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HubSpot Marketing Hub, Klaviyo, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, Omnisend, and Mailchimp are among the best tools for combining SMS and email marketing in a single automated workflow in 2026. These platforms help businesses coordinate customer communication across multiple channels, automate follow-up sequences, personalize campaigns, and improve engagement without relying on disconnected systems.
If your email campaigns run in one platform and your SMS campaigns run in another, you already know how frustrating it can be to keep customer communication organized.
For most businesses, HubSpot Marketing Hub is the strongest choice for combining SMS and email marketing in a single automated workflow—it connects both channels directly to CRM data, lifecycle stages, and revenue reporting in one platform. Combining SMS and email marketing within a single workflow creates a more seamless customer experience while helping businesses improve engagement, automate communication, and better manage the entire customer lifecycle.
According to the GSMA, mobile technologies and services generated approximately 5.8% of global GDP in 2024, highlighting the growing influence of mobile-first customer experiences.
Quick Rundown: Best Tools to Combine SMS and Email Marketing
• HubSpot Marketing Hub — Best overall for CRM-driven SMS and email automation
• Klaviyo — Best for ecommerce customer journeys and behavioral targeting
• Brevo — Best budget-friendly email and SMS marketing platform
• ActiveCampaign — Best for advanced workflow automation
• Omnisend — Best for ecommerce automation and omnichannel campaigns
• Mailchimp — Best for simple email-first marketing
Why Businesses Combine SMS and Email Marketing
Email marketing remains one of the most effective channels for customer communication, while SMS provides immediate visibility and engagement.
Using these channels independently often creates fragmented customer experiences. A customer may receive an email campaign but never receive a relevant SMS follow-up, or vice versa.
According to Shopify’s research, SMS messages can achieve significantly higher open rates than email, making SMS a valuable complement to email marketing workflows. Meanwhile, Litmus reports that email marketing delivers an average return of $36 for every $1 spent, reinforcing its role as one of the highest-performing digital marketing channels. When used together, SMS and email help businesses engage customers quickly while supporting long-term relationship building.
Combining SMS and email marketing helps businesses create a more connected customer experience. Rather than relying on a single communication channel, companies can increase engagement, improve campaign visibility, automate customer journeys, recover abandoned carts, nurture leads more effectively, strengthen customer retention, and maintain consistent messaging throughout the customer lifecycle.
Best Email and SMS Marketing Software for Automated Workflows
1. HubSpot Marketing Hub — Best Overall Multi-Channel Marketing Platform
Imagine a prospect downloads a guide from your website. HubSpot can automatically send a follow-up email, notify a salesperson, and schedule a text reminder if the prospect doesn't engage.
Businesses can create automated workflows that send emails, trigger SMS messages, update CRM records, assign sales tasks, and personalize customer experiences based on behavior.
Unlike standalone email or SMS tools, HubSpot provides a unified customer view that connects every interaction to contact records and lifecycle stages.
HubSpot allows businesses to automate customer journeys across multiple channels.
For example, a customer might receive an email campaign, click a product link, receive a follow-up SMS, and automatically enter a nurturing workflow without requiring manual intervention.
Businesses seeking stronger customer engagement often explore CRM tools that boost sales performance to better understand how automation improves conversion rates across multiple channels.
Because HubSpot connects communication channels with CRM data, businesses gain better visibility into how marketing activities contribute to revenue.
Try HubSpot Marketing Hub for free to manage email marketing, SMS campaigns, CRM data, and automation from one platform.
2. Klaviyo — Best Ecommerce SMS and Email Marketing Platform
Klaviyo is often the platform ecommerce brands choose when customer behavior drives most of their marketing decisions.
Retailers and online stores frequently use Klaviyo to automate customer communication based on browsing activity, purchases, and engagement behavior.
Klaviyo creates highly personalized customer journeys by combining SMS and email marketing based on real-time customer actions. Businesses can automate abandoned cart recovery, replenishment reminders, and post-purchase campaigns from a single platform.
3. Brevo — Best Budget-Friendly SMS and Email Marketing Software
Brevo combines email marketing, SMS campaigns, automation workflows, CRM capabilities, and customer segmentation tools.
Its affordable pricing makes it attractive for small businesses seeking multi-channel marketing without enterprise-level costs.
Brevo appeals to many small businesses because it keeps email and SMS marketing in one place without the cost or complexity of larger platforms. This improves campaign consistency while reducing software complexity.
4. ActiveCampaign — Best Workflow Automation Platform
If your marketing team builds complex customer journeys with multiple conditions and triggers, ActiveCampaign gives you more flexibility than most tools on this list.
The platform enables businesses to create highly customized workflows that combine email, SMS, customer actions, lead scoring, and CRM updates.
ActiveCampaign helps automate complex customer journeys that adapt dynamically based on user behavior and engagement patterns.
5. Omnisend — Best Ecommerce Marketing Automation Tool
Omnisend combines email marketing, SMS marketing, push notifications, and ecommerce automation.
The platform is designed specifically for online stores and supports automated workflows across multiple communication channels.
Omnisend enables ecommerce businesses to coordinate campaigns across email and SMS while maintaining consistent messaging throughout the customer journey.
6. Mailchimp — Best Email-First Marketing Platform
Mailchimp remains one of the most recognized email marketing platforms.
While traditionally focused on email marketing, Mailchimp supports SMS capabilities through integrations and automation workflows.
Mailchimp helps businesses create simple multi-channel marketing campaigns while maintaining ease of use and accessibility.
Best SMS and Email Marketing Software Comparison Table
Best SMS and Email Marketing Software Comparison Table
| Feature | HubSpot | Klaviyo | Brevo | ActiveCampaign | Omnisend | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRM Integration | Excellent | Moderate | Moderate | Strong | Limited | Limited |
| SMS Marketing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Via integrations |
| Email Marketing | Excellent | Excellent | Strong | Strong | Strong | Excellent |
| Workflow Automation | Advanced | Advanced | Good | Advanced | Strong | Moderate |
| Customer Segmentation | Advanced | Advanced | Good | Advanced | Strong | Good |
| Analytics | Excellent | Strong | Good | Strong | Strong | Good |
| Best For | CRM-driven growth | Ecommerce | Budget-friendly marketing | Advanced automation | Ecommerce | Email marketing |
How Automated SMS and Email Workflows Improve Customer Engagement
One of the biggest advantages of combining SMS and email marketing is consistency.
Customers rarely engage with every communication channel equally. Some customers prefer email, while others respond more frequently to text messages.
Automated workflows allow businesses to coordinate communication across channels while adapting messaging based on customer behavior.
A lead nurturing workflow might begin with an educational email and follow up with an SMS reminder if the message goes unopened. Ecommerce businesses often use a similar approach for abandoned cart recovery by sending an email first and then a text reminder if the purchase is not completed. Customer onboarding campaigns frequently combine welcome emails with SMS messages containing account information, while promotional campaigns use both channels to maximize visibility and engagement.
Common Automated SMS and Email Marketing Workflows
Most businesses start with a handful of automation workflows that consistently deliver results. A welcome series helps introduce new subscribers to your brand, while abandoned cart campaigns encourage shoppers to complete purchases they left behind. Product launch campaigns keep customers informed about new offerings, and re-engagement workflows help bring inactive subscribers back into the conversation.
Many businesses also use loyalty and rewards campaigns to strengthen customer relationships over time. By combining email and SMS within these workflows, companies can stay visible across multiple channels while reducing the need for manual follow-up. The goal is simple: deliver the right message at the right time using the communication channel customers are most likely to notice.
How to Choose Email and SMS Marketing Software
1. Determine Whether CRM Integration Is Important
Businesses that rely heavily on customer data often benefit from platforms with built-in CRM capabilities. HubSpot is particularly strong in this area.
2. Evaluate Workflow Automation Requirements
Some businesses need simple automations while others require advanced customer journeys.
Businesses implementing advanced automation often use lead scoring in CRM systems to prioritize customer engagement opportunities.
3. Consider Future Growth
Many businesses start with email marketing and later expand into SMS, CRM software, and advanced automation.
Businesses planning long-term growth can also benefit from starter CRMs for growing teams before selecting a platform capable of supporting future marketing initiatives.
4. Assess Reporting Capabilities
Look for platforms that connect campaign performance directly to customer outcomes and revenue.
5. Review Ecommerce Integrations
Businesses selling online should evaluate integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and other ecommerce platforms.
FAQ About SMS and Email Marketing Automation
Why combine SMS and email marketing?
Combining SMS and email marketing helps businesses reach customers through multiple communication channels. Email is often better for detailed content and promotions, while SMS is effective for reminders, urgent updates, and time-sensitive offers. Using both together creates a more consistent customer experience and can improve engagement rates.
What is the best tool for combining SMS and email marketing?
For most businesses, HubSpot Marketing Hub is one of the best options because it combines CRM data, email marketing, workflow automation, reporting, and SMS integrations within a single platform. Ecommerce businesses may also consider Klaviyo or Omnisend, while Brevo is often a strong budget-friendly alternative.
Can HubSpot automate both email and SMS marketing workflows?
Yes, HubSpot Marketing Hub can automate email marketing workflows natively and supports SMS automation through integrations with SMS marketing providers. Businesses can use HubSpot CRM, workflows, lead scoring, forms, and customer segmentation to create automated customer journeys that combine email communication with SMS follow-ups. This allows marketing teams to build more personalized campaigns while keeping customer data, reporting, and marketing automation activities connected within HubSpot's platform.
Is SMS marketing more effective than email marketing?
SMS and email serve different purposes. SMS messages generally receive faster attention because they appear directly on a customer's mobile device. Email, however, allows businesses to deliver more detailed information, newsletters, educational content, and longer promotional messages. Many businesses achieve the best results by using both channels together rather than choosing one over the other.
Can I automate SMS and email campaigns together?
Yes. Most modern marketing automation platforms allow businesses to create workflows that combine email and SMS communication. For example, a customer might receive an email first and then an SMS reminder if they do not engage with the email.
What is the cheapest platform for SMS and email marketing?
Brevo is often considered one of the most affordable options for businesses that want to combine SMS and email marketing. However, pricing varies based on contact volume, messaging usage, automation requirements, and additional features.
Do SMS and email marketing workflows improve conversions?
In many cases, yes. Coordinated multi-channel campaigns can improve visibility, customer engagement, and conversion rates because businesses are able to communicate through the channels customers use most frequently.
Can small businesses use SMS and email marketing automation?
Absolutely. Platforms such as Brevo, Mailchimp, HubSpot, and ActiveCampaign offer automation tools that help small businesses manage customer communication without requiring large marketing teams.
What are the most common SMS and email automation workflows?
Some of the most popular workflows include welcome sequences, abandoned cart recovery campaigns, lead nurturing programs, customer onboarding journeys, product launch announcements, re-engagement campaigns, and loyalty program communications.
Do I need a CRM to combine SMS and email marketing?
No, but CRM integration can significantly improve personalization, segmentation, reporting, and customer tracking. Platforms with built-in CRM capabilities often provide a more complete view of customer interactions across marketing and sales activities.
Final Verdict
Each platform offers a different approach to combining SMS and email marketing. Klaviyo and Omnisend excel in ecommerce environments, Brevo provides affordability, ActiveCampaign focuses on workflow automation, and Mailchimp remains a popular email-first solution.
For businesses looking to combine SMS marketing, email marketing, CRM software, customer segmentation, and automation within a single platform, HubSpot Marketing Hub offers one of the most complete solutions available. Its ability to connect customer data with multi-channel communication helps businesses create more personalized experiences while improving reporting and campaign performance.
As customer expectations continue to evolve, businesses increasingly benefit from coordinated communication strategies that combine SMS and email marketing into a single automated workflow.
If you're looking for a platform that unifies customer data, automation, email marketing, and SMS campaigns, try HubSpot Marketing Hub for free—it is one of the strongest options available.
