1. Key Features

Optimize email and SMS marketing

Zoho Campaigns excels with its professional interface, closely resembling other Zoho platforms. Users can easily create email or SMS marketing campaigns using built-in tools without requiring programming skills.
The platform offers drag-and-drop functionality for designing and editing emails, akin to Canva or Microsoft PowerPoint. Additionally, Zoho Campaigns provides a diverse range of templates catering to various industries and purposes, enabling users to create tailored emails effortlessly.

Campaign automation

Zoho Campaigns allows users to set up automation processes such as sending welcome emails to new customers, reminders, or promotional messages. This feature saves time by eliminating manual setup while ensuring messages are delivered to the right audience at the right time for maximum impact.

Intelligent contact management

Users can import contact lists from multiple sources and segment them based on groups, behavior, personal information, or custom conditions. Integration with Zoho CRM enhances data optimization, improving campaign effectiveness.

Email reporting and testing

Zoho Campaigns provides detailed analytics on open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribe rates, and other metrics, enabling businesses to measure and optimize campaign performance.
The platform also supports email testing, allowing users to send test emails to themselves or small groups. This helps identify and fix spelling, formatting, or image issues, reducing the chances of emails being marked as spam.

Seamless integration with Zoho ecosystem

As part of the Zoho ecosystem, Zoho Campaigns integrates seamlessly with tools like Zoho CRM, Zoho Survey, and Zoho Forms. For instance, users can connect Zoho Forms to Zoho Campaigns to automatically collect and manage email lists from online forms and create effective campaigns based on this data.

2. Drawbacks

Zoho Campaigns is one of the most criticized platforms in the Zoho ecosystem. Some users describe it as one of the "worst" email tools they've ever used due to difficulties in creating impressive email templates and frequent minor bugs.
Common issues include font inconsistencies, display errors, and broken connections. Additionally, its external integrations (e.g., with Shopify or WordPress) are less robust compared to competitors like MailChimp or ActiveCampaign.
These limitations often lead users to prefer more advanced platforms like MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, or Brevo (formerly Sendinblue).

3. Pricing

Zoho Campaigns offers a free plan for up to 6,000 emails/month, limited to five users and basic features. For advanced needs, the paid plans are:

• Standard Plan: $4/month, up to 10 users, includes drag-and-drop tools, templates, and SMS marketing.
• Professional Plan: $6/month, up to 20 users, includes advanced design features, file attachments, and detailed tracking.

Both paid plans offer unlimited email sends, a significant cost advantage over competitors. For example, MailChimp’s basic plan starts at $20/month, limited to 500 contacts and 6,000 emails/month.

4. Target audience

Zoho Campaigns is ideal for small businesses with basic email marketing needs or existing Zoho ecosystem users (e.g., Zoho CRM). These integrations unlock maximum potential through simple setups and robust data synchronization.
However, for businesses seeking advanced features and a more intuitive interface, platforms like MailChimp or ActiveCampaign may be worth the higher cost.

5. Conclusion

While not the strongest email marketing tool, Zoho Campaigns remains a viable option due to its seamless integration with other Zoho products like Zoho CRM and Zoho Desk.
That said, its limitations warrant careful consideration. If the Zoho ecosystem isn't a priority, exploring alternatives like MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, or Brevo is recommended.