Verdict · Email

Campaign Monitor

A design first email tool with beautiful templates, now part of Marigold and priced higher than its feature set alone would justify.

Campaign Monitor built its name on polish. The template gallery is among the prettiest in email, the drag and drop editor is clean, and the analytics are clear and visual, which is why agencies and brand conscious teams long favored it. Now under Marigold, the plans were rebranded and prices rose across the board, which sharpens the value question. The depth is fine rather than deep: automation is capable but not class leading, segmentation trails the data heavy tools, and the contact based pricing climbs fast once you leave the entry tier.

Reviewed by ·Updated MAY 2026·How we vet
In one line
Beautiful templates, now at a price that asks hard questions.
What we found

In its favour

+ One of the prettiest template galleries in email
+ Clean drag and drop editor and clear analytics
+ Reliable sending suited to brand conscious teams
+ Capable automated workflows on the mid tier

Held against it

Prices rose after the move to Marigold
Value trails cheaper tools with similar depth
Segmentation is shallow next to data heavy rivals
Contact based pricing climbs fast above the entry tier
The scorecard

Design leads; value is the weak point.

Campaign Monitor scores well on ease and presentation, where its templates and editor shine. Value drags the total into the high 70s, because the post Marigold prices outpace what the feature set alone delivers.

Scored against the same five weighted criteria we use across email marketing. See the rubric →

Ease of use 84
Features and depth 76
Value for money 70
Integrations 78
Support and onboarding 78
Buy it if you’re…

a brand conscious team or agency that prizes beautiful templates and clear reporting over deep automation.

Skip it if you’re…

a buyer watching cost, or one that needs deep segmentation and advanced automation for the price.

What it costs

Per month, up to 500 contacts

Pricing as of June 2026. Plans are priced by contact count and rise steeply as your list grows; Campaign Monitor is now part of Marigold. Check the vendor for current pricing.

Lite
$13
Capped sends for small lists
+Up to 500 contacts
+Send volume about 5x contacts
+Core email templates
+Email support
★ Our pick
Essentials
$31
Unlimited sends and automation
+Unlimited email sends
+Unlimited automated workflows
+Inbox and spam testing
+Multi user access
Premier
$171
Advanced segmentation and analytics
+Behavior based segmentation
+Send time optimization
+Predictive analytics
+Template locking

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