AWeber Reviews: Is This Email Marketing Veteran Still Worth It?

AWeber has been around since 1998 - it literally invented the autoresponder. But being first doesn't mean being best. After digging through user reviews, testing the platform, and comparing it against modern alternatives, here's the honest verdict on whether AWeber deserves your money.

The short version: AWeber is a solid, beginner-friendly email marketing tool with great customer support. But it's overpriced for what you get, the automation is basic, and recent price hikes have frustrated long-time users. There are better options for most businesses.

AWeber Pricing: What You'll Actually Pay

AWeber uses a tiered pricing structure based on subscriber count. Here's what each plan costs:

Prices scale up as your list grows. Here's the catch: AWeber charges based on total subscribers, and until recently, that included unsubscribed contacts sitting in your account. You had to manually delete them to avoid overage charges. They've since changed this policy, but it burned a lot of users.

The bigger issue: AWeber raised prices significantly in late 2024, with some grandfathered customers seeing 50-150% increases. This forced many long-time users to migrate to cheaper alternatives.

How AWeber Pricing Compares

At 10,000 subscribers, you're looking at approximately $100-135/month depending on your plan. Compare that to MailerLite at $73/month or Brevo's unlimited contacts model where you pay by emails sent rather than subscribers. The value proposition gets weaker as your list grows.

For detailed pricing breakdowns, check out our AWeber pricing guide and AWeber cost analysis.

Hidden Costs and Billing Quirks

AWeber automatically upgrades you to the next tier when you exceed your subscriber or sending limits. While this prevents service interruption, it can lead to unexpected charges. Downgrades aren't automatic - you need to contact customer support to adjust your billing tier if your subscriber count decreases.

The platform also charges transaction fees on ecommerce sales: 1.0% on the Lite plan and 0.6% on Plus and Unlimited plans. If you're selling products directly through AWeber, these fees add up quickly.

What AWeber Gets Right

Ease of Use

AWeber is genuinely easy to use. The drag-and-drop email builder is intuitive, and you can get your first campaign out the door quickly. If you're new to email marketing and don't want to spend hours learning a complicated platform, this is a real advantage.

The onboarding process guides you through creating your first list, designing an email, and setting up basic automation. The interface feels clean and uncluttered compared to feature-heavy platforms like HubSpot or ActiveCampaign that can overwhelm beginners.

Template Library

AWeber claims over 600 email templates (though the actual unique designs are closer to 169 with variants). Either way, it's one of the larger template libraries in the email marketing space. They're all mobile-responsive and easy to customize. The landing page templates (about 53) are actually quite good - modern designs covering everything from webinar signups to product sales.

The templates are organized by category (promotional, newsletter, holiday, etc.) and industry, making it easy to find something relevant. However, some reviewers note that many templates feel dated compared to newer platforms, and customization options can be limiting if you want truly unique designs.

Smart Designer Feature

AWeber's Smart Designer tool automatically creates branded email templates by analyzing your website. Simply paste in your URL, and it extracts your logo, brand colors, fonts, and imagery to generate ready-to-send templates. This is particularly useful for businesses without design resources who want professional-looking emails that match their brand identity.

Canva Integration

AWeber was the first email marketing platform to integrate Canva directly into the editor. You can design graphics, banners, and images without leaving AWeber and drop them straight into your emails. For non-designers, this is genuinely useful.

The integration is seamless - click the Canva icon within the email editor, create or edit designs, and insert them directly. You don't need a separate Canva account, though having one lets you access your saved designs and brand kit.

Customer Support

This is where AWeber shines. They offer 24/7 live chat, email, and phone support across all plans - including free. The support team is US-based (headquartered in Pennsylvania) and consistently gets praised in reviews. They also have extensive educational resources: articles, videos, webinars, and tutorials for beginners.

Phone support is particularly rare among email marketing tools at this price point. Competitors like Mailchimp, MailerLite, and Brevo either don't offer phone support or restrict it to higher-tier plans. If you value being able to talk to a human when things go wrong, this is a significant advantage.

Multiple reviewers specifically mentioned AWeber's customer service as a reason they stayed despite the platform's limitations. The support team reportedly responds quickly and provides thorough, helpful answers rather than canned responses.

eCommerce Features

AWeber supports Stripe and PayPal integration for selling digital products, accepting donations, or setting up recurring subscriptions. Landing pages can accept payments in 100+ currencies. It's not Shopify-level, but for selling a course or ebook, it works.

You can track all sales within your AWeber account and automatically segment customers based on purchase behavior. The platform also supports abandoned cart emails and post-purchase follow-up sequences, though these require manual setup and lack the sophistication of dedicated ecommerce platforms like Klaviyo.

Landing Page Builder

AWeber includes an unlimited landing page builder on the Plus plan (3 pages on Lite, 1 on Free). The drag-and-drop builder is easy to use, and the templates are modern and conversion-focused. You can create pages for lead magnets, webinar signups, product sales, and more without needing a separate tool or website.

Landing pages include built-in analytics showing views, conversion rates, and subscriber sources. You can also add custom domains, though this requires configuring DNS settings.

AI Writing Assistant

AWeber recently added an AI writing assistant to help generate email subject lines, body copy, and content ideas. While not as sophisticated as dedicated AI writing tools, it's useful for overcoming writer's block or generating variations for A/B testing. The AI can generate content based on simple prompts like "promotional email for summer sale" or "welcome email for new subscribers."

What AWeber Gets Wrong

Basic Automation

This is AWeber's biggest weakness. The automation builder is dated compared to competitors. You get basic autoresponders and some tagging/segmentation, but the automation builder lacks advanced branching and conditional logic that modern marketers expect.

The Lite plan only allows 3 automations total. Even the Plus plan, while offering "unlimited" automations, doesn't give you the advanced triggers and conditions that tools like ActiveCampaign or even MailerLite provide.

AWeber recently introduced a visual workflow automation builder with drag-and-drop functionality and some conditional branching (if/else logic). This is an improvement over the old campaign-based system, but it still trails competitors. You can create basic sequences like welcome series, abandoned cart flows, and post-purchase follow-ups, but complex, behavior-driven workflows remain challenging.

For example, you can't easily create automation that says "if someone clicks link A, send email X; if they click link B, send email Y; if they don't open within 3 days, send a different message." These kinds of sophisticated, branching workflows are standard in platforms like ActiveCampaign, Drip, or even MailerLite.

Limited Segmentation Capabilities

While AWeber offers segmentation, it's more restrictive than competitors. The Lite plan limits you to just one custom segment, which severely restricts targeted messaging. Even on the Plus plan with unlimited segments, the segmentation criteria are basic - mostly limited to subscriber fields, tags, and campaign engagement.

You can't easily segment based on complex behaviors like "subscribers who clicked link X in campaign Y but didn't click link Z in campaign Q." This kind of granular behavioral segmentation is crucial for advanced email marketing but requires workarounds in AWeber.

Deliverability Concerns

Independent testing puts AWeber's deliverability rate around 83.1%, which is considered "acceptable" but sits near the bottom of tested platforms (ranking 11th out of 15 in one major study). Gmail inbox placement specifically scored 81% - the second-lowest among tested tools.

AWeber claims internal deliverability exceeding 99%, but that measures email delivery (did the server accept it?) not inbox placement (did it reach the primary inbox vs. spam?). These are different things.

To be fair, deliverability varies based on your content, list hygiene, and sending practices. AWeber does enforce proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and has a dedicated deliverability team. But if inbox placement is critical to your business, there are platforms with better track records.

Testing data shows AWeber performs inconsistently across email providers. While Yahoo and AOL deliverability consistently hits 100%, Gmail performance fluctuated significantly - from 95% in some tests to 81% in others. For businesses whose audiences primarily use Gmail (which is most B2B companies), this inconsistency is concerning.

Interestingly, AWeber's deliverability to Outlook and Hotmail improved dramatically in recent years, jumping from 0% in early tests to over 93% currently. This shows the company is actively working on deliverability, but the Gmail performance remains a weak point.

Limited Reporting and Analytics

AWeber's analytics are basic. You can see opens, clicks, and subscriber growth, but there's no way to filter out bot clicks or inflated Apple Mail Privacy opens. Custom reports aren't available. Ecommerce and sales attribution reporting require paid plans. Compared to competitors, the analytics feel restricted.

The reports show standard metrics like open rates, click rates, unsubscribes, and bounces, but lack depth. You can't easily track subscriber lifetime value, campaign ROI, or attribution across multiple touchpoints. There's no visual heat map showing where subscribers click in your emails, and the A/B testing reports are basic.

For businesses that rely on detailed analytics to optimize campaigns, this is a significant limitation. Platforms like ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, and even MailerLite offer more comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities.

Pricing vs. Value

Here's the real issue: AWeber charges premium prices without premium features. The Lite plan at $15/month gives you only 3 automations and 3 landing pages. For comparison, MailerLite's free plan offers more functionality, and their paid plans start at $10/month with better automation.

Multiple reviewers noted that AWeber "doesn't really stand out in any single area" and that "the template library could use a refresh." The automation system "feels dated compared to competitors."

At higher subscriber counts, the pricing disparity becomes even more pronounced. For 10,000 subscribers, AWeber costs $100-135/month depending on the plan, while MailerLite charges around $73/month and Brevo offers unlimited contacts with pricing based on emails sent.

Dated User Interface

While functional, AWeber's interface feels dated compared to modern alternatives. The design aesthetic hasn't evolved much over the years, and navigation can feel clunky. Competitors like MailerLite, Kit (ConvertKit), and even Mailchimp offer cleaner, more intuitive interfaces that feel more contemporary.

This might not matter to experienced AWeber users who know their way around, but it creates a steeper learning curve for new users and makes the platform feel less professional compared to sleeker alternatives.

Limited Mobile App Functionality

While AWeber offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, functionality is limited. You can view campaign statistics and manage subscribers, but you can't create or edit campaigns on mobile. For marketers who need to make quick edits on the go, this is frustrating.

What Real Users Say

Looking at reviews across G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and Software Advice, common themes emerge:

Positive feedback:

Negative feedback:

The pattern is clear: AWeber works well for basic email marketing needs, but users outgrow it or get frustrated by limitations and pricing as their needs become more sophisticated.

Trustpilot Reviews: Mixed Sentiment

On Trustpilot, AWeber maintains a 3.9-star rating based on 132 reviews. While many users praise the efficiency and patience of the support team, others express serious concerns about billing issues, unexpected account closures, and communication problems.

Several reviewers reported being charged after canceling their subscriptions, with some stating they had to dispute charges multiple times despite receiving confirmation that their accounts were closed. Others complained about landing pages being taken offline for "automated systems review" without notification, causing business disruptions.

On the positive side, reviewers frequently highlighted the quality of customer support when they could get through, particularly mentioning representatives by name who provided patient, expert assistance.

G2 and Capterra Ratings

On G2, AWeber has mixed reviews with many long-time customers expressing frustration over recent changes. The implementation of new sending limits and significant price increases generated considerable negative feedback. Users who had been with AWeber for years reported feeling abandoned when pricing jumped 50-150% without corresponding feature improvements.

Capterra reviews are more positive, with an overall rating of 4.4/5, though reviewers note limitations in template customization and automation compared to competitors. Users appreciate the ease of use and customer support but wish for more advanced features and better value at higher subscriber counts.

AWeber's History and Evolution

Founded in 1998 by Tom Kulzer, AWeber is one of the oldest email marketing platforms still operating. The company pioneered the autoresponder concept - automated email sequences triggered by subscriber actions - which became a cornerstone of email marketing.

For many years, AWeber was the go-to choice for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It was easier to use than competitors and offered reliable deliverability when email marketing was still new. However, as the industry evolved and competitors introduced more sophisticated features, AWeber struggled to keep pace.

The company has made efforts to modernize, introducing features like the Canva integration, AI writing assistant, visual workflow builder, and improved landing page templates. But these updates feel incremental rather than transformative, and many users feel the platform hasn't evolved enough to justify its pricing.

Who Should Use AWeber?

AWeber makes sense if you:

Skip AWeber if you:

AWeber Features Deep Dive

Email Builder and Design

AWeber's drag-and-drop email builder allows you to create emails by clicking and dragging content blocks. The builder includes elements like text, images, buttons, videos, dividers, social media icons, and more. You can customize fonts, colors, spacing, and alignment for each element.

The builder supports custom HTML for advanced users who want complete control. You can also save content blocks and entire email templates for reuse across campaigns.

One useful feature: when you paste a link into an email and hit Enter, AWeber automatically expands it into a preview card with an image, title, and description pulled from the linked page. This makes featuring blog posts or products easier.

However, the builder has limitations. Some users report difficulty adjusting core elements like spacing, font sizes, and layout dimensions. The builder doesn't offer as much flexibility as platforms like MailerLite or Brevo, and making precise design adjustments can be frustrating.

Automation Capabilities

AWeber offers two types of automation: campaigns (the older system) and workflows (the newer visual builder).

Campaigns are time-based autoresponders where emails send at specified intervals after a subscriber joins a list. For example, you can set up a welcome series that sends email 1 immediately, email 2 after 3 days, email 3 after 7 days, and so on. This works fine for simple sequences but lacks behavioral triggers.

Workflows (the newer system) offer visual automation with drag-and-drop elements, conditional branching, and behavioral triggers. You can trigger workflows based on actions like subscribing to a list, clicking a link, making a purchase, or receiving a tag. Within workflows, you can add if/else logic to send different messages based on conditions.

For example, you could create a workflow that sends a welcome email immediately when someone subscribes, then waits 2 days and checks if they've clicked a specific link. If yes, send one email; if no, send a different email encouraging them to take action.

While this is better than the old campaign system, it still trails competitors. ActiveCampaign, for instance, offers more trigger options, easier-to-use conditional logic, and better visualization of complex workflows. MailerLite and Brevo also offer more intuitive automation builders at lower price points.

List Management and Segmentation

AWeber organizes subscribers into lists. Each list represents a distinct audience (e.g., blog subscribers, customers, webinar attendees). You can create unlimited lists on the Plus plan but only one list on Free and Lite plans.

Within lists, you can segment subscribers using tags and custom fields. Tags are labels you apply to subscribers based on their behavior (clicked a link, attended a webinar, purchased a product). Custom fields store information like name, location, birthday, or any data you collect.

Segmentation allows you to send targeted campaigns to specific groups. For example, you could segment customers who purchased product A but not product B, or subscribers who haven't opened an email in 30 days.

However, AWeber's segmentation is more limited than competitors. The Lite plan allows only one saved segment, though you can create temporary segments for individual campaigns. Even on the Plus plan, the segmentation criteria are fairly basic compared to platforms with advanced behavioral segmentation.

Integrations

AWeber integrates with over 750 third-party applications, including:

The integration library is extensive, but setup can require technical knowledge depending on the integration. Some connections are native and straightforward, while others require API keys or Zapier workflows.

Forms and Lead Generation

AWeber includes a form builder for creating signup forms to grow your email list. You can create inline forms (embedded in website content), popup forms (appear over your website), flyout forms (slide in from the side), or standalone forms (hosted on AWeber).

Forms are customizable with your branding, and you can add custom fields to collect specific information. AWeber also supports A/B testing for forms, allowing you to test different designs, copy, or form fields to optimize conversions.

The form builder is functional but not as sophisticated as dedicated lead generation tools. Platforms like OptinMonster or ConvertBox offer more advanced targeting, triggers, and design options for lead capture.

RSS to Email

AWeber's RSS to Email feature automatically converts your blog posts into email newsletters. You connect your blog's RSS feed, choose a template, and AWeber sends an email to subscribers whenever you publish a new post.

This is useful for bloggers and content creators who want to notify subscribers about new content without manually creating emails each time. However, some users have reported issues with RSS feeds not updating consistently or formatting problems with automatically generated emails.

Split Testing

AWeber supports A/B split testing for email campaigns, allowing you to test up to three versions of an email. You can test subject lines, sender names, or email content. AWeber automatically sends the winning version (based on open rate or click rate) to the remaining subscribers.

The split testing functionality is basic compared to platforms like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign, which offer more testing options and better reporting on test results. You can't test multiple variables simultaneously (multivariate testing), and the reporting doesn't provide deep statistical analysis.

Web Push Notifications

AWeber recently added web push notifications, allowing you to send browser notifications to subscribers who opt in. This provides an additional channel for reaching your audience beyond email.

Push notifications appear on desktop or mobile devices even when the recipient isn't actively browsing your website. They're useful for time-sensitive announcements, new content alerts, or promotional offers.

However, the web push feature is fairly basic compared to dedicated push notification platforms, and adoption has been limited since many users don't realize AWeber offers this capability.

AWeber vs. Top Competitors

AWeber vs. MailerLite

MailerLite is frequently mentioned as a superior alternative to AWeber, offering better value and more features at lower prices.

Pricing: MailerLite's free plan covers up to 1,000 subscribers (vs. AWeber's 500) and includes most core features. Paid plans start at $10/month, significantly cheaper than AWeber's $15/month Lite plan.

Features: MailerLite includes unlimited emails on all plans (AWeber limits sends to 10-12x subscriber count), better automation with visual workflow builder and advanced triggers, and a more modern, intuitive interface.

Winner: MailerLite offers better value for most users, especially those with growing lists. AWeber only wins on phone support availability.

AWeber vs. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is the gold standard for marketing automation, but it's more expensive than AWeber.

Pricing: ActiveCampaign starts at $29/month for 1,000 contacts - double AWeber's starting price. However, at higher subscriber counts, the pricing gap narrows.

Features: ActiveCampaign offers dramatically better automation with sophisticated conditional logic, lead scoring, predictive sending, CRM functionality, and comprehensive reporting. It's a true marketing automation platform, not just an email tool.

Winner: ActiveCampaign is worth the premium for businesses that need advanced automation and are willing to invest time in learning the platform. AWeber is better for beginners who want simplicity.

AWeber vs. Kit (ConvertKit)

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is designed specifically for creators - bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, and course creators.

Pricing: Kit's free plan covers up to 1,000 subscribers. Paid plans start at $15/month for up to 300 subscribers, then scale based on subscriber count. At higher counts, Kit becomes more expensive than AWeber.

Features: Kit excels at creator-focused features like selling digital products, paid newsletters, and landing pages for lead magnets. The tagging system is more intuitive than AWeber's list-based approach. However, Kit has fewer email templates (23 vs. 600+) and limited design customization.

Winner: Kit is better for creators monetizing content. AWeber is better for businesses that need more email design options and traditional newsletter functionality.

AWeber vs. Brevo (Sendinblue)

Brevo takes a different pricing approach, charging by emails sent rather than subscriber count.

Pricing: Brevo's free plan includes unlimited contacts and 9,000 emails per month. Paid plans start at $25/month for 20,000 emails. If you don't email your list frequently, Brevo can be much cheaper.

Features: Brevo includes email, SMS, WhatsApp, and chat in one platform. It offers transactional email capabilities, better automation than AWeber, and a built-in CRM. The interface is modern and intuitive.

Winner: Brevo offers better value for businesses that need multi-channel communication or don't email their lists constantly. AWeber is simpler for pure email marketing.

AWeber vs. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is the most recognizable email marketing brand, though opinions on quality are mixed.

Pricing: Mailchimp's free plan covers 500 subscribers (same as AWeber). Paid plans start at $13/month for 500 contacts. Pricing becomes expensive as lists grow, often exceeding AWeber.

Features: Mailchimp offers more features than AWeber, including better analytics, more integrations, social media ad tools, and postcards/direct mail. However, the interface can be overwhelming, and support is limited on lower-tier plans.

Winner: Mailchimp offers more features for businesses that want an all-in-one marketing platform. AWeber is simpler and offers better support, especially phone support.

AWeber vs. Constant Contact

Constant Contact is another long-established email marketing platform targeting small businesses.

Pricing: Constant Contact starts at $12/month for up to 500 contacts, slightly cheaper than AWeber. Both platforms have similar pricing structures as lists grow.

Features: Both platforms offer similar core features with Constant Contact having a slight edge in social media tools and event management. AWeber has better automation capabilities. Both have somewhat dated interfaces compared to newer platforms.

Winner: Toss-up. Neither platform stands out dramatically. Constant Contact is slightly better for event-based businesses; AWeber is slightly better for automation.

AWeber Alternatives Worth Considering

Given AWeber's limitations, here are better options depending on your needs:

For Better Value: MailerLite

MailerLite offers a more generous free plan (1,000 subscribers vs. 500), better automation with visual workflow builder, and lower pricing. The interface is modern and intuitive, and most users report it's easier to use than AWeber. At $10/month for the entry-level paid plan, it's also cheaper while offering more features.

The main advantage AWeber has is phone support, which MailerLite doesn't offer. But if you're comfortable with email and chat support, MailerLite is the better choice for most small businesses.

For Better Automation: ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is the gold standard for marketing automation. More expensive ($29/month starting), but the automation capabilities are leagues ahead of AWeber. You get sophisticated conditional logic, behavioral triggers, lead scoring, CRM integration, and predictive sending.

ActiveCampaign also offers better segmentation, reporting, and deliverability than AWeber. It's the right choice if your email marketing strategy depends on sophisticated, behavior-driven automation and you're willing to invest time learning the platform.

For Creators: Kit (ConvertKit)

Kit is designed for bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and course creators selling digital products. Better automation than AWeber with creator-friendly features like product sales, paid newsletters, and incentive emails.

The tag-based subscriber management system is more intuitive than AWeber's list-based approach for creators managing multiple lead magnets. However, email design options are limited - only 23 templates compared to AWeber's 600+.

For Unlimited Contacts: Brevo

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) charges by emails sent rather than subscribers, which can save money if you have a large list but don't email frequently. The free plan includes unlimited contacts and 9,000 emails/month.

Brevo also includes SMS marketing, WhatsApp, chat, and transactional email in one platform. The automation is better than AWeber's, and the interface is modern. It's ideal for businesses that need multi-channel communication.

For eCommerce: Klaviyo

If you run an online store, Klaviyo is purpose-built for ecommerce email marketing. It offers sophisticated automation based on purchase behavior, abandoned cart recovery, product recommendations, and detailed revenue attribution.

Klaviyo integrates deeply with Shopify, WooCommerce, and other ecommerce platforms, syncing customer data and purchase history automatically. It's more expensive than AWeber but delivers significantly better ROI for ecommerce businesses through personalized, behavior-driven campaigns.

For All-in-One Marketing: HubSpot

HubSpot offers a free email marketing tool with up to 2,000 emails per month. The free tier includes email, forms, landing pages, live chat, and basic CRM - far more than AWeber's free plan.

Paid plans are expensive but include comprehensive marketing automation, sales CRM, customer service tools, and content management. HubSpot is best for businesses that want an all-in-one platform and are willing to invest in the ecosystem.

For Simplicity: Beehiiv

Beehiiv is a modern newsletter platform focused on writers and publishers. It offers a clean writing experience, built-in referral programs, monetization tools, and growth features like recommendations and cross-promotions.

If you're primarily focused on newsletter publishing rather than complex email marketing campaigns, Beehiiv offers a better experience than AWeber with a more modern interface and creator-focused features. Pricing is competitive, starting at $42/month for up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends.

Looking for more options? Check out our guides on best email marketing software and email marketing for small business.

How to Migrate from AWeber

If you've decided to leave AWeber, here's how to make the transition smooth:

Step 1: Export Your Contacts

Log into AWeber, go to Subscribers > Export, and download your subscriber lists as CSV files. Export all lists separately, and make sure to include all custom fields and tags. Do this before canceling your account, as you lose access to data after cancellation.

Step 2: Document Your Automations

AWeber doesn't let you export automation workflows. Before canceling, document each automation sequence: what triggers it, what emails it includes, the timing between emails, and any conditions or segmentation rules. Take screenshots if necessary.

Step 3: Download Email Templates

Save copies of your email templates. You can export them as HTML or take screenshots for reference. This will save time recreating designs in your new platform.

Step 4: Choose Your New Platform

Based on your needs and budget, select a new email marketing platform. Most platforms offer free trials, so test before committing. Many also offer free migration assistance if you're moving from a competitor.

Step 5: Import Contacts

Most email platforms make importing contacts easy - just upload your CSV file and map the fields. Make sure to preserve your custom fields and tags so you maintain your segmentation.

Step 6: Recreate Automations

Rebuild your automation sequences in the new platform. This is a good opportunity to improve them, taking advantage of better features your new platform offers.

Step 7: Update Forms and Integrations

Update signup forms on your website, landing pages, and social media to point to your new email platform. Reconnect integrations with your CRM, ecommerce platform, and other tools.

Step 8: Test Everything

Send test campaigns to yourself, trigger test automations, and verify that all integrations work correctly. It's better to discover issues during testing than after launching to your full list.

Step 9: Announce the Change (Optional)

Consider sending one final email from AWeber letting subscribers know you're changing platforms. This helps manage expectations if they notice differences in email appearance or sender details.

Step 10: Cancel AWeber

Once everything is working on the new platform, cancel your AWeber subscription. Go to Account Settings > Billing > Cancel Account. Be aware that some users have reported billing issues after cancellation, so monitor your bank statements to ensure charges stop.

Tips for Getting the Most from AWeber

If you decide AWeber is right for you, here are tips to maximize your results:

1. Use the Smart Designer

Instead of starting from scratch, use Smart Designer to automatically create branded templates from your website URL. This saves time and ensures brand consistency.

2. Leverage Canva Integration

Take advantage of the built-in Canva integration to create professional graphics without design skills. This is especially useful for email headers, promotional banners, and social media images.

3. Set Up Basic Automations First

Even with AWeber's limited automation, you should implement these essential sequences: welcome series for new subscribers, abandoned cart recovery (if selling products), post-purchase follow-up, and re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers.

4. Maintain List Hygiene

Regularly clean your list by removing unengaged subscribers. This improves deliverability and reduces costs since you're not paying for subscribers who never open emails. AWeber charges based on total subscribers, so keeping your list clean directly impacts your bill.

5. Use Tags Effectively

Since AWeber's segmentation is limited, make strategic use of tags to track subscriber behavior and interests. Tag subscribers based on link clicks, purchases, content preferences, and engagement levels. This allows more targeted campaigns even with basic segmentation.

6. Test Subject Lines

Use AWeber's A/B testing to optimize subject lines. Small improvements in open rates compound over time, significantly impacting overall campaign performance.

7. Authenticate Your Domain

Set up custom DKIM and DMARC authentication for your domain. This improves deliverability by proving to email providers that your emails are legitimate. AWeber's support team can help with this setup.

8. Create Reusable Content Blocks

Save frequently used content sections (headers, footers, promotional boxes) as reusable blocks. This ensures consistency across campaigns and speeds up email creation.

9. Use RSS to Email for Blogs

If you publish blog content regularly, set up RSS to Email to automatically notify subscribers about new posts. This keeps your list engaged without manual work.

10. Monitor Deliverability

Pay attention to bounce rates, spam complaints, and unsubscribe rates. High numbers in any category indicate deliverability issues that need addressing. AWeber provides these metrics in campaign reports.

Common AWeber Problems and Solutions

Problem: Emails Going to Spam

Solution: Ensure proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), avoid spam trigger words, maintain list hygiene by removing unengaged subscribers, and always use double opt-in for new subscribers.

Problem: Low Open Rates

Solution: Test different subject lines, send times, and sender names. Segment your list to send more relevant content to specific groups. Clean your list of inactive subscribers who drag down engagement metrics.

Problem: Automation Not Triggering

Solution: Check that automation is set to "active" status. Verify trigger conditions are set correctly. Ensure subscribers meet the criteria to enter the automation. Test with a test subscriber to isolate the issue.

Problem: Templates Not Displaying Correctly

Solution: Test emails across multiple email clients before sending. Use AWeber's preview feature. Avoid complex layouts that may render differently in various email clients. Stick to simple, responsive designs.

Problem: Unexpected Charges

Solution: AWeber automatically upgrades your plan when you exceed subscriber limits. Monitor your subscriber count and manually clean your list regularly. Contact support to downgrade if your count decreases.

Problem: Subscribers Not Receiving Emails

Solution: Check that subscribers confirmed their email address (if using double opt-in). Verify they haven't unsubscribed or marked previous emails as spam. Ask them to check spam folders and whitelist your sender address.

The Future of AWeber

AWeber faces increasing competition from more modern, feature-rich platforms at similar or lower price points. To remain competitive, the company needs to:

AWeber has shown willingness to evolve with additions like the visual workflow builder, AI writing assistant, and Canva integration. However, these updates feel incremental rather than transformative. Unless AWeber makes more significant improvements, it risks becoming increasingly irrelevant as users migrate to better alternatives.

The company's strong customer support and reliable infrastructure remain advantages, but these alone aren't enough to overcome fundamental limitations in features and value proposition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AWeber good for beginners?

Yes, AWeber is one of the most beginner-friendly email marketing platforms. The interface is straightforward, the onboarding guides you through setup, and the 24/7 phone support helps when you get stuck. However, beginners can get equal or better ease of use from platforms like MailerLite at lower cost.

Can I use AWeber for free?

Yes, AWeber offers a free plan for up to 500 subscribers with 3,000 emails per month. The free plan includes basic email marketing, one automation, three landing pages, and access to email support. However, it includes AWeber branding on emails and has limited features compared to paid plans.

How much does AWeber cost per month?

AWeber pricing starts at $15/month for the Lite plan (up to 500 subscribers) and $30/month for the Plus plan (up to 500 subscribers). Costs increase as your subscriber count grows. For 10,000 subscribers, expect to pay $100-135/month depending on the plan.

Is AWeber better than Mailchimp?

Neither is definitively "better" - it depends on your needs. AWeber offers better phone support and is simpler to use. Mailchimp offers more features, better analytics, and more integrations but has a steeper learning curve and limited support on lower-tier plans. For pure email marketing, many users prefer alternatives like MailerLite or ActiveCampaign over both.

Can I sell products through AWeber?

Yes, AWeber includes basic ecommerce features. You can integrate with Stripe and PayPal to sell digital products, accept donations, and set up subscriptions directly through email and landing pages. However, the ecommerce capabilities are basic compared to dedicated platforms like Shopify or specialized tools like Klaviyo.

Does AWeber have good deliverability?

AWeber's deliverability is acceptable but not industry-leading. Independent testing shows around 83% inbox placement overall, with particular weakness in Gmail (81%). This ranks near the bottom compared to competitors. Deliverability improves with proper list hygiene, authentication, and engagement practices.

Can AWeber integrate with WordPress?

Yes, AWeber offers a WordPress plugin that allows you to add signup forms, manage subscribers, and track conversions directly from your WordPress dashboard. The integration is straightforward and works with most WordPress themes.

How do I cancel AWeber?

To cancel AWeber, log into your account, go to Account Settings > Billing > Cancel Account, and follow the prompts. Export your contacts before canceling as you lose access after cancellation. Note that some users report billing issues after cancellation, so monitor your statements.

Does AWeber offer phone support?

Yes, AWeber offers 24/7 phone support on all plans, including free. This is rare among email marketing platforms at this price point. The support team is US-based and consistently receives positive reviews for helpfulness and responsiveness.

What's the difference between AWeber campaigns and workflows?

Campaigns are AWeber's older automation system using time-based autoresponders. Workflows are the newer visual automation builder with drag-and-drop functionality, behavioral triggers, and conditional logic. Workflows are more powerful but still limited compared to competitors like ActiveCampaign.

The Bottom Line

AWeber is a legitimate email marketing platform with a long track record. The customer support is excellent, it's genuinely easy to use, and the free plan is decent for beginners.

But "decent" doesn't cut it when competitors offer more features for less money. The automation is basic, the pricing has gotten aggressive, the deliverability rates are middling, and the interface feels dated. AWeber coasts on its reputation rather than innovation.

If you're just starting out and value phone support, AWeber's free plan is worth trying. But for most businesses - especially those planning to grow - there are better options. You'll likely outgrow AWeber or get frustrated by its limitations before long.

The best alternatives depend on your specific needs:

AWeber works if you need simplicity, phone support, and basic email marketing. But if you're building a serious email marketing strategy, investing in a more capable platform will pay dividends as you grow.

Our rating: 3/5 stars - Good for beginners, but not competitive for serious email marketers.

Ready to try AWeber anyway? Start with their free plan and see if it fits your needs. Just keep your eyes open for alternatives as you scale.

Or explore better alternatives: Try MailerLite's generous free plan, test ActiveCampaign's powerful automation, or check out our comprehensive guides on best email marketing software and email marketing for small business to find the perfect fit for your needs.