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BEST-OF · 2026

The Best Email & Marketing Software for Agencies

Email is still where a lot of agency value is made and measured. These are the best email and marketing platforms for running client campaigns, from deep automation to simple, familiar sends.

Reviewed by Marcus Taylor · how we score · Updated June 2026 · affiliate disclosure

1
PICK
ActiveCampaign logo ActiveCampaign 85/100 · EXCELLENT BEST EMAIL AUTOMATION

ActiveCampaign is where email gets serious. The automation builder is the best in this set — branching logic, conditional waits, behavioural triggers and segmentation deep enough to run genuinely sophisticated client campaigns. For an agency whose value is in clever lifecycle and nurture sequences, it gives you room the simpler tools do not.

✓ PROS
  • Best-in-class automation builder
  • CRM and email in one platform
  • Handles complex client campaigns well
✕ CONS
  • Automation builder has a learning curve
  • Pricing scales with contact count
Best for: Agencies running sophisticated email automation for client campaigns
AT A GLANCE
Ease of use7.4/10
PricingFrom $15/mo
Agency fitEmail + CRM automation
from $15/mo
Start free trial ↗ Read full review →
2
PICK
Mailchimp logo Mailchimp 80/100 · VERY GOOD

Mailchimp is the email tool everyone already knows, and that familiarity is worth something. When a client just needs a clean newsletter and a couple of automated sends, rolling them onto Mailchimp is quick, the editor is friendly, and you spend zero time explaining what the tool is. For straightforward briefs, it is the path of least resistance.

✓ PROS
  • Easy to learn and roll out to clients
  • Brand clients already recognise and trust
  • Free plan to get started
✕ CONS
  • Gets pricey as lists grow
  • Automation weaker than ActiveCampaign
Best for: Agencies with simpler email needs that value ease and brand familiarity
AT A GLANCE
Ease of use8.4/10
PricingFree plan available
Agency fitClient accounts
Free, then $13/mo
Try free ↗ Read full review →

At a glance

ToolIndexEaseFromFreeBest for
ActiveCampaign 857.4from $15/mo—Agencies running sophisticated email automation for client campaigns
Mailchimp 808.4Free, then $13/mo✓Agencies with simpler email needs that value ease and brand familiarity
HOW TO CHOOSE

Choosing the right tool

Decide how much automation you actually run. If client work is mostly newsletters and the odd send, a simple tool keeps things cheap and fast. If you build multi-step lifecycle and nurture sequences, the automation depth of a tool like ActiveCampaign pays for itself.

Price the contact growth, not just the plan. Email tools almost all charge by audience size, so a campaign that succeeds gets more expensive. Model where your clients land at scale before you pick, because that is where the bill bites.

Check the client-account setup. Running multiple clients cleanly — separate audiences, branding and reporting — matters more for an agency than any single feature. Confirm the tool handles agency-client structure without a workaround.

Deliverability beats features. The cleverest automation is worthless if the email lands in spam. Favour established platforms with a real deliverability track record over whatever is newest.

FAQ

What is the best email tool for an agency?

ActiveCampaign for sophisticated client automation, Mailchimp for simpler sends and brand familiarity, or HubSpot if you want email tied into a full CRM and marketing platform.

ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp for client work?

ActiveCampaign wins on automation depth and CRM integration; Mailchimp is simpler, cheaper to start and more familiar to clients. Pick based on how complex your campaigns get.