9 Best List Building Software to Boost Email Capture (2022)

Choosing the right list building software can drastically help increase signups to your sales and marketing newsletters! In this guide, I rank and review the top 9 list building software tools, along with my personal top 3 picks.

Disclosure: We may earn a commission for certain products in this article. All recommendations are genuine and verified by myself!

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List building is an essential element of any successful online marketing campaign. In order to grow your business, you need to collect the contact information of potential customers and followers. The best way to do this is by using high-quality list building tools to collect email addresses.

List building software is used by companies that want to streamline the process of acquiring hundreds and thousands of emails, leading customers to specific landing pages, building traffic, and ultimately, reinforcing the customer base.

If you are on the market searching for the best list building software in 2022, you may want to give some of these platforms a shot.

What Is List Building?

List building, or email list building, is the process of collecting email addresses and other contact information from customers or followers.

Businesses use lead magnets to generate leads so that they can continue marketing to them through their sales funnel. You can use a variety of different types of lead magnets including visual, video, audio, etc. Just take a look at the type of lead magnets that had the highest conversion rate based on 790 responses.

Businesses aren’t the only ones who collect email addresses. For example, many link in bio tools like the ones I mention in this list of Linktree alternatives provide users with the option to add a newsletter signup form to their microsite.

Once someone’s contact information is collected, this information can then be used to send periodic newsletters, special offers, or other announcements. Email list building can be done through online sign-up forms, physical sign-up sheets, or even through personal interactions such as business card swaps.

While it may take some effort to get started, email list building can be a great way to build relationships and increase your reach.

What Are The Best List Building Software Tools?

There are a variety of list building tools available for email list collection. They each have their own set of pros and cons and it can be overwhelming to determine which one you should choose. That being said, here is my list of the best list building software tools in 2022.

1. OptinMonster

Overview

OptinMonster is among the best list building software tools, as well as one of the most comprehensive platforms in the field of lead capture.

The highlight feature of OptinMonster is the drag and drop optin builder, which allows users to create and customize unique forms, mobile-friendly popups, success messages, and more. Additionally, the platform offers over 26 animation and audio-based effects that can be used in all forms.

The main purpose of OptinMonster is to generate more leads and bolster conversion rates. Its list building features with the Basic subscription package encompass list segmentation, subscriber recognition, streamlined reports, and more.

Users that opt for Plus, Pro, or Growth plans are privy to a variety of unique features, including OptinMonster’s proprietary Inactivity Sensor, Monster Effects, Monster Sounds, Monster Links, Smart Tags, success scripts, behavior automation, and much more.

Key Features

• Drag and drop editor and form builder
• List segmentation
• Subscriber recognition
• Inactivity Sensor
• Exit intent pop ups
• Geolocation, on-site, and page-based targeting (and re-targeting)
• Referrer detection
• Smart tags

Pricing

OptinMonster offers four subscription packages, including Basic at $14 per month; Plus at $30 per month; Pro at $47 per month, and Growth at $80 per month. The platform frequently offers discounts, in which case the monthly costs of these plans are $9, $19, $29, and $49 respectively.

What I Like / Dislike About OptinMonster

The versatility of OptinMonster is unparalleled. It’s more than list building software, offering numerous site optimization, lead generation & conversion, and campaign-building tools. To top it all, subscription plans are cheap considering the benefits they offer.

Its main drawback is the fact that some of its finest features are only available with pricier plans. I’m mainly pointing at the Zapier integration, geolocation targeting, Adblock detection, and behavior automation.

Who Is This For?

OptinMonster is a one-stop shop for businesses that want to steadily and rapidly expand and scale by using a single platform.

2. Thrive Leads

Overview

Thrive Leads is a huge part of the Thrive Themes platform, which aside from Leads, features Thrive Theme Builder, Architect, Quiz Builder, Ultimatum, Optimize, Ovation, Comments, and Automator.

The Thrive Leads program is designed as a WordPress plugin. It supports an array of opt-in forms and provides highly accurate targeting tools. Additionally, it sports a built-in A/B testing system and streamlined opt-in metrics.

Multiple types of opt-in forms can be built with Thrive Leads, including Sticky Ribbons, PopUp lightboxes, in-line forms, 2-step opt-in forms, slide-ins, opt-in widgets, and scroll mats, yes/no forms, as well as multiple-choice forms.

Key Features

• WordPress plugin format
• Features dozens of opt-in form styles and types
• Numerous templates for each form type
• A/B Testing engine
• Several modes of targeting

Pricing

Thrive Themes offers the full suite of apps, including Thrive Leads, at quarterly and annual rates. The quarterly subscription costs $99 while the annual subscription costs $299.

What I Like / Dislike About Thrive Leads

The synergy between the themes is remarkable. With Thrive Themes, you can build a WordPress website from scratch, optimize, automate, and spruce it to perfection. In terms of list-building, Thrive Leads is a simple tool equipped with a host of powerful features.

The main issue I have with Thrive Themes (and Leads) is that purchasing a standalone theme is currently not possible. You can either subscribe to get all nine, or none at all.

Who Is This For?

Thrive Themes and Thrive Leads are best-suited for businesses and entrepreneurs with WordPress-made websites that could welcome an upgrade or two. Thrive Themes features 9 expertly crafted plugins, each serving a different purpose.

3. Sleeknote

Overview

Sleeknote is arguably among the most streamlined list building programs available on the current market. From email collection to creating a curated, custom shopping experience for the consumers, this platform has what it takes to attract and retain shoppers, keep in touch with your clients, and collect feedback.

The Sleeknote platform offers the entire set of features across all pricing plans, limiting accounts to the number of monthly visitors instead.

It’s a campaign launcher, a gamification tool, a list-building app, and a program with numerous utility features, such as teaser creation, popup design tools, and more.

Key Features

• Monthly plans support between 25,000 to 500,000 visitors
• Unlimited campaign launches across all pricing plans
• Email collection and popup design tools
• Teaser previews and customization
• Drag and drop popup creator
• Custom-made campaigns

Pricing

Sleeknote offers five subscription plans, including Lite starting at €62 per month; Basic starting at €74 per month; Plus starting at €143 per month; Pro starting at €282 per month, and Premium starting at $462 per month. A free trial is available, as well as up to 20% discounts for users that opt for annual billing.

What I Like / Dislike About Sleeknote

I love that everyone can use all of Sleeknote’s features, regardless of the selected subscription plan. Speaking of which, the payment options are quite flexible; even the most expensive plan does not cost a fortune.

The limitations revolving around monthly visitors can be a big drawback for businesses with volatile website traffic.

Who Is This For?

Given that all of its features are unlocked with all pricing plans, Sleeknote is as great for small businesses as it is useful for larger corporations that need a streamlined app to push new content, reach out to broader audiences, and utilize a simplified lead conversion process.

4. Get Site Control

Overview

Get Site Control is an email collector and form builder that offers page-level targeting, popup control, auto-responder, performance reports, and an abundance of other features.

At its core, Get Site Control has pushed the envelope of opt-in advertising, automating the process of list building while enabling users to kick off advanced campaigns by creating tailored mobile-friendly, fully customizable pop-ups, and opt-in forms.

What separates Get Site Control from contemporary list building tools is its utility. With its features, users can quickly gather heaps of data, utilize advanced audience targeting functions, and finally implement various behavior triggers.

One of the most innovative features of Get Site Control is the suite of functions revolving around Shopify integrations. Special features were introduced to allow e-commerce brands to improve the user experience and interaction with the firm’s products.

Key Features

• A variety of opt-in forms and templates
• Real-time results tracking
• Geotargeting
• Response alarms and notifications
• A/B testing
• Email collecting

Pricing

Get Site Control offers three subscription plans, including Creator starting at $9 per month; Pro starting at $19 per month, and Pro Max starting at $29 per month.

What I Like / Dislike About Get Site Control

The Shopify integration and features designed to improve the UX design of e-commerce stores are beyond impressive. Furthermore, the behavior triggers and accurate audience targeting features optimize the odds of every campaign powered by Get Site Control features.

What I didn’t like is the limitations around monthly views imposed by Creator and Pro packages. That being said, this little drawback is not something you will encounter if you subscribe to the Pro Max, which is just slightly more expensive than the ‘regular’ Pro subscription.

Who Is This For?

Like most platforms I’ve covered so far, Get Site Control is more than a list building app. This platform is best suited for SMEs that want to improve website traffic and expand audience reach while on a cash-strapped budget.

5. Outgrow

Overview

Outgrow is lead conversion, optimization, and acquisition platform with elements of branding, digital marketing, and e-commerce automation.

Its main list building tools encompass survey, quiz, test, poll, and chatbot builders. Additionally, this platform features robust funnel analytics and conditional messaging utility, allowing brands to conduct A/B tests, experiment with different conditions, or add multimedia content, sending more personalized messages.

Chart and graph builders are also included on the list of features Outgrow is supplied with, but its extensive integrations are arguably more impactful. With a click of a button, users can integrate Outgrow profiles with Google Sheets, Mailchimp, Hubspot, Drip, SalesForce, MailerLite, and over a thousand other platforms.

Key Features

• Numerical calculators
• Poll, quiz, test, survey, and chatbot-building tools
• Graph and chart builders
• Customizable font, color, and text styles on messages
• Integrates with over a thousand newsletters

Pricing

Outgrow offers four subscription packages, including Freelancer-Limited at $14 per month; Freelancer at $25 per month; Essentials at $95 per month, and Business at $600 per month.

What I Like / Dislike About Outgrow

You will have an opportunity to use Outgrow’s lead generation, marketing, and list building tools, regardless of which pricing plan you subscribe to. The Freelancer packages are fairly cheap and offer plenty of form templates, unlimited embedding, and over 10,000 leads per year.

While Freelancer packages support only one user account, the Essentials package supports only three and may be too expensive for small firms and brands.

Who Is This For?

Outgrow’s features are different for each subscription plan. With the exception of the Business package, which is among the most expensive subscriptions in this review, this platform seems to cater the most to entrepreneurs and small marketing teams.

6. Privy

Overview

Privy is the first platform so far that offers both email and SMS list building tools. It’s primarily an e-commerce marketing platform, designed to boost ROI, sales, and leads for online merchants.

The features of Privy are aimed at expanding customer reach, stopping cart abandonment, and converting curious visitors into returning shoppers. All of Privy’s email and SMS builders boast the simplified drag and drop design, catering to the needs of business owners that may not be as tech-savvy.

One of the most impactful features of Privy is the abandoned cart email creator; it’s paired with the Shopify integration and allows users to craft professional abandoned cart emails in minutes.

Operating in a similar fashion are the welcome emails that can be created using Privy’s templates. Shopify merchants can capture emails and expand their contact list by installing Privy and integrating it with their Shopify store, which will in turn allow them to create customized email capture popups, again, with the Drag & Drop editor.

Key Features

• On-page targeting
• Comprehensive Shopify integration
• Cart abandonment and customer win-back emails
• Welcome email builder
• Drag & Drop design
• Privy Text message templates

Pricing

Privy offers two subscription packages, including Starter at $15 per month, and Growth at $45 per month. A free version is also available, supporting up to 100 mailable contacts, unlimited popups, and advanced targeting.

What I Like / Dislike About Privy

Privy is among the handful of platforms whose free version is actually formidable. Although it may not be as scalable as the Growth subscription plan, you will get to create an unlimited number of popups to expand your contact list. To top it all, advanced on-page targeting is available in all subscription plans.

Another thing that I really liked was the fact that you can customize your Privy subscription. If you book a meeting, you can arrange to get only list building software tools; if you need SMS list building features, you don’t need to subscribe to the Growth plan – you can add Privy Text to any subscription at a flat fee of $10 per month in exchange for up to 100 textable contacts.

I am not a huge fan of Privy’s Starter subscription package, as I don’t think it’s really too much of an upgrade when compared to the free version. The only big difference is the number of mailable contacts and the newsletter feature. The Growth package, on another hand, is drastically more versatile, packed with the most advanced features, and offers up to 3,000 mailable contacts, and 500 textable contacts.

Who Is This For?

The free Privy is absolutely perfect for entrepreneurs while the Growth plan is great for small-to-medium businesses.

7. Picreel

Overview

Picreel is a versatile online platform designed to boost sales and conversion of its clients with premium list building software, phone-capturing utilities, social media marketing features, and hundreds of popup templates.

Flexible pricing plans and fully unlocked features across all of them are the main highlights of Picreel. Users will be able to utilize timed popups, leverage detailed statistic reports, grab up to 300,000 emails with Picreel’s list building software, and prevent cart abandonment with the easy form, survey, and poll builders.

The main thing that differentiates Picreel’s subscription plans is the number of supported visitors per month (page views) per month. The Starter package supports only 3,000 while Picreel Pro supports up to 300,000 visitors per month. Enterprises can book an online meeting to discuss a custom plan.

Key Features

• CRM, mobile, and mail marketing integration
• Timed popup, form, poll, and survey building tools
• Detailed statistics reports
• Cart abandonment solutions
• On-site targeting and re-targeting features

Pricing

Picreel offers four standard packages and one custom subscription plan. The Starter subscription plan costs $14 per month; the Basic costs $52 per month; Picreel Plus costs $112 per month, and Picreel Pro costs $299 per month. The custom Enterprise plan can be subscribed to after an online meeting with Picreel’s representatives.

What I Like / Dislike About Picreel

Mobile, CRM, and mail marketing integrations are some of the things I liked the most about Picreel. These features are typically reserved for costlier subscription plans while Picreel offers them to everyone, regardless of the chosen subscription.

I also love how affordable Picreel’s services are. Although it may not be the best list building software on the planet, it does an amazing job at expanding customer reach, driving sales, and generating website traffic at highly approachable fees.

On the downside, I think Picreel lacks the advanced tools of dedicated list building platforms, such as the ability to add multimedia content to emails, or a broader selection of templates.

Who Is This For?

Price-wise, Picreel is for everyone. The brand made sure that there is a subscription plan for anyone’s budget, even offering custom plans for larger companies and e-commerce businesses.

In terms of list building capabilities, Picreel is ideal for entrepreneurs and companies that are still growing and in need of simple tried & tested tools to reach broader audiences and mitigate cart abandonment issues.

8. Yieldify

Overview

Yieldify is a comprehensive platform that offers onboarding, e-commerce, and brand amplification services. Its core services are split into three categories, including personalization, performance & testing, and technology.

In terms of list building features, Yieldify offers acquisition source segmentation, email remarketing, lead capturing, and powerful reporting features, as well as a host of website personalization tools that amplify the synergy and performance of its other features.

The email remarketing suite features an abundance of list building tools, including customizable email sequences, automated remarketing campaign launchers, and an array of audience targeting options.

Key Features

• Abandoned cart saver
• List segmentation
• Website personalization
• Customer profiles
• Contextual and behavioral targeting
• A/B testing

Pricing

Yieldify uses a quotation-based custom pricing model. After booking a discovery call, the company’s representatives will talk you through the options, learn about your needs and budget, and give you a quote.

What I Like / Dislike About Yieldify

The comprehensiveness of Yieldify’s services and programs is on a different plane in comparison to contemporary list building software. It covers all the bases when it comes to pinpointing the targeted customers, driving them to the website, and converting them into loyal shoppers.

Yieldify is not a dedicated list building program; it’s one of the most versatile marketing platforms that offers so many features that inexperienced marketing staff may not be suitable to operate.

Who Is This For?

In my opinion, Yieldify is best suited for medium-to-large companies and enterprises. Its outstandingly powerful features are probably too expensive for entrepreneurs and small firms.

9. Active Campaign

Overview

Active Campaign is a digital marketing platform, offering a range of CRM and marketing automation tools aimed at improving customer interaction and experience.

Some of its most notable features include email marketing & re-marketing, list segmentation, the landing page builder (with over 50 templates), contact scoring, SMS marketing, website personalization, a custom domain for each user, and a host of automation-based features.

Key Features

• Contact list segmentation
• Unique subscription forms
• SMS marketing
• Landing page builder with over 50 templates
• Drag & Drop email builder

Pricing

Active Campaign offers three subscription packages, with a price that is relative to the selectable number of contacts that the user wants to support.

If the number of contacts is 1,000, the Lite subscription will cost $29 per month; the Plus subscription will cost $49 per month while the Professional subscription package will cost $149 per month. A custom subscription plan is available for Enterprises via a discovery call with the sales representative.

What I Like / Dislike About Active Campaign

Active Campaign’s well-rounded features are great for companies at all stages of their lives. Whether your firm needs to boost its already-impressive contact list or start attracting visitors, Active Campaign will ensure your needs will be catered to.

Those searching for dedicated list building software will have to pay for dozens of features they may not need.

Who Is This For?

Active Campaign is best suited for small-to-medium businesses in terms of affordability and versatility of features.

How to Build an Email List

One of the best ways to grow your business is to build an email list. Having a database of email addresses allows you to stay in touch with your customers and offer them exclusive deals and updates.

As a business or influencer, an email list is truly the only thing you “own”. Whichever social media platform you’re promoting your brand on could decide to shut down your account tomorrow and you would lose your entire following. However, with an email list, once collected, you’re not at the mercy of someone else and aren’t at risk of losing it (just make sure to back up your list periodically).

Emails can also deliver an exceptional return on investment.

For every $1 you spend on email marketing you can expect an average return of $42

– DMA

But how do you actually go about building an email list?

The list building tools in this article provide many features you can implement on your own site to help build up your email list. Here are a few quick ideas:

• Simply ask visitors to your website or blog to sign up for your newsletter
• Offer a freebie in exchange for an email address, such as a downloadable PDF or a coupon code
• Run a contest or sweepstakes that requires an email address for entry

Moreover, if you’re an online store, you’ll collect an email address every time someone makes a purchase. This is necessary for sending shipping notifications through Shopify shipping apps. Just be sure to get the customer’s explicit content before sending them emails via a Shopify email marketing tool.

Once you have collected some email addresses, the next step is to start sending out newsletters, exclusive offers, and product updates.

Be sure to include a strong call-to-action in each message, so that your subscribers know what to do next. And don’t forget to implement email marketing automation as well as segment your list, so that you can send more targeted messages.

With a little effort, you can quickly build a large and engaged email list that will help you take your business to the next level.

List Building Software FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Final Thoughts

Decent list building apps get the job done, but the best list building software models are programs and platforms that allow you to dive deeper.

With an average tool, you will be able to collect a few emails with a simple pop up, but by subscribing to a comprehensive marketing platform, you’ll be able to push discounts and giveaways, make your announcements abundantly clear, recruit the help of AI chatbots, and drive both ROI and sales reliably.