Best Marketing Automation Tools: 25 Options to Grow your Business

Marketing automation tools can take your digital marketing to the next level. But picking the right software can feel confusing with so many options out there.

In this guide, we’ll discuss 25 of the best marketing automation tools.  It will equip you to choose the best fit for your business.

You’ll learn:

• What marketing automation software do
• Why you need to use automation
• How to assess automation tools

I aim to demystify marketing automation solutions. The topic doesn’t have to feel technical or intimidating. I’m sure you’ll find it straightforward and enlightening. No fluff, just the goods!

So, sit back as we figure out the best marketing automation tools together!

What is a Marketing Automation Software?

Marketing automation software makes repetitive marketing tasks happen automatically. It makes life much easier for marketers.

See it as a smart helper doing the hard stuff for you – like emails, posts, ad management, lead tagging, workflows, and more. Every marketer needs these helpful tools.

Why Every Marketer Needs Marketing Automation Tools

Here are some of the main reasons why automation solutions are vital for marketers:

Saves Time: Instead of manually sending emails, making landing pages, managing ads, and tagging leads, the right tool can handle it on autopilot. Set up the software based on the rules you create and save a significant amount of time.

Provides Insights: Tons of data flow in on leads and customers. Automation software tracks everything. Then, it gives you reports to uncover key metrics. I’m referring to metrics such as engagement rates, conversions, drop-offs, and more. Use these to optimize your marketing campaigns.

Scales Efforts: With the software doing tasks automatically, you can do more with less. Send targeted emails to thousands. Or create 100 landing pages instead of just 5.

Whether you do outbound or inbound marketing, you can significantly scale your marketing and online presence with automation doing the heavy work.

Creates Consistency: Once you set up the rules and workflows, they run consistently. This allows you to create campaigns that are more likely to convert. No more one-off manual marketing tactics!

That means steady brand touchpoints, messaging, and experiences.

Automation tools can help handle critical tasks daily. This lets you focus on big-picture marketing strategies! It also makes marketing teams more productive and impactful. Thanks to the valuable data, insights, and scaling the automation platforms give.

You should implement marketing automation soon if you haven’t. It’ll be a total game changer for your business.

Types of Marketing Automation Tools

There are four main types of marketing automation tools based on what they focus on automating. Understanding the options can help you pick the right fit fast! Let’s quickly cover what makes each one stand out:

All-in-One Tools

These tools do it all for teams with diverse marketing needs. Their features include:

• Email campaigns with templates
• Multi-channel workflow builders for advanced lead nurturing
• Landing page creators to capture more signups
• Dashboards showcasing campaign success
• Built-in CRM abilities for hot sales info

Top picks in this category are HubSpot, with stellar features, and ActiveCampaign, packing flexible workflows.

Email Marketing-Focused

Want to step up your email marketing campaigns specifically? These email-focused automation tools deliver:

• Email templates for slick design
• Sequences to send relevant follow-ups
  • Metrics on opens, clicks, unsubscribes
  • Integrations to sync contacts across tools

Popular tools in this category are GetResponse and MailChimp.

Social Media Focused

These tools automate social workflows to give your community manager a break. Some of their key features include:

• Content calendars to plan posts and campaigns
  • Post scheduling across main channels
• Monitoring relevant conversations
• Chatbots to handle FAQs

Customer Journey Focused

These tools help marketers zero in on moving leads down the funnel with smart nurturing. Key features include:

• Lead scoring to gauge sales readiness
  • Tracking interactions with emails or content
• Multi-channel messaging when the timing is right
• Workflow rules tailored to each persona’s path

Key Evaluation Criteria in Choosing a Marketing Automation Platform

Let’s talk about the essentials for sizing up marketing automation tools to determine which crushes it for your needs. Here are some key factors you should consider.

Features

Functionality feeds your automation dreams. Must-have features include:

• Email Marketing – Templates, campaigns, metrics reporting, integrations with top email platforms. Don’t expect much without email superpowers!
• Campaign Creation – As easy as dragging visual workflow builders or choosing from pre-built templates and settings. Skip clunky and complex!
• Lead Management – Capture contacts, customize lead scoring, segment your lists, and track sales readiness. Align those baby leads with targeted messaging!
• Reporting & Analytics – Customizable dashboards, campaign performance, and multi-channel marketing data in one spot. More insight, more automation success!

Scalability

Ensure your shortlisted tools can level up as your marketing tasks increase over time.

• Evaluate list size abilities – Check the maximum number of contacts allowed per plan. You’ll probably need room to grow! Having no limits would be great.
• Ensure scalable features – Do higher plans offer more custom fields and complex automation? Read the fine print!

Ease of Use

Don’t pull your hair out trying to use it! Your preferred tool should have these features:

• Intuitive interface – Clean, visually engaging, and easy to navigate. Drag-and-drop functionality makes building workflows simpler.
• Educational resources – Help guides, demos, responsive support teams who train you up with a smile!

Integrations

It’s 2024, everything is connected! Look for:

• CRM – Lead syncing, contact history consolidation, pipeline visibility.
• Email marketing platforms – Importing contacts and campaign linking between systems.
• Other martech tools – Forms, chat, analytics. Connect the dots across your stack!

Customization

Show your brand’s personality through tailored touches. Nice customization features you should look out for include:

• Landing pages and emails – Match logo, images, and messaging to your vibe with custom design.
• Workflows – Make welcome series, purchase follow-ups, or win-back campaigns all your own.
• Customer journeys – Guide contacts through unique experiences aligned to their path.

Pricing

Can your budget afford it?

You should check out the following factors:

• Cost structure – Flat monthly fee? Per user, contacts, features? Watch for sneaky overage charges!
• Free trial availability – Test drive before committing long term. Thirty days to fall in love?

Take this checklist with you when comparing marketing automation tool options. Now, let’s get to my hot takes on the 25 best marketing automation solutions so you can make your choice.

#1. ActiveCampaign

When it comes to marketing automation tools, ActiveCampaign is a breath of fresh air. Their approach? Automation that complements human marketers instead of attempting to replace them.

Pricing is based on your needs, ranging from $29 to $1059 per month.

Here’s why you should use ActiveCampaign:

• They understand automation can’t do it all – the personal touch still matters in marketing! So, their tool sends notification emails to empower team members to handle that finesse.
• Flexible workflows map different sequencing to guide leads through experiences matched to their interests.
• Sales and marketing gain visibility into each other’s efforts to align messaging.

In a sea of tech with a variety of tools, ActiveCampaign understands that user experience still matters when companies adopt new tech tools. Their people-first approach is commendable.

#2. HubSpot

HubSpot’s marketing automation software is different from other marketing tools. It fully focuses on inbound campaigns powered by content marketing and SEO.

Pricing: Hubspot has plans for businesses and individuals/small teams. Price starts at $18 per month for the individuals/small teams category and  $800 per month for the business category.

What else makes HubSpot a top marketing automation platform?

Here are a few key points:

• They bake in CRM software and tools for Sales and Service teams. So your team can work together across departmental borders.
• Data flows freely between marketing, sales, service, and HubSpot’s CRM.

When your marketing and sales teams work together to scale content and SEO wins, HubSpot ties it all out of the box. No tedious tool stitching is required!

#3. Sender

Sender offers an affordable yet powerful automated marketing solution to help small businesses scale without big budgets.

Price starts at $15.83 monthly based on needs. There’s even a forever-free plan covering 2,500 subscribers/month.

Who’s it for? The Sender sweet spots:

• eCommerce boutiques, small biz owners, bloggers – all trying to grow!
• B2B startups ready to automate lead flows via email and SMS marketing.

Sender packs email and SMS campaign creation, smart automation, pop-up builders, and more handy features. All designed to:

• Help teams grow subscriber lists
• Increase audience engagement
• Boost sales revenue

It’s a digital marketing platform you can leverage without big budgets or headaches. Just more leads and sales within reach!

#4. Marketo

Marketo is one of the leading marketing automation solutions. It aims to cover all your channels and every type of customer engagement. Marketo’s automation features expanded even more after Adobe acquired them.

Pricing is customized – so reach out to their sales team.

Here’s why Marketo could be your choice for big automated marketing campaigns:

• The tool handles digital ads, social campaigns, account-based marketing – you name it. Anything a complex organization needs to interact across channels.
• Scalability lets enterprise teams execute sophisticated campaigns while customizing for each audience.

The focus is on helping larger businesses execute multi-layered strategies. But you’ll need the budget to match the capabilities of this automation solution.

#5. Omnisend

Omnisend stands apart by offering complete cross-channel marketing automation. This allows speaking to customers on their preferred channel!

Pricing goes from $16/month to customized enterprise plans based on your needs. Basic email marketing is free for users.

Here’s why it’s worth a look:

• You can blend emails, texts, push notifications, Facebook messages, and more. This creates immersive experiences across channels.
• Easy drag-and-drop builder makes mapping customer journeys across channels intuitive.
• Omnisend sends subscribers timely, relevant messages on their chosen channel. So your outreach lands optimally!

Omnisend is best suited for brands seeking to deliver a unified customer experience across all channels. It simplifies sophisticated cross-channel automation. This powerful tool helps to streamline marketing efforts!

#6. GetResponse

GetResponse provides email marketing automation combined with eCommerce features.

Pricing: There is a free trial plan for 30 days. Paid email marketing plans start at $15.60 per month for up to 1000 subscribers. The marketing automation plan starts at $48.40 per month.

Key capabilities:

• Automated responder triggers
• Custom landing pages and forms
• Marketing workflow automation
• Intuitive email and template builder
• Contact list segmentation
• Real-time campaign analytics

Trusted by over 350,000 brands, GetResponse aims to help small and large businesses drive results through email.

Its simplicity and depth provide accessible email automation that is scalable for any growth stage.

#7. Constant Contact

Constant Contact offers clutter-free email marketing software. Their marketing service is purpose-built with small business owners in mind.

Constant Contact has three plans. Price starts at $20, $35, and $80 monthly for their Lite, Standard, and Premium plans, respectively.

Here’s their angle:

• Creates automated email campaigns triggered by user actions
• Collects new subscriber signups automatically
• Sends targeted follow-up sequences

The goal: Equip solopreneurs to grow through email without overwhelming them. Their toolkit delivers core essentials like automation, signup forms, and segmentation.

For small business marketers seeking straightforward and affordable email marketing services, Constant Contact delivers that with simplicity.

#8. MailChimp

Mailchimp began as one of the OG email automation tools, building a rock-solid reputation with an easy-to-use platform.

Now they’re evolving into a fuller marketing automation platform.

Price starts at $6.50, $10, and $175 monthly for their Essentials, Standard, and Premium plans, respectively. They also have a free plan for light users.

Here’s the scoop on Mailchimp:

• Expanded marketing automation features are still being developed, so the jury is still out! But with email heritage, I expect good things.
• A strong email foundation earns goodwill. Fans will likely go for it if new automation also makes their marketing work easier.

#9. Drip

Drip offers eCommerce-focused marketing automation. The platform works nicely with other eCommerce tools already in your stack.

Price is based on the number of active subscribers. It starts at $39 monthly.

Their angle? Helping stores steer shoppers to that beloved purchase moment.

Key features include:

• Create personalized email content and workflows aligned to how customers browse and buy.
• Automations triggered by behaviors like abandoning carts or checking out new products keep messaging timely and relevant.
• Beyond email, Drip also provides consistency across your advertising and other channels. All nudging customers to convert!

Drip ensures eCommerce brands create cohesive journeys across channels that feel made for each shopper.

#10. Automizy

Automizy offers an email marketing tool to help boost open rates.

Price ranges from $9 to $119 monthly based on the number of active subscribers. They also have custom plans for marketers with larger lists of active subscribers.

What Automizy’s angle?

Ensuring your email game is strong through the following:

• Subject line AI helps testing improve open rates
• Resend campaigns to non-openers for a second chance
• A/B test different email content variations
• Segmented automation keeps messaging personalized and consistent

Whether you’re an email marketing newcomer or a pro, Automizy aims to amplify results through optimization. It enhances the reach and engagement of email campaigns.

The software provides a great email marketing solution for marketers focused on increasing subscriber response rates.

#11. Customer.io

Customer.io provides email automation for subscription services.

Pricing ranges from $150 to $1,000+ monthly, based on needs. Price starts at $100 and $1000 monthly for their Essentials and Premium plans, respectively.

Here’s their pitch:

• Focus on engaging subscribers through their whole journey – from signup to retention.
• Integrations make bringing in data easy. Powers personalized email segments and triggers.
• Tailored email campaigns are sent when a subscriber reaches a lifecycle stage.

For brands selling subscriptions and wanting automation to nurture customers, Customer.io delivers.

#12. CoSchedule

CoSchedule simplifies planning your social media content strategy and creation.

Price starts at $19 monthly.

Their angle? Helping streamline your social media marketing:

• Easily map out your multi-channel social content calendar – what you’ll post and when. Gives a big-picture view.
• Analytics show what posts resonate best with your audience so you can recreate that content’s success.
• Their suggestions help refine your strategy to improve performance over time.

For brands seeking to optimize social content planning and performance across channels, CoSchedule aims to help you streamline while increasing impact.

#13.  Hootsuite

Hootsuite offers full social media automation for marketers.

Pricing: Starts at $99 monthly.

It has features such as:

• Scheduling of social media content
• Access to pre-approved content from their library
• Monitoring brand and industry conversations

The automation platform aims to build an impactful social presence easily.

Hootsuite consolidates vital social media automation features that brands need. Simple but comprehensive all-in-one functionality!

#14. Mention

Mention focuses on social listening – tracking online conversations about your brand.

Price starts from $41 monthly.

It automatically finds mentions of your brand across websites, blogs, and forums – beyond just social media.

Key features include:

• See how your campaigns spread conversations online
• Monitor competitors and industry trending topics
• Unlimited searches and data exports
• Real-time alerts when keywords are detected

Try Mention if you need automated insight into your brand’s digital presence and online reputation.

#15. Buffer

Buffer began by simplifying social media content scheduling. Now, the platform offers integrated solutions reflecting how brands use social.

The price ranges from $6 to $120 monthly, based on the number of accounts and usage needs. They also have a free plan for light users.

Here are some of Buffer’s key features:

• Schedule and queue content efficiently across social channels
• New capabilities help connect social efforts with other teams
• Solutions enable collaboration to plan content strategy
• Analyze functionality provides performance insights
• Tools facilitate responding to engage followers

#16. Sprout Social

Sprout Social offers loaded social media automation covering most use cases – from publishing to analytics.

Price starts at $249, $399, and $499 monthly for their Standard, Professional, and Advanced plans, respectively.

Sprout Social’s main features help with the following:

• Scheduling and publishing content
• Monitoring brand mentions
• Managing ad campaigns
• Customer service interactions
• Optimizing social strategy
• Reporting on performance

Sprout consolidates a wide social toolbox into one unified platform. Broad and powerful!

#17. Keap

Keap offers marketing automation to streamline communication. It is an online marketing solution designed for small businesses.

Pricing starts at $159 monthly based on the number of contacts.

Designed for SMBs, Keap simplifies:

• Building emails, landing pages, automation workflows
• Tracking contacts and sales pipelines
• Analytics for campaign insights

Key features utilize pre-built templates for ease of use in:

• Email marketing
• Lead capture forms
• Customer journey building
• Automated sequences

For small marketing teams wanting unified systems, Keap delivers an all-in-one toolbox.

#18. Act-On

Act-On offers a marketing automation solution aimed at big brands. The tool connects marketing and sales data.

Prices start at $900 monthly and go higher based on needs.

Key features help teams:

• Track the digital crumbs leads drop during their journey
• Identify high-quality leads to focus sales efforts
• Get the same lead intel to keep messaging aligned
• Map customer journeys to send better-targeted content

For large B2B companies already doing account-based marketing, Act-On aims to boost that approach with unified data.

Act-On helps coordinate moving parts around account-based strategies.

#19. LeadSquared

LeadSquared offers marketing automation focused on accelerating leads down the sales funnel.

Price ranges from $400 to $2,500 monthly based on required needs.

LeadSquared’s key features help you:

• Set triggers to advance leads closer to buying automatically
• Create timed drip campaign actions to nurture leads
• Build segmented lists based on lead behavior signals
• Track purchase journey analytics to optimize conversion

For companies already generating leads but want to shorten sales cycles, LeadSquared could help.

#20. Informed

Informed offers AI-powered pricing optimization for online sellers and eCommerce businesses.

Based on sales revenue, prices range from $99 to $299 monthly.

Key features:

• Unlimited product listings
• Automated repricing strategies
• Real-time price adjustments
• Chat and email support
• Integrations with Seller tools

Over 40,000 Amazon and Walmart vendors use Informed’s reliable technology to drive more sales. Informed equips eCommerce brands to maximize profits.

#21. Prisync

Prisync offers dynamic pricing software to optimize profit margins.

Pricing ranges from $99 to $399 monthly, based on product volume to be tracked.

Key features of Prisync include:

• Price tracking for competitor awareness
• Automated pricing strategies and repricing
• Stock availability monitoring across retailers
• Historical price charts show trends
• Instant email alerts on price changes
• Filtering and reporting dashboard

Prisync equips eCommerce brands to stay competitive and profitable.

#22. AdRoll

AdRoll simplifies running ads across major channels – from social to display and email.

Pricing starts at $36 monthly.

Key features:

• Intuitive ad creation and management
• Powerful retargeting campaigns
• Real-time bid optimization
• Cross-channel performance analytics

Trusted by brands big and small, AdRoll makes display, social, and email ads approachable so every marketer can drive results.

#23. Zalster

Zalster automates Facebook and Instagram advertising to simplify ad management.

Pricing is available upon request.

Key features include:

• Builds workflows to automate testing and optimization
• Auto boosting to promote effective social posts
• Easy ad reporting and analytics
• Creative design tools to make visual assets
• Saves time through automation

For ad agencies and marketers running many fast-paced social campaigns, Zalster aims to inject efficiency.

#24. Metadata.io

Metadata.io uses AI to optimize B2B ad campaigns.

Price ranges from $295 monthly to $60,000 annually, based on ad spend and channels.

Some key features of Metadata.io include:

• Creates hyper-targeted account-based ads
• Multivariate testing dials in effective messaging
• Identifies ideal ad combinations for each account
• Manages complex campaigns with intelligence

Metadata.io aims to provide B2B marketing automation that gives greater ad ROI.

#25. Ambassador

Ambassador automates customer advocacy and referral programs.

Pricing: The Starter and Pro plans cost $250 and $500 monthly, respectively. They also have a custom plan for marketers who require more features.

The platform focuses on:

• Recruiting happy customers as brand ambassadors
• Testing rewards to drive more referrals
• Using templates to launch programs quickly
• Managing program tiers and rewards
• Integrating with other business systems

Trusted by brands seeking genuine referrals, Ambassador aims to simplify referral marketing at scale.

Conclusion

Choosing the best marketing automation software for your business is no easy task. The key is looking at what your business needs and goals are. Then, match those to what the tools can offer.

MailChimp and Drip give basic options for small businesses on a budget that can still work. As your needs grow, HubSpot and Marketo have more advanced features. These work better for mid and big companies.

No one tool is best for everyone. Focus on key abilities like emails, landing pages, analytics, and campaign creation. Look at add-ons, ability to grow, and cost. Read user reviews for your industry.

With this strategic approach, you can pick one fit for your growth now and later. The power these tools have makes marketing much easier. It’s important to use that power.

Identify your needs first. Then, find the right match. This will streamline marketing to support business growth in the future.

Paid social media ads can amplify your reach and marketing automation ROI. Want to amplify your reach and scale your marketing efforts to drive more sales?

Then try AdvertiseMint’s paid social media advertising services!

At AdvertiseMint, we deploy our advertising expertise to help businesses reach their target audience and scale. We can help your business grow with Google ads, Facebook ads, Tiktok ads or digital options for airport advertising and billboard advertising.

Partner with us to take your business to new heights. You can speak with one of our ads experts to get started.

Click here to request your FREE Facebook ads consultation now!