20 Best Marketing Automation Software For Small Business Reviewed In 2024
10 Best Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Marketing automation software for small businesses is a valuable asset for any company. With the right software, teams can improve efficiency and enhance customer engagement. However, finding the right marketing automation software for small businesses can be challenging, especially with so many available options.
Using my experience with marketing software, I tested and compared several of the top marketing automation software solutions for small businesses. From there, I compiled my results into in-depth reviews to help you find the best software for your unique needs. I’m confident you’ll discover your next marketing automation software for small businesses in the list below.
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
We’ve been testing and reviewing marketing software since 2022. As marketing managers ourselves, we know how critical and difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software. We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions.
Need expert help selecting the right tool?
With one-on-one help, we guide you to your top software options. Narrow down your software search & make a confident choice.
We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different marketing use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews. Learn how we stay transparent & check out our software review methodology.
Best Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top marketing automation software for small business selections to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Drip | From $39/month | Website |
| GetResponse | From $15.60/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Act-On | From $900/month | Website |
| emfluence Marketing Platform | From $800/month | Website |
| Klaviyo | From $20/month | Website |
| ActiveCampaign | From $20/month | Website |
| Brevo | From $10/month | Website |
| EngageBay CRM | From $12.74/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Mirabel's Marketing Manager | From $30/user/month (min 5 users) | Website |
| Convertkit | From $9/month for up to 300 subscribers | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareHow To Choose Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses
It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. Here's a checklist of factors to remember to help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process.
| Factor | What to Consider |
| Scalability | Will this software grow with your business? |
| Integrations | Does it integrate with the other tools you’re using? |
| Customizability | Can you tailor it to fit your specific needs? |
| Ease of Use | Is the software easy for you and your team to use? |
| Budget | Does it fit within your financial constraints? |
| Security Safeguards | Are there solid security measures in place? |
| Support | What kind of customer support does the software offer? |
| Analytics | Does it provide the analytics you need to track success? |
Best Marketing Automation Software For Small Business Reviews
Below are my detailed summaries of the best marketing automation software for small businesses that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a detailed look at each tool’s key features, pros and cons, integrations, and ideal use cases to help you find the best one for you.
Drip is an ecommerce focused marketing automation platform that helps businesses connect with their customers through personalized email and SMS campaigns. It enables brands to create tailored marketing experiences, manage customer data, and drive online sales with automated workflows.
Why I picked Drip: It offers dynamic segmentation tools, letting your team create highly targeted audience groups based on behavior and actions. You can build automated campaigns that adjust as customers interact with your brand in real time. The platform also supports multichannel marketing efforts, combining email and SMS to engage customers across different touchpoints. Drip’s visual workflow builder makes setting up complex automation without technical expertise easy.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include behavior-based automation, customizable email and SMS campaigns, and detailed customer tracking. You can segment your audience dynamically based on real-time actions and preferences. The platform also provides a visual workflow builder for creating complex automation.
Integrations include Shopify, Zapier, Facebook, Instagram, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Google Analytics, Salesforce, and PayPal.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent behavior-based targeting tools
- Scales well with growing businesses
- Easy-to-use visual automation builder
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Limited design flexibility for templates
GetResponse is an all-in-one marketing platform that manages email marketing, webinars, and automated campaigns. It’s designed to support teams building customer relationships through personalized email strategies and various digital marketing tools.
Why I picked GetResponse: It offers AI-driven tools that assist your team in creating optimized email campaigns based on customer behavior. You can use features like email segmentation and predictive analytics to tailor content for specific audiences. The platform includes a drag-and-drop email editor that simplifies campaign creation without needing technical skills. GetResponse also provides in-depth analytics to track and improve performance, making it ideal for teams looking to refine their marketing strategies.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include AI-powered email creation, advanced segmentation, and a drag-and-drop email editor. You can set up automated workflows that trigger personalized messages based on customer interactions. The platform also offers predictive analytics to help you optimize campaigns and improve engagement.
Integrations include Shopify, WordPress, WooCommerce, PayPal, Stripe, Google Analytics, Salesforce, Zapier, Facebook, and Instagram.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- High email deliverability rate
- Wide range of ecommerce tools
- AI-powered content creation
Cons:
- Limited advanced features in basic plans
- Learning curve for beginners
Act-On is a marketing automation software designed for businesses to create and manage personalized marketing campaigns across various channels. It offers tools for email marketing, lead management, and customer engagement, allowing teams to deliver tailored content and ads based on user behavior.
Why I picked Act-On: It lets you create personalized campaigns that adjust based on customer actions, improving the relevance of your messaging. The platform provides dynamic content features, enabling your team to deliver customized emails and ads to specific segments. With its adaptive automation workflows, you can easily guide prospects through personalized journeys. Act-On also includes advanced tracking tools, helping you monitor and optimize your campaign performance in real time.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include email marketing tools, advanced analytics, and lead scoring. Your team can manage multi channel campaigns, track performance metrics, and prioritize leads effectively. The user-friendly interface ensures quick adoption and ease of use.
Integrations include Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, SugarCRM, NetSuite, Pipeliner, Salesfusion, Google Analytics, GoToWebinar, WebEx, and Eventbrite.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Strong email and ad targeting
- Flexible automation workflows
- Dynamic content for personalization
Cons:
- Limited design customization options
- Automation setup feels time-consuming
Best for user-friendly marketing automation
emfluence Marketing Platform is a marketing automation tool designed to simplify creating and managing email campaigns, surveys, and social media posts. It offers businesses an easy way to build automated workflows and engage with their audience across multiple channels.
Why I picked emfluence Marketing Platform: It provides a drag-and-drop interface for setting up email and social campaigns, making it simple for your team to automate tasks without much technical knowledge. You can create detailed segmentation to target specific audience groups. The platform also includes solid reporting features, helping you easily track engagement and campaign performance. Its intuitive layout makes it accessible for businesses that want efficient marketing automation without complexity.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a drag-and-drop email builder, detailed audience segmentation, and social media campaign management. With minimal technical effort, you can easily create and automate email workflows. The platform also offers performance tracking and reporting to monitor engagement across channels.
Integrations include Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, RapidStart CRM, Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce, Eventbrite, GoToWebinar, Zoom, and SurveyMonkey.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Customizable email campaign templates
- Great for detailed audience segmentation
- Easy-to-build automation workflows
Cons:
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Limited scalability for larger teams
Klaviyo is a marketing automation platform designed to help ecommerce businesses manage their email and SMS campaigns. It enables users to create personalized, data-driven marketing experiences to help companies engage with customers through targeted messaging and tailored content.
Why I picked Klaviyo: It offers advanced segmentation tools that allow your team to create particular audience groups based on behavior, purchase history, and engagement. The platform’s automation features let you send personalized emails and SMS messages that adjust in real-time, helping increase conversions. Klaviyo also provides detailed analytics and reporting so your team can measure the effectiveness of campaigns. With its focus on ecommerce, it’s ideal for businesses looking to increase online sales through precise, data-driven strategies.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include advanced segmentation based on customer behavior, automated email and SMS workflows, and detailed real-time analytics. You can create personalized marketing campaigns that adapt to each customer’s actions. The platform also offers predictive analytics to help forecast customer lifetime value and optimize campaigns.
Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, Salesforce, Stripe, Facebook, Google Ads, Zapier, and Typeform.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Advanced automation workflows available
- Strong real-time analytics tools
- Great for ecommerce segmentation
Cons:
- Limited design flexibility for templates
- Steep learning curve for beginners
ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation platform that combines email marketing, sales automation, and customer relationship management (CRM) into one system. It helps businesses create personalized customer experiences while managing interactions across marketing and sales channels.
Why I picked ActiveCampaign: It integrates CRM functionality directly into its marketing automation tools, making it easy for your team to track leads and manage customer interactions from a single platform. The platform offers advanced email automation workflows that can be customized based on user behavior. You can also create detailed customer segments, allowing for highly targeted campaigns. With features like predictive sending and automation mapping, your team can optimize the timing and content of campaigns for maximum engagement.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include advanced email automation workflows, integrated CRM for managing customer relationships, and detailed customer segmentation for highly targeted campaigns. You can set up custom automation based on user behavior to enhance engagement. The platform also offers predictive sending, optimizing the timing of your emails.
Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Facebook, WordPress, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Zendesk, Slack, and Google Analytics.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Customizable email automation workflows
- Scales well with growing teams
- Advanced segmentation for targeting
Cons:
- Limited design flexibility for templates
- Requires technical knowledge for customization
Sendinblue (Brevo) is a marketing platform for managing email, SMS, and other digital campaigns across multiple channels. It provides tools for automating marketing tasks and engaging with audiences through an intuitive, centralized dashboard.
Why I picked Sendinblue (Brevo): It allows your team to create cross-channel marketing campaigns, integrating email, SMS, and chat features to reach your audience wherever they are. You can set up automated workflows that trigger messages based on user behavior or pre-set conditions, enhancing engagement. The platform’s drag-and-drop editor simplifies campaign creation without technical skills. With tools like segmentation and real-time reporting, you can tailor campaigns to specific customer groups and measure their performance effectively.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include marketing automation, cross-channel campaigns, customer engagement tools, and a drag-and-drop editor for easy setup. You can automate customer journeys, personalize messages, and trigger actions based on user behavior.
Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Zapier, Magento, Salesforce, PrestaShop, Stripe, and HubSpot.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Strong real-time reporting tools
- Flexible automation workflow builder
- Excellent for cross-channel campaigns
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Limited design customization options
EngageBay CRM is an all-in-one marketing and sales platform for small businesses to manage customer relationships and automate marketing tasks. It combines tools for email marketing, lead management, and customer support into a single platform, making it easy for businesses to track and engage with their audience.
Why I picked EngageBay CRM: It offers a fully integrated CRM system alongside marketing automation at no cost. You can use it to capture leads through landing pages and forms and then nurture them with automated email sequences. The drag-and-drop automation builder simplifies setting up workflows without needing technical skills. It also includes features like lead scoring and tracking, which help your team prioritize and focus on high-value prospects.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a drag-and-drop email builder, workflow visual automation, and real-time lead scoring. You can automate follow-ups and manage customer interactions across multiple channels. The platform also offers in-depth reporting to help you track marketing performance.
Integrations include Zapier, Xero, QuickBooks, Mailgun, SendGrid, Twilio, Stripe, Google Workspace, Office 365, LinkedIn, and Shopify.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Scalable for small growing teams
- Easy to customize email templates
- Flexible marketing automation workflows
Cons:
- Some features feel underdeveloped
- Onboarding can feel overwhelming
Mirabel's Marketing Manager is an all-in-one platform that combines customer relationship management (CRM) tools with marketing automation. It’s designed to help businesses manage campaigns, track leads, and analyze marketing performance.
Why I picked Mirabel's Marketing Manager: It includes built-in competitor analysis features, allowing your team to track competitors' campaigns and strategies. The platform also offers tools for email marketing, audience segmentation, and lead scoring. You can manage customer interactions while gaining insights into competitors' performance, which helps shape your campaigns. Mirabel's Marketing Manager provides a comprehensive solution for tracking internal marketing efforts and external industry trends.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include competitor analysis, email marketing tools, and advanced lead scoring. You can track and monitor competitor strategies to stay ahead in your industry. The platform also provides detailed reporting on campaign performance, helping your team make data-driven decisions.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Mailchimp, WordPress, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Salesforce, Zoho CRM, Google Ads, and Microsoft Dynamics.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Advanced lead tracking capabilities
- Great for managing multiple campaigns
- Competitor analysis built-in
Cons:
- Requires regular manual data updates
- Complex setup for automation workflows
ConvertKit is a marketing platform designed for creators. It helps them grow their audience and sell digital products. It simplifies tasks like email automation and customer engagement, making it ideal for independent creators looking to monetize their work online.
Why I picked ConvertKit: It includes easy-to-use email sequences, customizable landing pages, and the ability to tag and segment your audience based on their behavior. The platform also lets you create sales funnels and automate the delivery of digital products directly through email. With built-in tools for creators, it’s particularly effective for selling courses, ebooks, and memberships.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include visual automation workflows, custom landing pages, and audience segmentation. You can create automated email sequences and tag subscribers based on their interactions. The platform also offers templates designed specifically for creators selling digital products.
Integrations include Acuity Scheduling, AgencyAnalytics, ClickFunnels, Coda.io, DeBounce, Monday.com, Outgrow, SegMetrics, and WordPress.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Automation features
- Good training resources
- Customizable templates
Cons:
- Requires some technical knowledge
- Limited scalability for larger teams
Other Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses
Here are some additional marketing automation software for small business options that didn’t make it onto my shortlist but are still worth checking out.
- Omnisend
Best for ecommerce with omnichannel marketing
- Mailchimp
Best for small businesses with multichannel marketing
- Zoho Marketing Plus
Best for unified omnichannel marketing
- Zoho Marketing Automation
Best for multichannel engagement with data privacy
- Constant Contact
Best for small business email marketing
- Iterable
Best for AI-powered cross-channel messaging
- Salesforce Marketing Cloud
Best for AI-driven B2B marketing automation
- Marketo Engage
Best for enterprise-level marketing automation
- OneSignal
Best for versatile push notifications
- HubSpot
Best for all-in-one customer platform
Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses Selection Criteria
When selecting the best marketing automation software for small businesses to include in this list, I considered everyday buyer needs and pain points like budget constraints and ease of use. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair.
Core Functionality (25% of total weighting score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these everyday use cases:
- Send automated email campaigns
- Manage contact lists
- Provide basic reporting and analytics
- Automate follow-ups and reminders
- Segment audiences
Additional Standout Features (25% of total weighting score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- Offer multichannel campaign automation
- Integrate with popular CRM systems
- Provide AI-powered customer insights
- Include advanced A/B testing capabilities
- Offer customizable workflows
Usability (10% of total weighting score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- Provide a clean, intuitive interface
- Offer drag-and-drop functionality
- Include easily accessible documentation
- Require minimal technical expertise
- Maintain a consistent, well-organized layout
Onboarding (10% of total weighting score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Provide comprehensive video tutorials
- Offer access to pre-built templates
- Include interactive product tours
- Offer chatbots or live support during setup
- Provide easy-to-follow documentation and webinars
Customer Support (10% of total weighting score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- Offer 24/7 live chat or phone support
- Provide a solid knowledge base
- Offer email support with quick response times
- Provide dedicated account managers for higher-tier users
- Include support through forums or community groups
Value For Money (10% of total weighting score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Provide a tiered pricing model with clear features
- Offer a free plan or trial version
- Be competitively priced for small businesses
- Include a refund or cancellation policy
- Provide access to all core features at entry-level pricing
Customer Reviews (10% of total weighting score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- Consistently high ratings across major review platforms
- Positive feedback about ease of use
- Praise for customer service responsiveness
- Reviews mentioning feature reliability and uptime
- Long-term customer retention rate
Trends In Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses
In my research, I sourced countless product updates, press releases, and release logs from different marketing automation software for small business vendors. Here are some of the emerging trends I’m keeping an eye on.
- AI-Powered Personalization: Many marketing automation systems leverage AI to create more personalized marketing campaigns. These tools analyze customer data to tailor content and offer to individual preferences, making marketing efforts more effective.
- Advanced Analytics and Reporting: Certain tools focus on providing more in-depth analytics and reporting features. These enhancements help businesses track campaign performance and ROI more accurately, allowing for better decision-making.
- Customer Journey Mapping: Other platforms increasingly incorporate features that allow businesses to map and analyze the customer journey. This helps companies to understand how customers interact with their brand and optimize touchpoints for better engagement.
- Voice Search Optimization: Some vendors are starting to include features that help businesses optimize their content for voice search. As more consumers use voice-activated devices, this functionality becomes important for staying relevant in search results.
- Dynamic Content Creation: Marketing automation tools now offer dynamic content creation capabilities. This allows businesses to create content that automatically changes based on user behavior and preferences, keeping the audience engaged with relevant information.
What Is Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses?
Marketing automation software for small businesses streamlines and automates repetitive marketing tasks like email marketing, social media posting, and managing ad campaigns. These tools help small business owners and marketers save time and enhance the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. By scheduling posts in advance, tracking engagement metrics, and managing customer relationships, these platforms improve the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing strategies.
Additionally, marketing automation software includes analytics and reporting features to help businesses understand their audience better and refine their strategies over time. These tools allow small businesses to focus more on growth and customer engagement than routine tasks, resulting in more targeted marketing campaigns, higher conversion rates, and increased customer satisfaction.
Features Of Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses
When selecting the best marketing automation tools for small businesses, look for the following key features.
- Email marketing automation: Automatically sends pre-scheduled emails based on customer actions or time intervals, saving time and ensuring consistent communication.
- Lead scoring: Prioritizes potential customers based on engagement levels, helping businesses focus on the most promising leads with an email marketing platform.
- CRM integration: Connects with customer relationship management systems to keep track of interactions and improve targeting.
- A/B testing: Allows marketing teams to compare different versions of emails or campaigns to optimize performance and conversions for both old and new customers.
- Social media marketing scheduling: Automates posting content across multiple platforms, ensuring consistent online presence.
- Analytics and reporting: Provides detailed insights into campaign performance, helping sales teams adjust marketing processes for better results.
- Segmentation: Divides the audience into groups based on behavior or demographics for more personalized marketing hub outreach.
- Landing page creation: Offers SaaS tools for startups and more established businesses to design and publish landing pages that complement email marketing campaigns.
- Drip campaigns: Enables businesses to send automated emails over time to nurture leads and increase marketing efforts.
Benefits Of Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses
Implementing marketing automation software for small businesses benefits your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to.
- Saves time: Automating repetitive tasks like emails and follow-ups frees time for other business priorities.
- Improves targeting: With segmentation features, you can send personalized messages to the right audience, increasing engagement.
- Boosts efficiency: By integrating with CRM systems, all your customer data stays organized in one place, making it easier to manage.
- Increases conversions: Drip campaigns and lead nurturing tools help move potential customers through the sales funnel more effectively.
- Provides insights: Built-in reporting tools give you a clear view of campaign performance, allowing you to quickly adjust marketing and content marketing strategies.
- Supports scalability: As your business grows, marketing automation tools can quickly adapt to handle more customers and campaigns.
- Enhances consistency: Automated scheduling ensures your marketing messages go out on time, helping maintain a steady presence.
Costs & Pricing Of Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses
Selecting marketing automation software for small businesses requires understanding the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes standard plans, average prices, and typical features of marketing automation software for small business solutions.
Plan Comparison Table For Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
| Free Plan | $0 | Basic email marketing, limited automation, basic reporting, and community support. |
| Personal Plan | $5-$25/user/month | Advanced email marketing, basic CRM, limited integrations, and priority support. |
| Business Plan | $50-$150/user/month | Full CRM capabilities, advanced automation, detailed analytics, and phone support. |
| Enterprise Plan | $200-$500/user/month | Custom reporting, dedicated account manager, advanced integrations, and premium support. |
Marketing Automation Software For Small Businesses FAQs
Here are some answers to common questions about marketing automation software for small businesses.
How can marketing automation for small businesses improve lead nurturing?
Marketing automation helps you send personalized messages to potential customers based on their actions or engagement with your content. You can set up drip campaigns to automatically guide leads through the sales process. This keeps your team engaged with prospects without needing to follow up manually.
What integrations should I look for in marketing automation software for small businesses?
You should look for integrations with your CRM, email marketing, and social media platforms. Many tools also integrate with ecommerce, analytics, and customer support systems. This lets your team manage all interactions and data from one place, saving time and reducing errors.
How does marketing software automation software for small businesses help with customer retention?
Marketing automation can schedule regular check-ins, offer exclusive deals, and send personalized messages to existing customers. It keeps your brand at top of mind and encourages repeat purchases. You can also track customer behavior and respond when they show signs of disengaging.
Is it worth investing in marketing automation for small businesses?
Yes, marketing automation can save time and help you grow your business without needing a large team. It simplifies lead generation, follow-ups, and customer communication. Even small businesses benefit from consistent engagement and data-driven decisions.
How hard is switching to a new marketing automation for small businesses?
Switching platforms can be straightforward if you plan the migration carefully. Look for a tool with accessible data import features, training resources, and responsive customer support. Before switching, back up your existing data and map out your workflows.
Can marketing automation software for small businesses replace manual marketing efforts?
Marketing automation won’t fully replace manual marketing, but it does handle many repetitive tasks, such as sending emails, managing lists, and posting to social media. Your team will still need to create engaging content, analyze data, and adjust campaigns, but automation takes care of the routine work.
What’s Next?
Ready to grow? Subscribe to The CMO newsletter to stay on top of trends and get the latest tips, resources, and guides from our community of seasoned marketing leaders straight to your inbox.