AWeber vs ConvertKit: 2024 Email Marketing Comparison

Choosing the right email marketing platform can make or break your ability to connect with subscribers, drive sales, and grow your audience. Two of the most popular options for small businesses and creators are AWeber and ConvertKit — but they serve very different needs.

This head-to-head AWeber vs ConvertKit comparison breaks down pricing, features, ease of use, and real-world use cases to help you pick the tool that fits your goals.

Quick Overview: What Are AWeber and ConvertKit?

What is AWeber?

Launched in 1998, AWeber is one of the oldest email marketing platforms on the market. It’s built for small businesses, e-commerce stores, and freelancers who want reliable, no-frills email tools with robust customer support.

Key AWeber strengths include high deliverability rates, a massive library of pre-built email templates, and 24/7 live customer support — a rarity in the email marketing space. Check out our small business email marketing guide for more tips on optimizing your campaigns.

What is ConvertKit?

ConvertKit launched in 2013 specifically for creators: bloggers, podcasters, course creators, and influencers. It prioritizes simplicity, audience segmentation, and creator-specific features like paid newsletter subscriptions and landing pages for digital products.

Unlike AWeber’s broad small business focus, ConvertKit strips away complex features creators don’t need, leaning into workflow automation tailored to audience growth. Read our review of the best email tools for creators to see how it compares to competitors.

Pricing Comparison: AWeber vs ConvertKit

Both platforms offer free plans, but their paid tiers scale very differently. Here’s how they stack up for 500 subscribers:

Plan	AWeber	ConvertKit
Free	Up to 500 subscribers, basic email sending, pre-built templates, limited automation	Unlimited subscribers, basic automation, landing pages, paid newsletter tools
Paid (500 subscribers)	$14.99/month (unlocks advanced automation, split testing, removed AWeber branding)	$29/month (unlocks advanced automation, priority support, custom domains for landing pages)
Scaling Note	Pricing increases gradually as subscriber count grows	Pricing jumps more sharply at higher subscriber counts

ConvertKit’s free plan is far more generous for growing creators — it includes unlimited subscribers, whereas AWeber caps free users at 500. For small businesses with slow list growth, AWeber’s paid plans are often more affordable at lower subscriber tiers.

Key Features Head-to-Head

Email Automation

AWeber offers a drag-and-drop automation builder with pre-built workflows for welcome sequences, abandoned cart reminders, and re-engagement campaigns. It’s powerful but has a steeper learning curve than ConvertKit.

ConvertKit’s automation is creator-focused: you can tag subscribers based on link clicks, form fills, or purchase behavior, then trigger sequences automatically. It’s far more intuitive for users with no technical background.

Signup Forms & Landing Pages

AWeber includes hundreds of customizable signup form and landing page templates, all mobile-responsive. You can embed forms on any website, including WordPress, Shopify, and Squarespace.

ConvertKit offers minimalist, conversion-focused landing page templates tailored to creators: opt-in pages for lead magnets, course waitlists, and paid newsletter signups. It integrates natively with most creator tools like Teachable and Podia.

Integrations

AWeber has 1,000+ integrations with e-commerce platforms, CRM tools, and website builders. It’s a better fit for small businesses that use tools like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Salesforce.

ConvertKit has 150+ integrations, mostly focused on creator tools: membership platforms, webinar tools, and digital product marketplaces. It lacks many enterprise-grade integrations AWeber offers.

Deliverability

According to a 2023 Email Tool Tester report, AWeber maintains an average deliverability rate of 92%, one of the highest in the industry. It has strict anti-spam protocols to keep your emails out of junk folders.

ConvertKit’s average deliverability rate is 88%, still above industry average, but slightly lower than AWeber. It’s still reliable for most creators, but high-volume senders may notice more emails landing in spam.

Analytics & Reporting

AWeber offers detailed reports on open rates, click-through rates, subscriber growth, and e-commerce revenue attribution. It’s great for small businesses that need to track ROI from email campaigns.

ConvertKit’s analytics are simpler: you get open rates, click rates, and subscriber growth, but limited e-commerce tracking. It’s designed for creators who care more about audience growth than granular sales data.

Ease of Use

AWeber has a slightly dated interface, but its tools are logically organized. New users can get up and running in under an hour, and 24/7 live chat and phone support are available if you get stuck.

ConvertKit has a modern, minimalist interface with almost no clutter. Most creators can set up their first automation sequence in 15 minutes without watching a tutorial. However, it lacks live phone support — only email and chat support are available.

Who Should Choose Which?

Choose AWeber If:

• You run a small business, e-commerce store, or freelance service
• You need 24/7 live customer support
• High deliverability and e-commerce tracking are top priorities
• You want a massive library of pre-built templates
• Your subscriber list grows slowly and you want affordable scaling

Choose ConvertKit If:

• You’re a creator (blogger, podcaster, course creator, influencer)
• You want a free plan that supports unlimited subscribers
• You need simple, creator-focused automation
• You sell digital products or paid newsletters
• You prefer a minimalist, easy-to-navigate interface

FAQ: AWeber vs ConvertKit

Is ConvertKit better for creators than AWeber?

Yes, for most creators ConvertKit is a better fit. Its features are tailored to audience growth, paid newsletters, and digital product sales, whereas AWeber’s tools are built for general small business use.

Does AWeber have a free plan?

Yes, AWeber’s free plan supports up to 500 subscribers, includes basic email templates, and limited automation. You’ll need to upgrade to remove AWeber branding from your emails.

Which tool has better deliverability?

AWeber has slightly higher average deliverability (92% vs 88% for ConvertKit). For high-volume senders or e-commerce stores, this can make a meaningful difference in campaign performance.

Can I switch from AWeber to ConvertKit (or vice versa)?

Both platforms offer free migration tools for paid users. AWeber has a dedicated migration team for paid plans with over 5,000 subscribers, while ConvertKit offers step-by-step guides for all users.

Final Verdict

There’s no clear “winner” in the AWeber vs ConvertKit debate — it all comes down to your business type and goals. Small businesses and e-commerce stores will get more value from AWeber’s robust features and support, while creators will prefer ConvertKit’s simplicity and creator-specific tools.

If you’re still on the fence, sign up for both free plans to test their interfaces and features before committing to a paid tier.

Ready to pick your email marketing tool? Sign up for AWeber’s free plan here or try ConvertKit’s free plan for creators here to get started today.