Softwr

Email Marketing · head to head

Campaign Monitor vs EmailOctopus

Campaign Monitor logo

Campaign Monitor

Email Marketing

Email marketing platform priced by contact tier, with unlimited sends only from the mid tier up

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
EmailOctopus logo

EmailOctopus

Email Marketing

Affordable email marketing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only EmailOctopus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Campaign Monitor the Lite tier caps monthly sends at 2,500 regardless of contact list size, so a list of any meaningful size cannot be emailed even once a month without exceeding it.; EmailOctopus free tier limited to 2,500 subscribers
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Campaign Monitor and EmailOctopus actually diverge.

Attributes where Campaign Monitor and EmailOctopus differ
AttributeCampaign MonitorEmailOctopus
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer month by contact tier and plan levelfreemium
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Campaign Monitor

  • Drag-and-drop email builder
  • Automation workflows
  • List segmentation
  • Send-time optimisation
  • Landing pages and forms
  • Multi-brand management

Only in EmailOctopus

Nothing recorded that Campaign Monitor does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Campaign Monitor

  • A small marketing team wanting straightforward campaign design and automation without a full martech stacknot EmailOctopus
  • A business with a list under a few thousand contacts and infrequent sends, where the Lite tier's cap is not a real constraintnot EmailOctopus
  • An agency managing multiple brands wanting Enterprise-tier multi-brand account managementnot EmailOctopus
  • A team wanting a bundled website builder alongside email on the Premier tiernot EmailOctopus

EmailOctopus

  • Building email lists with unlimited landing pagesnot Campaign Monitor
  • Team collaboration on email campaignsnot Campaign Monitor
  • Automated subscriber onboarding flowsnot Campaign Monitor
  • Multi-user email campaign managementnot Campaign Monitor

Where each one falls short

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

Campaign Monitor

  • The Lite tier caps monthly sends at 2,500 regardless of contact list size, so a list of any meaningful size cannot be emailed even once a month without exceeding it.
  • Unlimited sending only starts at the Essentials tier, so the cheap headline Lite price is not comparable to competitors that offer unlimited sends at their entry tier.
  • Its e-commerce-specific automation (abandoned cart flows, predictive segments) is less developed than Klaviyo's, making it a weaker fit for retail-heavy senders.
  • As part of the Marigold group alongside Sailthru and other acquired brands, product roadmap priority is shared across a portfolio rather than dedicated solely to Campaign Monitor.
  • Pricing multiplies on two axes, contact tier and plan level, so estimating total cost requires checking both dimensions rather than a single number.

EmailOctopus

  • Free tier limited to 2,500 subscribers
  • Free tier requires EmailOctopus branding on emails
  • Free tier reports only retained 30 days

Pricing, plan by plan

Campaign Monitor

On request
  • Lite$undefined/month
    • Monthly send cap of 2,500 emails regardless of list size
    • Basic campaign and template tools
    • Priced by contact tier from under 500 to 50,000+
  • Essentials$undefined/month
    • Unlimited monthly email sends
    • Priority support
    • Priced by contact tier from under 500 to 50,000+
  • Premier$undefined/month
    • Unlimited monthly email sends
    • Premier-level phone support
    • Drag-and-drop website builder included
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Custom quote
    • Multi-brand account management
    • Dedicated account manager, SOC2 and GDPR-aligned security

EmailOctopus

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 2,500 subscribers
    • 10,000 monthly emails
    • 1 user account
  • Pro$9/month
    • Unlimited subscribers
    • 10,000 monthly emails
    • Unlimited user accounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Campaign Monitor if

  • You need drag-and-drop email builder.
  • You also want automation workflows.
Campaign Monitor review

Choose EmailOctopus if

  • You want to start without paying.
EmailOctopus review

Questions people ask

Is Campaign Monitor or EmailOctopus better?
Neither clearly leads. Campaign Monitor starts at On request and EmailOctopus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Campaign Monitor or EmailOctopus?
EmailOctopus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Campaign Monitor and Free for EmailOctopus.
Does Campaign Monitor or EmailOctopus run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use EmailOctopus for free?
Yes. EmailOctopus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Campaign Monitor starts at On request.
What is Campaign Monitor best used for?
Campaign Monitor is most often used for a small marketing team wanting straightforward campaign design and automation without a full martech stack, a business with a list under a few thousand contacts and infrequent sends, where the lite tier's cap is not a real constraint, an agency managing multiple brands wanting enterprise-tier multi-brand account management, a team wanting a bundled website builder alongside email on the premier tier. Of those, a small marketing team wanting straightforward campaign design and automation without a full martech stack and a business with a list under a few thousand contacts and infrequent sends, where the lite tier's cap is not a real constraint are not what EmailOctopus is typically brought in for.
What can Campaign Monitor do that EmailOctopus cannot?
Campaign Monitor covers Drag-and-drop email builder, Automation workflows, List segmentation, Send-time optimisation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Campaign Monitor: Does the cheapest plan include unlimited sends?

No. Lite caps monthly sends at 2,500 emails regardless of list size; unlimited sending starts at the Essentials tier.

EmailOctopus: Is there a free version of EmailOctopus?

Yes, EmailOctopus offers a free plan supporting up to 2,500 subscribers with 10,000 monthly emails. The free tier includes EmailOctopus branding on emails and reports are retained for only 30 days. The Pro plan starts at $9/month for unlimited subscribers.

Source
Campaign Monitor: Who owns Campaign Monitor?

Marigold, a marketing technology group that also owns Sailthru and other acquired email and loyalty platforms.

EmailOctopus: What discount does EmailOctopus offer for annual billing?

EmailOctopus offers 10% savings when you pay annually versus monthly. Nonprofits receive an additional 20% lifetime discount on all plans.

Source
Campaign Monitor: Is there a free plan?

A 30-day free trial with a 500-contact limit is available, but there is no permanent free tier.

EmailOctopus: Are there any long-term contracts required?

No, EmailOctopus has no long-term contracts. You can cancel your plan anytime and switch between monthly and yearly billing options.

Source
EmailOctopus: How many users can access one EmailOctopus account?

The free Starter plan includes 1 user. The Pro plan includes unlimited user accounts at no additional cost.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Campaign Monitor

More on EmailOctopus

Keep looking

Other head to heads