10 Pros & Cons of MailPoet Email Marketing for WordPress
Oh lordy – email marketing software. I love it and hate it. It’s better than social media platforms, but wow is it complicated and annoying to setup. I’ve used them all, but for this site, I wanted something dead simple…that wasn’t JetPack.
So I guess we’re using MailPoet. Whatever. Here are some things I like and don’t like.
MailPoet is email marketing for WordPress websites. Overall, it’s a solid choice for basic email marketing, especially if you run a content-heavy site or a small business.
- Seamless integration with WordPress dashboard
- Free plan available with core features
- Easy to install via WordPress plugin
- RSS-to-email feature for automated digests
- Great pricing structure with options for growth
- Only works for WordPress websites
- Lacks advanced email features compared to standalone platforms
Pros
It took exactly one day for me to figure out what I liked about MailPoet. First, it’s not JetPack. Second, it’s free. Third, it works.
Ok, but that’s too short, so here are the full reasons.
Focused on WordPress Websites
I found MailPoet’s seamless WordPress integration to be its biggest strength. Unlike other email marketing tools that require constant switching between platforms (I’m looking at you…Kit, MailChimp, MailerLite, and basically every other email platform that wants to be my entire marketing / writing platform online)… the plugin lives right in my WordPress dashboard.
This native integration means I can manage my email campaigns post creation and subscriber lists without ever leaving my site’s backend. The plugin also automatically syncs with my WordPress users and WooCommerce customers which saved me countless hours of manual data entry and dealing with maddening API syncing errors.
RSS to Email on Free Plan
The RSS-to-email feature on MailPoet’s free plan is it. This is what I want. I started reading & writing on the Internet in the early 2000s…so RSS was it. It always will be until I die. And RSS works.
I set up automated email digests of my latest blog posts which tell all the random people who still read personal blogs that I posted some stuff this week.
The system pulls content directly from my RSS feed creates basic, functional email templates and sends them when I want it to.
Easy To Install via Plugin
Installing MailPoet couldn’t be simpler. I accessed it directly through my WordPress plugin directory, clicked “Install” and had it running in under 2 minutes (but did have to wait 24 hours for them to make sure I wasn’t a spammer).
The initial setup wizard guided me through essential configurations and the plugin automatically integrated with my existing WordPress setup. No FTP or technical knowledge was required.
Great Pricing Plans
MailPoet’s pricing structure offers exceptional value and is exceptionally confusing in classic Automattic form. But!
The free plan includes core features for up to 5000 email sends. Their premium plans start at $10/month for 500 subscribers which includes a bunch of creepy email targeting features plus no sending limits. The agency plan is excellent for client sites.
Cons
Everybody has tradeoffs, including MailPoet.
Only for WordPress Websites
The biggest drawback I found with MailPoet is its exclusivity to WordPress. This WordPress-only approach means if you’re planning to switch platforms in the future or manage multiple websites on different content management systems you’ll need separate email marketing solutions. I’ve seen this limitation affect several small business owners who initially started with WordPress but needed to expand to other platforms as their businesses grew.
Lack of Standalone Advanced Robust Email Features
After six months of use I noticed MailPoet lacks some sophisticated features that standalone email platforms offer. The A/B testing capabilities are basic compared to platforms like MailChimp or Campaign Monitor. I struggled to create complex automation sequences that went beyond simple welcome series or post notifications. The segmentation options, while functional, don’t offer the depth of targeting I needed for more nuanced campaigns. For instance I couldn’t create segments based on website behavior or purchase history, which limited my ability to send highly targeted emails. The analytics dashboard also feels somewhat basic – I missed having access to advanced metrics like click heat maps and detailed engagement scoring that I’ve used in other platforms.
Next Steps
Like other email platforms, I recommend starting with the free plan to explore its core features. If you’re managing a WordPress site and need reliable email marketing tools MailPoet delivers impressive value without overwhelming complexity. The plugin’s direct WordPress integration and user-friendly interface make it particularly appealing for beginners.
While it may not match the advanced features of standalone email platforms it excels at its primary purpose – helping WordPress users do basic email marketing.
