My Honest Take on Constant Contact: Is It Worth Your Money in 2024?

So I’ll be honest – I was skeptical about Constant Contact at first. My friend Sarah (who runs a small bakery) kept raving about it, but when I saw the price tag, I nearly choked on my coffee. Still, I figured I owed it to myself to give it a proper test run before writing it off completely.

Look, I get it. You’re probably drowning in email marketing options right now, and everyone’s telling you their platform is “the best.” I’ve been there – staring at pricing pages at 2 AM, trying to figure out which one won’t bankrupt me while actually doing what I need it to do.

After weeks of testing Constant Contact inside and out, reading through countless user reviews, and comparing it against the competition, what I found might surprise you. While this platform has some genuinely good things going for it, there are some pretty big issues that could seriously impact both your marketing success and your budget.

Table of Contents

• TL;DR: The Quick Verdict

• What Is Constant Contact?

• Top Alternatives to Constant Contact

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Final Thoughts

TL;DR: The Quick Verdict

• Constant Contact nails ease of use and customer support but man, the pricing and advanced features are rough

• Costs get expensive real quick as your subscriber list grows – we’re talking way more than competitors

• Automation is pretty much useless unless you’re ready to drop $80+/month

• Email templates look like they’re from 2010 and you can’t customize them much

• Your emails actually reach people’s inboxes (88-92% delivery rates), which is honestly their saving grace

• Perfect for beginners who just want something simple and don’t mind paying premium prices

• Seriously consider alternatives like MailerLite or ActiveCampaign – your wallet will thank you

Criteria Table

Criteria	Rating	Details
Ease of Use	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Even my tech-phobic mom could figure this out
Pricing & Value	⭐⭐	Ouch. My wallet definitely felt this one
Email Editor & Templates	⭐⭐⭐	Works fine but looks dated, limited customization options
Automation Capabilities	⭐⭐	Unless you’re ready to drop serious cash, forget about it
Contact Management	⭐⭐⭐	Decent segmentation but pretty limited on cheaper plans
Deliverability	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Your emails actually make it to inboxes – impressive stuff
Integrations	⭐⭐⭐⭐	300+ connections plus tons of third-party options
Customer Support	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Actually helpful humans who know their stuff
Advanced Features	⭐⭐	Basic A/B testing and analytics unless you pay up
Scalability	⭐⭐	Gets crazy expensive as your list grows

What Is Constant Contact?

What Constant Contact is Best Known For

Constant Contact has been around since 1995 – yeah, they’re old school. They’ve built their reputation serving over 650,000 users worldwide, and they’re basically the email marketing platform your parents would choose. They’re all about keeping things simple, providing solid customer support, and making sure your emails actually get delivered.

Here’s the thing – they’ve really carved out their niche with people who want email marketing without the headache. Real estate agents love them, small business owners who don’t have time to learn complicated software swear by them, and honestly, I can see why.

What actually sets them apart from a lot of competitors is their event management stuff. You can plan events, sell tickets, handle RSVPs – all in one place. If you’re constantly hosting webinars or local events, that’s actually pretty handy.

They also throw in SMS marketing (if you’re in the US) with dedicated phone numbers, plus some social media posting and ad management tools. It’s designed to be your one-stop marketing shop rather than just another email tool.

Key Features That Define Constant Contact

Constant Contact focuses on keeping things simple rather than overwhelming you with advanced automation. You get over 200 email templates, drag-and-drop editing, basic automation workflows, contact segmentation, and pretty comprehensive analytics. But here’s the kicker – a lot of the good stuff is locked behind those higher-tier pricing plans, which honestly gets frustrating fast.

The email editor is straightforward enough – you won’t get lost in complicated menus or settings. I found the drag-and-drop thing works smoothly, though if you’re looking for advanced customization options, you might be disappointed.

Contact management includes basic segmentation, but here’s where things get limiting. On the Lite plan, you get exactly one segment. One. If you want to target different customer groups effectively, that’s pretty much useless.

The automation features exist, but they’re honestly pretty basic on the cheaper plans. You’ll get simple welcome emails and basic drip campaigns, but anything more sophisticated? That’ll be $80+ per month, please.

Pros: What Constant Contact Does Well

It’s Stupid Easy to Use

This is where Constant Contact absolutely shines. I’ve tested dozens of email marketing tools, and this one consistently ranks at the top for simplicity. New users can literally create their first campaign within minutes of signing up.

The onboarding process walks you through every single step, from importing your contacts to designing your first email. There’s basically no learning curve, which explains why it’s become so popular among small business owners who don’t have time to master complex software.

Customer Support That Actually Helps

Okay, this is where Constant Contact really stands out from the crowd. Phone support on all paid plans – and I mean actual humans who pick up the phone. That’s becoming rare as unicorns in the email marketing world.

I tested their support multiple times, and I consistently got helpful, knowledgeable responses. Their live chat support is equally impressive – quick response times and agents who actually understand the platform instead of reading from scripts. The knowledge base is solid too, and the community forums provide extra help when you need it.

Your Emails Actually Get Delivered

The good news? Your emails actually make it to people’s inboxes. I’m talking about 9 out of 10 emails landing where they should instead of getting lost in spam folders – which is honestly pretty impressive. Independent tests consistently show them hitting 88-92% deliverability rates.

The platform maintains strict spam policies and provides proper email authentication, which helps keep these high delivery rates. If getting your emails into inboxes is your main concern, this is definitely a strong point in their favor.

Connects to Pretty Much Everything

With 300+ native integrations plus thousands more through Zapier, Constant Contact plays nice with most business tools you’re already using. Whether it’s your CRM, e-commerce platform, or social media accounts, you’ll probably find the connection you need.

Cons: Where Things Get Frustrating

The Pricing Will Make You Cry

This is my biggest gripe with Constant Contact. Starting at $12/month for just 500 subscribers, costs add up fast as your list grows. What’s worse is that many essential features – like decent automation and comprehensive A/B testing – are locked behind expensive premium tiers.

Here’s the reality check: when I realized I’d be paying more for Constant Contact than my monthly coffee budget (and trust me, that’s saying something), I knew there had to be better options out there. When you compare what you get for the price against competitors like MailerLite or ActiveCampaign, Constant Contact just doesn’t make sense financially.

Automation That’s Not Really Automation

Here’s what really got under my skin: I was setting up a simple welcome series for new subscribers – you know, the basic “thanks for joining” followed by “here’s what we’re about” kind of thing. On most platforms, this is Email Marketing 101. But with Constant Contact’s basic plan? Nope. You need to shell out $80+ a month for that privilege.

Advanced workflows, behavioral triggers, and sophisticated drip campaigns all require the Premium plan. Even then, the automation options feel restrictive compared to what modern email marketing platforms typically offer.

Templates That Look Ancient

While Constant Contact offers 200+ templates, many feel like they were designed when flip phones were still cool. They lack the modern, mobile-responsive designs that today’s audiences expect, and the customization options are pretty limited.

I found myself getting frustrated by the lack of layout flexibility. If you want emails that look professional and contemporary, you’ll need to invest serious time in customization or honestly just look elsewhere.

Canceling Is Like Breaking Up in High School

And don’t even get me started on trying to cancel this thing. You can’t just click a button like a normal human being in 2024. Oh no, you have to actually call them. It’s like they’re stuck in 2005 or something. In an age where most services let you cancel instantly online, this policy feels deliberately obstructive and honestly pretty customer-unfriendly.

How Constant Contact Measures Against Key Criteria

Ease of Use: 5/5 Stars

Constant Contact absolutely nails this category. The interface is intuitive, the onboarding is smooth, and creating campaigns is straightforward. Even complete beginners can get up and running quickly without wanting to throw their laptop out the window.

Pricing and Value: 2/5 Stars

This is where things get ugly. The pricing structure is expensive relative to what you actually get, and costs scale terribly as your business grows. Essential features require expensive upgrades that’ll make your accountant weep.

Email Editor and Templates: 3/5 Stars

The editor is simple and functional, but the templates feel outdated. Limited customization options and layout flexibility compared to what modern competitors offer.

Automation Capabilities: 2/5 Stars

Major weakness here. Basic automation is severely limited on lower tiers, and even the premium automation options feel restrictive compared to industry standards.

Contact Management: 3/5 Stars

Decent segmentation options, but pretty limited on lower plans. Good pre-built engagement segments, but advanced targeting requires those higher-tier subscriptions.

Deliverability: 5/5 Stars

Excellent performance with consistently high inbox delivery rates. Honestly one of Constant Contact’s strongest competitive advantages.

Integrations: 4/5 Stars

Impressive selection of native integrations plus extensive Zapier connectivity. Strong coverage of major business tools and platforms.

Customer Support: 5/5 Stars

Outstanding phone and live chat support across all paid plans. Comprehensive knowledge base and active community support that actually helps.

Advanced Features: 2/5 Stars

Limited A/B testing capabilities, basic analytics on lower tiers, and missing modern features like dynamic content unless you pay premium prices.

Scalability: 2/5 Stars

Poor scalability due to rapidly increasing costs. Becomes prohibitively expensive compared to competitors as your subscriber list grows.

What Real Users Are Saying

User feedback on Constant Contact is pretty mixed. There’s consistent praise for ease of use and customer support, but frequent complaints about pricing, limited features, and those cancellation difficulties. Reviews from platforms like G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot reveal a pattern – users appreciate the platform initially but get frustrated with costs and limitations as their businesses grow.

From G2.com reviews, users consistently mention that while Constant Contact is “easy to get started with,” the “pricing becomes unreasonable as you scale.” One verified user noted, “Great for beginners, but you’ll outgrow it quickly and find better value elsewhere.”

Capterra reviews echo similar sentiments, with a common theme being “excellent customer service but expensive for what you get.” Multiple reviewers mentioned switching to competitors like MailerLite or ConvertKit for better automation features at lower costs.

Trustpilot reviews reveal frustration with the cancellation process, with several users reporting difficulty canceling subscriptions and unexpected charges. However, positive reviews consistently praise the platform’s reliability and email deliverability.

Expert recommendations from marketing blogs and comparison sites generally position Constant Contact as a good starting point for email marketing beginners, but suggest considering alternatives for businesses serious about advanced email marketing strategies.

Here’s the Thing About Their Pricing

Constant Contact uses a tiered pricing model that starts at $12/month for 500 contacts on the Lite plan, jumping to $35/month for the Standard plan and $80/month for Premium. Costs increase significantly as your contact list grows, and many essential features are locked behind higher-tier plans. The pricing structure makes it one of the more expensive options in the email marketing space.

The Lite Plan at $12/month includes basic email marketing, unlimited sends, and basic reporting. However, you’re limited to one audience segment and don’t get A/B testing or automation features.

Standard Plan pricing jumps to $35/month for the same 500 contacts but adds A/B testing, email scheduling, and basic automation templates. This represents a significant price increase for relatively modest feature additions.

Premium Plan costs $80/month for 500 contacts and finally includes custom automation workflows, dynamic content, and advanced reporting. This pricing puts it well above most competitors for similar functionality.

What makes the pricing particularly painful is how costs scale. For 2,500 contacts, you’re looking at $45/month for Lite, $80/month for Standard, and $145/month for Premium. These prices quickly become prohibitive for growing businesses.

Where to Find Constant Contact

You can sign up for Constant Contact directly through their official website, which offers free trials ranging from 30-60 days depending on current promotions. The platform is also available through authorized reseller partners and has a direct sales team for larger businesses.

Top Alternatives to Constant Contact

MailerLite: The Budget-Friendly Choice That Actually Works

Okay, so after getting frustrated with Constant Contact’s pricing, I gave MailerLite a shot. And honestly? I felt a little silly for not trying it sooner. They give you way more bang for your buck, and their free plan actually lets you do stuff – imagine that.

MailerLite consistently outperforms Constant Contact in the feature-to-price ratio department. Their free plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers with 12,000 monthly emails – already more generous than Constant Contact’s entry-level paid plan.

The automation capabilities are significantly more advanced, even on lower-tier plans. You get visual automation builders, behavioral triggers, and sophisticated workflow options that Constant Contact reserves for premium subscribers.

Template quality is notably better, with modern, mobile-responsive designs that look professional without extensive customization. The drag-and-drop editor offers more flexibility while maintaining ease of use.

Visit MailerLite’s website to explore their features and start with their free plan.

ActiveCampaign: For When You Want Automation That Actually Works

If you’re serious about email automation, ActiveCampaign is where it’s at. Starting at $15/month, they offer industry-leading workflow capabilities that make Constant Contact’s automation look like a toy. The platform provides sophisticated segmentation, behavioral tracking, and multi-channel automation that’s in a completely different league.

ActiveCampaign’s automation capabilities are honestly impressive. Even their basic plan includes visual automation builders, conditional logic, and behavioral triggers that would cost you $80+ monthly with Constant Contact.

The built-in CRM functionality adds serious value, letting you track customer interactions across multiple touchpoints. This integration between email marketing and customer relationship management creates opportunities for more personalized, effective campaigns.

Advanced segmentation options let you target audiences based on behavior, purchase history, engagement levels, and dozens of other criteria. This level of targeting precision simply isn’t available with Constant Contact’s basic segmentation tools.

Check out ActiveCampaign’s platform to see their automation capabilities in action.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): Perfect for Large Lists

Brevo stands out with their unlimited contacts pricing model – which is revolutionary if you’ve got a big email list. Starting at $25/month with no contact limits, they offer exceptional value for businesses with large subscriber lists who would face crazy costs with Constant Contact’s per-contact pricing structure.

The unlimited contacts model is a game-changer for businesses with large email lists. While Constant Contact charges based on subscriber count, Brevo charges based on emails sent, which can result in massive savings for businesses with engaged but large audiences.

Transactional email capabilities are included at no extra cost, covering order confirmations, password resets, and other automated business communications. This integration eliminates the need for separate transactional email services.

SMS marketing is built into the platform with competitive pricing, allowing you to create multi-channel campaigns that combine email and text messaging for better engagement rates.

Explore Brevo’s pricing and features to see how unlimited contacts could benefit your business.

GetResponse: The All-in-One Marketing Machine

GetResponse combines email marketing with advanced funnel building tools, webinar capabilities, and conversion optimization features. Starting at $15/month, it offers way more comprehensive marketing tools than Constant Contact, including landing page builders, webinar hosting, and sophisticated automation workflows that support complete customer journey mapping.

The conversion funnel tools set GetResponse apart from traditional email marketing platforms. You can build complete sales funnels with landing pages, email sequences, and payment processing all integrated into one platform.

Webinar functionality is built-in, allowing you to host live and automated webinars directly from your email marketing platform. This integration creates seamless workflows from email invitation to webinar attendance to follow-up sequences.

Advanced automation includes e-commerce tracking, abandoned cart recovery, and behavioral-based triggers that respond to how subscribers interact with your website and emails.

Visit GetResponse’s website to explore their funnel building and webinar capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Constant Contact worth the money compared to competitors?

Based on my deep dive into this platform, Constant Contact really struggles to justify its pricing when you stack it up against modern alternatives. While they deliver on ease of use and customer support, the value proposition gets pretty weak when you see what competitors offer at similar or lower price points. For most businesses, platforms like MailerLite or ActiveCampaign provide better feature sets without making your wallet cry.

The reality is that Constant Contact’s pricing model becomes particularly brutal as your business grows. What starts as a manageable monthly expense can quickly balloon into hundreds of dollars per month for features that other platforms include at much lower price points.

If you’re just starting out and prioritize simplicity above all else, Constant Contact might work for your immediate needs. However, I’d seriously recommend considering the long-term costs and limitations before committing to their platform.

Can I cancel my Constant Contact subscription easily?

Ha! That’s a good one. Remember when I said they’re stuck in 2005? This is exhibit A. You literally have to call them to cancel. In 2024. I know, I know – it’s ridiculous.

This policy stands in stark contrast to most modern SaaS platforms that allow instant online cancellation. I’ve seen multiple user complaints about this process, with some reporting difficulty reaching cancellation representatives or experiencing unexpected charges after attempting to cancel.

How does Constant Contact’s deliverability compare to other platforms?

Constant Contact genuinely excels in this area, consistently achieving 88-92% deliverability rates according to independent testing. This performance puts them among the top performers in the email marketing space and represents one of their strongest competitive advantages.

The deliverability thing is actually a big deal, even though it sounds boring. Think of it this way – you could write the world’s best email, but if it ends up in the spam folder, you might as well have written it in invisible ink.

However, excellent deliverability alone doesn’t justify the premium pricing when competitors like MailerLite and Brevo achieve similar delivery rates at significantly lower costs.

What are the main limitations of Constant Contact’s free trial?

Constant Contact offers a 30-60 day free trial (depending on current promotions), but there’s no permanently free plan. During the trial, you get access to most features, but you’re limited to 100 contacts and can only send a few test emails.

The trial period gives you enough time to explore the interface and basic functionality, but it’s not sufficient for testing deliverability or automation workflows with real subscriber data. You’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan to properly evaluate the platform’s performance.

Is Constant Contact suitable for e-commerce businesses?

While Constant Contact includes basic e-commerce integrations, it’s honestly not the strongest choice for online retailers. The platform lacks advanced e-commerce features like abandoned cart recovery (unless you pay for Premium), product recommendations, and sophisticated purchase-based segmentation.

E-commerce businesses would benefit way more from platforms like Klaviyo, which specializes in e-commerce email marketing, or ActiveCampaign, which offers robust e-commerce automation at competitive pricing. Constant Contact’s e-commerce capabilities feel more like an afterthought than a core strength.

How does Constant Contact handle GDPR and privacy compliance?

Constant Contact provides basic GDPR compliance tools, including consent management, data processing agreements, and subscriber data export capabilities. They’ve updated their platform to meet European privacy requirements, though the implementation feels somewhat basic compared to more privacy-focused platforms.

The platform includes standard opt-in forms and unsubscribe mechanisms, but advanced privacy features require manual setup or higher-tier plans. For businesses with complex privacy requirements, you might need additional tools or legal consultation.

What kind of customer support can I expect from Constant Contact?

Customer support is genuinely one of Constant Contact’s strongest features. Phone support is available on all paid plans – a rarity in today’s email marketing landscape. I’ll admit, I was pretty impressed with their customer support. When I called with a question about setting up automation (spoiler alert: it was more complicated than it should be), I actually got a human who knew what they were talking about. No 20-minute hold time, no reading from a script. Just genuine help.

Live chat support responds quickly, and their agents actually understand the platform rather than reading from scripts. The knowledge base is comprehensive, covering most common questions and scenarios.

However, remember that this excellent support comes at a premium price. Many competitors offer adequate support through email and chat at much lower costs.

Can I import my existing email list to Constant Contact?

Yes, Constant Contact supports list imports through CSV files, copy-and-paste, and direct integrations with other email platforms. The import process is straightforward and includes duplicate detection and basic list cleaning.

The platform also provides guidance on maintaining good list hygiene and compliance with anti-spam regulations. However, they don’t offer advanced list cleaning services, so you’ll need to ensure your imported contacts are engaged and properly opted-in.

How does Constant Contact’s automation compare to competitors?

This is where Constant Contact falls significantly behind modern competitors. I remember the exact moment I realized this wasn’t going to work for me long-term. I was trying to set up different email sequences for customers who bought different products. Seems reasonable, right? Well, turns out that kind of segmentation is considered “premium” functionality. I literally laughed out loud at my computer screen.

Advanced automation workflows, behavioral triggers, and sophisticated drip campaigns require the Premium plan at $80+ monthly. Even then, the automation capabilities feel restrictive compared to what platforms like ActiveCampaign or even MailerLite offer at much lower price points.

If automation is important to your marketing strategy, you’ll find better value and functionality elsewhere.

Final Thoughts

Look, after testing this thing inside and out, I just can’t justify recommending Constant Contact to most people in 2024. It’s like buying a luxury car when you need a reliable truck – sure, it’s nice, but it’s not practical for what you actually need to do.

The pricing structure becomes particularly problematic as your business grows. What might seem reasonable for 500 contacts quickly becomes expensive as your list expands, especially when you consider the limited features included at each tier.

If you’re dead set on trying it anyway, at least use their free trial to really put it through its paces. Don’t just play around with it – actually try to build the kind of campaigns you’d use for your business. You’ll figure out pretty quickly if it’s worth the premium price tag.

But honestly? Save yourself the headache and check out MailerLite or ActiveCampaign first. Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.

The email marketing landscape has evolved significantly since Constant Contact’s early days. While they’ve maintained their reputation for reliability and support, they haven’t kept pace with pricing innovation and feature development that today’s businesses expect.

And hey, if you end up trying any of these platforms and have questions, drop me a line. I’ve probably banged my head against the same wall you’re facing, and I’m always happy to help a fellow business owner avoid the mistakes I’ve made.