Email Automation Software Comparison

The following table compares the major features of the most popular email automation software.

Program NamePrice
(U.S. $)		Features
Database
Merge		HTMLDirect
Delivery		Conditional
Bodies		Incoming
Email
Processing		Multi-
Threading		WYSIWYG
HTML
Editing		Command
Line		Message
Preview		Multiple
File
Attachments		Auto-
Responder		List
Server
Aestiva Broadcast$1499-
$4995		YesYes--Yes-Yes-----
Arclab MailList Controller$99-
$199		YesYes--YesYesYes-YesYesYes-
Arial Campaign Enterprise$1995/
year		YesYesYes-YesYesYes-YesYes--
BMail Pro$95YesYes-YesYesYes--Yes--Yes
Desktop Server IV$299Yes-Yes------Yes--
Dynamic Mail Communicator$200-$330YesYesYes-Yes----YesYesYes
Email Workshop$89-Yes--Yes-Yes-----
eMill$695-2495YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes-Yes
Gammadyne Mailer$130YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Handy Mailer$199-YesYes--YesYes--Yes--
Lyris$500-
$37,500		YesYesYesYesYesYes-YesYesYes-Yes
LegalMail$1399/
month		-YesYes-Yes----Yes--
Program NamePriceDatabase
Merge		HTMLDirect
Delivery		Conditional
Bodies		Incoming
Email
Processing		Multi-
Threading		WYSIWYG
HTML
Editing		Command
Line		Message
Preview		Multiple
File
Attachments		Auto-
Responder		List
Server
ListSorcerer$399YesYesYes-YesYes---YesYes-
Mach10$370Yes---YesYes------
Mailloop$379-YesYes-YesYes--YesYes-Yes
Mailworkz Broadcast$299-
$1495		YesYesYes-Yes-Yes-YesYes--
Multiemail Server$199YesYesYes-Yes----Yes--
OMISystems EchoEmail$400/
month		MySQL
only		YesYesYes-Yes------
Personalizemail Enterprises$179YesYesYes------Yes--
Platinum Corporate Mailer$299YesYesYes--Yes---Yes--
PostCast$179YesYes--Yes-------
Postmaster$199-
$299		YesYes-YesYesYes--YesYesYes-
Power Email Harvester$149.95--Yes--Yes------
StealthMail Master$150/
month		--Yes--Yes------
Topica$50-$2500
/month		YesYes--Yes-Yes-----
UnityMail???YesYes----------
Program NamePriceDatabase
Merge		HTMLDirect
Delivery		Conditional
Bodies		Incoming
Email
Processing		Multi-
Threading		WYSIWYG
HTML
Editing		Command
Line		Message
Preview		Multiple
File
Attachments		Auto-
Responder		List
Server

Please send corrections here.


Explanation of Features

Database Merge - The ability to obtain data directly from any ODBC database and merge it into individual messages, thus personalizing them for the recipient.

HTML - The ability to send messages in HTML format, permitting specially formatted text and embedded graphics.  Gammadyne Mailer allows you to merge database data into the HTML body, and send different images to different recipients.

Direct Delivery - the ability to send email directly to each recipient's mailbox, bypassing the ISP's mail server.  Click here for a complete article on this feature.

Conditional Bodies - The ability to include and exclude sections of the text and HTML bodies, based on database data.  Gammadyne Mailer also supports conditional attachments, conditional header fields, and conditional embedded HTML images.

Incoming Email Processing - The ability to automatically process incoming email.  This includes sign-ups, opt-outs, and bounce-backs.

Multi-Threading - The ability to send multiple emails simultaneously, which greatly increases the speed of the mailing.  Also known as Multi-Tasking.

WYSIWYG HTML Editing - The ability to create an attractive HTML body for an outgoing email using a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) HTML Editor, similar to a word processor.

Command Line - The ability to initiate a mailing from the DOS command line.  This is useful for creating desktop shortcuts and batches.  Gammadyne Mailer also supports the addition and removal of recipients from the command line, as well as processing of incoming mail.

Preview - The ability to view all final, personalized messages before they are sent.  Gammadyne Mailer allows you to make changes to individual messages in the preview phase.

Multiple File Attachments - The ability to attach any number of files to each message.  Gammadyne Mailer can automatically send different attachments to different recipients based on database values.  It can even custom-build the contents of each attachment.

Auto-Responder - The ability to send an automatic reply to all incoming email.  Gammadyne Mailer can send different auto-responses based on the content of the incoming email.

List Server - The ability to accept an incoming message from a member of a mailing list, and rebroadcast the message to all other members on the mailing list.