At-a-glance: editor’s rankings
| Software |
Rating |
Reason for selection |
| ActiveCampaign |
4.6/5 |
Comprehensive CRM integration and powerful automation tailored for CRM users. |
| Mailchimp |
4.5/5 |
Excellent CRM integration, extensive features, and user-friendly interface. |
| Sendinblue (Brevo) |
4.5/5 |
Robust marketing suite with seamless CRM integration and automation tools. |
| Mailmodo |
4.4/5 |
AI features with growing CRM connectivity, ideal for engagement-focused startups. |
| GetResponse |
4.4/5 |
Strong CRM integration, comprehensive features, and effective automation. |
| Constant Contact |
4.4/5 |
Reliable integration with CRM systems, extensive support, and versatile marketing tools. |
| MailerLite |
4.3/5 |
Easy-to-use CRM plugin, affordable pricing, and essential marketing features. |
| Drip |
4.2/5 |
Powerful automation tools with effective CRM integration for personalized marketing. |
| Campaign Monitor |
4.1/5 |
Professional branding and strong CRM integration suitable for SMBs. |
| Mailjet |
3.9/5 |
Reliable email delivery with basic CRM integration capabilities. |
What is email marketing software with CRM integration?
Email marketing software with CRM integration bridges the gap between outreach and customer management. Instead of manually syncing contacts or switching platforms, integrated systems let businesses automatically:
- Update contact records after email interactions
- Segment lists based on CRM data (like purchase history or lead status)
- Trigger email workflows based on CRM activities (e.g., follow-ups, birthdays, deals won)
10 best email marketing software with CRM integration
Here’s a breakdown of the top tools based on integration strength, automation capabilities, ease of use, and value for startups.
1. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a powerful marketing automation and CRM platform designed for users who want deep customer journey insights and flexible automation. It seamlessly merges CRM and email in one environment.
Pricing:
Starter: Starts at $15/month
Plus: Starts at $49/month
Pro: Starts at $79/month
Enterprise: Starts at $145/month
Ease of use: Advanced UI with a slight learning curve but great onboarding.
Features:
- Full-featured CRM with pipeline tracking
- Email sequences triggered by CRM activity
- Contact scoring and tagging
- Dynamic content and segmentation
Why it’s suitable for startups: All-in-one CRM + email automation without needing extra tools.
Customer support: Known for responsive live chat and detailed tutorials.
CRM rating: 4.6/5
2. Mailchimp
Mailchimp offers built-in CRM tools and strong integration with external CRMs, making it ideal for small businesses that need marketing and contact management in one place.
Pricing:
- Lite at $9/month
- Plus at $49/month
- Professional at $159/month
- Enterprise: custom pricing
Ease of use: Extremely user-friendly with guided setup and tutorials.
Features:
- CRM dashboard and audience insights
- Customer journey builder
- Automation and segmentation
- Contact rating system
Why it’s suitable for startups: Offers essential CRM features without extra cost.
Customer support: Widely praised for ease of use and comprehensive resources.
CRM rating: 4.5/5
3. Brevo
Brevo offers robust email and SMS marketing combined with CRM functionality, ideal for businesses seeking a unified communication system.
Pricing:
- Free: $0/month, limited to 300 emails/day
- Starter: From $8.08/month, suitable for growing businesses
- Business: From $16.17/month, ideal for marketing managers and ecommerce pros
- Enterprise: Custom pricing, tailored solutions for large needs
Ease of use: Clean interface with smart automation tools.
Features:
- Built-in CRM with contact management
- Automation based on contact actions
- Email + SMS marketing
- Task and deal tracking
Why it’s suitable for startups: Combines CRM and marketing in one low-cost platform.
Customer support: Highly rated for support and feature-rich free tier.
CRM rating: 4.5/5
4. Mailmodo
Mailmodo combines AI technology with CRM to help B2B teams manage customer journeys more efficiently. Its AI contact segmentation lets you enter a simple prompt, and the system automatically groups leads from your CRM based on relevant attributes or behaviors.
The AI journey builder builds on this by creating automated workflows from a prompt. It can generate different stages of an email journey such as lead nurturing, onboarding, or reactivation while keeping data in sync with connected CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce.
Pricing:
- Free plan available
- Lite: $39/month
- Pro: $79/month
- Max: $159/month
Ease of use: Intuitive interface with smart template suggestions.
Features:
- AMP interactive email components (forms, calendars, etc.)
- Automation workflows
- Audience segmentation
- Analytics dashboard
Why it’s suitable for startups: Perfect for engagement-focused teams that want better interactivity in email.
Customer support: Known for responsive customer service and hands-on onboarding.
CRM rating: 4.4/5
5. GetResponse
GetResponse brings advanced marketing features and CRM capabilities under one roof. It’s suited for businesses running event-based or lead-generation campaigns.
Pricing:
- Basic: $15/month
- Plus: $49/month
- Professional: $99/month
- Enterprise: custom pricing
Ease of use: Smooth interface; marketing tools well-organized.
Features:
- CRM with deal pipelines
- Automated workflows
- Email, landing pages, and webinars
- Contact tagging and segmentation
Why it’s suitable for startups: Ideal for startups running complex lead funnels.
Customer support: Excellent multi-language support and automation help.
CRM rating: 4.4/5
Constant Contact offers a stable platform with light CRM features, perfect for small businesses focused on email-driven engagement.
Pricing:
Lite: $12/month, ideal for beginners starting with email and social tools
Standard: $35/month, designed for growing businesses with automation tools
Premium: $80/month, built for pros needing advanced automation and segmentation
Ease of use: Straightforward, beginner-friendly interface.
Features:
- Contact list management
- Marketing automation
- Event-triggered email sequences
- Third-party CRM integrations
Why it’s suitable for startups: Great onboarding and ease of use for lean teams.
Customer support: Known for excellent onboarding support and live assistance.
CRM rating: 4.4/5
7. MailerLite
MailerLite keeps things simple with built-in CRM plugins and a clean design, ideal for early-stage teams and solo marketers.
Pricing: Free up to 1,000 subscribers; paid from $10/month.
- Essentials: Free; limit of 500 contacts.
- Premium: $350/month for 10,000 contacts.
- Standard: $20/month for 500 contacts.
- Best Value: $13/month for 500 contacts.
Ease of use: Intuitive and quick to launch campaigns.
Features:
- Email automation
- Contact segmentation
- CRM plugin support
- Forms and landing pages
Why it’s suitable for startups: Great for those just starting out or scaling slowly.
Customer support: Excellent for affordability and UI clarity.
CRM rating: 4.3/5
8. Drip
Drip focuses on eCommerce marketing but offers strong CRM syncing and behavioral segmentation, ideal for product-based startups.
- Pricing: Starts at $39/month.
- Ease of use: Tailored UI for digital stores and automated flows.
Features:
- CRM sync with tagging
- Smart workflows
- Custom segments based on user behavior
- Advanced triggers
Why it’s suitable for startups: Great for scaling personalized email campaigns.
Customer support: Rated highly by eCommerce and SaaS users.
CRM rating: 4.2/5
9. Campaign Monitor
Campaign Monitor offers beautifully designed emails with CRM integration, making it a solid choice for startups prioritizing brand presentation.
Pricing:
- Free Trial: $0 for 30 days, includes 3 users, 500 contacts, and 500 email sends
- Lite: $10.80/month
- Essentials: $26.10/month
- Premier: $143.10/month
Ease of use: Campaign Monitor features a highly intuitive drag-and-drop email builder and a clean interface that makes creating professional campaigns simple, even for beginners.
Features:
- CRM sync
- Smart segments
- Visual journey builder
- Analytics and A/B testing
Why it’s suitable for startups: Ideal for brand-focused campaigns and client outreach.
Customer support: Strong visual templates; support is prompt.
CRM rating: 4.1/5
10. Mailjet
Mailjet offers reliable email delivery and basic CRM integration, making it suitable for startups needing transactional and marketing emails together.
Pricing:
- Free up to 6,000 emails/month.
- Essential plan starts at $15/month.
Ease of use: Mailjet offers a lightweight, efficient interface designed for fast email creation and management.
Features:
- API-based CRM integration
- Transactional + marketing emails
- Collaboration tools
- Template management
Why it’s suitable for startups: Great for technical teams needing custom workflows.
Customer support: Praised for deliverability and collaboration tools.
CRM rating: 3.9/5
Final thoughts
Every startup’s marketing and CRM needs are different, so don’t rely only on feature lists. Take advantage of trial periods to test software in real scenarios: import contacts, create campaigns, and track CRM updates.
This practical testing will reveal which platform feels intuitive, integrates smoothly, and delivers the value you expect before making a financial commitment. If you are not sure where to start, take advantage Mailmodo free trial, and discover how interactive emails combined with CRM integration can boost your engagement and optimize your marketing efforts.
