Benchmark Review

flag Grow your business with beautiful campaigns
  • Sophisticated yet simple to use features

  • Customizable templates with unique designs

  • Intuitive drag-and-drop interface

  • Integrates seamlessly with over 300 apps

Pros & Cons

  • Responsive templates
  • Easy editing interface
  • Advanced automation tools
  • A/B testing
  • Simple to use
  • There is a learning curve required for the more advanced features
  • Limited editing options on templates
  • Limited free image storage

Plans & Pricing

Benchmark offers 2 plans: Free and Pro

Free plan

The Free plan allows users to send to up to 14,000 emails a month to 2,000 subscribers. It includes a very long list of features, including the drag and drop editor, responsive templates, signup forms, basic drip campaigns, RSS email campaigns, email delivery management, Google Analytics tracking, For small businesses, this is a great plan to manage your email marketing.

Pro plan

The Pro plans not only differ in price based on the number of subscribers, but they also offer additional features including behavior-based email and list follow-up automation, website engagement automation, automated customer journey templates, cart abandonment automation, A/B testing, targeted emailing, data security, and master & submaster accounts, all in addition to the features available with the free plan.

Prices

Pro plan prices start at $13.99/month for unlimited emails and 600 subscribers and unlimited emails and can go up to $254.99/month for massive lists of 50,000 subscribers and unlimited emails. If you have bigger lists, Benchmark has plans that allow you to send up to 100,000,000 emails per month.

Benchmark’s simple pricing model makes the Pro plans cost-effective due to the sheer number of advanced features included at a low price. Also, the free plan is unlimited in duration, meaning you can use it forever, and it’s a great solution for small lists or to test out the system before committing to a subscription.

All of the plans are monthly, and the subscription is renewed automatically every month. They also have annual plans that include a 15% annual discount.

Pro
$13.99/mo.
Free
$0

Overview

Founded in 2004, Benchmark offers a set of email marketing tools with integration and automation features, targeting businesses of all sizes by providing an easy way to create, send, and track compelling campaigns and newsletters. The company has partnered with global brands including Google, Zendesk, Intel Security AT&T, and more. Benchmark recently announced a merger with Hatchbuck, a CRM and marketing automation tool, that will add even more features to their platform.

Rating

  • "Price"
    8 /10
  • "Features"
    8 /10
  • "Ease of Use"
    9 /10
  • "Help and Support"
    8.5 /10

Features and Functionality

Drag and drop editor

Templates and email designs are edited in a drag-and-drop interface that is very intuitive and easy to understand. If you’ve ever used Wix, it works in a very similar way. Simply click the item you want to edit, and either drag it to a new location or use the editing tools to make changes. At any time, you can use the preview option to see how your email looks on a desktop or mobile screen.

Photo editor

Benchmark features a photo editor with simple but very useful features, especially if you don’t have Photoshop or design experience. You can crop and resize images, as well as add effects, adjust brightness, and add texts, frames, and stickers.

Professional templates

When creating an email, you can choose from multiple options of layout templates or fully designed templates. Benchmark has an email newsletter creation feature that addresses all the important parameters of a newsletter. There are easy-to-use newsletter templates and designs, you can test the speed of your newsletter, check for dead links, formatting for different email accounts, and personalization.

The designed email templates look very professional and are easily edited, and there are many different designs to choose from for any industry or holiday. All elements within a template can be edited, including the color schemes. You also have the option to create an email from scratch, or use the Code Editor to create an HTML email if you have coding experience. You’ll be able to view the design while you add the code.

Automation Pro

This is only available in the paid package, and it is an extremely useful set of marketing tools. With Automation Pro, you can send automated and personalized emails triggered by email and website engagement, such as shopping cart abandonment, when a user subscribes, if certain emails were opened or links were clicked, etc.

Apps and integrations

Benchmark can integrate with over 300 apps, including WordPress, Shopify, Salesforce, Zapier, Facebook, and more. You can view all of the apps and plugins available for download, and the possible integrations listed on their website.

Templates

Create customizable, responsive emails using a variety of available templates. The drag-and-drop feature makes creating blocks and arranging images a snap.

Ease of Use

When it comes to creating and editing emails, Benchmark’s interface is straightforward and easy to understand. There are some more advanced features that may require some time to get accustomed to. Luckily, there are webinars, video tutorials, and FAQs available on the site to explain how to use every feature.

Customer support

A Benchmark support representative can be contacted via phone, email, or chat. Email and chat are available 24/7, and all support services are available in 9 different languages. There is also a learning center with FAQ, webinars, and video tutorials.

  • 24/7 Help & Support
    There are manuals, video tutorials, and a FAQ page to help out users. Webinars are available from pre-registration.
  • Phone Support
    There are phone numbers for calling internationally from the US, Switzerland, and the UK.
  • Live Online Chat
    This is available on the website 24/7.
  • Email
    Customer support can be reached via email simply by completing a web form.
  • Video Tutorials
    There is an extensive library of tutorials covering tools, features, and how-to guides.
  • FAQ
    This section offers answers to questions users may typically have.
  • Community Forum
    The forum is all about email newsletters and covers a range of topics.
  • Blog
    Shares insights and suggestions for how topics such as email marketing, marketing integration, and design.

Final Word

Benchmark is great for businesses of all sizes and features advanced marketing tools that are well worth the prices of the paid plans. The free version is limited in features, it’s a great option for new entrepreneurs starting out and for small businesses. The paid plans offer features that are more suitable for advanced email marketing campaigns and tracking. The basic tools in the interface are easy to use and understand, and you can create email campaigns just minutes after first signing up. The more advanced capabilities may require assistance from the learning center or community available online or from a support representative available 24/7.

Disclosure
This website is an informative comparison site that aims to offer its users find helpful information regarding the products and offers that will be suitable for their needs. We are able to maintain a free, high-quality service by receiving advertising fees from the brands and service providers we review on this website (though we may also review brands we are not engaged with). These advertising fees, combined with our criteria and methodology, such as the conversion rates, our team of reviewer's finding and subjective experience and product popularity, impact the placement and position of the brands within the comparison table. In the event rating or scoring are assigned by us, they are based on the position in the comparison table, or according to other formula in the event specifically detailed by us. See our How we Rate page and Terms of Use for information. The reviews, rating and scoring are provided “as-is” without guaranties or warranties regarding the information contained in our website, which shall not be considered as endorsement. We make the best efforts to keep the information up-to-date, however, an offer’s terms might change at any time. We do not compare or include all service providers, brands and offers available in the market.
Mr.
Darren Gordon
author

Darren has been working in online marketing and sales for over 11 years. Based in NYC, Darren manages a sales development team and uses applications like CRM systems and email marketing tools every day to help his team succeed. With extensive digital marketing experience he understands how to measure user needs and behavior, and he uses this knowledge to bring in leads and nurture prospects.

We make the best effort to present up-to-date information; however, the terms of each offer can be revised according to the service provider’s discretion. The above shall not be considered as an expert or professional advice for any matter.

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Questions & Answers

Guest
Pam R

We keep discovering that many of our emails are going into people’s spam folders. Does Benchmark have a way to prevent this?

Answer
Preventing your emails from going to spam isn’t dependent on your email marketing service, but rather your practices and reputation of your email address/domain. That being said, Benchmark offers several blog posts and guidance on best practices for keeping your emails out of your recipients’ spam folders.
Guest
Carrie D

Does this system integrate with other applications like salesforce or something?

Answer
Yes, Benchmark integrates with over 300 apps, including WordPress, Shopify, Salesforce, Zapier, Facebook, and more. You can view all of the apps and plugins available for download, and the possible integrations listed on their website.
Guest
Sammy N

Does Benchmark have the ability to send an auto response to certain contacts?

Answer
Benchmark offers Automation Pro, which allows you to send automated and personalized emails triggered by email and website engagement, such as shopping cart abandonment, when a user subscribes, if certain emails were opened or links were clicked, etc.
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