AWeber is one of the oldest email marketing platforms in existence, founded in 1998, predating most of its modern competitors by a decade or more. Moosend is the newer challenger that launched in 2011 with a focus on competitive pricing and capable automation. Both target SMB email senders, but they reflect different generations of email marketing philosophy.
AWeber’s reputation is built on reliability, deliverability, and the trust earned over 25+ years. Moosend’s reputation is built on pricing and a more modern automation builder. The choice between them depends on whether you value institutional trust or modern pricing.
For broader context, see our best email marketing software roundup.
⚡ Quick Verdict
- →Pick Moosend if pricing matters; you want modern automation builder; ecommerce email features; you don’t need decades-of-experience brand reassurance.
- →Pick AWeber if you value 25+ years of email industry experience; you want reliable deliverability with established sender reputation; you prefer a more traditional email marketing approach.
📑 Table of Contents
Moosend Overview
Moosend launched in 2011 with a focus on budget-friendly email marketing + capable automation. 70,000+ businesses use Moosend for email campaigns + automation + ecommerce email.
Core: email campaign editor, drag-and-drop builder, automation workflows with branch logic, segmentation, A/B testing, landing pages, transactional email API, ecommerce integrations, reporting.
Pricing: $9/month entry (500 subscribers). Scales with list size.
AWeber Overview
AWeber is one of the original email marketing platforms, founded in 1998 by Tom Kulzer. The company serves 100,000+ small businesses globally and has built its reputation on email deliverability, reliability, and personal support.
Core: email campaigns, autoresponders (AWeber pioneered the autoresponder model), drag-and-drop editor, AI Writing Assistant for subject lines and content, landing pages, web push notifications, ecommerce integrations.
Pricing: Free (500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/month), Lite from $12.50/month (500 subs), Plus $20/month (500 subs, more features), Unlimited from $899/month for high-volume senders. Annual billing offers ~15% discount.
AWeber’s defining advantage: institutional reliability. 25+ years of email industry experience translates to deep deliverability expertise, established sender relationships with mailbox providers, and a brand small business owners trust.
Pricing Breakdown
Moosend is consistently cheaper at comparable list sizes.
At 500 subscribers: Moosend $9/month vs AWeber Lite $12.50/month. Moosend ~28% cheaper.
At 5,000 subscribers: Moosend ~$48/month vs AWeber Plus ~$50-60/month. Roughly comparable.
At 25,000 subscribers: Moosend ~$160/month vs AWeber ~$150-200/month. Roughly equivalent.
AWeber’s free tier (500 subscribers, 3K emails/month) is competitive with Mailchimp’s. Moosend’s free options are more limited.
At small list sizes, Moosend wins on price. At mid-large list sizes, the pricing gap narrows considerably.
Email Editor and Design
Moosend’s editor is modern with drag-and-drop blocks, custom CSS support, mobile preview, and content blocks for ecommerce products.
AWeber’s editor was redesigned in 2024 and now offers modern drag-and-drop editing comparable to Moosend. AI Writing Assistant generates subject lines, body copy, and design suggestions.
Both produce mobile-optimized emails. Moosend’s editor feels slightly more modern. AWeber’s editor is functional with the added AI assistance.
Automation Builders
Moosend automation: visual workflow editor with branch logic, time delays, conditional triggers, ecommerce events, goal tracking. Mature and well-tested.
AWeber automation: pioneered the autoresponder model (linear sequences). Modern automation builder with branch logic was added in 2020. Catching up to Moosend’s depth but functional.
For automation depth, Moosend wins clearly. AWeber’s automation works but with fewer advanced features than competitors built automation-first.
Deliverability and Reputation
This is AWeber’s overwhelming advantage. 25+ years of email sending has built AWeber relationships with mailbox providers and a reputation for high deliverability. The company invests heavily in deliverability infrastructure and provides individual sender deliverability support.
Moosend’s deliverability is solid but lacks AWeber’s institutional depth. For senders with deliverability concerns (recovering from blacklisting, sensitive content categories, transactional + marketing mix), AWeber’s reputation expertise matters.
For standard SMB senders, both deliver acceptable inbox placement. For senders with deliverability challenges, AWeber’s expertise is more valuable.
Ecommerce Features
Both integrate with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and major ecommerce platforms.
Moosend ecommerce: cart abandonment automation, product recommendations, post-purchase sequences, revenue attribution.
AWeber ecommerce: similar integrations but less ecommerce-specific tooling. AWeber prioritizes general email marketing over ecommerce specialization.
For ecommerce-focused senders, Moosend’s tooling is more developed. Klaviyo remains the ecommerce specialist; Moosend is the second-tier ecommerce-friendly option. AWeber is generalist.
Customer Support
AWeber’s customer support is widely praised. Phone support (rare in email marketing), live chat, email tickets. Support is US-based with reasonable response times. The personal-touch support reflects AWeber’s longstanding philosophy.
Moosend support: live chat + email tickets. No phone support on standard plans. Response times are reasonable but lack AWeber’s personal-touch approach.
For small business owners who value being able to call support, AWeber wins. For self-service-oriented users, Moosend’s online support is sufficient.
| Feature | Moosend | AWeber |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 | 1998 |
| Starting Price | $9/mo (500 subs) | $12.50/mo Lite |
| Free Tier | Limited | 500 subs, 3K emails/mo |
| Editor Modernness | Modern | Modern (2024 redesign) |
| Automation Depth | Strong | Catching up |
| Deliverability Reputation | Solid | Class-leading institutional |
| Ecommerce Features | Strong | Standard |
| Phone Support | No | Yes |
| AI Features | Standard | AI Writing Assistant |
| Best For | Modern budget senders | Traditional, deliverability-focused |
Which Should You Choose?
Pick Moosend if: pricing matters at every list size; ecommerce email is important; modern automation builder appeals; you want a focused email platform without legacy.
Pick AWeber if: deliverability expertise matters; you want phone support; you trust 25+ years of email experience; budget supports premium pricing at small lists; you value institutional reputation.
For modern budget-conscious SMBs, Moosend’s pricing and feature set win. For traditional small businesses valuing reliability and personal support, AWeber’s institutional advantages matter.
📧 Try Moosend
Start Moosend Free Trial →FAQs
Is Moosend or AWeber better?
Modern email marketing: Moosend. Traditional email + deliverability: AWeber.
Which is cheaper?
Moosend at small lists. Roughly comparable at mid-large lists.
Does AWeber have a free tier?
Yes, 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/month. Genuinely usable.
Which has better deliverability?
AWeber, by institutional reputation. Both achieve acceptable inbox placement for standard SMB senders.
Does AWeber have phone support?
Yes, phone, chat, and email support. Phone support is rare in email marketing.
Can I migrate from AWeber to Moosend?
Yes, list exports + import workflows. Automations need to be rebuilt manually.
Which has better automation?
Moosend, mature visual workflow editor with deeper branch logic.
Does Moosend have AI features?
Standard AI features. AWeber’s AI Writing Assistant is a notable differentiator.
Which is better for ecommerce?
Moosend, ecommerce-specific tooling is more developed.
Is AWeber outdated?
Not after the 2024 platform redesign. Modern editor + AI Writing Assistant updates have brought AWeber current.
Which has better landing pages?
Both have landing page builders. Moosend’s templates are slightly more modern.
Which is more reliable?
AWeber, by track record. 25+ years of operations.
Final Word
Moosend for modern budget-conscious email marketing. AWeber for institutional reliability and deliverability expertise. Different generations of email marketing; pick based on whether you value modern features or established trust.
For more on this category, browse our best email marketing software, our best marketing automation platforms, or our best ecommerce email marketing guide.