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Email Marketing · head to head

Attentive vs AWeber

Attentive logo

Attentive

Email Marketing

Enterprise SMS and email marketing for retail brands, sold on quarterly minimum spend commitments

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
AWeber logo

AWeber

Email Marketing

Email marketing and automation for small business

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only AWeber has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Attentive minimum spend commitments are use it or lose it: if quarterly usage falls short, the shortfall is invoiced anyway, which makes Attentive expensive for any brand whose sending is seasonal rather than even.; AWeber pricing varies based on subscriber count; must contact for exact rates
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Attentive and AWeber actually diverge.

Attributes where Attentive and AWeber differ
AttributeAttentiveAWeber
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Email Marketing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Attentive

  • SMS-first journeys
  • Two-tap sign-up units
  • TCPA compliance tooling
  • Email channel
  • Revenue attribution
  • Concierge
  • Identity resolution
  • Negotiated order form rates

Only in AWeber

Nothing recorded that Attentive does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Attentive

  • A direct-to-consumer brand where SMS is the primary revenue channel and needs cart abandonment triggered within minutes of a sessionnot AWeber
  • A retailer capturing in-store phone numbers at the till and needing TCPA-compliant consent records to go with themnot AWeber
  • A consumer brand running SMS and email from one audience so subscribers are not messaged twice for the same promotionnot AWeber
  • A high-volume merchant with predictable year-round send patterns that can commit to a quarterly minimum and negotiate rates down against itnot AWeber

AWeber

  • Growing subscriber lists through landing pagesnot Attentive
  • Automating follow-up sequences from behavior triggersnot Attentive
  • Selling digital products through integrated storefrontsnot Attentive
  • Processing payments in 100+ currenciesnot Attentive

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Attentive

  • Minimum spend commitments are use it or lose it: if quarterly usage falls short, the shortfall is invoiced anyway, which makes Attentive expensive for any brand whose sending is seasonal rather than even.
  • No rates are published anywhere, so a buyer cannot benchmark a quote before entering a sales process, and the effective per message cost is only visible once an order form is drafted.
  • Contracts commonly run six to twelve months, so a brand that finds performance disappointing after two months still owes the balance of the term.
  • Total cost combines a platform fee, per message SMS and MMS charges and carrier pass-through fees, and MMS at two to five cents per message means image-heavy campaigns cost several times what the SMS rate suggests.
  • It is priced and built for established consumer brands, and the entry commitment puts it out of reach of small merchants that Postscript and similar tools serve on usage-based plans with no floor.

AWeber

  • Pricing varies based on subscriber count; must contact for exact rates
  • Late payment charge of $25 plus 1.5% monthly interest on outstanding balances
  • Data deleted 20 days after payment due date if unpaid

Pricing, plan by plan

Attentive

On request
  • Attentive$undefined/year
    • No public rate card; rates are set in an individual order form
    • Platform fee plus per message SMS and MMS charges
    • Contracts commonly six to twelve months

AWeber

Free
  • Lite$15/month
    • Pricing varies by subscriber count
    • 14-day free trial
    • Email sending limit: 10x subscriber count per month
  • Plus$30/month
    • Pricing varies by subscriber count
    • 14-day free trial
    • Email sending limit: 12x subscriber count per month
  • Done For You Service$30/month
    • One-time setup fee: $79
    • 14-day free trial

Which should you pick?

Choose Attentive if

  • You need sms-first journeys.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want two-tap sign-up units.
Attentive review

Choose AWeber if

  • You want to start without paying.
AWeber review

Questions people ask

Is Attentive or AWeber better?
Neither clearly leads. Attentive starts at On request and AWeber at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Attentive or AWeber?
AWeber has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Attentive and Free for AWeber.
Does Attentive or AWeber run on more platforms?
Attentive runs on Web, iOS, Android. AWeber runs on Web.
Can I use AWeber for free?
Yes. AWeber has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Attentive starts at On request.
What is Attentive best used for?
Attentive is most often used for a direct-to-consumer brand where sms is the primary revenue channel and needs cart abandonment triggered within minutes of a session, a retailer capturing in-store phone numbers at the till and needing tcpa-compliant consent records to go with them, a consumer brand running sms and email from one audience so subscribers are not messaged twice for the same promotion, a high-volume merchant with predictable year-round send patterns that can commit to a quarterly minimum and negotiate rates down against it. Of those, a direct-to-consumer brand where sms is the primary revenue channel and needs cart abandonment triggered within minutes of a session and a retailer capturing in-store phone numbers at the till and needing tcpa-compliant consent records to go with them are not what AWeber is typically brought in for.
What can Attentive do that AWeber cannot?
Attentive covers SMS-first journeys, Two-tap sign-up units, TCPA compliance tooling, Email channel.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Attentive: How much does Attentive cost?

It does not publish rates. Costs are a platform fee plus per message charges set in your order form, with minimum spend commitments commonly around 2,000 to 3,000 USD per quarter.

AWeber: How much does AWeber cost?

AWeber offers a free tier with unlimited basic access. Paid plans start at $15 per month for Lite and $30 per month for Plus, with pricing varying based on subscriber count. All plans include a 14-day free trial.

Source
Attentive: What happens if I do not use my minimum?

You are invoiced for the shortfall at the end of the quarter. Unused commitment is not carried forward.

AWeber: What are the current promotions for AWeber?

AWeber is offering promotional pricing: $79 for email marketing launch (87% off regular $599 price) or $1 for setup (marked down from $599) for a limited time.

Source
Attentive: How long is the contract?

Typically six to twelve months, billed monthly or quarterly.

AWeber: What fees and charges does AWeber assess for payment issues?

Returned check fee is $25. Late payment charge is $25 plus 1.5% per month interest on outstanding balances. Service interruption billing for spam violations is $50.00 per hour. Payment default occurs if unpaid within 20 days after invoice date.

Source
Attentive: Does it do email as well as SMS?

Yes, with shared audiences and journeys, though the product was designed SMS-first and that remains its strength.

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