GoDaddy Email Marketing vs Mailchimp 2024: Is Either Worth It?

At first glance, GoDaddy and Mailchimp look comparable, as both offer complete marketing packages. But if you use GoDaddy to get a domain and create your website, don’t expect to receive top-of-the-line email marketing features. You’ll have to make do with a limited selection of templates, basic automation, and other limitations.

Mailchimp is the better choice for managing your email campaigns. There’s no question about that. It has more features overall, better automation, and increased deliverability rates.

If you’ve already built your website with GoDaddy, it seems sensible to make use of its email marketing suite. Inserting forms and keeping up with your stats will be very easy. Even then, Mailchimp might still be a great choice for you – it integrates with most apps and platforms, including GoDaddy. You can even take advantage of Mailchimp’s generous free plan to put the EMS to the test yourself.

Let’s see how these two platforms measure up.

Features

Mailchimp’s Feature Set Is More Robust

GoDaddy’s email templates are limited to just 27, while Mailchimp boasts around 100. Mailchimp’s pre-made templates look better and have a more professional look. They’re also more customizable, thanks to Mailchimp’s sophisticated email editor. With Mailchimp, you can drag-and-drop any element you want to create fully-customized emails – GoDaddy is somewhat restrictive with its options.

The marketing automation functionalities reveal further differences. GoDaddy only supports a new subscriber signup trigger for its workflows, whereas Mailchimp offers about a dozen triggers and multiple custom steps. This allows you to target specific behaviors and visualize the customer journey, something you can’t do with GoDaddy’s basic automation workflows.

When it comes to app integrations, GoDaddy’s limitations continue, with only half a dozen integrations and no Zapier support. Conversely, Mailchimp integrates natively with 310+ apps and thousands more if we include Zapier.

Overall, Mailchimp provides more extensive features, while GoDaddy’s offerings are more basic and limited.

Ease of Use

Mailchimp Is More Intuitive; GoDaddy Has Better Tutorials

Even though it has many features, I found Mailchimp very easy to use. The intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows you to position elements exactly where you want them with minimal effort.

A/B testing is easily accessible through the main menu, segmentation is simple, and there are many pre-built automation workflows available. Mailchimp also displays helpful tips from time to time, providing actionable advice when certain conditions are met.

GoDaddy, on the other hand, is easy to use because it lacks so many features. You can’t add your own block elements to your emails, which means you’re limited to editing what’s already there. Its segmentation options are decent, and managing lists is easy, but that’s pretty much it. There’s no option to craft an email from scratch, no automation, no A/B testing, and the list goes on.

Both platforms are easy to use, but this round goes to Mailchimp for remaining user-friendly despite its extensive feature set.

Deliverability

Your Emails Will be Delivered as Long as You Stick to the Rules

Marketers spend countless hours optimizing their campaigns down to the last CTA. Still, their efforts mean nothing if the emails aren’t reliably delivered to their subscribers. High deliverability rates are crucial, but traditional deliverability tests don’t always tell the whole story.

Let’s say I run some tests and come up with an arbitrary number (e.g., 93%). Does that offer any real value when there are so many variables that affect the sending process? Most of the time, these tests say more about the marketer than the EMS itself.

A better way to gauge a platform’s deliverability is by examining specific features we know from experience to boost performance. My colleague explains why and how we do this in our in-depth deliverability guide.

First, I needed to make sure there was DKIM authentication. Long story short, that’s how email providers know it’s really you sending the emails in your name. As you’d expect, both GoDaddy and Mailchimp have DKIM, and you can set it up quickly with easy-to-follow guides.

I then checked their respective anti-spam policies. Since users on the platform share IPs, weak anti-spam measures lead to more violations and a poorer sending reputation. Fortunately, both GoDaddy and Mailchimp are pretty strict when it comes to spam and won’t hesitate to outright ban violating accounts.

Affiliate marketing can also affect deliverability as it’s often associated with spammy practices. Both platforms allow affiliate links, but Mailchimp’s generally a bit stricter with its policies.

Finally, I needed to know if purchasing a private (or dedicated) IP was an option. A private IP gives you complete control over your sending reputation, which can result in a significant performance boost. Mailchimp offers dedicated IPs as an add-on for $29.95/each. If you want to purchase a private IP via GoDaddy, you must be a Plus user.

Both platforms can deliver your emails reliably, but based on its stricter spam policies, Mailchimp should enjoy a slightly higher deliverability rate.

Reporting and Analytics

GoDaddy Analytics Is Slightly Better Than Mailchimp’s Reporting

Email marketing reports aren’t very useful unless they allow comparisons or include marketing insights. GoDaddy’s standard reports do both, and technically Mailchimp does too – as long as you don’t mind paying a bit extra.

Mailchimp’s standard reports include all the essential stats like open and click-through rates, e-commerce data, and audience analytics.

With Mailchimp, you can also access campaign benchmarking with every plan. Don’t expect especially deep insights, as it’s only a surface-level report. If you want more, get ready to upgrade to Mailchimp’s most expensive plan to access comparative reporting.

GoDaddy Email Marketing reports also include all the essentials, but they go further. Every campaign includes a simple click heatmap to see what parts of your emails get the most engagement.

GoDaddy analytics also lets you compare the performance of all your campaigns. The interface is a bit clunky, but if you click around, you can see which campaigns drove the most views, engagement, and other metrics. GoDaddy’s comparative reports1 are available even with the cheapest plan, making them a relative bargain.

When it comes to analytics, I’d definitely choose GoDaddy Email Marketing. You get comparative reports and heatmaps even with cheaper plans. In contrast, Mailchimp doesn’t offer heatmaps at all and charges quite a bit more for advanced reports.

Pricing

Mailchimp Gets Pricey Fast; GoDaddy Is More Affordable – With a Catch

Mailchimp and GoDaddy Email Marketing have similar starting costs. However, the sending capacities and pricing methods are completely different, and Mailchimp’s highest-tier plan is exponentially more expensive.

Here’s What You Get For Free

GoDaddy Email Marketing doesn’t have a free plan beyond the Starter plan, which is more of a free trial with up to 50 email sends. In contrast, Mailchimp’s Free plan lets you send up to 1,000 monthly emails to as many as 500 subscribers. It includes customizable automations and landing pages but lacks key features like advanced reports and A/B testing.

Here’s What You Get If You Pay

Before you sign up for a paid plan, calculate your costs carefully. Each GoDaddy Email Marketing plan has fixed costs, and you only pay more if you choose to upgrade. Mailchimp has contact-based pricing, so every time you reach a new subscriber limit, you have to pay more – even if you don’t need to upgrade to the next plan level.

Even though GoDaddy Email Marketing seems inexpensive, it might cost more than you think. The cheapest plan is so restrictive it’s for beginners only, so the mid-tier plan is where most marketers should start. Beware that once you reach 5,000 subscribers, it’s impossible to add more or upgrade your GoDaddy Email Marketing plan further. If you anticipate building a big list, you’re better off choosing another service to begin with.

Because Mailchimp has subscriber-based pricing, you can expect your costs to escalate quickly as you build your list. If you want advanced features like comparative reporting and multivariate testing, you’ll have to pay for the most expensive plan.

Take a look at the chart below to compare the two services more easily. When you throw Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) into the mix, it’s clear that you can get similar or better features at a much lower cost.

When it comes to pricing, it’s a draw. GoDaddy Email Marketing offers fewer features for its comparably priced plans, but Mailchimp plans get expensive quickly. In addition, GoDaddy’s subscriber capacity is way too small for many marketers, while Mailchimp’s most expensive plan is way beyond many marketers’ budgets.

There’s no winner here, so if budget is an issue, you’re better off with an alternative email marketing service like Brevo.

Support

Mailchimp Can Be Slow; GoDaddy May Not Give an Accurate Response

GoDaddy and Mailchimp both have reasonable support options, at least theoretically. GoDaddy has 24/7 phone and live chat support for all plans. Mailchimp has 24/7 email and live chat support for most paid plans and phone support for the highest-tier plan. Yet I had issues with both platforms’ support methods.

First, I used GoDaddy’s live chat to ask about personalizing emails with content or subscribers’ names. The support rep had a lot of trouble understanding what I was asking and then ultimately told me it was impossible to do what I wanted. After a few hours of testing the platform, I found that it absolutely is possible to personalize GoDaddy emails with subscriber names and other details – you just have to know where to look.

Next, I asked Mailchimp support the same question. This time, I used the email ticket support system to see if I would get a timely response. It took about 48 hours, but I did receive an answer with helpful guidance and links. I appreciated that the support rep encouraged me to reply so they could provide a more specific follow-up.

Mailchimp secures victory in the support round by delivering a helpful, personalized, and, most importantly, accurate response. While I appreciate GoDaddy’s speed, I prioritize waiting for a dependable response.

Mailchimp Does Quite a Bit More Than GoDaddy

If you want to focus on email marketing, a dedicated platform like Mailchimp would be a wise option. GoDaddy Email Marketing has better analytics and lower prices, but it can’t really compete with Mailchimp’s advanced features and reliable support.

In comparison, GoDaddy’s email marketing suite feels almost like an afterthought or good-to-have extra – which is a bit of a shame. But what if you’re already using GoDaddy and just want to send a few emails once in a while? Doesn’t it make sense to go for a GoDaddy email plan? Well, not really.

If you’re already on GoDaddy and have a small list or a strict budget, Mailchimp is probably still the better choice. You can test the platform and send 1,000 emails for free every month, upgrading when you’re ready for advanced features like A/B testing, pre-built automation workflows, and comparative reporting.

Here’s a quick recap of everything we’ve looked at so far:

FAQ

What is the GoDaddy Email Marketing Starter plan?

Every GoDaddy website builder plan comes with an Email Marketing Starter plan, which is effectively a free trial. It includes 50 total email sends and all the features from the Pro plan. To use GoDaddy Email Marketing after the 50 email sends, you need a paid plan.

What is the cheapest email marketing service?

GoDaddy is slightly cheaper than Mailchimp. As for the cheapest email marketing service overall, the crown goes to Brevo’s (formerly Sendinblue) free plan, which includes a full slate of features at no cost.

Does GoDaddy integrate with Mailchimp?

Of course! You can add a Mailchimp signup form to your GoDaddy website and automatically sync contacts with your Mailchimp account. Since Mailchimp has more features, it makes more sense to do this (rather than rely on GoDaddy’s lackluster email marketing service).

Which is better, Mailchimp or GoDaddy Email Marketing?

Mailchimp is better because it has more space for growth and more advanced automations and integrations. For more options, check our updated list of the best email marketing services.