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Choosing an email marketing automation platform goes far beyond choosing where marketers send emails. The right tool becomes the backbone of lifecycle marketing – enabling personalized workflows and increasing sales. Email marketing automation platforms help companies send targeted, personalized emails at scale by automating workflows, segmenting audiences, and integrating with CRM and e-commerce tools.

Today’s marketing teams need platforms that offer predictive analytics, journey-based targeting, drag-and-drop journey builders and behavior triggers, unified customer data for accurate segmentation, AI-powered content and optimization capabilities, strong deliverability and compliance protections, as well as transparent pricing and easy migration support. You also need software that is durable enough to support long-term growth. To choose the best solution, map your requirements by team size, use case, and required integrations.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to evaluate email automation tools, where AI can be used, and how the best email marketing automation platforms perform.

Table of contents

What is an Email Marketing Automation Platform?

Email marketing automation platforms automate the sending of targeted, personalized emails based on user behavior and customer data. These tools help teams:

• Trigger emails when users take specific actions (such as viewing a page or abandoning a shopping cart).
• Create automated customer journeys with branching logic.
• Segment audiences using unified behavioral, demographic and transactional data.
• Personalize content at scale with tokens, rules, and AI-driven recommendations.
• Report engagement, conversions, revenue and lifecycle performance.

Unlike traditional email marketing software that focuses on manual list sending, automation platforms like HubSpot’s email marketing software Deliver continuous, contextual communication using workflows and integrations.

How to choose the right email marketing automation tool

The right email automation tool depends on factors such as revenue goals, team capacity, existing tech stack, and compliance requirements.

Personally, as a fractional content strategist, I value an email marketing tool that fits my clients’ budgets and allows for stress-free onboarding.

However, since every marketing team is different, here’s how to evaluate the best options on the market. Be sure to follow these best practices to avoid this Automation errors.

1. Start with your business goals.

Questions: What results does this tool need to achieve?

General goals for using an email marketing automation tool include:

• Lead Nurturing.
• E-commerce recovery.
• Strengthening retention programs.
• Sending lifecycle emails.
• Partner marketing.
• Automated onboarding.

Pro tip: Look for platforms that support these use cases with pre-built workflow templates, strong segmentation, and native integrations.

2. Assess your team’s workflow and capacity.

Some email marketing services require specialists. Others are designed for lean teams that need AI support, intuitive drag-and-drop builders, and quick implementation.

If the goal is to deliver campaigns regularly, prioritize platforms with:

• Writing and optimizing native AI.
• Easy to use journey builders.
• Clear reporting and troubleshooting.

Pro tip: Migrating to a new platform requires inventory, data export/import, domain authentication, and deliverability monitoring. Make sure your team has enough hands to support the migration effort.

3. Map your tech stack and data sources.

CRM integration enables consistent customer profiles and accurate segmentation. For a non-technical marketer, integrations – with CRM, for example – provide easy access to the data sources that make email marketing effective.

Common integrations for email marketing platforms include pairing with:

• CRMs.
• Ecommerce systems including Shopify, WooCommerce or custom catalogs.
• Ads and social tools.
• Customer support systems.
• Product usage or event tracking platforms.

Pro tip: CRM native platforms like HubSpot’s email marketing software offer the greatest advantage. They eliminate data synchronization issues and reduce tool fatigue, making maintaining an email marketing strategy easier.

4. Prioritize security measures for compliance and deliverability.

If an email ends up in the spam folder, the chance that the recipient will read it drops dramatically. Deliverability is a crucial factor and the right email marketing automation tool can get an email through spam filters.

Look for tools with:

• Automatic DKIM/SPF/DMARC prompts.
• Integrated permission management.
• Bounce handling.
• Spam test.
• Dedicated IP options.
• Real-time health monitoring.

Pro tip: Verifying and authenticating an inbox takes time and can be difficult. The best email marketing automation tools offer guidance and personalized setup to help marketers with authentication and onboarding.

5. Understand the total cost of ownership.

Transparent pricing models help users avoid hidden costs and plan budgets. However, prices vary widely across the market and may increase as features become more comprehensive. Hold:

• Contact based plans.
• Sending Limits.
• Functional extensions.
• Required support levels.
• Migration costs.
• Deliverability add-ons (e.g. dedicated IPs).

Pro tip: Transparent all-in-one pricing prevents surprises as the audience grows. Choose an email automation tool with clear pricing for specific results.

Top email marketing automation software

Marketers have many email automation tools to choose from, but only a few are worth the investment. Below are six top platforms rated for features, ease of use, extensibility, and total cost of ownership.

1. HubSpot Marketing Hub + AI email author

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HubSpot is an all-in-one marketing automation platform built on a unified platform CRMThis means that every email, workflow and personalization rule is based on a single, consistent customer record. Instead of stitching together disparate data sources, teams can create segmentation, triggers, and reports directly from the CRM.

What sets HubSpot apart is the speed at which teams can get up and running. The email editor, automation builder, asset manager, and reporting tools all share a common interface. Deliverability guarantees, domain authentication prompts, and permission settings are built directly into the onboarding process, reducing the risk of errors that impact performance.

HubSpots AI email authorincluded in delivery Marketing Hubis a powerful addition to lean teams. The AI ​​Email Writer Helps Marketers:

• Generate completely new campaigns.
• Rewrites underperforming content.
• Adjusts the copy to different tones or segments.
• To test, run instant variants.

Because AI is connected to the CRM, it can reference lifecycle stages, product data or behavioral characteristics to create more personalized messages.

For teams that want powerful automation without the complexity of enterprise systems, HubSpot offers both sophistication and speed in a single platform.

Key Features:

• Drag and drop email builder.
• AI Email Author for campaign creation and optimization.
• Behavioral, transactional and demographic segmentation via CRM.
• Workflow automation with branching logic.
• Personalization token from each CRM property.
• A/B testing and multivariate optimization.
• Transactional email (with add-on).
• Sales and lifecycle reports.
• Instructions for setting up deliverability automatically.

Prices: HubSpot email marketing is included in Marketing Hub plans, with a free tier available. Starter is $9 per seat/month, Professional is $800/month, and Enterprise is $3,600/month. Paid plans offer automation, advanced segmentation, collaboration tools, and AI-powered features.

What I like: HubSpot’s automation is CRM native, meaning every workflow, trigger, and personalization token is powered by a unified data source. This means no synchronization is required. It’s also one of the quickest-to-use tools for teams that need to scale quickly and without complex setup.

How to use AI to write an email with HubSpot

2. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is still one of the best-known tools for small and medium-sized teams. It offers powerful templates, eCommerce-focused journeys, and beginner-friendly automation features.

Key Features:

• Drag and drop builder.
• Pre-built eCommerce automations.
• Basic trip builder.
• AI subject line options.
• Audience segmentation.
• Reporting dashboards.

Prices: Free tier available. Paid plans scale with contact count and feature depth.

What I like: Mailchimp is easy to get started and offers powerful templates for eCommerce brands, although teams often outgrow it as their data needs become more complex.

3. Klaviyo

Klaviyo specializes in eCommerce automation with comprehensive Shopify and WooCommerce integrations. It leverages real-time product and behavioral data to drive hyper-personalized journeys.

Key Features:

• Strong eCommerce data sync.
• Dynamic product recommendations.
• SMS + email automation.
• Predictive AI: Churn, next order date, lifetime value.
• Advanced segmentation.

Prices: Usage-based pricing. Price tiering with email and SMS volume.

What I like: Klaviyo is great for eCommerce brands that need detailed SKU-level personalization and predictive analytics.

4. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign combines email automation with simple CRM functionality, making it popular for medium-sized B2B teams that need robust workflows.

Key Features:

• Advanced automation builder.
• Lead scoring.
• Conditional content.
• Basic CRM pipelines.
• Event and location tracking.
• Split automation paths.

Prices: Tiered plans are available: Starter starts at $15/month, Plus at $49/month, Pro at $79/month, and Enterprise at $145/month. ActiveCampaign offers automation at higher levels.

What I like: Its workflow builder is one of the most flexible on the market. It’s great for teams that rely on complex, multi-branch automation sequences.

5. Brevo

Brevo offers affordable pricing and a combined messaging suite, including SMS and WhatsApp as well as email.

Key Features:

• Email + SMS + WhatsApp automation.
• Transactional email via API.
• Basic segmentation.
• Drag and drop builder.
• Optimization of broadcast time.

Prices: Free tier with sending limits. Paid plans are based on monthly email volume.

What I like: Brevo is a cost-effective option for lean teams or young companies that need cross-channel messaging.

6. Customer.io

Customer.io is designed for product-focused companies and developers who want maximum flexibility in workflow logic and event-driven automation.

Key Features:

• Real-time event tracking.
• Advanced workflow builder.
• Liquid templating.
• API triggered campaigns.
• Mobile push + in-app messaging.
• Data pipelines.

Prices: Core plans are available for $100/month, $1,000/month, or individually priced. However, advanced features and data tools are charged separately.

What I like: Customer.io event-based automation is very powerful for SaaS companies that need usage-based lifecycle emails.

platform	Best for	Outstanding features	Pricing model
HubSpot	Teams need unified CRM + automation	AI Email Writer, CRM native workflows, advanced segmentation, reporting	Free Tier + Tiered Plans
Mailchimp	Small teams, fast campaigns	Templates, easy travel	Contact based
Klaviyo	E-commerce brands	Product recommendations, predictive AI	Usage based
ActiveCampaign	B2B automation depth	Advanced workflows, lead scoring	Tiered + contact based
Brevo	Early stage teams	Multi-channel messaging	Based on send volume
Customer.io	Product-driven SaaS	Event-based automation, developer flexibility	Tiered with add-ons

How to use AI with email automation tools

When I was looking for an email marketing tool for my business, I wanted a tool that offered AI capabilities. AI capabilities improve email content creation, targeting, and optimization. And they’re changing the way marketing teams approach email campaigns.

With AI capabilities, teams can reach their audience faster – and with more personalized messages. Here’s how to put these skills into practice.

1. AI-powered email writing

From marketers 43% of respondents who use generative AI say it is most helpful when creating email copy. AI writing tools like those from HubSpot AI email author Help teams generate emails in minutes instead of hours. With this tool, marketers can:

• Design full emails or short variants based on a simple prompt.
• Rewrite the copy for different tones.
• To test, generate multiple subject lines.
• Create segment-specific versions without rewriting them from scratch.

How to use it:

Start with the campaign goal (“Convert trial users to paid users”) and then ask the AI ​​author to:

• Audience details.
• Key Benefits
• Desired calls to action (CTAs).

Use AI to create some options. Then refine them and add personalization tokens directly from the CRM. This eliminates blank page syndrome and speeds up iterative testing.

2. Predictive segmentation

According to a study by HubSpot 78% of marketers say subscriber segmentation is one of the most effective strategies they use for email marketing campaigns. AI can make segmentation more effective by analyzing historical behavior and interaction patterns to predict what a subscriber is most likely to do next.

Email marketing automation platforms can produce segments like:

• Buyers with high purchase intent.
• Customers at risk.
• Likely to be a repeat buyer.
• Contacts in need of re-engagement.
• Optimal broadcast time groups.

How to use it:

Build workflows based on these predictive attributes. For example:

• Send leads with high purchase intent a short-term discount or product comparison guide.
• Trigger a recovery sequence for predicted churns.
• Prioritize Likely to Buy leads for sales follow-up.

This turns static lists into dynamic, behavior-aware audiences that are updated automatically.

3. Automated personalization

Accordingly MailJetUsing customer names to personalize emails is the most common strategy marketers use to personalize emails. However, AI tools like HubSpot’s AI-powered email Go one step further and personalize emails with hyper-relevant content blocks that adapt to each recipient in real time. It can automatically insert:

• Recommended products or services.
• Recently Viewed Items.
• Content tailored to the lifecycle stage.
• Personalized CTAs.
• Region or behavior based message variations.

How to use it:

Create modular email templates with “smart” content blocks. Include CRM properties—like industry, lifecycle stage, and purchase history—so each subscriber receives content tailored to their needs. AI ensures personalization occurs at scale without manual duplication.

4. Trip optimization

AI continuously monitors workflow performance and identifies where subscribers are abandoning, which steps are slowing conversions, and where alternative paths could perform better.

AI-powered recommendations can include:

• Remove low-performing email steps.
• Adding new triggers by key behavior.
• Adjust waiting times.
• Testing alternative paths for different segments.
• Pausing branches that reduce the chances of conversion.

How to use it:

Review the workflow performance dashboard weekly. Accept or reject AI recommendations, test suggested changes, and use insights to refine segment logic. Over time, the system becomes more efficient and requires less manual monitoring.

5. Performance forecasting

Predictive models estimate performance results before a campaign launches, giving marketers a clearer sense of risks and opportunities.

AI can predict:

• Expected open and click rates.
• Conversion probability.
• Campaign ROI.
• Sales forecasting for eCommerce automation.
• Effects of broadcast time or target group changes.

How to use it:

Before sending a campaign, evaluate the AI-generated forecast in your platform. If expected engagement is low:

• Customize subject lines.
• Experiment with different segments.
• Update content blocks.

This helps teams resolve issues before they cause performance degradation.

Pro tip: Are you looking for a step-by-step guide? Check out this guide to setting up automated email workflows.

Best fitting selection based on use case and team size

• Small teams that need speed and ease of use: HubSpot
• E-commerce brands with comprehensive product catalogs: Klaviyo
• B2B companies requiring complex care: ActiveCampaign or HubSpot
• Startups with tight budgets that need multichannel: Brevo
• Product-driven SaaS that requires event-based triggers: Customer.io
• Teams that standardize sales and marketing on one platform: HubSpot

Frequently asked questions about email marketing automation platforms

How are email marketing automation platforms different from email marketing software?

Traditional email marketing software is primarily designed for sending one-off or scheduled campaigns to a broad list, while email marketing automation platforms are designed to automatically send targeted messages based on behavior, segment data, lifecycle triggers, and real-time data.

Automation platforms allow you to create workflows that are triggered by actions such as form submissions, website visits, purchases, or inactivity, making communications more relevant and scalable. For example from HubSpot Marketing Hub combines email automation with CRM data so each message can automatically adapt to a contact’s history, preferences, and stage of the customer journey.

How do I migrate without affecting deliverability?

You can migrate to an email marketing automation platform without compromising deliverability by taking a structured, phased approach that protects your sender reputation. This includes:

• Authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
• Warm up your broadcast IP by gradually increasing the volume.
• Start by moving engaged contacts to generate positive engagement signals.
• Monitor bounce/spam rates during transition.

Platforms like HubSpot offer built-in deliverability tools, permissions-based contact management and reporting that make it easier to identify and resolve issues during migration.

What pricing model can I expect?

Most email marketing automation platforms use contact-based pricing, shipping volume pricing, or tiered plans. Entry levels typically include basic email sends and reporting, while higher levels add advanced automation, behavioral targeting, personalization, AI-driven insights, and deeper integrations.

Which integrations are most important for CRM and eCommerce?

The most important integrations are those that enable real-time data synchronization between your email platform and the systems that store customer behavior and transaction data. This typically includes your CRM, e-commerce platform, customer support tools, and advertising channels so you can trigger emails based on purchases, pipeline stages, support interactions, or promotional interactions.

Strong integrations help ensure consistent data, better segmentation, and more relevant automation. HubSpot’s native CRM and eCommerce integrations make it easy to build end-to-end workflows without relying heavily on third-party connectors.

How do AI capabilities actually improve email performance?

AI capabilities improve email performance by reducing manual effort while continuously optimizing engagement and conversions. AI can help generate and refine subject lines and copy, recommend optimal send times for each contact, predict churn or purchase probabilities, and dynamically personalize content based on past behavior. These data-driven adjustments allow marketers to test and improve faster than manual optimization alone.

HubSpots AI email toolsFor example, they support content creation, predictive insights, and performance recommendations, helping teams send more effective emails at scale without adding complexity.

The fastest way to effective, scalable email automation

Email marketing automation platforms help businesses send targeted, personalized emails at scale. The right platform should offer drag-and-drop journeys, unified customer data, AI-powered content and optimization features, and strong deliverability guarantees.

If you’re looking for a platform that combines powerful automation with a unified CRM and AI tools built right into the workflow, HubSpot is a great choice. Marketers can get started for free or request a demo to see how the platform optimizes email marketing for growing teams.