ContactOut is a contact management and email marketing platform that allows businesses to organize contacts, create and send email campaigns, and track results. But is ContactOut a legit service that can be trusted? Here is an overview of ContactOut, its features, pricing, and whether it is considered a legitimate platform for contact management and email marketing.
What is ContactOut?
ContactOut is an online software platform designed to help small businesses, startups, agencies, and enterprises manage contacts and send email marketing campaigns. The key features of ContactOut include:
- Contact management – Organize contacts into custom lists and segments. Add tags and notes.
- Email campaign creation – Design, create, and send broadcast emails, newsletters, automations.
- Landing pages & forms – Build landing pages and forms to capture leads.
- Email templates – Use pre-designed email templates or create custom email designs.
- Segmentation – Target contacts based on attributes to send more personalized emails.
- Automation – Set up automated email workflows based on subscriber behavior.
- Reporting – Track opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and other metrics to optimize campaigns.
- Integrations – Connect to CRMs, marketing apps, payment processors, and more.
ContactOut offers different pricing plans depending on number of contacts and features needed. It also provides a free plan for up to 2,500 contacts.
Is ContactOut legit? Overview
When evaluating the legitimacy of any software platform, there are a few key factors to consider:
Company history & reputation
ContactOut was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. It is backed by reputable investors like GGV Capital and Sigma Prime Ventures. The founders and employees have backgrounds from other tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Optimizely.
Terms of service
ContactOut has a detailed terms of service that discloses its data practices, privacy policy, and other legal terms. This level of transparency helps build trust in the service.
Security & compliance
ContactOut states that it uses industry best practices for security including encryption, backups, access controls, and more. Contact data is stored on secure servers. ContactOut is also GDPR and CCPA compliant.
Product capabilities
ContactOut provides all the core features needed for contact management and email marketing. The platform has email deliverability features to land in the inbox. Users also report that the platform is reliable and easy to use.
Customer reviews
Reviews of ContactOut on sites like Capterra, G2Crowd, and Software Advice are generally positive. Users mention it provides good value for money along with great customer support. There are over 850 customer reviews averaging 4/5 stars.
Case studies
ContactOut provides case studies from customers highlighting results they achieved from using the platform. For example, PlanGrid built an email list of 320,000 subscribers and decreased its unsubscribe rate to 0.2% using ContactOut.
Conclusion
In summary, ContactOut exhibits the signs of a legitimate contact management and email marketing platform based on:
- Established company with vetted funding and employees
- Transparent legal terms and privacy policy
- Security provisions and compliance with regulations
- Positive reviews from 850+ paying customers
- Proven product capabilities and results
While no platform is 100% foolproof, ContactOut appears to take the appropriate measures to build trust and provide a reliable service according to industry best practices. There are no glaring issues reported with the company that would raise red flags. So in general, ContactOut can be considered a legitimate platform for businesses looking for an alternative to providers like Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
ContactOut features
Here is a more detailed look at some of the key features ContactOut provides:
Contact management
Organize your contacts with custom tags and segments. Add detailed notes and activity tracking. Import contacts via CSV or integrate with your CRM.
Email campaign builder
Drag-and-drop email builder to create broadcasts, automations, newsletters. Dynamic content, open & click tracking. Schedule and send to contacts.
Landing pages & forms
Create unlimited landing pages and forms to capture leads. Integrate with your email campaigns to convert more subscribers.
Segmentation & groups
Leverage segmentation to group contacts by attributes like location, interests, purchase history. Send targeted campaigns.
Email automation
Set up workflows to send drip campaigns, welcome series, cart abandonment emails, and more based on time or subscriber actions.
Analytics & reports
In-depth email analytics show opens, clicks, unsubscribes, social shares, geolocation and more to optimize your efforts.
Email deliverability
Dedicated IP address and tools like link click tracking help your emails land in the inbox and avoid spam folders.
Zapier integration
Connect and automate ContactOut with hundreds of other apps through Zapier. Streamline your workflows.
ContactOut pricing
ContactOut offers the following pricing plans:
| Plan | Price (monthly) | Contacts | Emails/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Up to 2,500 | 12,000 |
| Basic | $15 | Up to 5,000 | 20,000 |
| Standard | $29 | Up to 15,000 | 45,000 |
| Professional | $49 | Up to 40,000 | 90,000 |
| Enterprise | $299 | Up to 500,000 | 300,000 |
Discounts are available for annual plans. All plans include unlimited contacts and unlimited emails sent for automated campaigns like drip emails. Only broadcast emails count towards the monthly allotment.
ContactOut alternatives
Some top alternatives to ContactOut include:
Mailchimp
Industry leader for email marketing. Very robust platform. More expensive for mid to large contact lists.
Constant Contact
Around since the 1990s. Very easy to use. Focus on smaller businesses and getting started with email.
GetResponse
Email marketing plus webinars, landing pages, and marketing automation. Great education resources.
Sendinblue
France-based competitor. Affordable pricing plans with unlimited contacts on some tiers. Lots of features.
Omnisend
Designed for ecommerce stores. Great segmentation and automation features specifically for product promotions.
Benchmark Email
One of the most affordable solutions out there. Basic email marketing and automation capabilities.
Is ContactOut right for you?
ContactOut is best suited for small businesses, startups, agencies, and mid-market companies that want an affordable but full-featured email marketing platform.
Key advantages of ContactOut include:
- Intuitive drag and drop editor
- Powerful segmentation and automation
- Good deliverability features and inbox placement
- Zapier integration
- Quality customer support
Potential drawbacks:
- Less name brand recognition than Mailchimp or Constant Contact
- Smaller template selection compared to some competitors
- Email sending limitations on lower tier plans
Businesses with very large lists may need to look at higher-end solutions like Mailchimp or GetResponse. But ContactOut can definitely handle lists up to several hundred thousand contacts.
Overall, ContactOut provides great value for the money and all the must-have email marketing capabilities for small to mid-sized organizations. Many customers praise its ease of use along with great deliverability and customer support. So companies looking for a more affordable alternative to the major brands should definitely consider giving ContactOut a try.
