MailPoet Review: The best newsletter plugin for WordPress?

Do you think Newslettertool = MailChimp?

Then you should definitely read this article, because there are really excellent alternatives that will challenge the top dog. One of them is MailPoet!

With the Newsletter-Plugin you can send your e-mails directly from WordPress, without the need for an external platform. MailPoet was developed from the outset specifically for use in and with WordPress. It also stores the data on its own server. This can be an advantage in terms of security.

But what does it look like in practice? Is MailPoet as user-friendly and powerful as the provider claims, what about prices and who is the plugin suitable for? We have taken a close look at the tool for you and present our results here:

Main Features of MailPoet at a glance

• Newsletter dispatch directly from WordPress
• Create individual subscriber forms
• Over 50 modern templates for e-mails
• Intuitively operated Drag & Drop editor with extensive editing options
• Easy import of subscriber lists by manual input, CSV files or directly from MailChimp
• Segmentation
• Management of different subscriber lists
• Link with WooCommerce
• Analytics
• Double Opt In for DSGVO conformity

Instructions: How to install MailPoet – step by step

MailPoet can be installed just like other plugins via your WordPress dashboard:

1. Click on “Plugins”.
2. Select “Install”.
3. Enter “MailPoet” in the search field.
4. Select the current version (version 3) and click on “Install now”.
5. Finish the process with “Activate”,

If you have MailPoet installed, you will be asked to enter a username and your email. To use MailPoet Premium (free of charge for up to 1,000 users) to get more detailed analyses and benefit from the integration of WooCommerce, you need to register with MailPoet.

Then there’s just one step left. You need to enter the activation key that you received on the MailPoet website:

1. Go to MailPoet and click on “Settings”.
2. Select “Key activation” on the far right.
3. Enter the key and finish by clicking on “Check”.

You’re done. Now you can get started.

The user interface and important settings

The first impression is convincing all along the line with MailPoet. The plugin, which is perfectly integrated into the WordPress dashboard, is clearly laid out and user-friendly. Above all, it is less intimidating than the sometimes somewhat complicated MailChimp. Beginners who have no experience with newsletter services should quickly find their way around.

It is best to visit the “Settings” section first.

Here you can, among other things specify a default sender, configure the pages where subscribers can manage their subscription or unsubscribe, set up an email alert to inform you about new subscriptions and statistics, enter that visitors who comment on a post can subscribe to your list and make settings for the use of WooCommerce.

In the “Send with” section, you can choose between the “MailPoet Sending Service” and your host or a third-party provider. If you’re not an expert, we recommend that you stick to the default sending service. This saves you the trouble of time-consuming configuration. It also increases the chances that your mails will actually arrive. The whole thing is even free of charge for up to 1,000 subscribers!

Importing contacts is very easy

You already have a list of subscribers? Then simply upload them to MailPoet. There are three different ways to do this, depending on where the list is located. All three ways can be found in the “Subscribers” – “Import data” section:

1. Insert the data into a text box: The old-fashioned way. Paste the data into a text field in CSV format.
2. Upload the file: Upload a file with your subscribers – also in CSV format.
3. Export from MailChimp: Enter your MailChimp API key.

If you have been using another newsletter program than MailChimp, you only need to export the data in CSV format and import it into MailPoet.

MailPoet makes it even easier for MailChimp users. As such, you need to generate a new API key and enter it in MailPoet. You create the key in your Mailchimp account under “API Keys” – “Your API keys” – “Create a Key”. See the MailChimp manual for instructions.

Creating forms – How to do it

In order to get as many visitors of your website as possible to subscribe to your newsletter, you will need registration forms.

Go to “Forms”

Here you will find a form that you can edit according to your own ideas.

MailPoet not only gives you the possibility to edit the texts. You can also choose colors for the background, frames and fonts as well as choose from different placements on the page. You can even choose different fonts for the fonts, which is not a matter of course for newsletter plugins.

Another good news: You don’t need any programming knowledge.

But if you have them, you can use them and get even more out of your forms. For this purpose, you can use the “Individual CSS” in the bottom right corner.

How to create an email with MailPoet

Now it’s time to get down to business: creating the first e-mails.

You’ll find everything you need for this under “E-mails”. MailPoet offers you a choice of different mail types, including useful automation functions. First of all, there are the following:

• Newsletter
• Welcome mail
• Notification of latest contributions

You can also use “WooCommerce” to automatically send e-mails to users who

• have left your website in spite of goods in your shopping cart
• have made their first purchase from you in the shop
• have bought a product of a certain category
• have bought a certain product

Finally, you can edit the template for WooCommerce emails.

What stands out here are the many ways to edit your emails and give them an eye-catching design. MailPoet gives you over 50 responsive templates to choose from.

And it’s not just the quantity that is convincing. The quality of the templates is also impressive.

These can be individually adapted in the next step. Edit the text, upload your own pictures or add buttons or products from your WooCommerce shop. With simple drag and drop you can remove, move and add blocks.

When you’re done, you can send a preview email to an email address of your choice. That way, you can make sure everything looks the way you want it.

In the “Last Details” step, for example, all that remains is to select the subject and, of course, the list of subscribers to whom the e-mail should be sent.

A small drawback: You can specify the date and time for sending. But there is no way to adjust the sending time to different time zones in MailPoet.

Very powerful function: Create segments

Another useful feature in MailPoet is the segmentation of subscribers. For example, you can write to people who have not clicked on a link in a newsletter or have not opened it at all. Ideally, you would turn a few percent of them into customers after all.

To create a new segment,

1. go to “Lists”
2. click on “New Segment
3. Add name and description (for your use only)
4. Define the segment

At the last step you have the choice between

1. E-mail
2. WordPress user roles and
3. WooCommerce

Depending on your choice, there are different actions available to you, with which you can determine the addressees of your mail. For example, under “Email” you can select users who have an email open or not. With “WooCommerce”, you can select users who have purchased a certain category or product.

Analytics – Measure and evaluate with MailPoet

MailPoet will also not let you down when it comes to measuring and evaluating. Under “E-mails” you can see next to each mail sent how many percent of the recipients have opened it and clicked on the link in it. If you click on it, you will receive a detailed analysis of the interaction – but only if you have chosen MailPoet Premium. Which brings us to the next point.

Important: Make sure that the box for “Yes” in “Settings” – “Advanced” is checked in “Tracking for opening and clicking”.

The price – Free up to 1,000 users… but then?

Up to 1,000 subscribers the use of MailPoet is free. Granted, that’s 1,000 less than with MailChimp. But with MailPoet, you benefit from all the functions to the full extent even when using it for free!

If your number of subscribers exceeds the limit, the prices for using MailPoet are graduated according to the number of your subscribers.

Currently this means, for example:

• 2,000 subscribers: 21 euros per month
• 2,500 subscribers: 25 Euro per month
• 3,500 subscribers: 42 Euro per month
• 5,000 subscribers: 46 Euro per month
• 1,0000 subscribers: 63 Euro per month
• 70,000 subscribers: 292 Euro per month

Conclusion: MailPoet or not MailPoet – Our summary

The answer, as so often, is “it depends”:

Especially for smaller companies looking for a powerful and easy-to-use newsletter tool, MailPoet is worth more than a glance.

Not only does the plug-in provide a range of useful functions for sending newsletters and supports WooCommerce. The attractive templates and diverse editing options help you to inspire subscribers. The fact that MailPoet requires hardly any training time is a big plus compared to MailChimp. In addition, you can create all processes when sending newsletters directly in your WordPress dashboard.

This makes MailPoet even more convenient.

However, MailPoet is a pure newsletter service. If you’re looking for a comprehensive advertising platform with which you can also manage social media campaigns, the monkey may be the better choice.