Benchmark Email vs. ClickFunnels

Their free option has no time limit and accepts an email list of 2,000 contacts. That's generous considering that some similar software have free trials limited to a month or less and will allow only about 1,000 contact lists, if not less. With that 2,000 contact space available for free on Benchmark email, I can gather 2,000 leads or buyers into my email program without paying. Thus, Benchmark Email is suited for profitability, especially for a start-up business.

If you're wanting to do some digital advertising on Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or another network, and need a tool to quickly create landing pages on your own. This is a fairly affordable tool to get that done, and it has some nice gizmos and gadgets to make your pages look and function great. It's also a great tool if you have digital products to sell online such as courses, eBooks, or consulting services. You can easily set up sales funnels to capture leads with some content and then upsell them with a "ladder" of products.

Incentivized

• They have the option to incorporate email automation.
• HTML is available if you want to use your own templates.
• They give you the ability to edit some HTML on their drag and drop version.

Incentivized

• Intuitive Workflows: ClickFunnels makes it very easy for a non-technical person to build a gated content or other opt-in workflow. We’ve tried many different platforms, and ClickFunnels was definitely the easiest to use with the least learning curve.
• Built-in shopping cart and e-commerce features: Other softwares require an integration or custom coding; ClickFunnels keeps the process in-house, which saved us a huge headache.
• All-In-One Solution: ClickFunnels has the functionality of multiple pieces of software at one low price. We were able to keep our costs down and our process streamlined into one product.
• Lots of training materials: from the YouTube channel to the guides and templates, ClickFunnels sets you up for success with all the tools to get you up and running fast.

Incentivized

• Glitchy editor - powerful drag and drop features, but precise formatting can have issues.
• Stagnant platform - few notable features or fixes over the past two years.
• Delivery Success - anecdotal customer reports suggest high percent of emails are diverted by spam filters.

Incentivized

• The initial setup can be confusing and a little time-consuming. The best thing we have learned is to not try to start a client from scratch with ClickFunnels, ideally, they should already be using it.
• The only other thing is integrating ClickFunnels in with a clients Domain, which can take some backend development.

Incentivized

I use the funnel on a daily basis and spent a significant sum to hire someone to set this up and design the funnel, there's no way I won't renew the funnel. It is easy to maintain, very cost-effective, and doesn't require a lot of my time to manage properly.

Incentivized

It's decent, but the interior user experience and end user experience needs a lot of improvement. I would want some UX individuals to go through the site and make specific recommendations and changes: User navigation, user experience feels a bit cheap. It needs to be standardized with spacing, and sometimes the platform can be buggy as well. The user does need some education to use it - straight out of the box, it may or may not make sense

Incentivized

I don't think you should have to wait for more than an hour or two to get in touch with someone when you need support. Because they primarily have overseas help, it's typically at least until the next business day until you get help. Then there is the language barrier to deal with. It's not ideal. I have contacted support a few times and have gotten answers. However, I consider myself much savvier than most in terms of understanding all the behind the scenes issues that go on with building a website and online marketing funnels. So if I were a beginner or not as familiar with how to code and create websites, I would think the support is terrible.

Incentivized

Yes, I highly recommend you hire an expert for this. While CF claims that anyone can set up a funnel, there's a difference between having a funnel and having a funnel that works. Between the design and the copy you use, unless you have a marketing background, hire an expert.

Incentivized

At the time of the decision, we anticipated a larger audience and a high potential cost of MailChimp. We also believed that Benchmark Email would be less complex and therefore quicker to implement and learn. Given the current needs and pricing, I believe MailChimp may be competitive and provide a more refined UI

Incentivized

ClickFunnels is second to none. The other software companies trying to replicate ClickFunnels do not even come close. ClickFunnels' ease of use over their competitors is levels above. Also, ClickFunnels' Live support line is quick, get the job done every time and goes over and above to get it fixed right the first time. And there rarely is anything wrong other than something you have created.

Incentivized

• We were able to reduce recurring costs by 20% per year by buying an extended contract plan.
• Benchmark is more robust than our previous software, and we've been able to increase newsletter sales by about 10% per year.
• We were able to introduce split a/b testing into our newsletter mix, as it's a native feature of Benchmark.

Incentivized

• My clients make more money with it than without it
• Other builders aren't necessarily better...we've tried and keep coming back to CF
• If CF 2.0 (which launches around March I'm told) is anywhere near as impressive as Russell Brunson makes it sound, it will be a TOTAL game changer when compared to the current version...(which will still be available as well)

Incentivized