Aweber vs Square Marketing
Aweber and Square Marketing both handle customer outreach effectively. Aweber focuses on deep email marketing features and broad integrations. Square Marketing excels with seamless POS integration and text message campaigns. This comparison helps you decide which tool best fits your business model.
Feature-rich, hampered by operational flaws.
We find AWeber provides a functional email marketing platform targeting small businesses with strong automation and AI tools. However, external feedback detailing unexpected billing practices and unannounced account suspensions raises significant concerns about user trust and service reliability. Overall, the reported operational and customer service drawbacks severely counteract the platform's solid feature set.
Pros
- Access to 24/7 support via phone, chat, and email (as advertised).
- Robust AI assistants available for drafting emails and refining subject lines.
- Flexible pricing tiers starting low for 500 contacts, available with a free trial.
- Unlimited features provided on the Plus plan, including automations and landing pages.
Cons
- Numerous reports of 'sneaky billing,' including charging for unsubscribed or inactive lists.
- Customer accounts or essential features often suspended without prior email notification.
- Users report significant difficulty securing refunds, even when canceling during the trial period.
- Arbitrary rejection of imported customer lists, leading to account suspension risks.
Integrated Marketing Built for Square Users.
We find that Square Marketing provides exceptional value through its deep integration with the Square ecosystem. Its user-friendly design simplifies automated email and text campaigns effectively. Overall, we believe this is the best marketing solution available for current Square users who prioritize seamless connectivity and actionable sales data.
Pros
- Excellent integration with Square POS and Customer Directory.
- Highly user-friendly and supports easy campaign setup and tracking.
- Automated campaigns available for emails, texts, and Google review collection.
- Reliable platform performance and consistent payment processing.
Cons
- General Square processing fees are frequently viewed as high by some users.
- Interface navigation can sometimes be challenging for complex features.
- Support responsiveness varies, especially for deep technical or billing inquiries.
- Initial merchant account verification process may take several days.
AboutAweber
AWeber is a dedicated email and automation solution created to support small businesses. Their goal is to provide powerful tools that help you grow at a fraction of the cost of other systems. The platform focuses on making it easy to grow your customer base and increase your total revenue. ✅
It offers ready-made, eye-catching landing pages and sign-up forms that you can effortlessly add to your website. If you're ready to sell directly, you can also set up your own online store in just minutes. This complete system is designed to take your business to the next level.
AboutSquare Marketing
Square Marketing is an integrated solution designed to help you connect directly with your customers. You can easily expand your business using personalized email and text campaigns. These campaigns can be sent once or set up as recurring automations. Square Marketing helps you promote new products, announce events, or share last-minute deals. It drives traffic directly to your online or physical stores. ✅
This system also works well with the free Square Customer Directory. This built-in CRM tool is integrated with your Square Point of Sale. It gives you a complete view of your customers, including their purchasing habits. This integration allows you to sync sales data and track sales attribution across all your channels and store locations.
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
System Integration
Square Marketing integrates perfectly with all Square tools; Aweber needs 750+ external connections.
Aweber offers over 750 third-party integrations for connection flexibility. It works well with many external systems users already rely on. Payment processing uses Stripe and applies a transaction fee. Square Marketing provides seamless integration with Square POS and the Customer Directory CRM. It uses a totally unified system for inventory and sales data. If you need a specialized tool that connects to many existing systems, Aweber is the better choice. Square Marketing wins if you live entirely within the Square business ecosystem. If you sell in-person using Square POS, Square Marketing syncs sales data instantly. This avoids complicated API setup often needed by Aweber.
Marketing Channels
Aweber is primarily focused on email; Square Marketing offers powerful email and Text SMS campaigns.
Aweber focuses on robust email creation, campaign management, and landing pages. Its strength is maximizing email deliverability and design. Square Marketing allows unlimited email sends plus a dedicated Text Message Marketing plan. Texts boast a 98% open rate, driving extreme urgency. The option to use text messages is a huge advantage for Square Marketing for time-sensitive offers. Aweber users must rely solely on email outreach. For maximizing reach quickly, sending an instant follow-up text via Square Marketing is very effective.
Sales Attribution
Square Marketing tracks sales directly through POS data; Aweber needs external setup for attribution.
Aweber requires integrating with an external processor like Stripe for ecommerce tracking. You then track sales through those complex integrations. Square Marketing syncs sales data across all channels via the Square Dashboard instantly. Coupon redemption tracking is precise and easy. You know exactly which Square Marketing campaign led to a specific sale seamlessly. Aweber's tracking requires more configuration and third-parties. For a business driven by in-person sales or coupons, Square Marketing simplifies the essential ROI calculation greatly.
Customer Support
Aweber offers 24/7 real-time support; Square Marketing support is rated highly but not explicitly 24/7.
Aweber advertises 24/7 in-house support via phone, live chat, or email channels. This constant availability is excellent for urgent email issues. Square Marketing users praise support responsiveness, citing fast and kind interactions. However, explicit 24/7 service isn't guaranteed in the data. For urgent, time-sensitive email issues, Aweber’s declared 24/7 access gives extra peace of mind. Both offer high-quality help. New users migrating data frequently highlight Aweber's promise of constant support during setup and onboarding.
Onboarding & Migration
Aweber provides free, guided migration services; Square Marketing requires you to already use their ecosystem.
Aweber offers free migration assistance with a dedicated expert team. They handle moving your data from your prior ESP efficiently. Square Marketing automatically builds its contact list from your Square POS and Customer Directory. Migration is an internal data sync. If you are moving from a competitor, Aweber makes the transition painless and cost-free. Square Marketing assumes you are already an active Square user. Aweber even offers a "Done For You" onboarding which includes template setup and a 1:1 consultation call.
Reputation Management
Square Marketing automates Google Review collection after a sale; Aweber does not include this feature.
Aweber focuses strictly on email marketing functions, not integrating brand review collection. You need other tools for this task. Square Marketing uses automated campaigns to solicit Google Reviews after a transaction. This is a critical feature for establishing online trust. Building trust and credibility is made simpler because Square Marketing handles review requests automatically. Aweber requires manual steps or a paid third-party tool. This feature directly helps with business SEO and brand authority, seamlessly integrating with the customer journey.
Our Verdict
Deciding between Aweber and Square Marketing means choosing an ecosystem. Both offer strong email tools, but their core philosophies differ significantly. Square Marketing is built for tight cohesion with retail and service operations. Aweber remains the go-to independent powerhouse for pure email marketing. Aweber’s true superpower is flexibility and comprehensive support. It boasts over 750 integrations for connection to almost any system you run. If you need 24/7 support or free expert migration from an old provider, Aweber wins easily. Square Marketing excels by becoming operationally invisible; it simply works with your sales. Its seamless integration with Square POS is unmatched by any competitor. Critically, Square Marketing offers powerful Text Message Marketing and automated Google Review collection. The deciding factor is your current payment processor. If you already use Square POS, choosing Square Marketing is a total no-brainer. If you are independent of Square or require advanced custom workflows, Aweber is the superior option for email. Pick Square Marketing for retail, simplicity, and immediate conversion tracking connected to sales. Choose Aweber if you need a specialized, highly flexible email tool with unbeatable 24/7 customer support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for small e-commerce: Aweber or Square Marketing?
Square Marketing is better if you use Square POS for payment processing. It links sales data directly to campaigns for precise ROI tracking. Aweber requires integrating with external processors like Stripe for ecommerce functions. Aweber has a better free starting plan.
Can Square Marketing handle advanced email automation like Aweber?
Aweber is more flexible, offering 90% pre-built customizable automations for complex series. Square Marketing focuses on simple, set-and-forget automations like welcome, birthday, and lapse reminders. Square Marketing prioritizes simplicity over depth.
Does Aweber offer Text Message (SMS) Marketing capabilities?
No, Aweber focuses on email marketing and landing pages. Square Marketing offers a dedicated, paid Text Message Marketing plan. This allows Square Marketing users to leverage texts' 98% open rate.
Which tool is cheaper to start with: Aweber or Square Marketing?
Aweber is cheaper to start with as it offers a permanent free-forever plan. Square Marketing only offers a 30-day free trial for email and text plans. After the trial, Square Marketing requires immediate paid subscriptions.
Which has better third-party software integration: Aweber or Square Marketing?
Aweber is superior, offering over 750 integrations with external tools. Square Marketing is primarily designed to integrate only within the Square ecosystem. Aweber offers far greater connection flexibility.
How do Aweber and Square Marketing track campaign sales attribution?
Square Marketing links attribution directly to your Square POS sales data seamlessly. Aweber tracks sales via integrated third-party platforms like Stripe. Square Marketing offers cleaner, simpler sales visibility.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.