Independently tested ranking
Best Email Marketing Software for B2B in 2026
9 email marketing platforms for B2B compared on lead nurturing, lead scoring, CRM and Salesforce sync, account-level features, reporting and price.
- Tools compared
- 9
- With a free plan
- 3 of 9
- Median entry price
- $12/mo
- Average rating
- 4.3
On this page
- Quick answer
- Our top picks
- Key takeaways
- What is email marketing software?
- Comparison table
- The 9 best email marketing software
- Best email marketing software by need
- What to look for
- How much email marketing software cost
- How we ranked them
- How to choose email marketing software
- FAQ
- About the reviewer
- Related rankings
What is the best email marketing software for B2B?
The best email marketing software for B2B in 2026 is HubSpot Marketing Hub for most teams, because email, lead scoring and reporting share the CRM sales uses. ActiveCampaign is the best value for nurture automation and lead scoring, from $15/mo billed annually. Pick Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) if you run Salesforce, Adobe Marketo Engage for enterprise ABM and attribution, and Customer.io for B2B SaaS onboarding emails triggered by product usage.
Our top picks
Best overall
HubSpot Marketing Hub
Email, workflows, lead scoring and reporting run on the same free CRM your sales team uses.
Paid plans from Paid tiers vary
See why we picked itBest value
ActiveCampaign
Branching nurture automation, lead scoring and a built-in CRM from $15/mo billed annually.
Paid plans from $15/mo annual
See why we picked itBest for Salesforce teams
Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement
Scoring, grading and sales alerts run natively on the Salesforce platform next to your opportunities.
Paid plans from Annual, per org
See why we picked itKey takeaways
- CRM connection matters more than templates. B2B email exists to create pipeline, so pick a tool that shares data with your CRM or syncs both ways with it.
- Lead scoring is often a higher-tier feature. HubSpot puts it on Professional and Brevo on its $499/mo Professional plan, while ActiveCampaign includes lead scoring and a CRM at a much lower price.
- On Salesforce, start with Account Engagement or Marketo. Both are built around Salesforce data; most other tools only sync with it.
- B2B SaaS needs product events. Customer.io and Encharge trigger onboarding and trial emails from what users do in your app, which a newsletter tool cannot.
- Enterprise B2B tools are sales-quoted. Pardot and Marketo use annual contracts and usually need an admin or marketing ops specialist, so budget for people as well as licenses.
What is email marketing software?
The best email marketing software for B2B sends newsletters, nurture sequences and automated emails to business buyers, with the lead scoring, CRM sync and reporting needed to turn subscribers into sales pipeline. Unlike consumer email tools built around fast purchases, B2B email marketing software handles long buying cycles, several decision makers per account and a handoff from marketing to sales.
In practice, B2B email automation needs to do four things well. It should nurture leads over weeks or months based on behavior, score them so sales knows who to call, keep contact and deal data in step with your CRM, and show which emails and programs produced pipeline. Small B2B companies can start with a simpler newsletter tool, but most outgrow it once sales asks which leads are ready.
Best email marketing software compared
| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan | Paid plans from | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HubSpot Marketing Hub |
Email and CRM in one | Yes (2 users) | Paid tiers vary | ★4.5 |
| 2 | ActiveCampaign |
Nurture automation on a budget | No (14-day trial) | $15/mo annual | ★4.5 |
| 3 | Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement |
Salesforce-native B2B email | No | Annual, per org | ★4.0 |
| 4 |  Adobe Marketo Engage |
Enterprise B2B and ABM | No | Custom | ★4.1 |
| 5 |  Customer.io |
Product-led B2B SaaS | No (14-day trial) | $100/mo | ★4.4 |
| 6 |  Ortto |
CDP plus account analytics | No free plan listed | By contact count | ★4.5 |
| 7 |  Brevo |
Low-cost email plus CRM | Yes (300 emails/day) | $9/mo (5,000 emails/mo) | ★4.4 |
| 8 |  Encharge |
B2B SaaS behavior emails | No (14-day trial) | By contact count | ★4.6 |
| 9 |  Mailchimp |
Simple B2B newsletters | Yes (250 contacts) | $8.89/mo (500 contacts) | ★4.1 |
Ratings are MakeSuccessOnline's. Prices are the cheapest paid plan, billed monthly unless marked annual, checked November 2026.
The 9 best email marketing software in 2026
B2B email is judged by the pipeline it creates, so we ranked these tools on lead nurturing, scoring, CRM sync and reporting more than on template galleries. Each one leads a specific kind of B2B team.
#1Best overall B2B email platform with a built-in CRM
HubSpot Marketing Hub
HubSpot's marketing software runs on its free Smart CRM, so every email, form fill and deal sits on the same contact record sales uses.
- Paid plans from
- Paid tiers vary
- Free plan
- Yes (2 users)
- Best for
- Small to mid-size B2B companies that want marketing and sales on one database
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android, API
HubSpot is the safest first choice for most B2B teams because email does not live in a separate silo. Marketing Hub runs on HubSpot's free Smart CRM, so a prospect's email clicks, form fills and open deals all sit on one record. Reps see which nurture emails a lead opened before a call, and marketing can report on which campaigns moved deals forward.
That shared database is the main reason to pick it over a cheaper sender. Workflows can react to both marketing and sales activity, Breeze AI drafts emails from CRM data, and the App Marketplace connects Gmail, Outlook, Zoom, Slack and LinkedIn Sales Navigator. The catch is cost. Lead scoring and full workflows sit on Professional, which needs an annual commitment and an onboarding fee.
Key features
- Free Smart CRMContacts, companies, deals and activity live in one free CRM that every HubSpot hub uses, so B2B email always runs on the same data as your sales pipeline.
- WorkflowsAutomate nurture steps, record updates and lead rotation to the right rep. Simple automation is on Starter and full workflows on Professional and above.
- Lead scoringOn Professional and above, score contacts so sales gets alerted when a lead is ready, instead of working a static list of MQLs.
- Breeze AIHubSpot's built-in AI drafts emails, summarizes records and researches companies using your CRM data, which speeds up account research and follow-up copy.
- Reporting dashboardsPre-built dashboards cover the funnel, and custom reports on Professional and above help you tie email programs to pipeline.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Free HubSpot tools for up to 2 users with contacts, deals, email tracking, meeting links and basic reports |
| Starter | Higher | Per seat, with simple automation added to the free CRM |
| Professional | Higher | Full workflows, lead scoring and custom reports, on an annual commitment with a one-time onboarding fee |
| Enterprise | Higher | Higher limits and advanced controls, on an annual commitment with a one-time onboarding fee |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. HubSpot is priced by tier and seat, and Professional and Enterprise carry one-time onboarding fees.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Marketing and sales share one contact database
- Useful free CRM to start on
- Easy for non-technical marketers and reps to learn
- Huge range of integrations
Cons
- Big price jump from Starter to Professional
- Onboarding fees on Professional and Enterprise
- Costs grow quickly as you add seats and hubs
Is it right for you?
Choose HubSpot Marketing Hub ifYou want B2B email, a CRM and pipeline reporting in one system, and expect to grow into lead scoring and full workflows.
Look elsewhere ifYour sales team is committed to Salesforce, or you only need a low-cost newsletter sender.
#2Best value for B2B lead nurturing and scoring
ActiveCampaign
An email marketing and automation platform known for flexible branching automations, with CRM, lead scoring and a Salesforce integration.
- Paid plans from
- $15/mo annual
- Free plan
- No (14-day trial)
- Best for
- Small and mid-sized B2B, SaaS and high-ticket service companies
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android, API
ActiveCampaign gives B2B teams deep nurture automation without an enterprise price tag. Its builder combines email engagement, site visits and tags in branching automations, which is what a long buying cycle needs. A lead who reads three case studies and visits your pricing page can take a different path from one who only opened a newsletter.
Lead scoring and a built-in CRM pipeline let you pass hot leads to sales without a separate tool, and site tracking shows which pages known contacts visit. Teams on Salesforce can connect it too, with premium CRM integrations on Enterprise. There is no free plan, and the price rises quickly as your contact list grows, so budget for list growth.
Key features
- Advanced automation builderBranch nurture sequences on email engagement, site visits and tags, so prospects get content that matches where they are in a weeks-long buying cycle.
- Lead scoring and CRMScore contacts by behavior and move hot leads into a sales pipeline, which is the handoff most B2B email programs exist to create.
- Site trackingSee which pages known contacts visit, such as pricing or integration pages, and use those visits to trigger automations or segments.
- Automation recipesStart from a large library of pre-built automation templates and adapt them to your B2B funnel instead of building every nurture from scratch.
- Split testingTest subject lines and content in campaigns, and split paths inside automations to see which nurture route converts more leads.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15/mo annual | 1,000 contacts, rising with list size: email, automations and core integrations |
| Plus | Higher | Starter features plus more automation, landing pages and reporting |
| Pro | Higher | Predictive sending and more reporting |
| Enterprise | Custom | Premium CRM integrations and dedicated support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Prices scale with contact count. 14-day free trial, no card required.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very flexible automation logic for long sales cycles
- Lead scoring and CRM included
- Strong site tracking
- Large integration library, including Salesforce
Cons
- No free plan
- Price rises quickly with contact count
- Not built for large-scale account-based marketing
Is it right for you?
Choose ActiveCampaign ifYou are a small or mid-sized B2B team that wants deep nurture automation and lead scoring without an enterprise contract.
Look elsewhere ifYou need enterprise ABM and revenue attribution, or you want a free plan to start.
#3Best for B2B teams already on Salesforce
Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement
Salesforce's B2B marketing automation product (formerly Pardot) for lead generation, nurturing, scoring and sales alignment on the Salesforce platform.
- Paid plans from
- Annual, per org
- Free plan
- No
- Best for
- B2B marketing teams already using Salesforce Sales Cloud
- Works on
- Web (runs on Salesforce), API
Account Engagement, still widely called Pardot, is the default B2B email choice for companies that run sales in Salesforce. It runs on the Salesforce platform, so prospects, campaigns and email activity sit next to opportunities. There is no sync to babysit, and reps get real-time alerts when a prospect they own engages, for example by visiting the pricing page.
Its standout B2B feature is combined scoring and grading. Scores measure engagement and grades measure fit, so sales sees leads that are both interested and qualified. Engagement Studio makes nurture programs easy to read, and B2B Marketing Analytics ties email to pipeline. It only makes sense with Salesforce CRM, and contracts are annual, with setup often handled by a Salesforce admin or partner.
Key features
- Lead scoring and gradingScore prospects on engagement and grade them on fit, so sales only works leads that are both interested and a match for your ideal customer profile.
- Engagement StudioA visual builder for nurture programs that branch on prospect actions and data, laid out like a flowchart of emails and waits.
- Native Salesforce integrationRuns on the Salesforce platform, so prospects, campaigns and email activity sit next to sales records without a separate sync.
- Sales alertsNotify reps in real time when their prospects engage, for example by visiting the pricing page, so follow-up happens while interest is high.
- B2B Marketing AnalyticsDashboards that tie email and campaign activity to pipeline and revenue inside Salesforce.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | Higher | Up to 10,000 contacts: core email marketing, forms, landing pages and lead nurturing |
| Plus | Higher | Up to 10,000 contacts: adds advanced email analytics, dynamic content and AI features |
| Advanced | Higher | Up to 10,000 contacts: adds B2B Marketing Analytics Plus and sandboxes |
| Premium | Higher | Up to 75,000 contacts: highest limits and premium support |
Priced per org per month and billed annually, as of November 2026. Salesforce has been moving Account Engagement into newer Marketing Cloud packages, so check current editions with sales.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Best fit for teams already on Salesforce
- Combined scoring and grading
- Engagement Studio is easy to understand
- Strong marketing-to-pipeline reporting
Cons
- Expensive, annual contracts only
- Little value without Salesforce CRM
- Setup often needs a Salesforce admin or partner
Is it right for you?
Choose Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement ifYour sales team lives in Salesforce Sales Cloud and you want B2B email, scoring and pipeline reporting on the same platform.
Look elsewhere ifYou use HubSpot, Pipedrive or another CRM, or you are a small team without Salesforce admin help.
#4Best for enterprise B2B and account-based marketing
Adobe Marketo Engage
An enterprise marketing automation platform from Adobe for B2B lead management, nurturing, scoring and account-based marketing.
- Paid plans from
- Custom
- Free plan
- No
- Best for
- Mid-market and enterprise B2B marketing teams with marketing operations staff
- Works on
- Web, API
Marketo Engage is built for B2B marketing teams that run many programs at once across a large database. Smart campaigns automate list moves, emails and score changes from behavior and data, and engagement programs drip content to leads over months, moving them between streams as they engage. That suits complex enterprise funnels with long sales cycles and buying committees.
It goes further than most tools on account-based marketing and revenue attribution, so you can target named accounts and show which programs created pipeline. Native, two-way sync works with both Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365. The trade-off is effort. Pricing is sales-quoted on annual contracts, implementation is long, and you will usually need a marketing ops specialist to run it well.
Key features
- Smart campaignsRule-based campaigns triggered by behavior or data changes that automate emails, list moves and score changes across a large B2B database.
- Engagement programsLong-running nurture streams that drip content to leads over time and move them between streams as they engage.
- Account-based marketingTarget named accounts, build account lists and measure engagement at the account level, which matters when several people at one company are buying.
- Revenue attributionAttribute pipeline and revenue to programs and channels so you can show which email programs actually produce deals.
- CRM syncNative, two-way sync with Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics keeps leads, activities and campaigns aligned with sales.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | Custom | Core lead management and email marketing |
| Select | Custom | Adds more advanced automation and analytics |
| Prime | Custom | Adds advanced attribution and ABM capabilities |
| Ultimate | Custom | Full feature set with highest limits |
Sales-quoted annual pricing based on database size, as of November 2026. Ask for quotes at your current and expected database size.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very capable for complex B2B lead management
- Deep Salesforce and Dynamics sync
- ABM and revenue attribution built in
- Scales to very large databases
Cons
- Expensive and sales-quoted only
- Steep learning curve, usually needs marketing ops staff
- Long implementation
Is it right for you?
Choose Adobe Marketo Engage ifYou run enterprise B2B programs with ABM, attribution and a marketing ops team, on Salesforce or Dynamics.
Look elsewhere ifYou are a small team without dedicated marketing operations staff or an enterprise budget.
#5Best for B2B SaaS onboarding and lifecycle email
Customer.io
A data-driven messaging platform that sends email, push, SMS and in-app messages triggered by what users do in your product.
- Paid plans from
- $100/mo
- Free plan
- No (14-day trial)
- Best for
- B2B SaaS and digital product teams with developer or data resources
- Works on
- Web (cloud); SDKs for web, iOS, Android, React Native and Flutter
Customer.io is the pick when your B2B email depends on what users do inside your product rather than which whitepaper they downloaded. It triggers journeys from tracked events, so a trial user who never invites a teammate gets a different onboarding email from one who connected an integration. Segments update in real time from those events.
It also handles transactional email such as password resets alongside marketing messages, and Data Pipelines can route event data from your app to warehouses and analytics tools. Integrations include Segment, Snowflake, BigQuery, Salesforce and Slack. It needs developer help to send events, and the $100 entry price is steep if you only send a monthly newsletter to prospects.
Key features
- JourneysA visual workflow builder for triggered onboarding, activation and retention campaigns that branch on user attributes and product events.
- Behavioral segmentationSegments built from tracked events update in real time, so emails reach users based on what they actually do in your product.
- Transactional messagesSend receipts, password resets and other app emails through the API alongside marketing email, with shared templates and reporting.
- Data PipelinesCollect event and profile data from your sites and apps and route it into Customer.io and other tools such as warehouses and analytics.
- A/B and holdout testingTest message variants and run holdout groups inside journeys to see whether an onboarding email really changes activation.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $100/mo | Starts at 5,000 profiles, rising with profile count: journeys, segments, newsletters, email, push, SMS and in-app |
| Premium | Custom | Higher limits, advanced features, premium support and onboarding (annual) |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom volume, security and compliance options, dedicated support (annual) |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Price rises with profile count. 14-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very flexible event-based targeting
- Marketing and transactional email in one tool
- Strong APIs and data pipelines
- Email, push, SMS and in-app in one builder
Cons
- No free plan
- Entry price is high for small lists
- Needs developer help to send events and set up data
Is it right for you?
Choose Customer.io ifYou run a B2B SaaS product and want onboarding and lifecycle emails triggered by real product usage.
Look elsewhere ifYou mainly send newsletters and nurture emails to prospects and have no engineering time to set up event tracking.
#6Best for B2B customer data, journeys and analytics in one
Ortto
A marketing automation platform that combines a customer data platform, journeys, email, SMS and analytics in one product.
- Paid plans from
- By contact count
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Best for
- SaaS and B2B growth and marketing teams
- Works on
- Web (cloud)
Ortto suits B2B growth teams that want their email tool to also be their customer data platform. It brings contacts, events and accounts from your app and CRM into one profile, then uses that data in segments and journeys. You can group contacts into accounts, so B2B targeting and reporting work at the company level, not just per person.
Built-in dashboards and journey reports mean you can see the effect of campaigns without a separate BI tool, and capture widgets feed website leads straight into the CDP. It connects to Salesforce, HubSpot, Segment, Stripe and Intercom. Plans scale by contacts, which makes pricing harder to compare up front, and the ecosystem is smaller than HubSpot or Marketo.
Key features
- Customer data platformBrings contacts, events and accounts from your apps and CRM into one profile, so segments and journeys use the same data.
- Account-based featuresGroup contacts into accounts for B2B targeting and reporting, so you can see engagement across a buying committee.
- JourneysA visual journey builder for multi-step campaigns that react to behavior, with branches, delays and goals.
- Analytics and reportsBuilt-in dashboards plus journey and revenue reports show campaign impact without a separate BI tool.
- Capture widgetsPop-ups, forms and bars on your website collect leads and feed them straight into the CDP and journeys.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Professional | Higher | Priced by contacts: journeys, email, CDP, segmentation and analytics |
| Business | Higher | Everything in Professional plus higher limits and advanced features |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom volume, advanced security and dedicated support (annual) |
Plans are priced by contacts, billed monthly or annually, as of November 2026. Check the vendor's pricing page for your contact count before you buy.
Pros and cons
Pros
- CDP, automation and analytics in one tool
- Account grouping for B2B
- Clean visual journey builder
- Built-in reporting reduces extra tools
Cons
- Pricing is hard to compare because plans scale by contacts
- Smaller ecosystem than HubSpot or Marketo
- More than a simple newsletter sender needs
Is it right for you?
Choose Ortto ifYou are a growing B2B or SaaS team that wants unified customer data, account-level reporting and journeys without an enterprise suite.
Look elsewhere ifYou need deep Salesforce-native ABM, or you just want a cheap newsletter tool.
#7Best budget pick for small B2B teams
Brevo
A marketing platform for email, SMS, WhatsApp and transactional messages, with plans priced by monthly email volume and an optional sales CRM.
- Paid plans from
- $9/mo (5,000 emails/mo)
- Free plan
- Yes (300 emails/day)
- Best for
- Small B2B companies and service firms that want low-cost email with a simple CRM
- Works on
- Web; API and SMTP relay
Brevo is the cheapest way for a small B2B company to run newsletters, basic nurture and a simple sales pipeline in one account. Plans are priced mainly by monthly email volume, and the optional Sales product adds pipelines and deals, so a founder-led sales team can track opportunities next to the emails prospects received.
Marketing automation, A/B testing, web and event tracking and send time optimization start on Standard at $18/mo. Transactional email works on every plan, which helps if your product sends account emails. For B2B, contact scoring only arrives on Professional at $499/mo, so lead scoring is not a budget feature here. Starter also carries the Brevo logo unless you pay extra.
Key features
- Sales CRMThe optional Sales product adds pipelines and deals to the same account, so small teams can track opportunities without a separate CRM.
- Marketing automationUnlimited multi-step workflows triggered by behavior and events on Standard and higher, enough for welcome and nurture sequences.
- Transactional emailEvery plan, including Free, sends account and system emails through the API or SMTP relay, with webhooks and log retention.
- Advanced segmentationFilter contacts by website activity, engagement and custom events, with unlimited saved segments for different buyer groups.
- Contact scoringOn Professional, score contacts so you can spot your most engaged prospects and hand them to sales.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 300 emails/day, email campaigns, transactional email, forms, Brevo branding |
| Starter | $9/mo | From 5,000 emails/mo (500 contacts at that tier), 1 seat, editor, templates, AI content, segmentation; Brevo logo unless you add $12/mo |
| Standard | $18/mo | Up to 3 seats, marketing automation, A/B testing, advanced reporting, send time optimization, web and event tracking, no Brevo logo |
| Professional | $499/mo | From 150,000 emails/mo, 10 seats, contact scoring, WhatsApp, popups, push and phone support |
| Enterprise | Custom | Multi-account management, custom objects, dedicated IP, SSO/SAML |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Prices rise with email volume; annual billing saves 10%.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Low entry price and a free plan
- Marketing and transactional email in one account
- Optional sales CRM
- Pricing driven by email volume
Cons
- Marketing automation requires Standard or higher
- Contact scoring only on the $499/mo Professional plan
- Paid tiers carry contact limits (500 contacts at the 5,000-email tier)
Is it right for you?
Choose Brevo ifYou are a small B2B team that wants newsletters, simple nurture and a basic pipeline for under $20 a month.
Look elsewhere ifYou need lead scoring and many seats on a small budget, or tight sync with Salesforce.
#8Best for B2B SaaS teams syncing product, billing and CRM data
Encharge
A marketing automation platform for B2B SaaS that uses product, CRM and billing data to run behavior-based email flows.
- Paid plans from
- By contact count
- Free plan
- No (14-day trial)
- Best for
- B2B SaaS companies and marketing teams
- Works on
- Web, API
Encharge is built specifically for B2B SaaS, and it shows in the integrations. Two-way sync with HubSpot and Salesforce keeps contact and deal data aligned, Stripe brings in billing events, and Segment or the API sends product events. That lets you run trial conversion, onboarding and upgrade flows that react to what a user and their account actually do.
Account-based features group people into companies, so a flow can fire on account-level data, which fits B2B deals with several users per customer. Lead scoring flags the most engaged leads for sales. It is email-centric with no native SMS, the template library is smaller than general email tools, and some advanced features sit on higher tiers.
Key features
- Account-based marketingGroup people into companies and run flows on account-level data, which suits B2B products where several users share one subscription.
- CRM syncTwo-way syncs with HubSpot and Salesforce keep contact and deal data aligned between marketing and sales.
- Behavior-based emailsTrigger emails from product events sent through Segment, the API or integrations, such as a trial user hitting a key feature.
- Lead scoringScore leads on behavior and attributes so sales can follow up with the most engaged accounts first.
- Visual flow builderBuild onboarding, trial conversion and nurture automations with triggers, conditions and actions on a canvas.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | Higher | Priced by contacts: flow builder, broadcasts, segmentation and core integrations |
| Premium | Higher | Adds account-based features, CRM integrations and more advanced tools |
| Enterprise | Custom | Higher volumes and support (annual) |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Plans are priced by contacts, with an annual discount available. 14-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built for B2B SaaS lifecycle marketing
- Native Stripe, HubSpot and Salesforce integrations
- Account-based features
- Behavior triggers without heavy engineering via Segment
Cons
- No free plan
- Email-centric with no native SMS
- Advanced features sit on higher tiers
Is it right for you?
Choose Encharge ifYou run a B2B SaaS product and want trial and onboarding emails driven by product, Stripe and CRM data without Customer.io's engineering load.
Look elsewhere ifYou are not a SaaS business, or you need a free plan for a small list.
#9Best for simple B2B newsletters
Mailchimp
An email marketing platform with automation flows, forms, landing pages and reporting, priced by contact count.
- Paid plans from
- $8.89/mo (500 contacts)
- Free plan
- Yes (250 contacts)
- Best for
- Small B2B companies that need newsletters and light nurture rather than full marketing automation
- Works on
- Web, iOS and Android apps
Mailchimp fits small B2B companies whose email program is mostly a monthly newsletter, product updates and event invites. The editor is easy for anyone on the team to use, and forms, landing pages and surveys help grow a list of prospects and customers. It connects to Salesforce and LinkedIn, among 300+ integrations, so basic contact data can flow in.
For B2B nurture you will want Standard, which adds up to 200 branching automation flows, dynamic content and send time optimization. Essentials caps flows at 4 steps. There is no lead scoring or account-level view, so it will not replace a marketing automation platform. Headline prices are 12-month promotional rates, and costs climb as your contact count grows.
Key features
- Marketing Automation FlowsBuild welcome and nurture journeys. Essentials allows flows of up to 4 steps; Standard and Premium allow up to 200 flows with branching.
- Email Builder and templatesA drag-and-drop editor with pre-built templates, plus custom-coded branded templates on Standard and Premium.
- SegmentationBasic segmentation on all plans, with advanced segmentation on Standard and Premium for splitting prospects and customers.
- Forms and landing pagesPop-up and embedded sign-up forms, landing pages and surveys to capture leads from content and events.
- 300+ integrationsConnects to tools such as Salesforce, LinkedIn, Canva and Zapier to keep contact data in sync.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo (250/day), 1 seat, Mailchimp branding |
| Essentials | $8.89/mo | 500 contacts, 3 seats, scheduling, A/B testing, flows up to 4 steps |
| Standard | $13.31/mo | 500 contacts, 5 seats, up to 200 branching flows, generative AI, dynamic content, send time optimization |
| Premium | $266.30/mo | 500 contacts, unlimited seats, enterprise SSO, multivariate testing, phone support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Prices shown are for 0-500 contacts and rise with list size; paid plans are currently 50% off for the first 12 months.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very easy editor for non-technical teams
- Free plan for small lists
- 300+ integrations, including Salesforce
- Forms and landing pages included
Cons
- No lead scoring or account-level features
- Essentials flows are limited to 4 steps
- Price climbs quickly as contact count grows
Is it right for you?
Choose Mailchimp ifYou are a small B2B company that mainly sends newsletters and announcements and wants the easiest tool to start with.
Look elsewhere ifYou need lead scoring, CRM-based nurture or pipeline attribution.
Best email marketing software by need
- Email and CRM in one systemHubSpot Marketing Hub
- Lead nurturing and scoring on a budgetActiveCampaign
- Teams running Salesforce Sales CloudSalesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement
- Enterprise ABM and revenue attributionAdobe Marketo Engage
- B2B SaaS onboarding triggered by product eventsCustomer.io
- Customer data and account-level analyticsOrtto
- Cheapest email plus a simple sales CRMBrevo
- SaaS flows using Stripe and CRM dataEncharge
- Simple B2B newslettersMailchimp
What to look for in email marketing software
- CRM integration or built-in CRMEmail software with CRM data lets you segment by deal stage, alert reps and stop nurture emails when a deal opens. Check for a native CRM or a two-way Salesforce or HubSpot sync.
- Lead scoringLead scoring software ranks prospects by engagement and fit so sales calls the right people first. Check which plan includes it, since many vendors keep it on upper tiers.
- Branching nurture automationLong B2B cycles need workflows that branch on email clicks, page visits and form fills, not a fixed drip of five emails.
- Account-level featuresAccount-based email marketing groups contacts by company, so you can see engagement across a buying committee and target named accounts.
- Website and product trackingKnowing that a lead viewed your pricing page, or that a trial user skipped setup, is what makes B2B emails timely. SaaS teams should look for event-based triggers.
- Pipeline and revenue reportingOpen rates do not convince a sales leader. Look for reports that tie email programs to pipeline, deals and revenue.
How much does B2B email marketing software cost in 2026?
B2B email marketing software costs from $0 to several thousand dollars a month. Small-team tools start around $9 to $18 a month, product-led SaaS platforms start near $100 a month, and enterprise B2B suites are sales-quoted on annual contracts.
| Tier | Typical price | Tools at this level | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | HubSpot free tools, Brevo Free, Mailchimp Free | Very small B2B teams testing newsletters and a basic CRM |
| Small team | About $9 to $18/mo | Brevo Starter and Standard, Mailchimp Essentials and Standard, ActiveCampaign Starter ($15/mo annual) | Small B2B companies with lists in the hundreds to low thousands |
| Growth | $100 to $500/mo | Customer.io Essentials ($100/mo), Brevo Professional ($499/mo) | B2B SaaS and growth teams with product data or larger lists |
| Enterprise | Sales-quoted or annual commitment | Salesforce Account Engagement, Adobe Marketo Engage, HubSpot Professional and Enterprise | Mid-market and enterprise B2B teams needing scoring, ABM and attribution |
Entry prices from vendor pricing pages, November 2026. Most prices rise with contacts, profiles or email volume.
Price the tool at the list size you expect in 18 months, not today, because almost every B2B email platform charges by contacts. Then check which plan includes lead scoring and CRM sync, since those are the features B2B teams actually need. Ortto and Encharge price by contact count, so get a figure for your list before comparing. For enterprise tools and HubSpot's upper tiers, add onboarding fees and admin time.
How we chose the best email marketing software
We started with the email marketing and marketing automation tools in the MakeSuccessOnline directory and added well-known B2B platforms we have not reviewed yet. For each one we looked at the same B2B jobs: a lead nurture sequence, a lead scoring and sales handoff setup, CRM sync and a pipeline report. We scored the results on the criteria below, using hands-on reviews alongside vendor documentation and pricing checked in November 2026.
- Lead nurturing automationBranching workflows, triggers on behavior and site visits, and how much automation affordable plans include.25%
- CRM and sales alignmentBuilt-in CRM or two-way sync, lead scoring, sales alerts and lead handoff.25%
- B2B data and accountsAccount-level grouping, ABM, product events and website tracking.15%
- Reporting and attributionHow well email programs tie to pipeline and revenue.15%
- Pricing and valueFree plans, entry prices, contracts and how cost scales with contacts.10%
- Ease of useHow quickly a B2B marketer can launch a working nurture program.10%
How to choose email marketing software
- Start with your CRMIf sales runs Salesforce, shortlist Account Engagement and Marketo first. If you are not tied to a CRM, HubSpot or ActiveCampaign give you one built in.
- Map your buying cycleWrite down how long deals take and how many people are involved. Long cycles with buying committees need branching nurture and account-level features.
- Decide who owns lead scoringAgree with sales what makes a lead ready, then check which plan includes lead scoring. This often decides the tier you need.
- Check your data sourcesB2B SaaS teams should list the product and billing events they want to use. Customer.io and Encharge depend on those events reaching the tool.
- Price it at future list sizeGet quotes or pricing at your list size 18 months out, including onboarding fees and annual contract terms.
- Run one real nurture in the trialBuild a lead nurture with scoring and a sales alert during the trial, and confirm the result shows up correctly in your CRM.
Check during the free trial
- Does a lead's email activity and score appear on the CRM record your reps use?
- Can a nurture branch on a pricing-page visit or a product event, not just an email click?
- Which plan includes lead scoring, and what does it cost at your contact count?
- Can you group contacts by company and report on engagement per account?
- Can you build a report that links an email program to deals or pipeline?
Red flags
- Lead scoring or CRM sync is only available on a tier far above your budget
- The Salesforce or HubSpot sync is one-way or runs only on a slow schedule
- Pricing is quoted only for this year's list size, with no clear overage terms
- Reporting stops at opens and clicks with no link to pipeline
- Enterprise tools are sold without a realistic plan for who will administer them
B2B email marketing software FAQs
What is the best email marketing software for B2B?
HubSpot Marketing Hub is the best email marketing software for B2B for most teams, because email, lead scoring and reporting share the CRM sales uses. ActiveCampaign is the best value for nurture and scoring. Teams on Salesforce should look at Account Engagement (Pardot), and enterprise teams needing ABM and attribution at Adobe Marketo Engage.
Is there free B2B email marketing software?
Yes. HubSpot offers free tools for up to 2 users with contacts, deals and email tracking, Brevo's free plan sends up to 300 emails a day, and Mailchimp's free plan covers 250 contacts. Free plans rarely include lead scoring or full automation, so most B2B teams upgrade once nurture programs start.
How much does B2B email marketing software cost?
Small-team plans start at $9/mo for Brevo Starter and $15/mo billed annually for ActiveCampaign Starter. Customer.io starts at $100/mo for B2B SaaS lifecycle email. Salesforce Account Engagement and Marketo are sales-quoted on annual contracts, and HubSpot's Professional tier adds a one-time onboarding fee.
HubSpot vs ActiveCampaign: which is better for B2B?
HubSpot is better if you want marketing and sales on one CRM and can afford Professional for lead scoring and full workflows. ActiveCampaign is better value if you want branching nurture automation, lead scoring and a built-in CRM at a small-business price, starting at $15/mo billed annually.
Marketo vs Pardot: which should a B2B team choose?
Choose Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) if your sales team runs Salesforce and you want scoring, grading and sales alerts on the same platform. Choose Adobe Marketo Engage if you need advanced ABM, revenue attribution, very large databases or Microsoft Dynamics sync, and have marketing ops staff to run it.
What is the difference between B2B and B2C email marketing software?
B2B email marketing software focuses on long buying cycles, lead scoring, CRM sync and account-level reporting, because several people at one company decide. B2C tools focus on fast purchases, store data and abandoned cart flows. Some platforms, like ActiveCampaign and Brevo, serve both.
Which email marketing software integrates with Salesforce?
Salesforce Account Engagement runs natively on Salesforce. Adobe Marketo Engage and Encharge offer two-way Salesforce sync, and ActiveCampaign, Customer.io, Ortto and Mailchimp also integrate with Salesforce. If Salesforce is your system of record, test how activity and scores appear on lead and contact records during the trial.
How do I choose B2B email marketing software?
Start with your CRM, then match the tool to your buying cycle. Check which plan includes lead scoring, whether the CRM sync is two-way, and whether reports link email to pipeline. Price it at your expected list size and build one real nurture with a sales alert during the trial.
About the reviewer
Editor & Reviewer, MakeSuccessOnline
William Harrison is an editor and reviewer at MakeSuccessOnline. He reviews each tools ranking before it goes live, checking plans, prices, free tiers and features against the tool's own documentation, and keeps rankings current as tools change.