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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    iContact

    Score6.8 out of 10
    N/AiContact is an email marketing solution that was acquired by Vocus in 2012. The product is integrated with Facebook and Twitter and is aimed at SMBs with unlimited sending as a key feature.

    $14

    per month

    Really Simple Systems

    Score7.6 out of 10
    Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
    Really Simple Systems is a customer relationship management (CRM) software deployed via cloud with built-in features like email marketing, pipeline management, and case management.

    $8

    per month

    Pricing
    iContactReally Simple Systems
    Editions & Modules
    1500 Users
    $15.00
    per month
    2500 Users
    $25.00
    per month
    5000 Users
    $45.00
    per month
    Free CRM
    $0
    2 Users and 100 Company Records
    Starter
    $15
    per User, 1000 Company Records, Unlimited Contacts, 1 GB Document Storage, MailSync, Custom Settings, Custom Reports, API Integration, Online ‘self-service’ Support Hub, Email and Online Chat Support, Optional Marketing Module
    Professional
    $33
    per User, 5000 Company Records, Unlimited Contacts, 5 GB Document Storage, MailSync, Custom Settings, Custom Reports, API Integration, Advanced User Permission Levels, Online ‘self-service’ Support Hub, Free Email, Chat and Phone Support, Priority Technical Support, Optional Marketing and Service Desk Modules
    Enterprise
    $50
    per User, Unlimited Company Records, Unlimited Contacts, Unlimited Document Storage, MailSync, Advanced Reporting, Custom Settings, Advanced User Permission Levels, API Integration, Online ‘self-service’ Support Hub, Free Email, Chat and Phone Support , Top Priority Technical Support, Dedicated Account Manager, Free Online Team Training , Optional Marketing and Service Desk Modules
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    iContactReally Simple Systems
    Free Trial
    NoYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details—All plans include free customer support and setup help.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    iContactReally Simple Systems
    Considered Both Products
    iContact
    No answer on this topic
    Really Simple Systems
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Would buy again
    18 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    16 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    18 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    14 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    14 Answers
    Features
    iContactReally Simple Systems
    Email & Online Marketing
    Comparison of Email & Online Marketing features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    6.6
    26 Ratings
    19% below category average
    Really Simple Systems
    -
    Ratings
    WYSIWYG email editor7.024 Ratings00 Ratings
    Dynamic content7.021 Ratings00 Ratings
    Ability to test dynamic content5.021 Ratings00 Ratings
    Landing pages7.014 Ratings00 Ratings
    A/B testing5.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile optimization7.021 Ratings00 Ratings
    Email deliverability reporting7.025 Ratings00 Ratings
    List management8.025 Ratings00 Ratings
    Triggered drip sequences6.015 Ratings00 Ratings
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    8.0
    26 Ratings
    5% above category average
    Really Simple Systems
    -
    Ratings
    Dashboards8.026 Ratings00 Ratings
    Standard reports8.025 Ratings00 Ratings
    Custom reports8.015 Ratings00 Ratings
    Pre-Send Testing
    Comparison of Pre-Send Testing features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    7.0
    1 Ratings
    15% below category average
    Really Simple Systems
    -
    Ratings
    URL Validation7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Link Tracking7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Image Validation7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Inbox Display7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Email Accessibility Tools7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Spelling and Grammar Check7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Spam Testing7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Email Previews7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Sales Force Automation
    Comparison of Sales Force Automation features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    -
    Ratings
    Really Simple Systems
    7.2
    33 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Customer data management / contact management00 Ratings7.833 Ratings
    Workflow management00 Ratings7.213 Ratings
    Territory management00 Ratings6.98 Ratings
    Opportunity management00 Ratings7.727 Ratings
    Integration with email client (e.g., Outlook or Gmail)00 Ratings6.325 Ratings
    Interaction tracking00 Ratings7.525 Ratings
    Customer Service & Support
    Comparison of Customer Service & Support features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    -
    Ratings
    Really Simple Systems
    7.2
    25 Ratings
    7% below category average
    Case management00 Ratings7.423 Ratings
    Help desk management00 Ratings7.024 Ratings
    Marketing Automation
    Comparison of Marketing Automation features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    -
    Ratings
    Really Simple Systems
    7.1
    27 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Lead management00 Ratings7.024 Ratings
    Email marketing00 Ratings7.220 Ratings
    CRM Project Management
    Comparison of CRM Project Management features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    -
    Ratings
    Really Simple Systems
    7.0
    29 Ratings
    9% below category average
    Task management00 Ratings7.127 Ratings
    Reporting00 Ratings6.925 Ratings
    CRM Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of CRM Reporting & Analytics features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    -
    Ratings
    Really Simple Systems
    6.5
    25 Ratings
    16% below category average
    Forecasting00 Ratings6.320 Ratings
    Pipeline visualization00 Ratings6.321 Ratings
    Customizable reports00 Ratings6.824 Ratings
    Customization
    Comparison of Customization features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    -
    Ratings
    Really Simple Systems
    6.8
    28 Ratings
    12% below category average
    Custom fields00 Ratings7.128 Ratings
    Custom objects00 Ratings6.824 Ratings
    API for custom integration00 Ratings6.517 Ratings
    Platform
    Comparison of Platform features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    -
    Ratings
    Really Simple Systems
    6.8
    21 Ratings
    11% below category average
    Mobile access00 Ratings6.821 Ratings
    Security
    Comparison of Security features of iContact and Really Simple Systems
    Feature
    iContact
    -
    Ratings
    Really Simple Systems
    7.8
    28 Ratings
    7% below category average
    Role-based user permissions00 Ratings7.828 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    iContactReally Simple Systems
    Small Businesses
    Mad Mimi
    Score10 out of 10
    Salesflare
    Score10 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Campaign Monitor by Marigold
    Score9 out of 10
    Kintone
    Score9.7 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Emma by Marigold
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Oracle Sales
    Score8.9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    iContactReally Simple Systems
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (45 ratings)
    7.6
    (34 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    3.4
    (19 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    Usability
    8.0
    (6 ratings)
    7.8
    (18 ratings)
    Availability
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.9
    (9 ratings)
    8.0
    (17 ratings)
    Online Training
    1.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.5
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    iContactReally Simple Systems
    Likelihood to Recommend
    iContact
    I would only recommend it if someone was a small business. I think they are the best suited for companies who will send out a coupon or offer here and there. The most recent updates made it more complicated to use for more complicated processes. It is easy to train someone on the program, and so quick to learn. But I would also only stick to the simpler things. I also think the colorful templates are great, and show great creativity. But again, it is hard to justify recommending the program when it isn't WYSIWYG.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    If you have a customer/job where there are steps to be followed such as quotes, follow up, purchase orders received, etc. You can set reminders for a member of the team with their next step and they will be sent reminders. Works well as long as it is kept updated.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    iContact
    • Contact management. iContact is really great for entering all your contact. You are able to put them onto different lists, and let them choose which lists they would like to be a part of as well. There are many data fields provided to fill in information.
    • Emailing. We use the email feature at least once a month. They are always improving and adding new features, which is very helpful in presenting content in a new and exciting way to our readers. There are many options with remade templates and themes, or you can add your own.
    • Insights. It is really helpful being able to have the data to see what is working and what isn't. It is nice to be able to go back and see how things went in the past compared to now. Opens, clicks, shares, etc.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    • Can send out marketing emailers within 5 minutes of an industry-specific update from any device
    • Sales dashboard [can be] built how I want it using the Really Simple Systems widgets
    • Activity integration from email accounts included
    • Manage my sales pipeline opportunities effectively
    Read full review
    Cons
    iContact
    • We also would like to send transactional messages which don't require an opt-out, this is a challenge with iContact. (May be a feature with pro?)
    • The regular version of iContact doesn't support event management or logic flows for automated messaging.
    • Custom form fields have limited field type options (can't build a drop-down).
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    • Resends - I would like a simple [one-click] function to resend email campaigns to [non-openers.]
    • [Emails] that have been created but not sent or attached to a campaign I would like to see a place that they could be in [the] draft so I can come back to them at a later date without them appearing on the email list[.]
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    iContact
    iContact has been a quick and easy way to send any announcements and news directly to email and social media subscribers. Its tracking and reporting capabilities turn a simple email into a marketing campaign that can be used as a tool to efficiently gauge reader response and customer satisfaction, and ultimately to reach potential customers. The consistency and excellent customer service is what makes this program a pleasant experience.
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    iContact
    I rate iContact as an easy to use program due to its user friendly dashboard and user interface. Most companies of small to medium size do not have a dedicated marketer, therefore it is someone multitasking who may or may not have this kind of experience. iContact makes it relatively simple and can actually expand one's knowledge in the area of business promotion.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    Simple systems is great for smaller sales and marketing teams to log their territories and report on progress on their opportunities. There are many useful features such as tasks and reporting to show to management how opportunities are progressing and when the estimated close date would occur. The two main issues are scalability within larger [organizations] and the ease to duplicate contacts.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    iContact
    iContact is regularly up and running. Only once has it been unavailable for maintenance, which is to be expected and even desired for optimal performance when needed.
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    iContact
    They have always been responsive to any issues or concerns that have arisen with our account. Our customer account manager participates in our monthly county-wide communicators meetings via telephone to ensure that we are getting the most from the service. He also analyzes our lists to help us weed out inactive contacts.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    Whenever I have had any issues, which is probably only 3 times in 10 years, the back office support has been fantastic and got me up and running again in a very short time. Cannot fault them at all. But as I stated, problems have been very few and far between.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Online Training
    iContact
    The templates are difficult to customize, and they don't render well in email platforms
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    iContact
    i wouldn't be using it if i wasn't satisfied. time is money
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    iContact
    I didn't have a say in the decision because I wasn't with the company at the time. I listed HubSpot here because I know we used it in conjunction with iContact for email automation, but HubSpot Email was only recently built-out to the point where it is today. Now, iContact and HubSpot are no longer integrated.
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    We choose RSS due to cost. We are a startup and needed a great solution that did not cost [a lot]. RSS [fits] all our needs at the perfect price. We could not be more thrilled with our choice and it has simplified our client interaction[.]
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    iContact
    iContact stays the same with the number of users added or taken away. It certainly remains reliable despite increased usage, and so, can be considered scaleable in that aspect.
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    iContact
    • We have a template for webinars that we send every month. We just edit it and send. This couldn't be easier (once you know where to find it).
    • We like the breakdown of statistics in the dashboard. They're easy to read.
    • iContact isn't a comprehensive solution, so it is only one of a few products we use for marketing.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Really Simple Systems
    • A very positive effect on our understanding of our customers and what kind of events are working well at the venue and which aren't. This will allow us to work more smartly when responsive to enquiries, improving our overall productivity.
    • Very positive impact on our current review of marketing and sales strategy.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Really Simple Systems Screenshots

    Screenshot of Accounts PageScreenshot of Tasks PageScreenshot of Marketing Dashboard