Constant Contact

Constant Contact is a straightforward email marketing platform designed for small businesses, nonprofits, and organizations that prioritize ease of use over advanced automation. As one of the oldest email marketing services (founded 1995), it has built a reputation for excellent customer support, simple templates, and reliability. The platform focuses on helping non-technical users create professional email newsletters, event invitations, and promotional campaigns without requiring marketing expertise.

Best For

Constant Contact excels for small local businesses, nonprofits, churches, and community organizations (1-10 people) that need reliable email marketing without complexity. It's particularly valuable for organizations with non-technical staff who need to send newsletters, event invitations, fundraising appeals, or promotional announcements. Retail stores, restaurants, fitness studios, real estate agents, and community organizations appreciate the straightforward approach and helpful support.

Organizations that previously struggled with email marketing due to technical complexity or lack of design skills find Constant Contact accessible.

Common Questions

What makes Constant Contact good for beginners?
Constant Contact emphasizes template-based email creation with drag-and-drop editing, simple list management without complex segmentation, and step-by-step guidance for common tasks. The platform includes extensive tutorials, live chat support, and phone support on all plans - rare in email marketing. Most users can create and send their first campaign within 30 minutes.

Does Constant Contact support automation?
Yes, but automation capabilities are basic compared to platforms like ActiveCampaign or HubSpot. You can set up welcome series, birthday emails, anniversary messages, and simple triggered emails. The automation is suitable for straightforward workflows but lacks the conditional logic and complexity that advanced marketers need for sophisticated nurture campaigns.

How does Constant Contact handle events?
Constant Contact includes built-in event management: create event registration pages, send invitations and reminders via email, track RSVPs, and communicate with attendees. This makes it valuable for nonprofits, associations, and local businesses that regularly host events, workshops, or fundraisers without needing a separate event platform.

What integrations does Constant Contact offer?
Constant Contact integrates with 400+ applications including Shopify, WordPress, Facebook, Eventbrite, Salesforce, QuickBooks, Zapier, and most website builders. The integration library emphasizes small business tools rather than enterprise systems, matching the platform's target audience.

Pricing & Plans

Lite: $12/month (up to 500 contacts) - Email marketing, customizable templates, list-building tools, social media posting, reporting, live chat and phone support

Standard: $35/month (up to 500 contacts) - Email automation, dynamic content, A/B subject line testing, event management, surveys and polls, enhanced reporting

Premium: $80/month (up to 500 contacts) - Advanced automation, A/B testing (send time, content), custom segments, Google Ads integration, SEO recommendations, revenue reporting

Pricing increases with contact count. All plans include unlimited emails, phone support, and live chat. 60-day free trial available.

Getting Started

Start with a 60-day free trial (no credit card required) at constantcontact.com. Import contacts from spreadsheets, Gmail, Outlook, or other email platforms. Choose a template and customize it with your branding, colors, and content. Send a test campaign to yourself, then schedule or send your first email to subscribers.

Limitations

• Automation capabilities basic compared to advanced platforms
• Pricing higher than competitors for similar feature sets
• Advanced segmentation limited compared to enterprise tools
• Free tier not available (starts at $12/month)
• Template designs less modern than newer competitors
• A/B testing limited to subject lines on Standard plan
• Landing page builder less flexible than specialized tools
• Not suitable for complex multi-touch automation campaigns