Constant Contact vs Systeme.io
Both are on our shortlist for course creators. They part company on several things that matter more than the monthly price.
Constant Contact
Systeme.ioWhich one, for whom
- Starting out with no budgetSysteme.ioSysteme.io can run an automated welcome sequence on its free plan. Constant Contact cannot, so a new subscriber hears nothing from you until you pay.Start free on Systeme.io
- A list already in the thousandsSysteme.ioSysteme.io stays free to 2,000 subscribers against Constant Contact's nothing.
- Worried about being locked inSysteme.ioConstant Contact's terms cut off access to your contact data when you cancel. Systeme.io does not do that.
- Selling the course from the same toolSysteme.ioSysteme.io can take the payment itself, so you do not need a separate checkout.
Side by side
| Constant Contact | Systeme.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | None | 2,000 subscribers |
| Free sends | 30-day trial only | Unlimited emails |
| Welcome sequence on free | No | Yes |
| Connects to Teachable | Not listed | Sells courses itself |
| Connects to Kajabi | Not listed | Sells courses itself |
| Connects to Podia | Not listed | Sells courses itself |
| Connects to Thinkific | Not listed | Sells courses itself |
| Paid from | A$12.75/mo AUD | $17/mo USD |
| At 5,000 subscribers | Not published | $17 |
| At 25,000 subscribers | Not published | $97 |
| The catch | There is no self-service way to cancel. You have to call their Billing Support line, and the moment the account closes you lose access to your contacts, campaigns and reports immediately, with only a 30-day window before an inactive account's data can be deleted for good. | The free plan holds one course only, and takes 0% on sales, which is rare. |
| G2 score | 4.1 out of 5, from 7,450 reviews | 4.8 out of 5, from 750 reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 4.0 out of 5, from 2,011 reviews | 4.9 out of 5, from 8,448 reviews |
Figures read off each vendor's own pricing page on 9 September 2026. Where a row says not published, that vendor does not state a price at that list size and we will not invent one.
The last two rows are other people's scores, not ours, read on 6 September 2026. Check them yourself:Constant Contact on G2, Constant Contact on Trustpilot, Systeme.io on G2, Systeme.io on Trustpilot.
Getting your list back out
Constant ContactHard to leave
There is no self-service cancel button. Their own help article says you have to call their Billing Support line, and once the account is cancelled you immediately lose access to your contacts, campaigns and reporting; images go offline and integrations disconnect. They only guarantee to store the account and its data for 30 days afterward, after which an inactive account's contacts and content may be permanently deleted. Source
Systeme.io
You can export contacts to CSV yourself at any time. Cancelling does not take effect immediately: it stops the subscription from renewing, and you keep access until the end of the current billing period, at which point the plan is removed automatically. Their terms and conditions add that subscription plans are non-refundable, and that an account can be banned without notice for a content-policy violation. What happens to stored data after a cancellation takes effect is not stated. Source
Constant Contact vs Systeme.io, answered
- Is Constant Contact or Systeme.io better for an online course?
- Neither is better outright, and anyone who says so is guessing on your behalf. Systeme.io if you are starting out with no budget. Systeme.io if you are a list already in the thousands. Systeme.io if you are worried about being locked in. Systeme.io if you are selling the course from the same tool.
- Which of Constant Contact and Systeme.io has the better free plan?
- Systeme.io allows more free subscribers (2,000 against none). A bigger allowance is not automatically the better plan: check the welcome sequence row above, because that is where the two usually part company.
- Can I move from Constant Contact to Systeme.io later?
- Yes, and you should assume you will. Export your list before you cancel anything, and keep whatever marks who bought from you. We wrote the whole running order up separately.
Try either one
Constant ContactA well-known name in small-business marketing, built before online courses existed
A$12.75/mo AUDpaid plans start here. No free plan. Read off their pricing page on 9 September 2026.
See Constant Contact pricingRead the full Constant Contact breakdownSysteme.ioCourse hosting, funnels and email on one free plan
$17/mo USDpaid plans start here. Free up to 2,000. Read off their pricing page on 9 September 2026.
Start free on Systeme.ioRead the full Systeme.io breakdownMoving between them? Read the switching guide first, or answer 5 questions to check neither of these is the wrong shortlist.
Neither of these? See all 14, including which ones connect straight to Teachable, Kajabi, Podia or Thinkific, or compare what they cost as your list grows.