Autoresponder: Task, Function, Service Provider Comparison and Conclusion

(In Deutsch)

An autoresponder sends emails on your behalf and in your name.

In this article I present you the differences between one-mail autoresponders and sequential autoresponders and present you similarities and differences between AWeber, GetResponse and RapidResponseBot. You will find detailed reviews, overview, comparison and recommendation.

  • TL;DR
  • What is an Autoresponder?
  • What is an Sequential Autoresponder?
  • Idea and Functionality
  • Couldn’t one do this oneself?
  • Service Providers of Sequential Autoresponders
  • Overview and Rating of AWeber, GetResponse and RapidResponseBot
  • Which Autoresponder is right for me?
  • Conclusion

TL;DR

In summary, the presented autoresponders are all powerful services, that allow you to handle smaller and larger lists without any problem, and – most importantly – ensuring delivery of your messages:

  • RapidResponseBot is the less fancy, more technical option, but provides all required core functionalities. It is usually the cheaper than the others.
  • AWeber is trusted by many high profile marketers, very beginner friendly with learning material and fas and effective support team. It provides lot’s of pre-build templates.
  • GetResponse is also trusted by well known marketers, beginner friendly with templates, laerning materials and fast spport team. It is even more customizable than AWeber and – in the yearly option – a bit cheaper even for larger lists.

What is an Autoresponder?

In the original meaning autoresponders respond independently and automatically on requests.

This started with notes, that a email could not be delievered and is gladly and often used to send away messages.

But this away-message is just a special case of an automated response: “Respond on each incomig message with ‘I am on vacation.'”

Autoresponder, as they come with most hosting plansm can also be used to deliver any response. For this, one just creates a separate mail address (e.g. pricing@domain.xx), and lets an autoresponder reply with the desired information.

Not bad, but very limited.

But autoresponders have evolved.

What is a Sequential Autoresponder?

On autoresponder specialized services offer powerful tools.

Idea and Functionality

The basic idea is not to send a single message, but multiple, that are planned, scheduled, and will be sent automatically. These multiple messages are called sequences or follow-ups.

In addition statistics are created, whether and how many clicked on a link, and much more.

The ideal application for sequential autoresponders are messages that can be scheduled.

This could be a multiple-part course or a set of tips, that get their parts delivered every few days. If this tips are for information or include offers for products or services is of course up to you.

However, with most autoresponders you can send messages directly, so they can be used for sending newsletters or other communications as well.

Couldn’t one do this oneself?

Yes and No.

Technically, of course.

But there are several – often severe – problems:

  • For larger lists, sending takes some time, especially as some ISPs limit the number of sent messages in a period of time.
  • For larger lists, there are often invalid addresses, full mailboxes or away messages. These go to the sender and not every tool deletes them automatically.

This is annoying, but the real problems lie here:

  • A good part of the message could end up in providers spam filter, either because the message content looks like spam, or simply because too many messages arrive in a short time. Some estimate that 40% to 60% of mail is not delivered, if one sends it oneself. Imagine that your readership is halved. That alone makes this approach unusable.
  • Statistics can not be created effectively without access to external providers. The analysis is more complex or perhaps even error-prone.
  • And in general the desire for immediate response to subscribe and unsubscribe requests enforce, that you process immediately. This effectively forces a server-based solution, with the risk that messages reported as spam by the recipients could have a negative impact on your entire server, for example, that it is filtered completely.

All these problems are solved by external providers of autoresponder services.

  • You have nothing to do with the delivery directly. You schedule the sending, what, when, and how it is delivered. The execution lies with the autoresponder service.
  • The operator is using complete server landscapes for the distribution, even the largest message quantities are no problem.
  • The provider records significant statistics that gives you valuable insights.
  • The auto-responder operator ensures with contracts and relationships with providers that ‘his’ mail is delivered, and not filtered by provider spam filters. The operator guarantees on the other side, that it is not used by spammers, so your messages are found only in good company.
  • And of course, the provider takes care of the list management and ensures that interested parties can subscribe and unsubscribe at any time.

Service Providers of Sequential Autoresponders

Here you find my findings, reviews and ratings of AWeber, GetResponse and RapidResponseBot:

Overview and Ratings of AWeber, GetResponse und RapidResponseBot

Criteria AWeber

AWeber Logo

GetResponse

GetResponse Logo

RapidResponseBot

RapidResponseBot Logo

Total 3.95
★★★★☆
4.30
★★★★☆
3.15
★★★☆☆
Further Information
Details & Review AWeber GetResponse RapidResponseBot
Test/Subscribe AWeber GetResponse RapidResponseBot
Userbase ★★★★☆ ★★★★★ ★★★☆☆
Autoresponder ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★☆
– Personalization ★★★★☆ ★★★★★ ★★★★★
– Campaigns ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★
– Newsletter ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ ★★★★★
– Other Features ★★★★★ ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆
Control Functions ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★☆☆
Support ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★☆☆
– Mail-Support ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★☆☆
– Documentation ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★☆☆
– Videos ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ☆☆☆☆☆
– Forum ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ☆☆☆☆☆
– Blog ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ☆☆☆☆☆
– Templates ★★★★☆ ★★★★★ ☆☆☆☆☆
Prices (list size) ★★☆☆☆ ★★★☆☆ ★★★★★
– to 500 ★★★☆☆ ★★★☆☆ ★★★★★
– to 1000 ★★☆☆☆ ★★★☆☆ ★★★★★
– to 5000 ★★☆☆☆ ★★★☆☆ ★★★★★
– to 10000 ★★☆☆☆ ★★★☆☆ ★★★★★
– from 10000 ★★☆☆☆ ★★★☆☆ ★★★★★
Total 3.95
★★★★☆
4.30
★★★★☆
3.15
★★★☆☆
Further Information
Details & Review AWeber GetResponse RapidResponseBot
Test/Subscribe AWeber GetResponse RapidResponseBot

Which Autoresponder is right for me?

Every provider presented is very good. It does not matter which of these you choose, because everyone will support you in the list creation and list management.

But there are differences in functionality, ideal users and the price that highlights a provider depending on your requirements:

  • If you as a starter want a superior service with excellent features, rapid support and wide support by tutorials and templates, AWeber is your choice.
  • If you want the unparalleled mail personalization of an outstanding service with superior functionality, rapid support and the broadest support of templates, or might want to start free, GetResponse is your choice.
  • If you are for a concentration on essential, really cool features paired with some unique features, and appreciate planning security and lower costs, and do not regret missing templates, RapidResponseBot is your choice.

Conclusion

If you build large lists, do not really need templates and are willing to accept a less modern user interface, RapidResponseBot is the right choice for you, because it is simply cheaper.

Otherwise you can freely choose between AWeber and GetResponse, as they are fully comparable in functionality, support and possibilities.

Premium-Tools (e.g. for Internet Marketers) support both.

  • AWeber – my feeling – a little bit more often.
  • I like the possibilities in configuration and planning capatabilities a bit more with GetResponse, that in addition – if you can do yearly payments – remains a bit cheaper even for larger lists.

Which provider did you choose? Why?

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