To evaluate each email sending platform, I examined the following characteristics of its email infrastructure:
Deliverability
Email deliverability rate shows how many of the sent emails get to the recipients. It depends on factors like sender reputation, email authentication (DKIM, SPF, DMARC), IP and domain warming, bounce rates, and spam complaints.
I started with the services that support authentication protocols like DKIM, SPF, and DMARC. I also checked that they come with features like bounce and spam complaint monitoring, inbox placement tracking, and real-time webhooks for event notifications.
Also, I checked if the services offer a separate stream for bulk emails as it helps keep marketing emails from affecting the deliverability of transactional emails.
Recently, we conducted an independent test on the email deliverability of some popular tools. We tested them using the same conditions, like:
- A free plan
- A shared IP
- The same email template across all providers
- Deliverability monitoring through seed testing
If you want to see the results and all testing methodology, check out our blog post on email deliverability comparison.
Reliability
You need a platform that will send your emails without delays or hiccups, even during the busiest times.
The right platform should have a solid infrastructure that can handle large email batches while minimizing downtime and performance issues.
The best platforms also have features like:
- Redundant servers to handle heavy email traffic.
- Real-time monitoring to catch and fix issues before they become problems.
- Scalable infrastructures so you can grow with your business and handle increased campaign loads.
- Solid uptime guarantees backed by clear service-level agreements (SLAs).
- Backup storage systems to secure your customer data and make sure emails are sent even if primary systems fail.
Pro tip: You can quickly check a provider’s reliability by looking at their status page. The Mailtrap status page is available here.
Scalability
I only focused on platforms designed to adapt to your B2B needs and maintain smooth performance, even as demands increase.
I prioritized platforms with:
- Ability to handle high-volume emails without delays or crashes, even during peak times.
- Tiered pricing plans to make sure you pay for only what you need as your subscriber base expands.
- Flexible pricing that grows with your needs, so you’re not stuck paying for marketing features you don’t use.
Pricing
The goal is to match cost, features, and the number of emails you plan to send in a way that works for you.
Here’s what I looked at to help you make the best decision:
- Free plan or a free trial so you can test the platform risk-free and choose plans that scale with your business.
- Flexible plans so you can choose options that grow with your business — the goal is to never pay for more than you need.
- Pay-as-you-go models in case your email campaigns vary in size or frequency. This will give you better control over costs.
- Transparent pricing to avoid hidden fees or unclear costs. You should know exactly what you’re paying for.
- Advanced features in lower-tier plans if you need automation, personalization, or advanced analytics.
Note: It’s important to check how the platform handles scaling. Some tools allow you to add features as needed, while others require you to move to an entirely new plan as your business grows. Knowing this ahead of time helps you avoid unexpected costs down the line.
Marketing email sending
When sending marketing emails, it’s important to ensure your messages reach your audience. Here are some of the key points I considered:
- Analytics and reporting so you can track key metrics and use the insights to make better decisions and improve future campaigns.
- A/B testing to experiment with subject lines, designs, and send times, helping you find what works best for your audience.
- Automated campaigns to save time by setting up workflows like welcome emails or follow-ups that run on autopilot.
- List management allows you to keep your email list clean and organized, remove inactive users, and handle unsubscribes automatically.
- Dynamic content to personalize emails with content that adapts to the recipient’s preferences or behavior.
- Multi-channel integration to connect your email campaigns with other platforms like SMS or social media for a seamless marketing experience.
- Segmentation so you can group your audience based on behavior or preferences, ensuring your emails feel more personal and relevant.
Note: Many of these advanced tools might only be available with higher-tier subscriptions. Check the platform website or speak directly to the platform’s salesperson to find out.
Email design
For B2B businesses, the appearance of emails is crucial because they represent your brand and serve as a key part of your business identity.
I only picked the tools that simplify the design process to help you create eye-catching and functional emails that appeal to your B2B audience.
The key features I paid attention to are:
Templates
Templates are a huge time-saver and make your emails look polished and professional (and if you want to make sure we’re on the same page, feel free to check these B2B marketing email examples). The best platforms offer a variety of pre-designed templates that cater to different needs. There are templates for different email types including email newsletters, promotional emails, and event invitations.
I specifically looked for templates that are easy to customize, so you can tweak colors, fonts, and layouts to reflect your brand.
Email builder
An email builder with a drag-and-drop ability makes it easy to add elements like images and buttons exactly where you want them.
Email editor
While drag-and-drop builders simplify design, an editor goes a step further by letting you fine-tune every detail. I looked for platforms that offer both visual editors for quick adjustments and HTML editors for advanced customization.
Compliance and security
A trustworthy platform helps you adhere to essential regulations like the CAN-SPAM Act (USA), GDPR (EU), CASL (Canada), PDPA (Asia, e.g., Singapore) and LGPD (Brazil), among others.
To ensure you’re following the data privacy laws and protecting your business, look for these crucial features:
- Consent management. Look for a feature like simple sign-up forms, opt-in, and double opt-in.
- Unsubscribe options. The platform should automatically include an unsubscribe link in every email.
- Data access and deletion. The platform should let you easily delete subscriber data if requested.
- Robust security. Look for a tool with strong security features like encryption, secure data storage, access control, and regular security audits to protect sensitive information. This is especially critical for medical establishments, as compliance with HIPAA (USA) is a strict requirement for safeguarding health-related data.
- Audit logs and alerts. Real-time alerts and audit logs track suspicious activity, like unauthorized logins or data exports, so you can quickly respond to potential threats.
AI, automation, and integrations
The best tools go beyond just sending emails — they help you optimize timing, personalize content, and connect seamlessly with your existing tech stack. For this article, I focused on how well each platform uses AI, what automation capabilities it has, and how well it integrates with other tools and systems.
AI in email marketing
Among other things, B2B email marketing tools that use AI can:
- Predict what your audience wants, so you can segment for maximum impact.
- Optimize send times to automatically boost open rates and click-through rates.
- Suggest subject lines or email content that’s more likely to grab attention.
In other words, AI in B2B email marketing is about implementing best practices on autopilot.
This video will give you an overview of some of the AI tools for email marketing that you should pay attention to in 2025:
