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E-Commerce · head to head

Braze vs SAP Emarsys

Braze logo

Braze

E-Commerce

Customer engagement platform built for the modern marketer

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SAP Emarsys logo

SAP Emarsys

Email Marketing

Retail-focused engagement platform now sold and contracted through SAP

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Braze no free tier or monthly billing, requiring annual enterprise contracts with no flexibility; SAP Emarsys core modules including analytics, recommendations and loyalty are licensed separately, so the platform fee in the first quote is rarely the number you eventually sign.
  • They diverge on capability: Braze covers Cross-channel messaging, SAP Emarsys covers Tactics library.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Braze and SAP Emarsys actually diverge.

Attributes where Braze and SAP Emarsys differ
AttributeBrazeSAP Emarsys
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, iOS, Android, REST API
CategoryE-CommerceEmail Marketing
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Braze

  • Cross-channel messaging
  • Customer journey orchestration
  • Real-time personalization
  • A/B testing
  • Predictive analytics
  • Audience segmentation
  • Campaign analytics
  • Content cards

Only in SAP Emarsys

  • Tactics library
  • Cross-channel campaigns
  • Smart Insight
  • Predict
  • Loyalty
  • SAP Commerce integration

What people use each for

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

Braze

  • Customer engagementnot SAP Emarsys
  • Marketing automationnot SAP Emarsys
  • Personalizationnot SAP Emarsys
  • Retention campaignsnot SAP Emarsys
  • Cross-channel messagingnot SAP Emarsys

SAP Emarsys

  • A retailer that needs standard lifecycle programmes live in weeks rather than building them from scratchnot Braze
  • An SAP Commerce Cloud customer that wants engagement contracted on the same paper as the commerce platformnot Braze
  • Consolidating email, SMS, push and paid audience suppression for a catalogue retailernot Braze
  • Teams that want per-programme revenue reporting without building attribution logic themselvesnot Braze

Where each one falls short

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

Braze

  • No free tier or monthly billing, requiring annual enterprise contracts with no flexibility
  • Implementation costs of $20k-$100k+ significantly increase total cost of ownership

SAP Emarsys

  • Core modules including analytics, recommendations and loyalty are licensed separately, so the platform fee in the first quote is rarely the number you eventually sign.
  • Licensing counts stored contacts, so a database retained for years costs money every month regardless of whether those contacts are still mailable.
  • Since the SAP acquisition, contracting and support escalation follow SAP processes, which lengthens procurement noticeably for buyers who are not already SAP customers.
  • The product is built around retail patterns, so B2B, media and subscription use cases sit awkwardly on a data model designed for orders and products.
  • Implementation normally involves a partner and runs to a quarter, so the speed advantage of the tactics library only applies after the integration work is finished.

Pricing, plan by plan

Braze

On request
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Core messaging channels
    • Basic segmentation
    • Campaign analytics
  • Plus$undefined/month
    • Advanced features
    • Predictive suite
    • Canvas Flow
  • Premier$undefined/month
    • All features
    • Dedicated CSM
    • Custom integrations

SAP Emarsys

On request
  • SAP Emarsys Customer Engagement$undefined/year
    • Licensed on stored contact volume with send allowances
    • Smart Insight, Predict and Loyalty modules licensed separately
    • Annual contract through SAP procurement

Which should you pick?

Choose Braze if

  • You need cross-channel messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want customer journey orchestration.
Braze review

Choose SAP Emarsys if

  • You need tactics library.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, REST API.
  • You also want cross-channel campaigns.
SAP Emarsys review

Questions people ask

Is Braze or SAP Emarsys better?
Neither clearly leads. Braze starts at On request and SAP Emarsys at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Braze or SAP Emarsys?
Braze starts at On request and SAP Emarsys at On request.
Does Braze or SAP Emarsys run on more platforms?
Braze runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. SAP Emarsys runs on Web, iOS, Android, REST API.
What is Braze best used for?
Braze is most often used for customer engagement, marketing automation, personalization, retention campaigns. Of those, customer engagement and marketing automation are not what SAP Emarsys is typically brought in for.
What can Braze do that SAP Emarsys cannot?
Braze covers Cross-channel messaging, Customer journey orchestration, Real-time personalization, A/B testing. SAP Emarsys covers Tactics library, Cross-channel campaigns, Smart Insight, Predict.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Braze: What is Braze's pricing model?

Braze uses a usage-based pricing model with custom annual contracts. There is no free plan or monthly billing. Typical contracts range from $60,000 to $200,000 per year for mid-market deployments.

Source
SAP Emarsys: Do we need to be an SAP customer?

No, it is sold standalone. But the contracting, legal and support processes are SAP processes, which is a real cost for smaller buyers.

Braze: Does Braze offer implementation support?

Implementation through a Braze Solutions Partner typically costs $20,000 to $100,000 or more, as Braze is an enterprise platform requiring custom configuration.

Source
SAP Emarsys: What is actually included in the base licence?

Contacts, channels and the tactics library. Smart Insight, Predict and Loyalty are commonly assumed to be included and are not.

Braze: What messaging channels does Braze support?

Braze supports push notifications, in-app messaging, email, SMS, and web messaging across mobile apps and web platforms.

Source
SAP Emarsys: Is it suited to B2B?

Not really. The data model and the tactic library assume retail orders, products and repeat purchase behaviour.

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