--- title: Email Marketing vs Marketing Automation: A Comparison of the Differences Between Them description: Almost every business uses email marketing to build and maintain relationships with prospects and customers. If you’re already using email marketing to reach out to a targeted audience and sustain a connection with the people who are most likely to buy your products or services, it may be time to take it to the next --- # Email Marketing vs Marketing Automation: A Comparison of the Differences Between Them Last Reviewed: March 9, 2026 4 min read [1 comment](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/email-marketing-or-marketing-automation-software/#comments) [ ![SelectHub](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/cropped-selecthub_logo-96x96.jpg) ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/selecthub/) [Written by SelectHub](https://www.selecthub.com/author/selecthub/) Technical Content Writer Table of Contents Explore the Marketing Automation Hub What's your top priority today? * [Learn](#) * [What Is Marketing Automation?](https://www.selecthub.com/category/marketing-automation/) * Email Marketing vs. Marketing Automation * [Email Marketing Software](#Email%5FMarketing%5FSoftware) * [Marketing Automation Software](#Marketing%5FAutomation%5FSoftware) * [Email Marketing Vs. Marketing Automation](#Email%5FMarketing%5FVs%5FMarketing%5FAutomation) * [Plan](#) * [Marketing Automation Features](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-requirements-and-features-list/) * [Marketing Automation RFP](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-rfp/) * [Compare](#) * [Best Marketing Automation Platforms](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-comparison-guide/) * [Best Marketing Automation Software for SMBs](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-small-business/) * [Best Enterprise Email Marketing Platforms](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/best-enterprise-email-marketing-platforms/) * [Best Campaign Management Software](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/crm-campaign-management-software/) * [Mailchimp vs. Constant Contact](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/mailchimp-and-constant-contact/) * [HubSpot vs. Marketo](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketo-and-hubspot/) Almost every business uses email marketing to build and maintain relationships with prospects and customers. If you’re already using email marketing to reach out to a targeted audience and sustain a connection with the people who are most likely to buy your products or services, it may be time to take it to the next level. Marketing automation software tracks visitor activity throughout your domain so that you can encourage prospects to continue down your sales funnel. ### Email Marketing Software Email marketing software is relatively straightforward. You can use it to send marketing content to users who have signed up for newsletters, courses or promotions. With email marketing software, you can amass customer information in different lists, using each list to send out emails that are targeted to that specific market. For example, you may offer a free e-course in exchange for email information. Everyone who signs up for the e-course receives a link to the program modules, of course. However, you can continue to manually email that segment to follow up after they have completed the course. Perhaps you offer a paid extension of the course that they would like to buy, or maybe you’ll ask them to complete a survey to help you tailor your products and services to their needs. An email marketing program also lets you track opens and clicks from the emails. You can see the number of recipients who have opened the email. You can also monitor which links within the email garnered the most attention. ### Marketing Automation Software Although a marketing automation program also sends targeted emails to your customers and prospects, it can track all of your visitors’ interactions with your company, sending them automated marketing campaigns accordingly. You can send mass emails to your leads based on the funnel through which you received them. With a marketing automation tool, you can create a chain of emails that are automatically delivered after someone clicks on a trigger on your website. If prospects sign up for your e-course, they may receive emails for the next year. You don’t have to do anything other than set up the chain of events. In addition, a marketing automation solution lets you track how often your leads return to your website, what pages they view while they’re visiting and what links they click on. If you have customer relationship management software, or CRM, you can integrate it with your marketing automation software. This allows you to pull segmented leads into your marketing automation tool from that platform. You can also send valid leads back to your sales team to secure the deal. ### Email Marketing Vs. Marketing Automation Selecting between email marketing or marketing automation software can be daunting and confusing, but [don’t let it be](https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/infographics/email-marketing-strategy-challenges-infographic/). If you have a small, one-dimensional business, you may not need a tool with multifunctional capability. A massage therapist may send out an email once a week with advice about how to stay calm and focused during a stressful day. Twice a month, the massage therapist may send out a coupon or promotional offer. This can be taken care of through an email marketing system. An online retailer that offers beachwear and accessories for women and children may want to segment the group of prospects based on demographics and preferences, however. For example, a visitor in her 20s who is looking for a swimsuit to wear on spring break won’t necessarily be interested in content pertaining to moms who want to find rashguards for their kids. Research shows that email campaigns that include targeted, relevant information increase conversions compared with blanket promotional emails. [Emailmonday](https://www.emailmonday.com/marketing-automation-statistics-overview) reports that approximately half of companies are using marketing automation. If your company manages multiple sales funnels and leads with different browsing and buying styles, you may prefer to [use a marketing automation tool](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation-software/). If you expect to expand your customer base or product line down the road, getting used to using a marketing automation solution now will make scaling your marketing efforts streamlined and simple. Email marketing can take time, especially when prospects come back to your website multiple times before they buy. Keeping them engaged with a marketing automation tool can help you secure those leads and turn them into loyal clients. [ Previous What Is Marketing Automation? ](https://www.selecthub.com/category/marketing-automation/) [ Next Marketing Automation Features ](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-requirements-and-features-list/) ### Trending Topics #### [Marketing Automation](https://www.selecthub.com/category/marketing-automation/) [The Top 12 Marketing Automation Features & Requirements](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-requirements-and-features-list/) [If you’re a marketer, you’ve already got 99 things demanding your attention. Don’t let hunting… ](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-requirements-and-features-list/) [ ![Christina George](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/cropped-Christina-Headshot-96x96.png) Christina George ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/christina-george/) Jul 29, 2026 #### [Marketing Automation](https://www.selecthub.com/category/marketing-automation/) [The Best Campaign Management Software for 2026](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/crm-campaign-management-software/) [The best campaign management software helps you run engaging marketing campaigns across channels and measure… ](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/crm-campaign-management-software/) [ ![Pooja Verma](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4f22202f68158fa4b012b18a196e08ea151f6f9427b194cce3330634ff0dd1b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g) Pooja Verma ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/pooja-verma/) Mar 26, 2026 #### [Marketing Automation](https://www.selecthub.com/category/marketing-automation/) [The 5 Best Enterprise Email Marketing Platforms of 2026](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/best-enterprise-email-marketing-platforms/) [Email marketing is the best tool in marketing automation software’s belt. Creating fun, informative and… ](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/best-enterprise-email-marketing-platforms/) [ ![Divya Dugar](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Divya-Dugar-96x96.jpg) Divya Dugar ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/divya-dugar/) Mar 09, 2026 #### [Marketing Automation](https://www.selecthub.com/category/marketing-automation/) [Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: Which Tool is Best for You In 2026?](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/mailchimp-and-constant-contact/) [Choosing between two evenly matched marketing automation tools can feel as precarious as picking your… ](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/mailchimp-and-constant-contact/) [ ![Christina George](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/cropped-Christina-Headshot-96x96.png) Christina George ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/christina-george/) Mar 09, 2026 #### [Marketing Automation](https://www.selecthub.com/category/marketing-automation/) [The 5 Best Marketing Automation Platforms Comparison Guide](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-comparison-guide/) [Marketing automation platforms fuel the business marketing engine and propel it to success. They automate… ](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketing-automation-comparison-guide/) [ ![Shweta Joshi](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/shweta-joshi-1-96x96.jpg) Shweta Joshi ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/shweta-joshi/) Mar 09, 2026 #### [Marketing Automation](https://www.selecthub.com/category/marketing-automation/) [Marketo vs Eloqua vs Hubspot: Who is the Winner?](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketo-and-eloqua-and-hubspot/) [As many vendor experts would point out, marketing automation is more than just “guided email”.… ](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/marketo-and-eloqua-and-hubspot/) [ ![Jason Keller](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0a70318abf570a91327f52af7dcd64ecdaa06bcc991260053e38c9c53317112a?s=96&d=mm&r=g) Jason Keller ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/jason-keller/) Mar 09, 2026 Originally published in August 2024 and last updated in March 2026\. Contributions from SelectHub. ## About the Contributors The following team members helped research, create, and review this content. [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/selecthub/) Written by [SelectHub](https://www.selecthub.com/author/selecthub/) Technical Content Writer SelectHub, a technology selection management solution, eliminates the messy, error prone business of IT and software requirements compilation, vendor evaluations and sourcing by centralizing all activities on an easy-to-use, intelligent platform. With built-in best practices and activity tracking for procurement, IT and Finance, organizations can realize more successful IT initiatives, faster. [See Full Bio](https://www.selecthub.com/author/selecthub/) Jason KellerMarketo vs Eloqua vs Hubspot: Who is the Winner? * ‹ * › ### Conversation (1) ![Avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/281d3616cf761f3582c0d76c23517846?s=32&d=mm&r=g) Write a response [Cancel reply](https://www.selecthub.com/marketing-automation/email-marketing-or-marketing-automation-software/#respond) Your message Your name \* Your email \* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. * ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bea5cfb8cc83f509197efaced1d5487f5958faf1f4c20dbc435002cca8b56676?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Skye** \- November 14, 2016 Marketing automation sounds like slightly more work. It might take some time to master it, but it’s a good challenge. We’re considering GetResponse. **[Reply](#comment-3631)** Compare **Tier 1:** Fully/moderately supported out-of-the-box allowing for quick and easy deployment. Fully or moderately supported out-of-the-box with industry-leading capabilities and is immediately available after installation without needing any add-ons, integrations, or custom development. **Tier 2:** Supported with workarounds or add-ons that may require additional costs. Not directly available in the software, but can be accomplished using other built-in features, workarounds, or add-ons/products from the vendor with or without any additional cost. **Tier 3:** Requires partner integrations or custom development that is often at an additional cost. Requires additional integrations, plugins, marketplace applications from a third-party vendor, or custom development using the APIs, libraries, extensions, and development framework supported by the software, with or without any additional cost. 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