MailerLite vs Constant Contact
Compare MailerLite and Constant Contact drip email automation, pricing, templates, and deliverability for automated email sequences.
Last updated: 2026-03-15
MailerLite
www.mailerlite.comSimple, affordable email marketing with clean automation
Best for: Small businesses and creators wanting modern drip automation at a low price
Constant Contact
www.constantcontact.comTrusted email marketing for small businesses and nonprofits
Best for: Small businesses, nonprofits, and event organizers who value simplicity and support
TL;DR: MailerLite vs Constant Contact for Drip Campaigns
MailerLite is the better platform for drip email campaigns, offering more automation capability at a lower price with a generous free plan. Constant Contact is easier for absolute beginners and has native event management, but its automation is too limited for serious drip campaigns.
Best for budget-conscious teams who want solid drip automation with a free starting point.
Best for nonprofits and event organizers who need simplicity and phone support.
Best for SaaS companies needing billing-integrated drip sequences.
Editor's Note
For drip email campaigns specifically, MailerLite wins convincingly. Constant Contact is a decent general-purpose email tool, but its automation is too limited for serious drip sequences. SaaS companies should evaluate Sequenzy for billing-native drip capabilities.
MailerLite vs Constant Contact vs Sequenzy: Quick Comparison
| Feature | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Automation Builder | Clean drag-and-drop builder | Basic path-based automation | SaaS-focused workflow builder | MailerLite |
| Free Plan | 1,000 subs, 12K emails/mo | No free plan (60-day trial) | No free plan ($19/mo) | MailerLite |
| Event Management | Not included | Built-in event tools with RSVP | Not included | Constant Contact |
| Phone Support | Not available | Phone support included | Not available | Constant Contact |
| Price for 10K Contacts | $59/mo | $80/mo | $19/mo (15K emails) | Sequenzy |
| Social Media Tools | Not included | Social scheduling included | Not included | Constant Contact |
| Website Builder | Built-in website builder | Not available | Not included | MailerLite |
| Drip Personalization | Basic merge tags | Basic merge fields | Subscription-aware personalization | Sequenzy |
Score Breakdown
Totals: MailerLite 62/80, Constant Contact 52/80, Sequenzy 64/80.
Drip Email Feature Comparison
Feature-by-feature analysis of drip campaign capabilities.
Sequence Building
| Feature | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow editor | 7/10 Clean builder with basic branching | 5/10 Simple path-based automation | 8/10 SaaS-focused builder |
| Conditional branching | 6/10 Basic yes/no conditions | 4/10 Open/click conditions only | 8/10 Billing and trial conditions |
| Goal tracking | 5/10 No goal tracking | 3/10 No goal tracking | 9/10 Subscription conversion goals |
| Multi-step sequences | 7/10 Up to 50 steps per workflow | 5/10 5-10 steps typical | 8/10 Pre-built multi-step sequences |
Timing & Delivery
| Feature | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send time optimization | 7/10 Smart sending by open history | 5/10 No AI optimization | 7/10 Timezone-aware delivery |
| Delay options | 6/10 Hours and days | 5/10 Day-level delays only | 8/10 Flexible with minute-level |
| Throttling | 6/10 Basic throttling | 5/10 Basic pacing | 7/10 Built-in rate management |
Personalization
| Feature | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic content | 6/10 Basic conditional content | 4/10 Very basic conditional content | 8/10 Plan-aware dynamic content |
| Merge tags | 7/10 Standard and custom fields | 6/10 Standard merge fields | 8/10 Billing data fields |
| Segmentation in drips | 6/10 Entry-level filtering | 4/10 Limited filtering | 9/10 Real-time segment updates |
Pricing Comparison
MailerLite is dramatically cheaper, especially considering it has a free plan and Constant Contact does not. The pricing gap widens at larger list sizes.
Up to 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/mo, basic automation
No free plan. 60-day free trial.
No free plan. Starts at $19/mo for 15,000 emails.
| Tier | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 contacts | Free Full free plan with automation | $12/mo Lite plan, basic automation | $19/mo 15K emails, full features |
| 2,500 contacts | $17/mo All automation features | $35/mo Standard plan | $19/mo Same flat rate |
| 10,000 contacts | $59/mo Full features | $80/mo Limited automation steps | $19/mo 15K cap, add-ons available |
| 25,000 contacts | $139/mo Priority support | $210/mo Premium plan | $19/mo May need volume upgrade |
Pricing Verdict: MailerLite is the clear value winner. At 25,000 contacts, you save over $70/mo compared to Constant Contact while getting better automation. Sequenzy $19/mo flat rate is unbeatable for SaaS teams with moderate volumes.
Cost Note
The pricing gap is striking. At 25,000 contacts, MailerLite saves you $71/mo, which adds up to $852/year. Constant Contact charges a premium for features (events, social, phone support) that are unrelated to drip email quality. Sequenzy flat $19/mo is ideal for SaaS teams.
Drip Campaign Types Comparison
How each platform handles different types of drip email campaigns.
Welcome Series
Onboarding new subscribers
MailerLite
Clean templates, simple drip setup
Constant Contact
Basic 3-email welcome template
Sequenzy
SaaS onboarding with trial triggers
Verdict: MailerLite offers more flexibility for welcome series than Constant Contact.
Event Follow-Up
Post-event attendee drip
MailerLite
No native event tools
Constant Contact
Built-in event management with follow-up
Sequenzy
Not designed for events
Verdict: Constant Contact dominates event-related drip campaigns.
Lead Nurture
Converting prospects over time
MailerLite
Tag-based nurture sequences
Constant Contact
Basic follow-up based on opens
Sequenzy
Trial-to-paid nurture with billing data
Verdict: MailerLite is better for lead nurturing. Constant Contact lacks depth.
Re-engagement
Win-back for inactive subscribers
MailerLite
Inactive segment with automation
Constant Contact
Basic inactive targeting
Sequenzy
Churn detection from billing data
Verdict: MailerLite handles re-engagement better with more automation options.
Nonprofit Donor Nurture
Ongoing donor engagement drip
MailerLite
Standard drip sequences
Constant Contact
Nonprofit discounts and event integration
Sequenzy
Not designed for nonprofits
Verdict: Constant Contact is better for nonprofit donor nurturing with discounts and event tools.
The Bigger Picture
Constant Contact only drip advantage is event-related follow-up, where its native event tools are genuinely useful. For every other drip scenario, MailerLite is the better platform. SaaS billing-aware drips remain a Sequenzy exclusive.
Automation Builder Comparison
| Feature | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop editor | Yes Clean, simple builder | Yes Simple path-based editor | Yes Streamlined drip builder |
| If/else branching | Yes Basic yes/no branches | Yes Open/click conditions only | Yes Billing-aware branching |
| Webhook triggers | Yes On Advanced plan | No Not supported | Yes Webhook and API |
| Lead scoring | No Not available | No Not available | No Uses subscription status |
| Multi-channel automation | No Email only | Yes Email and SMS on Premium | No Email only |
| Pre-built templates | Yes 10+ templates | Yes 8 basic templates | Yes SaaS pre-built sequences |
| Automation duplication | Yes Duplicate automations | Yes Copy automations | Yes One-click cloning |
Email Templates & Editor
| Aspect | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editor Type | Clean drag-and-drop with rich text | Drag-and-drop with AI assistant | Drag-and-drop with plain text |
| Template Library | 90+ modern templates | 200+ templates | SaaS-focused templates |
| Mobile Preview | Real-time mobile preview | Mobile-optimized preview | Responsive preview |
| Custom HTML | HTML on paid plans | Limited HTML | HTML customization |
| Brand Kit | Brand assets management | Brand template with logo/colors | Basic branding |
Deliverability Comparison
| Factor | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Inbox Rate | 90-94% | 83-88% | 91-95% |
| SPF/DKIM Setup | Step-by-step DNS guide | Basic documentation | Automated DNS verification |
| Dedicated IP | On Advanced plan ($29+/mo) | Not on standard plans | Shared IPs for SaaS senders |
| Bounce Handling | Automatic management | Automatic management | Automatic processing |
| Spam Testing | Spam Assassin testing | No built-in testing | Pre-send check |
MailerLite consistently outperforms Constant Contact in deliverability tests. Constant Contact large and diverse user base can create shared IP reputation challenges. Sequenzy maintains clean IP pools for SaaS senders.
Integration Ecosystem
MailerLite: ~140 integrations. Constant Contact: ~300. Sequenzy: ~25.
Payment/Billing
| Service | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Yes (Via Zapier) | Yes (Via Zapier) | Yes (Native, deep integration) |
| PayPal | No (Not available) | No (Not available) | No (Not available) |
| Paddle | No (Not available) | No (Not available) | Yes (Native, deep integration) |
CRM
| Service | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | No (Not natively) | Yes (Native) | No (Not available) |
| HubSpot | Yes (Via Zapier) | Yes (Via Zapier) | Yes (Via API) |
E-commerce
| Service | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Yes (Native) | Yes (Native) | No (Not e-commerce focused) |
| WooCommerce | Yes (Native) | Yes (Native) | No (Not e-commerce focused) |
Analytics & Reporting
| Metric | MailerLite | Constant Contact | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Rate Tracking | Real-time, clean dashboard | Basic open rate reports | Real-time open tracking |
| Click Tracking | Link click tracking | Basic click reporting | Click tracking with attribution |
| Drip Step Analytics | Per-email stats in automation | Per-email stats only | Funnel analytics per step |
| Revenue Attribution | Basic revenue via Stripe | Limited sales reporting | Native MRR tracking |
| A/B Test Reporting | Basic winner display | Basic winner display | Conversion-focused results |
MailerLite: Unique
- + Click map heatmaps
- + Subscriber growth dashboard
- + Campaign comparison reports
Constant Contact: Unique
- + Social post analytics
- + Event RSVP tracking
- + Contact growth trends
Sequenzy: Unique
- + MRR impact per sequence
- + Trial conversion rates
- + Churn prevention metrics
Pros & Cons
MailerLite
Pros
- + Generous free plan (1,000 subscribers)
- + Much lower pricing at every list size
- + More capable automation builder
- + Better deliverability rates
- + Built-in website builder
Cons
- - No phone support
- - No native event management
- - No social media scheduling
- - Strict content approval (can delay account setup)
Constant Contact
Pros
- + Built-in event management and RSVP
- + Phone and chat support
- + Social media scheduling included
- + Large integration marketplace (300+)
- + Nonprofit discounts available
Cons
- - No free plan (only 60-day trial)
- - Automation is very basic for drip campaigns
- - Much more expensive than MailerLite
- - Lower deliverability in independent tests
- - Limited branching and trigger options
Best For: Who Should Use What?
SaaS Trial Drip
Converting free trial users to paid
Sequenzy connects natively to Stripe/Paddle for billing-aware trial conversion sequences.
Nonprofit Engagement
Donor outreach and event follow-up
Constant Contact offers nonprofit discounts, event tools, and a beginner-friendly interface.
Budget Drip Automation
Setting up drip campaigns on a tight budget
MailerLite free plan provides real automation capability at zero cost to start.
Event-Driven Campaigns
Email drips triggered by event attendance
Constant Contact built-in event management integrates directly with email follow-up.
SaaS Upgrade Nudges
Drip emails to encourage plan upgrades
Sequenzy knows each user plan level via Stripe/Paddle and targets upgrade drips automatically.
Migration Guide
MailerLite to Constant Contact
- 1. Export subscribers from MailerLite as CSV
- 2. Import into Constant Contact
- 3. Recreate drip sequences (simplified for CC)
- 4. Build templates in Constant Contact editor
- 5. Test sequences
- 6. Update forms and integrations
Watch Out
- ! Automation workflows will need significant simplification
- ! Website pages cannot be migrated
- ! Webhook-based automations will not work in Constant Contact
Constant Contact to MailerLite
- 1. Export contacts from Constant Contact
- 2. Import into MailerLite with field mapping
- 3. Recreate drip sequences with enhanced logic
- 4. Set up templates in MailerLite editor
- 5. Test all automations
- 6. Update signup forms
Watch Out
- ! Event management data will not transfer
- ! Social media connections need reconfiguration
The Bottom Line
Choose MailerLite if...
- ✓ Drip automation capability matters to you
- ✓ You want a free plan to start with
- ✓ Lower pricing at scale is important
- ✓ Better deliverability is a priority
Choose Constant Contact if...
- ✓ Event management is a core need
- ✓ Phone support is essential
- ✓ You are a nonprofit and want discounts
- ✓ Social media scheduling in your email tool matters
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MailerLite better than Constant Contact for drip campaigns?
Yes. MailerLite offers more automation capability, better deliverability, and much lower pricing. Constant Contact is only preferable for event management and nonprofit use cases.
Does Constant Contact have a free plan?
No. Constant Contact offers a 60-day free trial but no permanent free plan. MailerLite offers a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers.
Which is easier for beginners?
Both are beginner-friendly. Constant Contact may have a slight edge for absolute beginners due to phone support, but MailerLite interface is very intuitive.
Can Constant Contact handle complex drip campaigns?
No. Constant Contact automation is limited to basic triggered series. For drip campaigns with branching, conditions, or advanced triggers, MailerLite or Sequenzy are better choices.
Which has better customer support?
Constant Contact offers phone, chat, and email support. MailerLite offers email and chat support. If phone support matters to you, Constant Contact has the advantage.