Running a successful e-commerce business isn’t just about having great products or irresistible offers. It’s about making sure your entire message whether it’s a limited-time deal, a product update, or even your brand story reaches customers in their inbox at the right moment and in the right way. That’s where email marketing for e-commerce becomes a powerful driver of growth.
But with so many email marketing platforms in the market, how do you know which one fits your growth stage and budget best? Today we’re comparing three popular options: Moosend, Mailchimp, and cmercury, to see which truly delivers for online stores.
Mailchimp – The Popular Choice with Hidden Costs
Mailchimp has long been a go to platform in email marketing. For e-commerce businesses, it offers:
- Prebuilt templates
- Basic automation workflows
- Integration with Shopify and WooCommerce
Where it works for e-commerce:
Mailchimp is beginner-friendly, making it a good starting point for small stores testing the waters.
Where it falls short:
- Costs rise steeply as your subscriber list grows.
- Pricing is based on contacts stored, not on emails sent. This means as your e-commerce list expands, so do your bills.
- Advanced features like send-time optimization, multivariate testing, or transactional emails are locked behind higher tiers.
Verdict: Mailchimp works well for businesses just starting out, but as your audience grows, it often becomes costly and restrictive.
Moosend – Affordable, but Limited for Scaling Stores
Moosend positions itself as an affordable Mailchimp alternative. It offers:
- Entry-level pricing
- Simple drag-and-drop email builder
- Automation recipes for abandoned cart emails
Where it works for e-commerce:
Small businesses on tight budgets can use Moosend for basic abandoned cart flows and newsletters.
Where it falls short:
- Limited deliverability tools that increase the risk of emails landing in spam.
- Fewer advanced features for high-volume campaigns.
- Reporting and analytics are less comprehensive compared to bigger platforms.
Verdict: Moosend is cost-effective for small shops but struggles to support fast-growing e-commerce brands that need advanced deliverability and analytics.
cmercury – Built for E-Commerce Growth Without the Bloat
Now let’s look at cmercury, a rising player in the e-commerce email marketing space. Unlike platforms that penalize growth, cmercury is designed to scale with your store.
What makes cmercury different?
- Unlimited Contacts: Grow your customer base freely without paying extra for storage.
- SmartSend (NEW): An intelligent pacing engine that ensures promotional blasts don’t hurt deliverability. It is perfect for sales events, seasonal promotions, or product launches.
- AI Campaign Insights (NEW): Get actionable email analysis on subject lines, keywords, and audience engagement to continuously improve ROI.
- Deep Segments: Target cart abandoners, repeat buyers, and seasonal shoppers with precision.
- Built-In Email Validation: Reduce bounces, protect reputation, and keep your sender score strong.
- Predictable Pricing: Pay only for the emails you send, not for how many subscribers you store.
Where it works for e-commerce:
cmercury is ideal for growing and mid-to-large e-commerce businesses that need high-volume sending, strong deliverability, and AI-driven insights without runaway costs.
Verdict: For stores serious about scaling, cmercury strikes the right balance between affordability, advanced features, and inbox-first delivery.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Mailchimp | Moosend | cmercury |
| Pricing Model | Based on contacts | Affordable starter | Pay only for emails sent |
| Scalability | Expensive as list grows | Limited for high volume | Unlimited contacts, built for scale |
| E-commerce Features | Basic integrations | Cart abandonment flows | Deep Segments, SmartSend, cart targeting |
| Deliverability | Mixed reviews | Limited tools | Advanced deliverability suite (SmartSend, IP warmup, validation) |
| Analytics & Insights | Standard reports | Basic | AI Campaign Insights with actionable advice |
Final Take: Which is Best for E-Commerce?
- Mailchimp → Good for beginners but costly at scale.
- Moosend → Affordable for small stores, not ideal for serious scaling.
- cmercury → The best choice for growing e-commerce businesses that want predictable costs, unlimited contacts, and advanced deliverability tools designed for real ROI.
If you’re running an e-commerce store and tired of platforms charging more just for storing your audience, it’s time to try a smarter alternative.
Disclaimer: This blog post was created with the assistance of Human Content Creators, AI and Search tools to help collect information, plan content, and ensure accuracy. We strive to deliver valuable and well-researched insights to our readers.
Vishnu S - Deputy General Manager Marketing
Vishnu heads marketing at cmercury, but around here, he’s just Vishnu — the guy who loves turning complex email stuff into simple, actionable ideas. He writes about email marketing, SaaS growth, and the occasional marketing myth that needs busting. Expect honest takes, light banter, and tips that actually work.