Flodesk vs. Mailchimp: Why I Finally Abandoned Mailchimp

It’s been over five years since I started my business, and while many things have changed, there was one thing that hadn’t: my email provider. That is until Flodesk came along. Here’s my take on Flodesk vs. Mailchimp.

If you sit back and think about the sheer number of emails you receive daily, it’s quite staggering. And then think about the number of emails you open. Furthermore, of those emails, consider how many you actually read and engage with through clicks.

Chances are, it’s not many.

That’s why it’s critical to not only have an email provider that supports your needs as a business owner but also helps you create emails that your subscribers want to engage with every time you send. Keep reading to learn why Flodesk was the clear winner for me after many years with Mailchimp.

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For many years, I was happy with Mailchimp. My emails were sent to my subscribers – some landing in spam or the promotional folders – and, judging by my open rate, people seemed to enjoy reading them.

But the truth is, I didn’t enjoy creating these emails. I often felt limited and constrained by Mailchimp for many reasons (sharing more on that below!), and, thanks to Flodesk, I now feel more inspired to write, create, and send emails than ever before.

The final straw for me to abandon Mailchimp came when I was faced with an up-charge to my monthly subscription plan because my email list grew. So, essentially, I felt I was getting punished for growing my community? That was not cool with me.

Yes, the thought of switching email providers was daunting to me and, honestly, probably delayed my switch longer than necessary. I felt overwhelmed by the segments I’d have to recreate and the funnels I’d have to build from scratch. Keep reading to learn how I made the switch work with as little stress as possible.

A closer look: Flodesk vs. Mailchimp

Let’s take a closer look at how Flodesk is like Mailchimp, but more importantly, how it’s ultimately very different. Let’s start with Mailchimp and take a closer look at how this email marketing platform operates.

My take on the pros and cons of Mailchimp

If you own a business that sends out emails, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Mailchimp. It’s been around for quite some time. It features a robust list of integrations such as Stripe, Zapier, WooCommerce, and Calendly, making it easy for business owners to connect various aspects of their business.

When it comes to pricing, the free version of Mailchimp is an excellent option for many small businesses. That is until your list hits 2,000 or more subscribers, and you must pay at least $29.99 a month.

I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to get punished for growing my email list – do you? Keep reading for more of the pros and cons of Mailchimp.

The pros of using Mailchimp

• Offers a free plan for smaller businesses
• Has a robust list of 3rd party integrations
• Detailed analytics and A/B testing
• Option to send snail-mail postcards to subscribers
• Integrates with WordPress, WooCommerce, and Squarespace

The cons of using Mailchimp

• Outdated email templates
• Clunky and slow user interface
• Many customization options require custom coding
• Plan price increases with the number of subscribers
• Feels counter-intuitive when designing emails

My take on the pros and cons of Flodesk

When I first heard about Flodesk, I was hesitant. I couldn’t wrap my brain around moving all of my welcome sequences, funnels, and subscribers to an entirely new email platform. Wouldn’t that take way too much time?

Thankfully, Flodesk offers a 30-day free trial, which gave me ample time to play around with its offerings and eventually move everything over to their website.

Almost instantly, I was captivated by the gorgeous and easy-to-use email templates from Flodesk. It feels as if Flodesk was created with a creative entrepreneur in mind and gives easy access to inspired, professional emails.

I know what you’re thinking. The “hows” and “what ifs” of switching to Flodesk from Mailchimp can feel a little overwhelming at first, but I promise it’s not.

I started the official switch by first creating my unique segments, building out my email funnels, and finally uploading all subscribers to the correct segment. Again, the generous free trial should give you a lot of time to get everything organized before you officially switch. Start your no-strings-attached free trial here.

The pros of using Flodesk

• Gorgeous email templates
• Extremely user-friendly and intuitive
• Top-notch customer service and support
• Private Facebook community for users
• Consistent brand preferences (save them all in one spot!)
• No extra charge for subscriber growth
• Easy-to-navigate analytics and email data
• Beautiful opt-in creator, including pop-ups and in-line forms
• 30-day free trial for new users
• Can save 50% on your first year
• Typically, an increased open rate*

*This was my personal experience after switching from Mailchimp to Flodesk. You must validate your URL within the Flodesk system before sending emails or else your open rate will be severely affected.

The cons of using Flodesk

• No free monthly plan, only a free trial
• Not as robust for eCommerce companies
• No phone app available
• Beta-mode glitches and continued testing

A quick side-by-side comparison of Flodesk and Mailchimp

Check out the below comparison chart to see why I love Flodesk. The biggest ‘wins’ for me when switching from Mailchimp was the low monthly fixed price, the intuitive designs, and the unlimited email sends. As a small business owner, using an email marketing platform that is user-friendly and price-conscious is critical.

How much is Flodesk?

A subscription to Flodesk is a flat-fee of $38 a month, but Flodesk is generous enough to offer you 50% off your first year when you use this affiliate link to sign up.

That means your Flodesk monthly rate drops from $38 to only $19 a month for 12 months. You’ll receive all of the ease, customization, support, and gorgeous design that comes with Flodesk for under $20 a month.

Unlike Mailchimp, keep in mind that your cost will never increase with Flodesk as your list grows. Just another reason I love using Flodesk over Mailchimp for my email marketing.

TRY FLODESK NOW

Does Flodesk have a free version?

While there is technically not an ongoing free version like Mailchimp, there is a free 30-day trial and the chance to save 50% off your first year.

With this free month, you can try Flodesk for free for 30 days before committing. This will give you ample time to make sure you’re entirely in love with their platform.

I used Flodesk’s free trial to help me slowly switch email providers from Mailchimp to Flodesk. I took a few weeks to rebuild my funnels (made easy with Flodesk’s drag-and-drop templates), upload my subscriber lists, and get a feel for Flodesk in general. I could even schedule out a few of my emails to really get a feel for how Flodesk operates.

It was such a relief to have that month to get organized and confident using a new platform. Honestly, I’m not sure why I waited so long to make the switch from Mailchimp.

Lock in your one-month free trial of Flodesk now.

Is there a Flodesk discount code?

Yes! There is a Flodesk discount code that will save you 50% on your monthly subscription for a year.. How good does paying $19 a month sound for everything I outlined above?

Pretty darn amazing, right? I thought so too.

Click here to claim your Flodesk discount code.

You’ll save 50% on your first year!

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