I began my foray into email marketing several years ago and experimented with several different providers at that time. Every provider has different pros and cons, but what I am interested in doing is comparing Selzy and Aweber since I’ve used both quite extensively.
I’d like to give you a balanced summary of both services because what was best for me might not be ideal for others. Many times, a person’s needs are very simple and can be met by any good platform, and others need advanced tools or special help. I hope this detailed comparison spares you the frustration that I went through to figure out which provider was truly best for my circumstances.
Why I Gave Aweber a Try
When I was starting to build my list, Aweber was a reliable and established choice. They were very respected in the email marketing community and were supported by plenty of veteran marketers. I was seeking a solid and reliable tool that would not let me down as my list expanded.
I also enjoyed that Aweber offered a free plan for as many as 500 subscribers, which allowed me to keep costs low to start. I didn’t want to spend a lot on advanced features before I knew whether or not email marketing would be profitable for me. Having room to test features and grow on my own timeline was attractive.
Also, Aweber’s interface was simple enough for a newcomer to handle. I was put off by too many bells and whistles by that point in my experience. Aweber’s dashboard was simple to use, and it was comforting to know that there was a support team of actual human beings behind it. When you’re starting out, responsive support can make a big difference.
Why I Still Appreciate Aweber
Even though I did make the switch later on, I do not regret having originally selected Aweber. It did exactly what I needed it to do initially: email list-building capabilities, simple automation, and decent analytics. I was able to track how many people opened my emails and clicked on my links and this served to refine my content strategy.
Aweber also integrated nicely with much of my other marketing software. With all of those nice integrations, I saved myself time and aggravation by not having to figure out complicated workarounds. I was able to connect my sign-up forms and landing pages without dealing with a bunch of coding or confusion.
Another benefit Aweber has is that they are constantly updating features to keep them competitive. They are one of the older firms that handle email marketing, yet they do not get outdated. Every time I went back to them, I noticed improved tools to help me build my list more effectively.
Aweber Prices at a Glance
Aweber offers a free account for 500 subscribers which is great for those who are just starting to get into email marketing. It is great to get used to basic functions without paying a monthly subscription rate, though you won’t get to see all of the advanced functions. When you grow your subscribers to more than 500 or you require more functionality, you will need to pay.
Paid plans start at $15 per month for up to 500 subscribers, which they call their Lite plan. That plan gives you more features that can help you in operating your campaigns. There is also the $30 per month for 500 subscribers with no limit on emails and advanced features that is called the Plus plan. If you are operating a large list size, you might find that you are suited for the Unlimited plan, but it is $899 per month and is too costly for the average small business.
For most people, that cost will not be a consideration until they’ve acquired a big list. However, as my list grew steadily, I began to compare Aweber’s prices with other services with more features and a potentially lower price. That made me shop around and see whether there was a better tool for my needs.
My Experience with Selzy
Selzy caught my attention after doing some background study on email marketing tools that would be able to meet my increasing needs. I was searching for a clean and powerful toolset, but I also wanted a plan that would not drain my wallet after my subscription increased. Selzy was impressed because it combined simplicity and power in one.
I tested Selzy with part of my list to see how it would perform. I found sign-up and onboarding to be simple and easy and discovered that their documentation was clear enough that I didn’t need to spend hours figuring out how things were done. That is a big advantage for a newcomer.
In addition, Selzy’s customer support team was more than happy to help whenever I had some questions. They responded quickly and clarified any misconceptions without making me feel like I was bothering them. It was reassuring, particularly when you’re working with a new platform and aren’t yet familiar with all its features.
Why I Decided to Switch to Selzy
The clincher for me to switch was Selzy’s focus on segmentation and tags. I was at a point in my email marketing where I needed to segment particular groups of subscribers by behavior and interests. It was easier to make such segments with Selzy and less likely to artificially inflate my subscribers.
I also liked how affordable Selzy was for automation. I was able to set up workflows that would deliver particular emails depending on whether someone clicked on a particular link or opened a particular campaign. This meant that I could focus on writing quality content instead of having to keep reconfiguring my lists or sending redundant emails.
Finally, Selzy’s pricing was appealing to my business goals. With my increasing list size, I won’t have to jump to a very expensive plan too soon. That put my mind at ease since I don’t want to have to make a provider switch again simply because my subscription number grew.
Selzy’s Pricing in a Nutshell
One of Selzy’s best features is that they provide a Free+ plan that enables you to store up to 2,000 contacts and send out 10,000 emails per month for no cost. That is a useful safety net for people just starting to build a list or for those who would like to test before they make a bigger commitment. It’s not usually possible to get that amount of emailing capability for free.
If you require more choices, there is a Lite plan for $7.5 per month for 500 contacts with unlimited emails. That is a great deal by itself, and it is a great choice for those who regularly send newsletters or promotions. If you are interested in having more advanced features such as segmentation and A/B testing, you can consider the Standard plan for $15 per month for 500 contacts.
For large enterprises, there is an Enterprise plan that can handle over 500,000 contacts. That plan is also customizable, which is excellent for those who need special support or particular features. Overall, Selzy has a plan for nearly every size, which makes it a great choice as your list grows from a few hundred subscribers to hundreds of thousands.
Disadvantages of Switching Platforms
It is time-consuming and requires effort to transition from Aweber to Selzy or any other provider. You will migrate your subscriber list, build new sign-up forms, and get used to a different dashboard. If you are busy, this kind of transition can be daunting.
You can also worry about losing some data or destroying automated campaigns while you transition. I highly recommend you keep it organized. Export your current lists with caution and label them sensibly so you can avoid getting confused afterward. Double-check your signup forms and welcome sequences to ensure that they are properly set up in the new system.
Despite all of these frustrations, it may be worth it if the new platform is resolving problems you had in the past. I had a few bumps in the road with the changeover, but it went more smoothly than I had expected. Selzy’s technical support team guided me through the rough patches, and before long I was operational on the new platform.
The Importance of Good Customer Support
Customer support can make or break your experience with an email marketing tool. Despite being an easy-to-use tool, there can still be bugs, especially when setting up advanced automation. Both Selzy and Aweber offer support, and my own experience with Selzy was excellent.
Aweber support was generally responsive, though sometimes I waited for a resolution for longer than I would have wanted. With Selzy, I’ve usually been given prompt responses, which saved me from getting stuck in workflow setup or campaign deployment. Helpful and informative support makes technical issues less daunting.
Some people might never need to contact support if they are running relatively simple campaigns. But as soon as you encounter a weird situation or you want to try out a fresh function, having a solid support team behind you is a great reassurance. It’s having a safety net and it means your email marketing is running smoothly without interruptions.
How to Know If Aweber Is Right for You
Email providers can be confusing and overwhelming. Many times it is easiest to compare them side by side. Although this article is a comparison of Selzy and Aweber, you can find more information on how Aweber stacks up to other top providers by reading more resources:
Reading what others say gives you a sense of what Aweber excels at and what it lacks. You might discover that Aweber’s features are perfectly suited to your brand’s voice and marketing strategy. Or you might discover you prefer a platform with more tagging and automation. It’s all about finding what tool is best for your workflow.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choosing an email provider is an important decision. It affects how easily you can communicate with your audience, how well you can grow your subscribers, and how easily you can automate your marketing. Aweber is a classic pick that is beloved by many marketers, especially when they are just beginning and require a tried and tested platform.
Selzy is a recent newcomer who is strong on segmentation and pricing. It has a very generous free plan and impressed me with its smooth automation, flexible tagging, and responsive support. If you’re a user who wants advanced features without paying top dollar for them, Selzy can be your best bet.
Take time to think about what you truly need and what you might need a year or two down the road. Your best decision is going to be the provider that is best suited for your business model and can expand with you. If you’re still uncertain, make use of free trials to get your hands on it, and don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and contact their support teams with your queries. Good luck and best wishes for finding your dream match for your email marketing success!
