Flodesk vs ConvertKit: Should You Choose Email Aesthetics, Functionality, or Both?

Whether you’re a creator who needs visually appealing emails or an entrepreneur who requires sustainable growth tools, building lasting relationships with customers is important.

Choosing between Flodesk and ConvertKit can pose a challenge, especially if affordability is a key factor in your decision-making. 

Flodesk is an email marketing and newsletter platform that prioritizes good-looking and easy-to-use design tools. Although relatively new, the platform has gained quick popularity, mainly for its stunning email templates. It’s safe to say Flodesk is a major hit in the design industry.

ConvertKit is a creator-oriented email marketing newsletter platform. It helps content creators monetize newsletters through subscriptions, paid recommendations, sponsors, and a creator network. The platform is a mature version of Flodesk that includes sophisticated features and functionality.

Should you choose stunning email designs or creator-focused features? We’ll break down their key differences and features to help you identify the best fit for your business needs.

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Flodesk vs ConvertKit: Which One is Better?

Flodesk caters to small businesses looking for simpler email marketing solutions, while ConvertKit seamlessly automates large email volumes.

Ease of Use

An easy-to-use email newsletter platform can save time and increase productivity. Both Flodesk and ConvertKit are intuitive. However, some users believe Flodesk is more effortless to set up and navigate than the latter.

Flodesk was built to look good. Its sleek interface and intuitive navigation options make it a top choice for designers and creators. You can choose from hundreds of templates and create professional emails in minutes. 

New users on the platform will benefit from a series of questions and prompts to help them choose the right settings. However, this can get annoying for experienced users who know their objectives. Regardless, its minimal design wins over people with an eye for aesthetics.

ConvertKit enables users to focus more on their newsletters rather than on the process and tools. It’s easy to use but has fewer styling options than Flodesk. You can create as many branded email templates as you like and set one as the default to eliminate back and forth. 

HTML is not required unless you want it. You can customize the templates and add layout blocks from the sidebar. The platform also makes it easy to set up landing pages and forms and add them to blogs with a couple of clicks. 

Features	Flodesk	ConvertKit
Drag and drop editor	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pre-designed templates	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Styling options	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐

Winner: Both email editors are easy to use. ConvertKit might have fewer styling options and require a bit of a learning curve. As a fair decision, it’s a draw.

Email Builder

You want to send stunning and on-brand emails that recipients look forward to. Without ifs and buts, Flodesk beats ConvertKit with elegant email designs.

Flodesk is a newsletter platform for design-conscious people with little experience. If you lack images, you can upload them from the Unsplash image library. Users can add your brand colors, logo, fonts, and social media handles to maintain consistency across email newsletters.

You can filter Flodesk’s templates by goal or preview them on mobile and desktop before sending them out. The platform provides free stock images and GIFs which you can directly add to emails.

ConvertKit’s email templates are responsive by default, no matter where your audience opens them. You can write directly in the editor, add customizable layout blocks, embed videos, and an interactive countdown timer.

Even though the email builder is pretty straightforward, it can take time to learn where all elements are in the dashboard. Despite its good features, ConvertKit is more functional than pleasing to the eyes. 

Features	Flodesk	ConvertKit
Customizable templates	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Mobile-responsive editing	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rich-text editing	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐

Winner: Flodesk’s elegant designs and flexibility make it the clear winner.

Email Deliverability

A pleasing email design only offers value if your newsletters reach subscribers’ inboxes. Email deliverability determines email open rates and, ultimately, the success of newsletter campaigns.

Since Flodesk is new on the block, its email deliverability rates are unclear. However, Flodesk claims its users enjoy a 15% higher open rate than the industry average. It automatically unsubscribes people who mark emails as spam from your list. While you can test your campaigns to see what works better, Flodesk disappoints if you seek a dedicated deliverability team. 

As of June 2023, ConvertKit maintained a 91.3% email deliverability rate. The newsletter platform declares its average delivery rate close to 99%. The platform manages feedback loops and immediately alerts users when complaint rates elevate. For further assistance, users can partner with a dedicated email deliverability manager to resolve email infrastructure issues.

ConverKit provides plenty of resources, including podcasts and deliverability checklists. Users can suggest topics or ask questions that might be featured in later episodes.

Features	Flodesk	ConvertKit
Average deliverability rate	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
List cleaning and authentication protocols	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Deliverability reporting	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Winner: Although Flodesk is continually upgrading its features, ConvertKit takes the cup for providing a comprehensive email deliverability solution.

Segmentation

Segmentation allows you to tailor the information based on the specific audience’s interests and preferences. Dividing them into categories lets you personalize offers and send super-relevant content.

Flodesk makes it simple to access customer insights from the “Audience” tab on the top navigation bar. 

In Flodesk, users have ‘one list.’ Anyone who signs up via an opt-in form or is added manually is automatically added to the “Audience tab.” The list contains active subscribers, unsubscribed, and hard-bounced email addresses.

You can create unlimited segments to match your email marketing needs and add or delete existing segments. However, the first segment card is the system-default “All segment” category, which cannot be deleted. In a nutshell, Flodesk’s segmentation is straightforward but lacks the “Tags” feature, which lets you divide audiences based on their actions.

With ConvertKit, you only need to create one list to organize new and existing subscribers. You can tag them based on links they click on in your emails or add a drop-down menu to your sign-up forms to learn more about them.

You can manually assign tags or use the visual automation rules feature to categorize customers based on specific actions. To create groups of subscribers, you can use the filtering system to divide them based on tags, custom form fields, or their location. 

Features	Flodesk	ConvertKit
Tags, custom fields, forms	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Complex segmentation	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Automation based on segmentation	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Winner: ConvertKit offers a robust segmentation system with tags and custom fields, making it a clear winner.

Visual Automation and Workflows

Sometimes, you simply cannot send manual emails to customers as and when they take action. This is where Flodesk and ConvertKit’s email automation comes into play.

Flodesk boasts a visual automation builder that lets you design and deliver welcome series, sales sequences, or freebies. While it has a similar automation setup as ConvertKit, it takes visual aesthetics to the next level. You can tailor content based on each individual’s preference and action through drag-and-drop events. Flodesk shows a snapshot of emails, letting you personalize and create unlimited automation for unlimited subscribers.

ConvertKit goes a step further and offers targeted automation for different entry points. This means you can create a pre-built customer journey map and add single or multiple entry points to streamline the flow. The visual automation builder provides a bird’ s-eye view of how every customer enters and exits the email marketing funnel. 

If you need inspiration to map out automation journeys, you can choose from a library of visual automation templates. ConvertKit lets you edit and add emails to any active email sequences without having to complete the entire task.

Features	Flodesk	ConvertKit
Drag and drop events	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Unlimited automation workflows	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pre-built automation templates	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Winner: Flodesk and ConvertKit offer the same level of automation workflows and events. So, both are the winners. 

Reporting and Analytics

Analytics lets you summarize your email performance and adapt to changing customer preferences. Both Flodesk and ConvertKit offer robust tools to scale email campaigns.

Flodesk provides a high-level overview of how your email campaigns are performing. 

While the platform provides granular-level information about the emails you send out, it does not provide much detail about the people who interact with those emails. 

If you want get to know your audience on a deeper level, ConvertKit is the right choice.

The ‘Reporting’ tab in ConverKit shows the performance of basic email metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribes, and ad revenue. It also provides dedicated views for broadcasts, sequence reporting, and advanced deliverability reporting. However, you must be on the Creator Pro plan to access the advanced deliverability reporting. 

If you consistently send newsletters and use the creator network, you can view your recommendations and vice versa under the ”Creator Recommendation” reporting tab.

Features	Flodesk	ConvertKit
Detailed subscriber reporting	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Deliverability insights	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Segmentation analysis	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Winner: While Flodesk also offers comprehensive reporting, ConvertKit lets you understand your audience on a granular level. ConvertKit wins this round.

Flodesk vs. ConvertKit Pricing: Who Wins the Battle?

Whether you are starting out or have a massive email list, pricing is an important factor when choosing a platform. Before you decide to migrate all your email marketing assets, let’s give you a pricing showdown of Flodesk and ConvertKit.

Flodesk doesn’t charge based on the number of subscribers — you’ll pay $38/month for email marketing regardless of your list size. People with smaller email lists might find it expensive initially, especially with no free pricing tier.

For access to e-commerce tools and solutions, you need to pay an extra $26 every month.

ConvertKit’s pricing is tiered and is based on the number of subscribers. It has a free plan with no access to advanced reporting, subscriber scoring, and other advanced features.

The paid plan costs $49 per month for the ‘Creator’ package with up to 3000 subscribers and $79 per month for the ‘Creator Pro’ package. 

There are a few unlimited features, such as landing pages, opt-in forms, and email broadcasts, and you cannot access advanced analytics and segmentation features. 

If you’re just getting started and require unlimited access to basic features, choose ConvertKit. If you have some experience running campaigns and need visually appealing emails, opt for Flodesk’s $38 monthly plan.

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Flodesk vs. ConvertKit: Making the Final Decision

When choosing between Flodesk and ConvertKit, the decision will depend on your design and budget needs. Flodesk’s elegant email editor and templates make a designer’s life easier, while ConvertKit is best suited for creators and businesses looking for robust automation, segmentation, and reporting features.

As for the pricing, ConvertKit offers a free tier for up to 10,000 subscribers with access to basic features. But if you plan to expand your email list, Flodesk’s flat fee is better.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of their features for an in-depth overview.

Feature	Flodesk	ConvertKit
Custom domains	❌	✅
Email deliverability management	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Newsletter feed page	❌	✅
Recommendation network	❌	✅
Ads and sponsor network	❌	✅
Tagging and segmentation	Advanced	Basic
Pre-made automation journeys	✅	✅
Integrated payment dashboard	❌	✅
Dedicated deliverability team	❌	✅
Subscriber preferences	✅	✅
24/7 customer support	✅	✅

Choosing a platform depends on your business needs. If you require advanced features and a subscriber-centric platform, use ConvertKit. Do you want a design-centric platform that’s intuitive and easy on the budget? Then, opt for Flodesk.

Sometimes, you may want a customized package that includes all of the above. Campaign Refinery is a one-stop shop for email marketing growth. 

Let’s show you how Campaign Refinery stands out in the market.

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How Campaign Refinery Beats Flodesk and ConvertKit

Campaign Refinery is more than just a feature-rich and design-focused platform; it also provides the highest email deliverability rate on the market. 

With mandatory domain checks, spam trap detection, and bulk email verification, Campaign Refinery is big on email marketing compliance. You can use flexible automation plus a gamification feature to enhance email deliverability.

Why Choose Campaign Refinery Over Flodesk or ConvertKit?

With Campaign Refinery, you no longer have to worry about sacrificing a feature for budget or vice versa. You can choose from our different pricing tiers, each tailored to fit your needs. 

Is Campaign Refinery Affordable? 

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question—it really depends on your email marketing needs and where you are in the process. You can easily upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time. 

Whether you send regular newsletters and plan to grow or already send millions of emails per month, Campaign Refinery is a top choice for automation, segmentation, and deliverability.

Is Moving to Campaign Refinery Complicated?