One is a late entrant into the world of email, the other is an established name in the industry.
Which one should you go with for your template needs?
That’s what we’ll discuss in today’s comparative overview of Flodesk and Klaviyo.
Flodesk came on the scene in 2018, by which time Klaviyo were slicing their sixth anniversary cake. That being said, within a span of just five years, Flodesk clocked a massive $25 million in ARR. Today, Flodesk has emerged as one of the major players in email marketing.
In this guide, our subject matter expert takes a bird’s-eye survey of the template libraries in Klaviyo and Flodesk. Let’s get going!
What Is Flodesk?
Flodesk, as you know, is a relatively new email marketing platform that’s gaining popularity fast. It’s especially popular with small businesses, creators, and entrepreneurs. The reason is that Flodesk makes it super easy to design beautiful, eye-catching emails with little effort. Its user-friendly interface and stylish templates are a big draw for people who want their emails to look great without needing any design skills.
Flodesk’s key features include the following:
- Drag-and-drop editor: No coding needed, just a simple, intuitive way to design emails.
- Curated templates: Flodesk offers a variety of aesthetic email templates that look professionally designed, ensuring your emails are always on brand.
- Unlimited emails: For a flat fee, you get access to all features with no restrictions on the number of emails you can send.
What Is Klaviyo?
Klaviyo is a more established email marketing tool, well-known for its advanced features like detailed segmentation and powerful analytics. While it’s typically used by e-commerce businesses, it’s versatile enough for any type of marketing campaign. Klaviyo may require a bit more of a learning curve, but it packs a punch with its automation capabilities and sophisticated features.
Klaviyo’s key features include the following:
- Advanced automation: Automated email flows based on customer behavior.
- Segmentation and analytics: Deep insights into customer behavior to personalize campaigns.
- Pre-built templates: Offers a variety of templates, especially for e-commerce businesses.
Related post: Pre-made Email Templates: Tools, Examples, & Tips
A for Aesthetics: Flodesk vs. Klaviyo Design
Flodesk’s Sleek & Modern Templates
Flodesk stands out because its templates are specifically crafted with visual aesthetics in mind. Flodesk’s email designs are created to make your messages visually striking without requiring deep design knowledge.
- Bold, Creative Designs: From minimalist layouts to bold, image-heavy templates, Flodesk offers visually appealing designs that feel modern and stylish. It’s perfect for businesses that want to make a statement through their emails.
- Customizability: The templates are easily customizable, allowing you to swap out colors, fonts, and images to match your branding.
- Consistency: Flodesk ensures that your emails look polished and consistent every time you send them.
Source: Flodesk
Flodesk’s Design Strengths
- Simplicity with style: Clean designs that can highlight your product or content without overwhelming the reader.
- Perfect for creatives: Ideal for artists, bloggers, and businesses that want to focus on aesthetics.
Klaviyo’s Professional & Functional Templates
Klaviyo’s email templates are simple and professional, made to get things done. They’re mainly for e-commerce businesses, helping with things like promoting products, reminding customers about abandoned carts, or sending deals. The templates look good but are more focused on business needs than just being fancy.
- E-commerce-Centric Designs: Klaviyo offers templates that integrate seamlessly with online stores, making it easy to showcase products, sales, and promotions.
- Pre-built, Easy to Use: The templates are designed for easy customization, but with fewer options to play with compared to Flodesk’s more artistic templates.
- Structured Layouts: While they may not be as “artsy” as Flodesk’s options, the designs are still clean, modern, and effective at driving conversions.
Klaviyo’s Design Strengths
- Action-oriented layouts: Great for businesses focusing on conversion optimization, with templates like cart abandonment emails, product recommendations, and review requests.
- Clear focus on functionality: Perfect for businesses that prioritize efficiency and direct sales.
Source: Klaviyo
Ease of Use: Which Is More User-friendly?
IBM summed it up nicely when they said, “Ease of use may be invisible, but its absence sure isn’t.” That’s a journal’s worth of wisdom to remember when it comes to ESPs. Turn to Capterra and co., and you’ll see that ease of use is next only to price on the user’s checklist.
So, Flodesk or Klaviyo—which platform does better in ease of use? Find out below.
- Flodesk: For a beginner, Flodesk would be incredibly intuitive. The drag-and-drop editor is so easy to use that even if you have zero design skills, you can still create stunning emails. The templates are pre-designed and ready for customization, so you don’t have to start from scratch.
- Klaviyo: Klaviyo can be a bit tricky to learn, especially if you’re new to email marketing. Its interface is more technical, and while the drag-and-drop editor works just fine, it’s not as simple as Flodesk. However, if you already know email marketing and need more advanced features, Klaviyo is suitable.
Pricing Comparison
“Making a comparison between the different kinds of ESPs is similar to comparing smartphones without knowing the price,” points out Grant Saxon Rowe, co-founder, Mercato Agency. And we concur.
So, as far as price is concerned, our SME argues thus:
- Flodesk: Flodesk has a simple pricing plan where you pay one flat rate, no matter how many emails you send—whether it’s 500 or 50,000. This makes it a great option for businesses on a budget.
- Klaviyo: Klaviyo has a pricing system that changes based on how many contacts you have and how many emails you send. As your business grows, it can get more expensive. But if you’re an e-commerce business needing advanced features and integrations, it could be a worthwhile investment.
Related post: How Much Does Email Template Design Cost—for Real?
Flodesk is recommended when:
- You value creative, eye-catching, and sleek email templates.
- You’re looking for a simple, budget-friendly email marketing tool.
- You’re a creator, solo business owner, or small business that cares about design and looks.
Klaviyo is recommended when:
- You have an e-commerce business or need advanced automation and segmentation.
- You want templates that focus on sales and customer interactions.
- You’re comfortable with a more complex interface and want to dive deeper into analytics
Related post: 9 Platforms for the Best Responsive Email Marketing Templates
Your Choice, Our Chops!
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