across campaigns.
While analytics lack sophistication compared to AWeber, MailerLite more neatly packages the most essential metrics into digestible reports and graphs that beginners can easily interpret.
Winner: Tie
AWeber wins with the power users based on expansive, sophisticated analytics while MailerLite takes the lead when it comes to simplicity and ease of use for email marketing novices.
We consider it a tie – AWeber for those desiring enterprise-grade analytics and MailerLite for small businesses seeking straightforward, essential performance stats without complexity.
Unique Features
AWeber
Some standout capabilities that AWeber offers that MailerLite does not include are the following – split testing to optimize emails, interest-based subscriber preferences so members can fine-tune targeting relevancy, social posting integrations that allow users to schedule direct social posts all from the AWeber dashboard itself, press release distribution tools, and the availability of dedicated IP addresses.
The breadth of integrations, personalization options, and advanced features like split testing and dedicated IPs cater primarily to power email marketers who desire sophistication. But for users only wanting simple email campaigns, they provide more complexity than necessary.
MailerLite
MailerLite shines when it comes to their generous free plan which supports up to 1,000 subscribers compared to AWeber’s limit of only 500 subscribers on its entry-level offering.
Seamless integration with WordPress websites and blogs makes it easy to set up opt-in forms while expanding international reach by supporting 12 languages enabling this tool to better serve global businesses on a daily basis compared to English-only AWeber.
MailerLite also focuses heavily on education through an extensive blog and resources designed to teach email marketing best practices to owners and entrepreneurs.
So while MailerLite doesn’t have as many robust tools targeting power users, it makes email marketing more accessible for small business owners through educational content, free usage tiers, multilingual access, and WordPress integration not matched by AWeber.
Winner: Tie
In summary, both platforms provide unique standout capabilities. AWeber excels when it comes to advanced functionality desired by sophisticated email marketers.
MailerLite’s strengths lie in making quality email marketing more accessible for small business owners through education, affordable (even free) plans, seamless WordPress integration, and multilingual support not offered by AWeber. We consider it a tie based on the unique strengths of each solution.
3. Ease of Use
AWeber
AWeber provides a modern, intuitive drag-and-drop interface for building emails, creating signup forms, and managing campaigns. The dashboard neatly organizes key data into graphs and reports for at-a-glance performance tracking.
For beginners, the extensive feature set does present a learning curve. While AWeber offers thorough tutorials and 24/7 support, the initial onboarding can feel overwhelming to newcomers. Expect a time investment upfront in learning the platform.
Overall though, seasoned email marketers find AWeber easy to navigate.
Clean menu layouts and ample help documentation make most common tasks like designing emails, segmenting subscribers, and reviewing analytics straightforward for those familiar with email services. But it caters more to savvy users vs beginners.
MailerLite
MailerLite uses a highly visual, drag-and-drop editor optimized for simplicity and ease of use. The dashboard focuses specifically on key metrics most important for small businesses rather than complex data.
Onboarding guides, webinars, and blog tutorials make it easy even for complete email marketing beginners to get started. MailerLite’s pared-down interface allows basic email creation, design, testing, and sending without a steep learning curve.
While power users may desire more sophisticated functionality, small business owners benefit from the clean, distraction-free interface focused specifically on making common tasks easy.
Winner: MailerLite
Between the two platforms, MailerLite wins out on beginner-friendliness and simplicity of the user interface.
Streamlined features, a clean dashboard, a guided setup, and easy drag-and-drop editing make it straightforward even for complete email marketing novices to get started. While AWeber provides greater power, MailerLite claims top honors for out-of-the-box ease of use.
4. Email Deliverability
AWeber
AWeber invests heavily in deliverability through proprietary IP warming technology, inbox placement monitoring, and advanced spam testing.
New accounts start with a shared IP address until steadily warming a dedicated IP reserved solely for your account. This prevents the IP from getting flagged as spam due to overuse. AWeber also runs rigorous tests checking major inbox providers for blacklisting and spam folder filtering.
Deliverability rates typically reach over 99%, ensuring strong email deliverability. Features like link protection, abuse complaint monitoring, analytics by major ISPs, and customized feedback loops enable advanced users to further optimize delivery.
The focus on warming IPs and testing against filters translates to reliable inbox placement. But involves some patience as you scale email volume.
MailerLite
MailerLite likewise warms dedicated IP addresses automatically. Free accounts start on shared IPs while paid plans reserve a dedicated address used solely by your business to protect the sender’s reputation.
Real-time alerts notify users of blacklistings or spam complaints. You can preview your emails across 30+ inbox providers to check rendering before sending. MailerLite also allows accessing raw email logs for deeper debugging.
While features aren’t as robust as AWeber, MailerLite still produces excellent deliverability through warmed IPs, spam monitoring, inbox previews, and logging/alert capabilities.
Winner: AWeber
Both platforms invest heavily in optimized deliverability through inbox monitoring, spam checks, and warming IP addresses before use.
However, AWeber edges out MailerLite with additional capabilities like inbox placement analytics segmented by ISP, customized feedback loops to work directly with major mailbox providers on improving delivery, and more granular real-time spam test features.
5. Customer Support and Community
AWeber
AWeber provides 24/7 email support with fairly quick response times under 24 hours. They also offer live chat support and phone support during extended business hours (9 am – 8 pm ET) for on-demand answers to more urgent issues.
The help center includes useful tutorials, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides for self-service. An active user community shares tips in the AWeber forums. You can also follow AWeber on social media for fresh updates and education.
Overall, AWeber provides a wealth of options for troubleshooting issues that arise – direct support channels, a robust help center, and an engaged community. However, phone support lags MailerLite.
MailerLite
MailerLite offers exceptional support through live chat, email ticketing, and phone available 24/7 – exceeding AWeber’s support hours. The interface makes it easy to start a live chat or check existing ticket status.
Like AWeber, MailerLite also provides a help center with DIY guides and tutorials for self-service. An active Facebook group users engage in further helps troubleshoot issues.
The 24/7 phone and live chat combined with an extensive knowledge base and Facebook community give MailerLite the support edge over AWeber.
Winner: MailerLite
When it comes to supporting access, MailerLite edges out AWeber by offering phone assistance 24/7 as well as more immediate resolution via always-available live chat.
Combined with DIY help guides and an active social community, MailerLite makes multiple channels available to quickly troubleshoot email marketing issues at any hour.
6. Integrations
AWeber
AWeber partners with over 750 third-party applications via Zapier allowing connections to popular apps. Native integrations also exist for leading tech like WordPress, Facebook, and Shopify.
Specifically, you can integrate AWeber with all the major categories including CRM and marketing automation platforms like ActiveCampaign, and Drip HubSpot; e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce; webinar and event platforms like GoToWebinar, and Demio; analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Mixpanel and more.
The breadth of integrations makes AWeber a customizable hub to centralize systems. However, the setup does require some technical know-how in most cases vs more turnkey solutions with MailerLite.
MailerLite
MailerLite specializes in seamless WordPress integration using an embedded plugin for easy installation. This allows opt-in forms, post notifications and directly accessing site email lists without manual syncing.
For 3rd party connections to your MailerLite account, Zapier also enables 2000+ program integrations similar to AWeber including CRMs, analytics, e-commerce, etc. – though native bi-directional sync isn’t built in upfront like with WordPress.
So MailerLite prioritizes WordPress connectivity with more lightweight integrations to supplementary systems. This caters more to the tech comfort level of small business owners vs engineers.
Winner: Tie
Ultimately the breadth of available integrations is a tie between the two platforms thanks to shared access to Zapier’s library and MailerLite’s focus on turning key solutions like WordPress and Shopify into more turnkey offerings out of the box.
AWeber provides the most robust technical ecosystem for custom builds while MailerLite simplifies core connections more suitable for small business users.
7. Pricing
AWeber
AWeber pricing is tiered based on number of subscribers, starting at $12.50/month for up to 500 subscribers. Higher tiers scale up to unlimited subscribers at $899/month.
Key features like signup forms, drip campaigns, basic analytics, etc. are included across all plans. Higher tiers add more broadcast emails per month, landing pages, and advanced features like split testing.
Custom pricing is available for large lists above 25,000 subscribers. Discounts are offered for annual plans. Overall, published pricing is straightforward but costs do add up for larger lists depending on scale.
MailerLite
MailerLite takes a different approach with a generous plan supporting up to 2,500 subscribers for $9/month, with the highest Enterprise tier accommodating 100,000 subscribers.
The free user threshold provides ample room for startups and small businesses to test and grow before needing to pay. Scale past 1,000 and paid plans deliver strong value with advanced features like A/B testing included even at lower tiers.
Published monthly rates are very affordable, especially for small businesses. Custom enterprise quotes are also available for large customer needs.
Winner: MailerLite
When it comes to published pricing, MailerLite beats AWeber by offering a forever free plan with up to 1,000 subscribers along with affordable scaling.
Small businesses can use MailerLite essentially for free in the early stages while established companies enjoy competitive rates at higher tiers. AWeber requires payment upfront limiting early stage testing.
8. Reviews and Reputation
AWeber
AWeber earns positive reviews for its sophisticated feature set, deliverability rates, and quality customer support with a super fast response time. Users praise the extensive capabilities, segmentation options, and integrations available for savvy email marketers.
Some drawbacks mentioned in reviews include the learning curve for new users thanks to the robust platform. Occasional frustrations with complexity and getting ramped up are cited. But most agree AWeber provides enterprise-grade power when mastered.
With over 120,000 customers globally, AWeber enjoys a trusted status as an email marketing leader. While not as affordable or beginner-friendly as some competitors, its reputation for enabling sophisticated email campaigns is well-earned.
MailerLite
MailerLite wins widespread praise for ease of use, affordability, and smooth WordPress integration. Users highlight the intuitive drag-and-drop editor, quality templates, robust tech-support, and strength of the free usage tier.
Potential weaknesses noted include less advanced list segmentation/analytics capabilities compared to AWeber which has more features, including dynamic content features, even on the basic package. However, most reviews agree the simplified features meet the needs of small business owners at a more affordable price point.
With over 1 million users globally, MailerLite balances power and simplicity for email marketing novices. Its reputation centers around approachability and delivering core features businesses rely on without unnecessary complexity.
Winner: Tie
In terms of reputation and reviews, AWeber and MailerLite each earn excellent marks catering to differing needs. AWeber stands out for marketing sophistication while MailerLite, compared to AWeber and other platforms, makes email marketing more affordable and accessible to small businesses.
We consider it a tie – AWeber wins with power users while MailerLite claims top marks for simplicity from growing businesses on a budget.
9. FAQ’s
AWeber
- What are AWeber’s biggest strengths?
AWeber’s biggest strengths lie in segmentation capabilities, automation through extensive drip campaign options, and sophisticated analytics that allow hyper-targeting subscribers and deeply analyzing campaign performance.
- Does AWeber offer free trials?
AWeber does not currently offer free trials but does provide access to video demonstrations of the platform’s features and functionality for prospective users to preview before signing up.
- How technical do I need to use AWeber effectively?
Aweber does require some technical proficiency to leverage its expansive feature set fully, including setting up complex automation and integrations. But most core functions like broadcast email creation, basic drips, and foundational analytics have an easier learning curve.
MailerLite FAQs
- What are MailerLite’s biggest strengths?
MailerLite’s biggest strengths include ease of use even for non-technical users, quality templates and intuitive editor, seamless WordPress integration, and the generosity of their forever free tier supporting 1,000 subscribers.
- Does MailerLite offer free trials?
Yes, MailerLite provides a forever free plan with full access to core features for up to 1,000 subscribers, requiring no payment details upfront. This allows ample ability to test the platform long-term before needing to upgrade to paid plans.
- How much technical skill do I need to use MailerLite?
MailerLite’s interface and feature set are designed specifically to make email marketing more accessible for small business owners and non-technical users. The platform emphasizes drag-and-drop simplicity over complexity.
Final Thoughts
Choose AWeber If…
AWeber is an ideal choice for established businesses who want to master sophisticated email marketing strategies to accelerate growth. Key strengths like advanced automation, expansive analytics, and powerful integrations require some proficiency but deliver enterprise-level capabilities.
If you have in-house tech expertise or don’t mind climbing the learning curve to tap into robust, highly customizable features that enhance segmentation, targeting, and complex workflows, AWeber brings proven marketing power.
Choose MailerLite If…
MailerLite shines best for small business owners, entrepreneurs, bloggers, and less technical users prioritizing simplicity and ease of use for sending transactional emails. Generous free tiers make it affordable to get started while turnkey templates and intuitive editing optimize the experience for non-experts.
If you want quality email marketing capabilities without the complexities, MailerLite balances power and accessibility especially for those new to leveraging emails for client communication and conversion.
Finding the right email marketing platform for your business needs helps maximize results over the long term. Please ask any questions you still have in the comments and we’ll help determine whether AWeber or MailerLite is the better choice based on your use case!