A Snapshot of the Email Service Provider (ESP) Landscape

In the world of email, the email service provider (ESP) is a key component of any marketer’s strategy. They offer a suite of services that includes sending, receiving, and storing emails, as well as tools for analytics and automation. ESPs are instrumental in ensuring that emails are delivered to the right inbox and not marked as spam.

Basically, love ‘em or hate ‘em, we need our ESPs. And we all want to make sure we’re using the best tools for the job at hand. (Or at keyboard, at mouse, at screen reader…you get the idea.) That’s why, in our latest State of Email report, we asked our audience for their feedback on the most popular ESPs in the industry. And you all delivered! 

In this blog, we’ll explore a quick a snapshot of the ESP landscape, looking at the key players and a few trends in the ever-evolving email ecosystem.

Which ESP is the most popular among email marketers? 

Drumroll, please! These ESPs are the best of the best, and all ranked highly in the opinions of you all, our dear audience. These are the pioneers in email marketing, and some of the most recognizable names in the industry. (And for good reason.) 

In order of popularity among our respondents, the top 15 ESPs are:

1. Salesforce Marketing Cloud: 27.02%
2. Mailchimp: 19.24%
3. HubSpot: 12.63%
4. Constant Contact: 9.25%
5. Marketo: 8.81%
6. Sendgrid: 8.66%
7. Marketing Cloud Account Engagement: 8.22%
8. Eloqua: 6.9%
9. Klaviyo: 6.9%
10. Campaign Monitor: 5.73%
11. Adobe Campaign: 5.58%
12. Braze: 5.43%
13. ActiveCampaign: 5.29%
14. DotDigital: 5.14%
15. Mailgun: 4.99%

Wondering where your favorite ESP ranked up to these? Check out the full list of ESPs here. 

How did we arrive at this list of the most popular ESPs? 

The list of ESPs above is based on the data we received from the surveys we run regularly throughout the year. It does not necessarily reflect user value market share, or the comparative size of these ESPs as companies. Additionally, these listings don’t consider past changes in market share, the strength of future offerings, your unique business and team requirements, or a myriad of other factors that may be critical to comparing or selecting an ESP. 

And the top five most popular ESPs are…

This list is solely reflective of the responses we received in our 2023 survey. If you don’t see your favorite ESP listed here—or if it’s further down the list than you’d prefer—be sure to share your opinion in our latest survey on the State of Email Trends! We’d love to hear from you.  

Understanding the ESP landscape

The ESP landscape is continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of businesses and individuals. And as 750+ of you all shared with us, there are many prominent players in the field, each one with its own unique strengths. 

“If you’re thinking about migrating to a new ESP, look for an ESP that won’t just support your current needs, but also your needs in the next 5 years. You should consider team growth and change, how you’ll be using email, and even list growth.” – Jaina Mistry, Director of Email and Content at Litmus

Choosing the right ESP depends on your specific requirements, whether you’re a small business looking for a simple solution or an enterprise with complex automation needs. Keep an eye on emerging trends in email marketing, and ensure your chosen ESP aligns with your goals for powerful and effective email communication.

Originally published on July 23, 2018, by Chad S. White. Last updated on October 24, 2023.