Overview
EmailOctopus and ConvertKit serve different audiences with different price points. EmailOctopus is a budget-friendly email marketing platform. ConvertKit is built for creators with monetization features. The price difference reflects these different focuses.
Price Difference
The pricing gap is substantial. EmailOctopus charges $36/month for 10k subscribers. ConvertKit charges $119/month for the same list size. That's 70% savings with EmailOctopus, or nearly $1,000/year difference.
Creator Monetization
ConvertKit's main advantage is creator monetization. Paid newsletters, digital product sales, tip jars, and a creator network are all built in. EmailOctopus has none of these features. If you want to monetize your audience directly, ConvertKit provides the tools.
Free Plan Strategy
ConvertKit offers a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers with basic features (no automation). EmailOctopus offers a free plan for 2,500 subscribers with basic automation. ConvertKit's free tier is more generous for list size; EmailOctopus includes more features.
Automation Comparison
ConvertKit has better automation with a tag-first approach that many creators prefer. You can build sophisticated subscriber journeys. EmailOctopus automation is functional but basic, suitable for simple drip campaigns rather than complex workflows.
Deliverability
ConvertKit has an excellent reputation for email deliverability, particularly among creators. Their focused user base helps maintain clean sending practices. EmailOctopus deliverability is good but ConvertKit has a slight edge.
For SaaS Companies
Neither platform is built for SaaS. Both lack native Stripe integration and behavioral event tracking. For SaaS companies, consider Sequenzy which offers SaaS-specific features at a price between these two platforms.
Making the Choice
Choose EmailOctopus if budget is your primary concern and you need basic email marketing. Choose ConvertKit if you're a creator wanting to monetize your audience or need better automation. For SaaS, consider Sequenzy.