Flodesk vs ConvertKit 2024: Simplicity vs Functionality
Flodesk vs ConvertKit, which one fits your needs, pros and cons, and verdict
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to build relationships with customers, promote products and services, and grow your business.
It also has the highest return on investment of any marketing channel at around $44 gained per $1 spent.
Email is crucial!
With so many options on the market, choosing the right email marketing platform can be a challenge.
Two popular choices are Flodesk* and ConvertKit.*
In this article, I'll compare the key features, pros and cons, pricing, and reviews of Flodesk and ConvertKit to help you determine which solution is the best fit for your business.
Main Differences Between Flodesk and ConvertKit
While both Flodesk and ConvertKit offer user-friendly interfaces and a robust set of email marketing tools, there are some notable differences between the two platforms:
ConvertKit offers a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers, whereas Flodesk does not have a free option apart from a trial period (You can get 50% off your first year with my code here ↗)
ConvertKit has over many integrations with other software compared to just a few native integrations for Flodesk.
Flodesk provides unlimited subscribers for a flat monthly fee, while ConvertKit pricing is based on number of subscribers. That get expensive quickly.
ConvertKit offers more advanced features like A/B testing, selling digital products, and custom HTML and CSS editing. Flodesk is more beginner-friendly with its drag-and-drop editor.
Flodesk provides beautiful templates and an intuitive interface focused on design. ConvertKit's templates are more basic and plain text-focused, and the learning curve is also a little steeper.
ConvertKit has more segmentation options with tags in addition to segments. Flodesk just uses segments.
ConvertKit offers more detailed analytics and subscriber data compared to the basic metrics provided by Flodesk.
If budget and design are your main priorities, Flodesk may be the better choice with its low flat pricing and visually compelling templates.
For advanced features, detailed analytics, and the ability to scale pricing along with your list size, ConvertKit is likely the stronger platform.
Flodesk Overview
Flodesk* is a relatively new email marketing platform that has quickly gained popularity thanks to its beginner-friendly interface and beautiful design.
The easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor makes it simple for anyone to create professional, branded email campaigns in just a few clicks.
Some of the key features of Flodesk include:
Intuitive drag-and-drop email editor with beautiful templates
Landing page and form builders with templates
Automations for sending timed email sequences
Basic segmentation by interests and purchase history
Shopify integration
30-day free trial
While Flodesk covers the core features most small businesses will need, it does lack some of the advanced functionality of a platform like ConvertKit.
There is no A/B testing, tagging, selling products through emails, or open API for developers. The reporting is also fairly basic without the granular subscriber data ConvertKit provides.
However, many users highlight the excellent customer support and easy learning curve as advantages over other email platforms.
The simple interface and pre-made templates allow complete beginners to get started with minimal effort.
Flodesk is likely a better solution for solopreneurs, bloggers, and small e-commerce businesses that value simplicity and great design over complex features.
ConvertKit Overview
ConvertKit* takes a more advanced, feature-rich approach to email marketing.
Founded in 2013 by Nathan Barry, ConvertKit focuses on providing creators, influencers, and niche bloggers with the tools they need to be successful.
Some of the key features ConvertKit includes are:
Free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers
Detailed subscriber analytics and segmentation
Automations and sales funnels
A/B testing capabilities
Sell courses, memberships, and digital downloads directly through emails
HTML and CSS customization
100+ native integrations with other software platforms
14-day free trial
While the interface may seem overwhelming to email marketing newbies at first, ConvertKit still offers an easy-to-use editor and template library to get started.
Forms, landing pages, and automations are intuitive to set up without needing coding expertise.
The array of advanced features from A/B testing to digital commerce make ConvertKit the preferable platform for bloggers, influencers, and creators to build an audience and monetize through email.
ConvertKit also scales pricing along with list size, making it more affordable for smaller lists.
Flodesk vs. ConvertKit: Key Feature Comparison
Email Editor & Templates
Winner: Flodesk
Flodesk shines when it comes to easy email creation. The drag-and-drop editor simplifies building emails, and the professionally designed templates only require you to plug in your own text and images. There are templates for every purpose.
ConvertKit also offers templates and an easy WYSIWYG editor, but the template selection is more limited with a focus on simple, plain text emails rather than visual designs. You’ll need to customize templates more or code your own HTML for beautifully branded emails.
Automations
Winner: ConvertKit
Both Flodesk and ConvertKit make it easy to set up automated email sequences without any coding. Simply drag and drop a series of emails to be sent out over time or based on subscriber actions.
Flodesk automations feature a visual flowchart design while ConvertKit uses a timeline, but both platforms effectively allow you to set up multi-email funnels like welcome series and product purchase sequences.
Analytics & Reporting
Winner: ConvertKit
One of ConvertKit’s biggest advantages is its robust analytics and granular tracking of subscriber data and behavior. You can view overall open and click rates, but also segment data by subscriber attributes and see individual subscriber engagement. Flodesk provides only basic email and list metrics without the detailed segmentation.
Having access to subscriber data and trends allows you to fine tune your email strategy for better results. ConvertKit provides the depth of metrics most businesses will need.
Landing Pages & Forms
Winner: ConvertKit
Creating forms and landing pages to capture leads and subscribers is easy with both platforms. However, ConvertKit comes out ahead with its range of templates, custom form styling, and built in lead capture and conversion tracking.
ConvertKit forms can be embedded anywhere and styled with custom CSS. Landing pages support A/B testing, custom domains, and integration with other sales tools. Flodesk takes a simpler approach to capturing leads.
Integrations
Winner: ConvertKit
The number of native integrations gives ConvertKit a huge advantage.
With many apps and software platforms that seamlessly sync with ConvertKit, you can easily connect your email campaigns to the other tools you use like WordPress, Shopify, Gumroad, membership platforms, webinar software, and more.
Flodesk only offers a few native integrations, like Zapier and Shopify.
You would need to use Zapier for integrating with any other platforms which can be more complex to set up and may result in less functionality.
E-commerce Features
Winner: Tie
For bloggers and creators selling digital products, ConvertKit is a good way to go.
ConvertKit allows you to easily create landing pages to capture leads and sell your products directly through your emails.
With ConvertKit Commerce you can sell e-books, online courses, membership sites, webinars, virtual workshops, and more without needing additional e-commerce software. Download delivery and payment processing are handled seamlessly.
Flodesk does offer digital product sales but at an additional cost per month. It as beautiful as the email marketing platform and integrates perfectly with it.
Here, the choice is yours.
Pricing
Winner: Tie
Flodesk takes a unique approach with fixed flat-rate monthly pricing rather than variable tiers based on the number of subscribers or sends.
At $38/month flat, Flodesk offers exceptional value if you plan to rapidly scale up a large email list.
You can also get it 50% right here ↗.
ConvertKit starts free for up to 1,000 subscribers then pricing ranges from $9 per month as your list grows with two paid plan options available.
This can be more cost-effective than Flodesk for smaller lists but becomes more expensive past 5,000 subscribers.
Consider your audience size and growth projections when deciding.
The pricing structure that aligns best with your goals will vary. For small lists, ConvertKit has more affordable options. Once you scale up, Flodesk’s flat rate is a huge advantage.
Ease of Use
Winner: Flodesk
With its drag-and-drop editor, attractive templates that only require filling in your own text/images, and an interface focused on simplicity, Flodesk wins for being the most beginner-friendly platform.
ConvertKit may involve a steeper learning curve, especially for launching your first email campaign.
While still offering an easy WYSIWYG editor, accessing more advanced functions and customizing email design does require some familiarity with online marketing concepts.
It also feels a little more clunky.
Support & Resources
Winner: Tie
Both Flodesk and ConvertKit receive high marks for customer support and provide multiple options to get assistance when needed.
You can get quick answers from fellow users as well as the support team. With ConvertKit being the larger, older platform, there are more independent resources available online as well.
For new email marketers, Flodesk is often praised for having exceptionally helpful and responsive support.
But ConvertKit also has a reputation for timely and useful customer service. You’ll have no problem getting questions answered with either platform.
Alternatives to Flodesk and ConvertKit
Flodesk and ConvertKit are two of the most popular email marketing platforms, but they aren't the only options.
Here are some alternative providers to consider:
MailerLite* - Offers a free plan of up to 1,000 subscribers like ConvertKit. Advanced automation and integrations provide robust functionality for bloggers and small businesses. Pricing starts at $10/month. It includes a website builder with blog functionality, digital product sales and much more. Great all around solution.
Beehiiv* - Focused on simplicity like Flodesk with drag-and-drop templates. Designed for writers. Nice editor. Free plan for up to 2500 subs. Pricing starts at $49/month flat or $99 on the top-level tier.
EmailOctopus* - For small lists, EmailOctopus offers a free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month. Pricing starts at $8/month after that. Light on advanced features, but great for beginners who want to get into automation and segmentation.
Substack* - Specialized for email newsletters with paid subscription options. Minimal templates but very easy to publish posts. No automations. It's free, Substack only takes a 10% cut of paid subscription revenue.
These alternative platforms each offer different strengths depending on your needs.
Evaluate free plans and base pricing, features for monetization and conversion optimization, design options, ease of use, and integrations to find the best email marketing solution for your unique business goals.
You can find detailed reviews for the tools above here ↗.
Flodesk vs ConvertKit: Which Should You Choose?
Now that you understand the key differences in features, ease of use, and pricing between Flodesk and ConvertKit, which platform is the best choice for your business?
Here are a few recommendations based on common business types and scenarios:
Blogs, creators, influencers - ConvertKit is optimized for monetization with the ability to sell digital products directly through email.
Small ecommerce businesses - Flodesk provides a cost-effective way to maintain contact with customers and promote products.
Software companies and agencies - ConvertKit's wide array of native integrations makes it suitable for tech businesses.
Designers, photographers, and artists - Flodesk's beautiful templates are ideal for visually-driven emails.
List under 1,000 subs - ConvertKit's free plan allows you to get started at no cost until you grow.
List over 10,000 subs - Flodesk's flat pricing offers exceptional value at scale.
Beginners - Flodesk's simplicity makes email marketing accessible for new users.
Advanced email marketers - ConvertKit provides expanded segmentation, automation, and customization abilities.
There are certainly scenarios where either platform could be the right solution.
Evaluate your budget, design needs, desired features, and subscriber goals. This will help you determine if an inexpensive but simple tool like Flodesk or a more robust but complex platform like ConvertKit is the best email marketing provider for growing your business.
I use ConvertKit* for its feature set and functionality. alongside the huge network of creators and sponsors that work with ConvertKit.
You can also read my full reviews of each platform here →
ConvertKit Review 2024 – Flodesk Review 2024