Email marketing is still alive, thriving and delivering results that brands have never witnessed before.
Imagine what happens when you dive deeper into email marketing armed with the right tricks and tips. However, businesses might have to use different platforms to improve their operations.
Here are the two options you can consider – self-hosted email marketing plugins vs. SaaS email platforms.
Self-hosted email marketing plugins are tools you install on your website to manage and send marketing emails directly from your server. Whereas, SaaS email platforms are cloud-based services where you use their servers and tools to create, send and track marketing emails online.
Let’s learn more about what each one offers and which one you can adopt!
Self-hosted vs. SaaS email platforms
Let’s check out the pros and cons of both options in detail for a clear picture:
Updates and maintenance
Upgrading and maintaining the software must be challenging for users, but SaaS email platform users don’t have to worry about the same. The SaaS service providers are responsible to handle and upgrade the software and hardware. This helps its users access the recent version for use.
However, the same is not possible for self-hosted email marketing plugins where maintenance has to be handled by the users themselves.
Easy use and set up
With self-hosting plugins, you can use your business tools to create reports since the data is stored in your database. However, initially, it might take some time and effort to set up the software.
Self-hosted email marketing plugin requires users to install the software on their servers to access the service. Hence it gives more control over all aspects of the system including customization and data security.
On the other hand, SaaS email platforms require less technical expertise as the in-house developers handle server management and other deliverability issues. It is easy to use and quicker to get started since it has already been installed and set up. It also allows users to access their accounts from their devices with an internet connection. This comes without the need to install any software on their computer or server.
Customization
Self-hosted email marketing plugins help with customization. This enables the users to create branded email templates allowing them to reflect their brand image in each communication.
It also helps with creating branded templates that help meet specific campaign requirements. Hence, the email design can suit the different types of campaigns that include promotional offers, newsletters, product launches and other white-labeling capabilities. Most often, this can be done through the add-on framework.
Whereas SaaS email platforms are also an easy-to-use option allowing businesses to create emails without any technical expertise.
Some of its options include an intuitive interface and drag-and-drop editors, thereby making the email creation process simple. These features help save time and resources, allowing the users to focus on other email marketing campaign aspects.
However, with the SaaS email platforms, you cannot make changes to the software code or add your custom features as per your business needs. The features are also limited to statistics, reports and others. Even if these features are available, they can be accessed in the higher payment tier.
Degree of control
Self-hosted email marketing offers complete control over your email list. Since people with self-hosted email marketing platforms own their data, they can use it in any way they deem fit.
This allows them to make the most of their email marketing efforts by tailoring the campaigns to their specific needs.
Businesses can also segment the emails based on diverse criteria. This includes aspects such as demographics, interests and previous purchasing patterns. Factors such as these pave the way for personalization, which improves engagement rates, conversion rates and overall campaign success.
As mentioned above, this also means that the users are responsible for maintaining the system uptime, performing routine updates, performance tweaking and security fixes. The users have to ensure that the plugin is operated as per the organization’s security policy, confidentiality, regulatory requirements and more.
For SaaS email platforms, the users have limited control over their email lists as the data is stored in a third-party platform. This can make it a challenge for businesses to access their data. Further, this leads to difficulty in switching platforms or if they want full control over their data.
For some industries, diverse privacy and compliance regulations must be followed. If your SaaS service provider doesnt have it then, you may have to change the SaaS service provider or wait for them to update their regulations.
Risk of getting blacklisted
With self-hosted email marketing, since you are installing the software on your server or VPS, only you and your team can have access. Hence there isn’t a possibility for someone else to send spam emails, which allows you to protect your reputation.
With SaaS email marketing plugins, the users share their email services with countless other users who might send spam messages through the servers. This can possibly cause low deliverability and an increased possibility of your email not being sent.
Vendor lock-ins
For self-hosted email platforms, the data is stored in your database servers, allowing you to move the data easily when the need arises. This gives complete access to data from email campaigns, contacts, autoresponders, statistics and more.
Your email marketing campaign specifics such as autoresponders, contacts and statistics can be difficult to export with a SaaS email platform. This will make it harder to switch services in the future.
Monthly or additional fees
Self-hosted email marketing is perfect for small businesses with a limited budget. Many open-source email marketing platforms are available for free. Advantages such as these can help organizations to opt for email marketing on a budget.
Moreover, the users only have to pay for the server and storage space they use, which gives them greater control over their expenses. This is also beneficial for companies with fluctuating email marketing expenses. Even if there are long-term costs, the charges are still possibly lesser than a SaaS email platform.
Whereas, SaaS email platforms can be comparatively a little expensive, especially for startups or businesses with a limited budget. This can be due to subscription and additional fees for larger email lists or increased message volumes can add up.
This means that regardless of the emails being sent or not, users have to pay a monthly fee as they have subscribed to the service.
Scalability
As mentioned above, self-hosting email platforms require some upkeep, patches and upgrade installations. You must also have a backup strategy to mitigate potential data loss.
SaaS email marketing allows more scalability which allows businesses to grow as and when they wish to expand. This makes way for increased flexibility when businesses aim at expansion. The platform can accommodate your growing email list and also likewise increase the sent emails without compromising on deliverability and performance.
In a nutshell
Here’s a glimpse for Self-Hosted Email Marketing Plugins vs. SaaS Email Platforms:
| Self-hosted email marketing | SaaS email platform |
|---|---|
| Flexibility for customization | Restricted customization |
| Enhanced control over operations | Lack of control |
| Responsible for updates and maintenance | Updates and maintenance are handled by the service provider |
| Additional time and effort for installation | No installation required |
| Less prone to vendor lock-in | Prone to vendor lock-in |
| Lower risk of delivery issues | Higher risk for delivery issues |
| Cost-effective and usually offered for a one-time payment | Monthly charges with possible additional fees |
Conclusion
While competing with a sea of competitors, brands want to reach their goals, faster and more efficiently than ever before!
Though the strategy plays an important role, so does the medium. Self-hosted email marketing plugins and SaaS email platforms are two of the most prominent options currently.
Since we’ve broken down the pros and cons for each, we are sure you must now have a clear picture of which one to opt for.
But, there’s something that we are sure can change the course of your email marketing campaigns.
FAQ
How does pricing differ between self-hosted plugins and SaaS email platforms?
Self-hosted plugins generally require an upfront purchase or licensing fee and possible server costs but may have fewer recurring charges. SaaS platforms typically operate on a subscription model, scaling costs based on email volume and feature access, potentially making them more costly as your list grows.
Are there any privacy concerns with using SaaS email platforms?
Yes, since data is stored on the platform provider’s servers, there may be privacy concerns, particularly for businesses handling sensitive customer information. Some SaaS providers have strong data protection policies, but businesses that require strict data control often prefer self-hosted options.
How do I decide which solution is right for my business?
Consider your budget, growth plans, technical expertise and data control needs. A self-hosted plugin may suit you if you value customization and data privacy, whereas a SaaS platform is ideal if you want a user-friendly, maintenance-free experience.
Can I switch from a self-hosted plugin to a SaaS platform or vice versa?
Yes, it’s possible to switch, but each transition may involve data migration, compatibility checks and potential deliverability adjustments. Researching both solutions’ import/export capabilities can make the transition smoother if you decide to switch later on.