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Constant Contact vs. Elite Email vs. Litmus from Validity

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Constant Contact

    Score8 out of 10
    N/AConstant Contact is a full-featured email marketing solution with capabilities such as social media integration, drag-and-drop editing, and real-time reporting. It is a bulk email tool designed for SMB customers. Since 2019, Constant Contact also offers marketing automation features, a website and landing page builder, and other tools to support midsize businesses.

    $12

    per month

    Elite Email

    Score8 out of 10
    N/AElite Email is a cloud-based email and mobile marketing solution from the Canadian company of the same name founded in 2003, used to manage mailing lists, create marketing campaigns and send emails and SMS without need of technical skills, and track results with real-time analytics. As expected, Elite Email can be used for email newsletters, promotions, announcements, coupons and more, and it has over 200 customizable templates. Elite Email also supplies strategic or creative consulting, and…N/A

    Litmus from Validity

    Score8.6 out of 10
    N/ALitmus, from Validity, is an email marketing solution used to create error-free emails in less time. It is also used to build email campaigns, personalize and test them thoroughly, monitor deliverability, and analyze email performance.N/A
    Pricing
    Constant ContactElite EmailLitmus from Validity
    Editions & Modules
    Lite
    Starting at $12.00
    per month
    Standard
    Starting at $35.00
    per month
    Premium
    Starting at $80.00
    per month
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Constant ContactElite EmailLitmus from Validity
    Free Trial
    YesYesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoYesNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsThe SMS Marketing tool can be added to any Standard or Premium Constant Contact account. SMS is only available in the US for Standard and Premium paid plans. SMS can be added when logged in to an account after purchase. Plans start at $10/month for up to 500 messages.——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Constant ContactElite EmailLitmus from Validity
    Considered Multiple Products
    Constant Contact
    No answer on this topic
    Elite Email
    No answer on this topic
    Validity
    Chose Litmus from Validity
    For more in-depth QA and personalization needs, Litmus is the way to go. I believe that Litmus should be used in conjunction with a product like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to support your email development efforts. I would not use any one of these by itself if you really …
    Incentivized
    Chose Litmus from Validity
    N/a - have not tried others.
    Incentivized
    Chose Litmus from Validity
    Litmus is the original email testing platform, and nothing compares to the preview options it provides.
    Incentivized
    Chose Litmus from Validity
    At the time we selected Litmus, we liked the functionality and interface better than Email on Acid, which was about 7-8 years ago now. We almost switched to 250ok this year because they have the same email preview functionality as Litmus and have spam trap/blacklist/list review …
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    85%
    Would buy again
    61 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    99%
    Would buy again
    292 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    94%
    Delivers good value for the price
    61 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    212 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    85%
    Happy with the feature set
    61 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    99%
    Happy with the feature set
    294 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    91%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    42 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    98%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    173 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    90%
    Implementation went as expected
    46 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    98%
    Implementation went as expected
    174 Answers
    Features
    Constant ContactElite EmailLitmus from Validity
    Email & Online Marketing
    Comparison of Email & Online Marketing features of Constant Contact and Elite Email and Litmus from Validity
    Feature
    Constant Contact
    9.0
    120 Ratings
    11% above category average
    Elite Email
    -
    Ratings
    Litmus from Validity
    6.8
    376 Ratings
    17% below category average
    WYSIWYG email editor9.7102 Ratings00 Ratings9.158 Ratings
    Dynamic content9.7104 Ratings00 Ratings8.659 Ratings
    Ability to test dynamic content8.582 Ratings00 Ratings8.1238 Ratings
    Landing pages9.378 Ratings00 Ratings2.64 Ratings
    A/B testing8.473 Ratings00 Ratings6.511 Ratings
    Mobile optimization8.686 Ratings00 Ratings9.4351 Ratings
    Email deliverability reporting9.9116 Ratings00 Ratings8.5272 Ratings
    List management9.3118 Ratings00 Ratings7.08 Ratings
    Triggered drip sequences8.062 Ratings00 Ratings1.02 Ratings
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Constant Contact and Elite Email and Litmus from Validity
    Feature
    Constant Contact
    8.5
    117 Ratings
    11% above category average
    Elite Email
    -
    Ratings
    Litmus from Validity
    7.1
    255 Ratings
    7% below category average
    Dashboards8.488 Ratings00 Ratings7.229 Ratings
    Standard reports9.8115 Ratings00 Ratings7.5252 Ratings
    Custom reports7.558 Ratings00 Ratings6.6180 Ratings
    Pre-Send Testing
    Comparison of Pre-Send Testing features of Constant Contact and Elite Email and Litmus from Validity
    Feature
    Constant Contact
    8.4
    69 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Elite Email
    -
    Ratings
    Litmus from Validity
    8.5
    356 Ratings
    4% above category average
    URL Validation8.231 Ratings00 Ratings9.3268 Ratings
    Link Tracking7.934 Ratings00 Ratings9.2233 Ratings
    Image Validation8.932 Ratings00 Ratings7.65 Ratings
    Inbox Display8.635 Ratings00 Ratings8.56 Ratings
    Email Accessibility Tools7.928 Ratings00 Ratings6.73 Ratings
    Spelling and Grammar Check9.856 Ratings00 Ratings7.31 Ratings
    Spam Testing6.026 Ratings00 Ratings9.5267 Ratings
    Email Previews9.968 Ratings00 Ratings9.6353 Ratings
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    Constant ContactElite EmailLitmus from Validity
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    Campaign Monitor by Marigold
    Score9 out of 10
    Campaign Monitor by Marigold
    Score9 out of 10
    Campaign Monitor by Marigold
    Score9 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Emma by Marigold
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Emma by Marigold
    Score8.5 out of 10
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    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Constant ContactElite EmailLitmus from Validity
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.8
    (135 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.2
    (428 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.9
    (23 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (32 ratings)
    Usability
    10.0
    (12 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (22 ratings)
    Availability
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.6
    (8 ratings)
    Performance
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.3
    (8 ratings)
    Support Rating
    10.0
    (9 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    4.5
    (2 ratings)
    Online Training
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    4.5
    (3 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    10.0
    (5 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    2.2
    (13 ratings)
    Configurability
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    3.9
    (7 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    3.9
    (8 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    3.6
    (5 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    5.5
    (4 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Constant ContactElite EmailLitmus from Validity
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Constant Contact
    Constant Contact is an excellent tool for sending out flyers and newsletters. However, I feel the content's appearance is typically all the same. When I receive an email from Constant Contact, I can immediately identify it - the templates usually all look the same. When sending out communications with images, it is easy to use Constant Contact and link webpages. However, the email layout is always vertical and can get very lengthy. I prefer a more flip-book approach with options to flip the page.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    Proofing your emails is necessary. This is a tool that allows you to see how your email not only renders on multiple devices but how it performs. Some email building platforms will tell you their drag and drop templates are ready to go, however they stop short of analyzing accessibility, checking links, load speed among other things. I've also experienced drag and drop template issues as new email clients are released. Litmus provides peace of mind that you did your due diligence on crafting your email. While Litmus does provide some reporting you will not see every typical analytic an email report offers. However, you can use your Litmus data to enhance your email reports which in turn creates a robust view of email performance.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Constant Contact
    • Market segmentation is great: my main segmentation is by region because that's how our sales team is divided.
    • Lists: making customized email lists is easy and intuitive; the custom fields allow some flexibility in case our fields don't exactly line up with Constant Contact's.
    • Campaigns: creating campaigns is quick and simple. I especially appreciate the 'resend to non-openers' option. I am constantly using this feature.
    • Subject line generator: I like using the recommended subject lines. I'm able to plug in their recommended ideas, or sometimes, this feature helps me generate my own ideas.
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    • We haven’t explored the personalization features in depth yet, aside from using the Add-to-Calendar option, but we're excited to dig in further. Tools like live polls offer an easy way to boost engagement in our product marketing emails, and we see a lot of potential in using these templates to enhance personalization moving forward.
    • Litmus’ continuing education resources have been really helpful. I recently read an article on email deliverability that offered practical insights my team can apply moving forward. I especially appreciate how Litmus uses real examples and stats from the brands they work with—it makes the content feel actionable and relevant.
    • Online Training.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Constant Contact
    • It would be nice if we had more customizable options for emails - like moving around pictures and text boxes, rather than a set spot for everything to go.
    • I would like it if multiple people could work on a document at one time. So if I'm in charge of graphics, I can get those updated while someone else is entering content, etc.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    • I've not seen many limitations but I have noticed that sometimes emails sent from our CRM take too long to land in Litmus, or sometimes don't land at all.
    • As a beginner it was quite difficult for me to make my way around the platform - I thought "Create new" CTA was actually creating something new, maybe "Import from CRM" would have been more understandable. There were a few others but I remember this one.
    • In the Emails section, whenever I hover over an email, I want to be able to copy the subject line instead of getting the different CTAs appear intrusively (Summary, Builder, Previews & QA, Proof, Analytics, Monitor) - maybe these could appear on the bottom of the textbox, instead of them being imposed on top?
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Constant Contact
    There is no doubt that we are going to renew Constant Contact. We have not just invested a lot of time in learning and creating a great looking product but we have developed a strong database of information that allows us to track how we are doing for each newsletter. This supports our goals of creating products that residents desire and are excited to receive.
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    It's one the best tools that we've found for this type of tool but we would like some additional features like spell check so if there's a platform that features that with everything else Litmus has, then we'd potentially look to move over to that platform instead. However, we are overall pretty help with the platform
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Constant Contact
    There is always room for improvement. I don't know how they test their systems, but they should invite not-so computer savvy people to test it. If I, as an expert have problems, they need to think like the technophobe. Since I've used Constant Contact in the past as part of my former employment, I have not viewed any of the tutorials and just jumped in to work on my client's newsletter. With that said, I found some areas easy and some a bit cumbersome
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    Litmus has integrations that make the software an integrated part of my work every day. Being able to test right within my email builder is just brilliant. Daily I also use the web interface to review analytics and spam testing. Overall it is one of the pieces of software I use daily without any complaints or issues.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Constant Contact
    No major problems in sending out the email campaigns and accessing the analytics
    Incentivized
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    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    We have never had a problem with Litmus being unavailable so I would say their availability is fantastic. There might have been one time years ago that the site was down briefly but it also might have been a server issue on my end. Either way, Litmus was back up and running in a very short time
    Incentivized
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    Performance
    Constant Contact
    The system seemed quite slow sometimes. Specifically, there was sometimes a delay in sends if it was during a high traffic period. There were time-outs when uploading new code for an email, and a lag in reporting analytics which was sometimes as long as 72 hours
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    As with all technology, there are inevitably use-cases where you are unable to get to your original goal without some good old-fashioned experimenting. Some situations will (and are) more urgent which complicates an effective integration of a new process or a new team using an existing process but the "issues" are regularly resolved by re-starting the process specific to when Litmus is introduced to a project. If it doesn't come out the way you're anticipating, run it again and verify there is an issue before declaring all is lost
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Constant Contact
    I think the overall support for Constant Contact has always been incredible; I have nothing negative to say. Our customer support representative was attentive, easy to understand, and very knowledgeable. I never felt like I wasn't a priority of his and my issues, while very small, were fixed in a very short time frame.
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    Absolutely fantastic support. It runs circles around the competition. They regularly reach out and chat, even if it's just to see if there's any issues we need to discuss. They clearly want the business and don't forget you once you sign the contract which is an issue with other similar services.
    Incentivized
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    In-Person Training
    Constant Contact
    No answers on this topic
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    It was very informative one on one session for me. I was able to use Litmus without any issues.
    Incentivized
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    Online Training
    Constant Contact
    No answers on this topic
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    It has all the required information.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Constant Contact
    Implementation is very easy for someone who wants to send out the “batch and blast” type newsletters. If you want to use their templates with no customizations, the product works fine. However, the more customizations you get into involving link color, etc, that’s where things can get tricky for someone who may not be familiar with coding
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    I didn’t really personally participate much in the implementation of Litmus, but from what I observed during the process, it was a smooth process with minimal disruptions. The team was able to get up and running quickly, and the platform’s user-friendly interface made onboarding fairly easy for everyone involved from the start.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Constant Contact
    Constant Contact is much more intuitive for people who are not tech-savvy. Also, while sendgrid offered more options in it's drag and drop interface, it displayed differently across different email clients, which made it very cumbersome to use. It also took much longer to upload contact lists and it was harder to manage existing contacts. Performance in sendgrid was much slower as well, and the Preview feature was quite buggy. Our team initially chose sendgrid because of the integration options that it's API offered, but we ultimately switched to Constant Contact because it was much easier to build campaigns and better suited our requirements.
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    This is not applicable to my role as I have used Litmus to test emails since I have started. Because of the ease of use, timeliness, consistent quality, and affordability that Litmus offers, I haven't found the need to look at similar products or organizations. If all of these features continue to stay strong, I don't plan on changing providers
    Incentivized
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    Scalability
    Constant Contact
    Very reliable in sending email campaigns and controlling the recipients so that no contact is sent the same email more than once, even if they are on a resent list
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    With our enterprise account, scalability is not an issue. I have not yet seen or heard of significant issues with user access, API connections for integrations etc. This includes down time for "Scheduled Maintenance" as some providers call them, Litmus has the technology backing to support a global team with a 24-hour workday across regions
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    Constant Contact
    • I have had nothing but positive impacts from using Constant Contact.
    • The church is large, and there are many subgroups and axillary groups within the church. Setting up specific groups based on responsibility, interest, member goals, and service needs allows me to send information quickly, saving valuable time for other tasks.
    • Constant Contact allows leadership to stay personally engaged with the members I work with, without over-taxing my time. It feels so seamless.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Elite Email
    No answers on this topic
    Validity
    • Litmus saves our team so much time by making the QA and email review process so much easier, streamlined, and efficient.
    • We often send out campaigns out to thousands of members, and Litmus gives us the assurance and peace of mind that everything is working as it should before it gets sent out.
    • Decreases the number of email review cycles we go through.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Constant Contact Screenshots

    Screenshot of the AI Content Generator that can be used to create content for emails, social posts, or SMS.Screenshot of an example automation workflow. These help to ensure a business's marketing is always on.Screenshot of some of the available pre-built email templates, that can be edited with the included drag-and-drop email editor.Screenshot of the Social Posting tool, used to plan and post social media messaging across platforms.Screenshot of the SMS Marketing feature.Screenshot of some of Constant Contact's available integrations.

    Litmus from Validity Screenshots

    Screenshot of Litmus Personalize Essentials, with live polls to give subscribers a voice and drive email engagement.Screenshot of Litmus Email Guardian, featuring 24/7 link monitoring to safeguard emails.Screenshot of Litmus' integrated insights reports, that can automatically combine metrics from Salesforce Marketing Cloud with subscriber engagement insights from Litmus.Screenshot of campaign preview, available in 100+ popular email clientsScreenshot of Litmus' inbox previewing and feedback tools, that help users to spot and fix issues early.