When it comes to email marketing software, Constant Contact and AWeber are two of the most well-known and widely-used platforms. With so many options on the market, it can be a daunting task for business owners to determine which solution is the best fit for their unique needs and budget.
Choosing the right email marketing platform is critical for effectively building relationships with leads and customers, driving traffic, and growing revenue.
In this comprehensive Constant Contact vs AWeber comparison guide, we evaluate both platforms across different criteria to help you make an informed decision. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of the pros and cons of each platform to determine which aligns closest with your business goals.
1. Understanding the Basics
Constant Contact was founded in 1998 by Randy Parker and Richard Yaeger. It has grown to become one of the most popular email marketing platforms, currently used by over 600,000 small businesses and organizations worldwide. Constant Contact holds a 10% market share.
AWeber was founded in 1998 by Tom Kulzer and Emmanuel Straschnov. It powers email marketing campaigns for over 120,000 users globally across 100+ countries, commanding an impressive 5.3% market share.
Both Constant Contact and AWeber have very active Facebook communities where users share tips, ask questions, and support each other:
Constant Contact Facebook Group
In terms of market position, Constant Contact is more focused on small businesses while AWeber serves small to medium businesses. Both are popular platforms but Constant Contact has a larger market presence.
2. Features and Functionality
Automation
Constant Contact
Constant Contact offers a visual email designer to create templates and campaigns. It has a drag-and-drop builder with customizable blocks. You can personalize emails with merge tags and set up triggers based on user actions.
For automation, Constant Contact has auto-responders to send timed email sequences. You can segment your lists and set up behavioral triggers to automatically enroll subscribers. It also offers landing page creation tools to capture leads.
AWeber
AWeber has a step-by-step wizard to create emails, embed images, and add customizable templates. You can use merge tags to personalize messaging. There is also a split-testing tool to optimize campaigns.
For automation, AWeber allows you to create drip campaigns with timed autoresponder sequences. You can segment your lists based on user attributes and actions. It also has tools to build landing pages, forms, polls, surveys, and more to grow your email list.
With AWeber’s segmentation and triggered messaging capabilities, you can send targeted content to subscribers when they perform specific actions. You can also integrate with webinar software, affiliate programs, and other marketing tools.
Winner: AWeber
With its robust customer list growth tools and automation tools for creating email sequences, landing pages, and user segmentation, AWeber is the winner when it comes to marketing automation capabilities. Its timed drip campaigns and extensive third-party integrations give you the flexibility to customize automated workflows to match your business needs.
Email Templates
Constant Contact
Constant Contact has hundreds of professionally designed email templates to choose from for different industries and campaign types, including anniversary email templates and birthday email templates. You can customize colors, fonts, and layouts. It also has a simple drag-and-drop builder to create your own templates from scratch.
The email editor lets you switch between a visual editor and an HTML view. You can embed images, videos, buttons, and more. For personalized messaging, Constant Contact gives you access to all subscriber data fields to add merge tags.
AWeber
AWeber offers over 250 mobile-optimized templates for welcome emails, announcements, newsletters, and more. You can modify templates by adding your brand colors, logo, and content using the What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) editor and media from the stock image library.
In addition to using AWeber’s templates, you can create new email layouts from scratch with customizable headers, footers, and content blocks. You can embed multimedia, add buttons and hyperlinks, and leverage merge tags for personalization.
Winner: Tie
Both Constant Contact and AWeber provide ample professionally designed email templates that can be customized to match your brand and content needs. Their easy-to-use drag-and-drop interfaces allow you to quickly build great-looking emails without any design experience. This flexibility and range of template options makes choosing a winner difficult – in terms of email templates, Constant Contact and AWeber tie for the top spot.
Segmentation
Constant Contact
Constant Contact allows you to segment your contacts based on categories like demographics, interests, and engagement metrics. You can create unlimited segments and send targeted content to specific groups.
For example, you can set up segments based on location, gender, purchase history, etc. Constant Contact will automatically update segments as your contacts meet the criteria. You can also manually add contacts to different groups.
AWeber
AWeber has robust segmentation options accessed through its Segmentation Wizard. You can segment by email opens, clicks, location, purchase activity, subscribed date, and more.
In addition to automatic grouping, you can create custom segments with complex filters and multiple criteria. Subscribers will be automatically moved between segments depending on their engagement and attributes.
You can create segments for different campaigns, promotions, content types, and member levels. For example, group customers by lifetime value tiers or interests like social media vs engineering.
Winner: AWeber
With its Segmentation Wizard and ability to create highly targeted, custom subscriber segments using a wide range of criteria, AWeber is the winner. This high level of personalization and automation ensures each contact receives content tailored specifically to their profile and past behaviors.
Analytics
Constant Contact
Constant Contact provides advanced message analytics including real-time email campaign analytics so you can track opens, clicks, forwards, unsubscribes, bounces, and email sales tracking. You can view analytics by campaign, segment, template, and other filters.
It offers click mapping to see the most popular links and where users tapped or clicked on mobile emails. You also get access to detailed contact history and list engagement metrics over time.
For automated reporting, Constant Contact can email scheduled reports on campaign performance. You can also export raw data to CSV or PDF formats.
AWeber
AWeber also has advanced reporting. The platform gives you campaign statistics on opens, clicks, conversions, unsubscribes, and spam complaints. You can view performance by segment and across devices – desktop vs mobile.
It has heat mapping to reveal the most clicked areas of your emails. You can also A/B test emails to determine which version has the highest engagement.
For deeper analysis, AWeber integrates with Google Analytics to connect email data with your website stats like conversion tracking and attribution. You can also view subscriber engagement scores to identify your most valuable contacts.
Winner: Tie
Both Constant Contact and AWeber offer excellent analytics and reporting on email campaign performance over time. Their dashboards provide actionable insights to improve click-through and open rates. And with comparable reporting customization and exporting options, choosing a winner is too close to call – we declare this category a tie.
Unique Features
Constant Contact
Constant Contact integrates with over 70 third-party platforms including WordPress, Shopify, Facebook, and Instagram. This simplifies contact management and campaigns from one unified dashboard.
It also offers a website builder tool to quickly create professional-looking landing pages, online stores, and entire websites. All sites are optimized for mobile and easy to customize.
Some other notable features include survey building, event management, and promotion tools, Google My Business integration, and a library of marketing advice articles and ebooks.
AWeber
A key unique feature of AWeber is its tiered autoresponder system. You can create sequences within sequences, allowing for extremely customized drips based on hyper-specific subscriber actions.
It also stands out with a dedicated IP address to protect email deliverability, drag-and-drop mobile app builder, 99.9% uptime on servers, and phone support assistance options.
For beginners, AWeber provides hundreds of free email marketing guides and webinars to help you learn. And its Segmentation Wizard makes targeting content to subscriber groups simpler.
Winner: Constant Contact
With its wider range of built-in tools like website building, events management, and Google Business Profile integration beyond just email capabilities, Constant Contact edges out AWeber as the winner for most unique features. The ability to manage contacts across multiple platforms from one dashboard also streamlines coordination.
3. Ease of Use
Constant Contact
Constant Contact has a user-friendly interface with a simple left-sidebar navigation. The dashboard clearly highlights reports, campaigns in progress, and contact engagement analytics. There are also suggested links and tips scattered throughout to guide beginners.
The email builder has an intuitive drag-and-drop editor with helpful popup tooltips explaining each menu item. Creating sign-up forms, building contact lists, and scheduling campaigns only takes a few clicks.
The learning curve is not steep since the platform is visually guided. For those wanting more help, Constant Contact offers live chat support, an extensive help documentation center, video tutorials, and webinars.
AWeber
AWeber has a clean, distraction-free dashboard allowing you to quickly access reports, create emails, and view subscriber engagement analytics. The navigation menu is clear and you can customize sidebar widgets.
Building emails, sign-up forms, landing pages, and broadcasts is simple with AWeber’s drag-and-drop editor and step-by-step wizards guiding you. You don’t need any design experience.
For beginners, AWeber has hundreds of videos, tutorials, webinars, and guides to help overcome any learning curve. And with helpful tooltips and prompts within the platform interface itself, getting started is not intimidating.
Winner: Tie
Both Constant Contact and AWeber have put a strong emphasis on simplifying their interfaces for visual guidance without steep learning curves. Easy-to-navigate menus, drag-and-drop builders requiring no coding skills, in-line coaching content for beginners, and strong customer support resources make both extremely and equally user-friendly.
4. Email Deliverability
Constant Contact
Constant Contact takes a number of steps to maximize email deliverability rates and minimize spam folder filtering or blocking. This includes proprietary deliverability technology, inbox placement monitoring, inbox testing tools, and compliance checks.
It offers professional SMTP servers optimized for all major email providers like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and more. Constant Contact also sends from dedicated IP addresses with strong sender reputations based on years of responsible sending.
For new users sending their first campaigns, Constant Contact gradually ramps up email volume to maintain its reputation. It also allows accessing dedicated IP addresses for increased deliverability.
AWeber
A key advantage of AWeber is providing all users with their own dedicated IP address included from the start for reliable email delivery. This avoids risks from sharing IPs.
It leverages a deliverability infrastructure called Deliverability360 consisting of advanced analytics, multi-layer redundancies, failover systems, real-time monitoring, and ongoing optimization per major inbox provider.
AWeber also checks each created campaign against spam policies and will notify you of any detected issues to fix. Subscriber complaint rates are closely tracked as well.
Winner: Tie
Both Constant Contact and AWeber utilize advanced infrastructure and monitoring capabilities tailored specifically around maximizing successful email deliverability rates. Their years of experience and inbox placement optimization on major email providers make choosing an outright winner difficult – we declare this category a tie based on their equally solid reliability.
5. Customer Support and Community
Constant Contact
Constant Contact offers 24/7 phone, chat, and email support plans to all users regardless of account tier. All issues are covered – from technical bugs to assistance in building campaigns and using features.
It also provides an extensive searchable Help Center with DIY articles, support guides, and video tutorials. Constant Contact has active user forums and an engaged Facebook group community with thousands of members for advice.
AWeber
AWeber provides email support for all account tiers with fairly fast response times during business hours. Phone and chat support is reserved for premium paid plans.
The Help Center features hundreds of searchable articles, webinars, and video tutorials for self-service troubleshooting. There is also an active Question and Answer community forum where users help each other.
While not as large as Constant Contact’s group, AWeber does have an official Facebook User Group for advice and networking as well.
Winner: Constant Contact
With phone assistance available for all users regardless of plan type and a much larger established Facebook community group, Constant Contact edges out AWeber for best customer service and community support. But both offer ample self-help resources documentation and active forums.
6. Integrations
Constant Contact
Constant Contact seamlessly integrates with over 70+ web apps and software tools including WordPress, Shopify, Facebook, Instagram, SurveyMonkey, Eventbrite, PayPal, and more.
These integrations allow you to easily import or export contacts, sync campaign data, track e-commerce activity, embed forms, view site analytics, and social engagement all from one unified dashboard.
It also offers integrations specifically for Google tools like converting website visitors to contacts with Google Site Search tags. You can also update Google My Business listings straight from Constant Contact.
AWeber
AWeber has native integrations with leading CRMs like Mailchimp, SurveyMonkey, Zapier, and Intacct. It also connects directly with webinar/webcast tools, shopping carts, analytics systems, and email plugins for WordPress sites.
Some unique AWeber integrations include QuickBooks for syncing billing and financial data, GoToWebinar for capturing leads from your online events, and Magento/WooCommerce for targeted email campaigns based on shopping behavior.
It also has an open API and webhook settings allowing developers to build custom connections between AWeber and other apps as needed.
Winner: Constant Contact
With direct integrations supporting a wider range of advertising channels like social, search, and events platforms beyond just web apps and CRMs, Constant Contact wins for best integrations. The ability to manage contacts and monitor engagement across 70+ platforms from one dashboard is extremely valuable.
7. Pricing
Constant Contact
Constant Contact’s free trial lets you send to 500 contacts. The Lite email plan is $12/month for up to 500 contacts with additional features like the marketing CRM, event management tools, and social marketing features.
The Standard plan is $35/month and comes with 3 users, pre-built automation, and contact segmentation features.
For $80/month, you get the Premium plan, which includes unlimited users, custom automation, custom segmentations, revenue reporting, and Google Ads Manager.
They offer 15% to 30% discounts if you pay annually. Volume discounts are also available for agencies, nonprofits, and resellers purchasing multiple accounts.
AWeber
AWeber pricing is based on the number of subscribers on your list. There’s a free plan that lets you get started sending emails to up to 500 subscribers.
Paid plans start at $12.50 per month for the Lite plan which comes with unlimited subscribers. The cost per subscriber goes down as the list size increases. The Plus plan costs $20/month and includes unlimited email lists and landing pages.
Advanced features like split testing, segmented broadcasts, and API access are included in all plans. The Unlimited plan costs $899/month and is ideal for lists over 100,000 subscribers.
Overall, Aweber’s pricing is competitive for smaller lists but becomes more expensive at higher subscriber tiers.
Winner: Constant Contact
Constant Contact edges out AWeber as the more affordable platform, especially for smaller businesses. With lower entry pricing at just $22.5/month and free email sends regardless of subscriber count, you get immense value even on basic paid tiers. Volume discounts are also more generous compared to single-user plans.
8. Reviews and Reputation
Constant Contact
Constant Contact earns strong reviews from users and industry experts on websites like G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius. It holds an average 4.1 out of 5-star rating across platforms.
Users praise the intuitive email builder, great templates, and good deliverability. Many also like the seamless integration with other marketing channels and built-in e-commerce features beyond basic email.
Some negatives mentioned in reviews include the basic analytics, clunky mobile app, average spam filtering, and complex pricing structure. But most agree you get great value for the money spent.
AWeber
AWeber receives positive reviews for its versatility, segmentation capabilities, and automation features. Users mention the platform is easy to use for basic functions but can be complex for advanced workflows.
Many reviews praise AWeber’s template designs and drag-and-drop editor for creating attractive email campaigns easily. Customization capabilities rate well.
Negative feedback centers around occasional deliverability issues, lack of more advanced analytics, and pricier costs for larger lists.
On third-party review sites like G2 and TrustRadius, AWeber earns high satisfaction scores, though some users express it could use a modern refresh. Overall, a very capable platform despite some limitations.
Winner: Tie
Both Constant Contact and AWeber benefit from years of positive word-of-mouth referrals and solid reputations as email marketing pioneers. With comparable ratings and great reviews of core features like campaign builders balanced by mentions of minor weaknesses, neither platform clearly dominates. We declare this category a tie.
9. AWeber vs Constant Contact: FAQ’s
Constant Contact FAQs
- What types of email campaigns can I create?
Constant Contact offers welcome emails, announcements, promotions, newsletters, event invitations, surveys, and more. You can easily customize templates or design your own from scratch. - Is there a limit to the number of contacts and emails I can store and send?
For paid plans, you get unlimited contacts and email sends based on your tier. Entry levels start at 500 contacts/unlimited emails for $12 per month. - Does Constant Contact have automation/autoresponder capabilities?
Yes, you can create autoresponder sequences to send timed follow-ups when users join lists, make purchases, click emails, and more.
AWeber FAQs
- What integrations does AWeber offer?
AWeber seamlessly connects with web apps like Mailchimp, QuickBooks, Zapier, and WordPress. It also integrates with webinar software, e-commerce platforms, CRMs, analytics tools, and more. - Is AWeber easy to use for beginners?
Yes, AWeber has an intuitive drag-and-drop builder and hundreds of tutorials to help beginners without technical skills start creating campaigns quickly. - What subscription plans are available?
Entry levels start at $12.50/month for 500 contacts. Unlimited plans cost $899/month. Volume discounts are available for agencies and resellers.
Final Thoughts
Choose Constant Contact if…
With strengths in multi-channel marketing campaigns, e-commerce features, and a wider range of integrations, Constant Contact is best suited for small e-commerce businesses who want to sync email with their online store as well as leverage website building and social media marketing tools from one place.
It also appeals to brick-and-mortar companies that are transitioning more operations online and want a unified platform to manage online listings, events, and simpler websites on top of email newsletters.
The affordable pricing plans also appeal to bootstrapped entrepreneurs and very small teams just getting started with digital marketing.
But, if you’re still undecided on whether or not this platform is for you, I recommend reading about Constant Contact alternatives.
Choose AWeber if…
AWeber is ideal for established bloggers, content marketers, coaches, and course creators who want to grow their site traffic through subscribers. With its specialty in managing segmented email lists to convert leads and its seamless integration with webinar software and analytics tools, marketers can track ROI on email campaigns.
The advanced automation features also appeal to agencies and power email users who send