FloDesk Review: Why I Chose It For My Business (And Why You Might Too)

Email marketing is something every entrepreneur should be doing. But choosing the right platform for your business is essential.

Here’s the thing: Email marketing should be high on your to-do list as a business owner. Why? Because it’s something you own. You don’t own your social media. It might be super fun to make reels and TikToks, but as Americans discovered earlier this year, those can easily be taken away.

Your email marketing list is yours. You own it. You had people specifically request to be there (either through something free or something paid). I didn’t have an email list for the first little bit of my business journey. I was really focused on learning the skills to be a VA (how I started my business) and finding clients. But fairly quickly, I set one up and created a freebie.

I have tried a number of platforms myself and worked with many with my clients. There are some I loved and some that I cannot stand (that means you, MailChimp!). But I was really looking for one that met all of my needs, but also that matched the visual aesthetic I wanted my business to share with the world. Your branding is what makes your business unique, and it guides how people feel about your brand. Your fonts, your colours, any graphics you use, etc., all send messages to your potential clients. For instance, brands that promote products for children are often full of bright colours and fun fonts, while luxury brands focus on black and white colours and luxury style fonts.

While you have a lot of say in what your emails look like, each email marketing platform does have its own style. For instance, some have a lot more white space, some are limited to standard fonts, some have beautiful aesthetic templates, etc.

For me, I really wanted something that was clean, but also had a beautiful aesthetic… That’s why, after years of having other platforms, I landed on FloDesk.

What is FloDesk?

FloDesk is a women-owned email marketing and automation platform that boasts stunningly designed emails. FloDesk is a “design-first” platform, meaning they prioritize the design of their emails above all. Until FloDesk came around, many email marketing platforms were pretty clunky and tough to use. Honestly, ones like MailChimp are kind of just ugly.

FloDesk is specifically designed for creatives, coaches, digital product sellers, etc., who value their brand’s aesthetic. Luxury brands, minimalist brands and brands that simply want their emails to look as good as they sound. Every part of your branding is important. The visual is just as important as the words you say. If you have a luxury-based brand and your emails are not pretty, people will have a hard time buying into the idea that your brand is luxury.

So, let’s dive into the pros and cons that I know you’re actually here for!

The Pros and Cons of FloDesk:

Pros:

1.Gorgeous Email Templates

The number one reason more and more business owners are choosing FloDesk… The aesthetic email templates. You get to choose from a variety of minimalist, modern and on-brand templates without needing a designer to create templates for you. It makes having beautifully designed templates more accessible. It’s wonderful if you can afford to hire a designer to create your email templates, but for some people just getting started, this is an amazing option.

There are also some great customization options without having to worry too much about overwhelming tech. For instance, I purchased a font that I was easily able to upload to FloDesk, and it fit seamlessly with their designs. In terms of aesthetic, no other platform comes close.

2. Easy-To-Use Interface

FloDesk uses a drag-and-drop system for its emails and workflows, making it super easy to customize everything you design. Not only do you get beautifully designed emails that look professional, but it’s entirely accessible for beginners. If you don’t want to spend hours and hours figuring out all the boring tech for having professionally designed funnels, opt-in pages, checkout pages and emails, this is the tool for you. No compromising here.

3. Workflows and Automations

Not only does it allow you to send beautifully designed emails, but it’s a bit of a one-stop shop for all things lead generation. You’re able to create simple automations and workflows, including freebie opt-ins, welcome sequences, nurture campaigns, and now, you can even do sales funnels with their new checkout feature.

For beginners looking to set up automations and workflows simply and easily, FloDesk offers easy triggers and conditions that don’t require advanced automation and funnel skills.

4. Form and Landing Page Builder

As mentioned above, FloDesk is able to create workflows and funnels, which include forms and landing pages. They have a good selection of templates for this as well, ensuring that your landing pages are just as beautiful as the emails you’re sending. Having your forms and landing/opt-in pages on the same platform as your email list negates the need for complicated integrations with other platforms.

This means that you can start marketing and selling much quicker as a beginner… Which is kind of the whole idea, right?

5. Flat Pricing Model

FloDesk offers a flat monthly fee for use of its platform. Instead of having an amount based on the number of subscribers you have, they have a set monthly price. So, as your list grows, you don’t end up paying more and more for the same service. This is great for budgeting, as every month or every year, you know what to expect.

Cons:

1. Limited Advanced Automations

While you do have a good amount of basic automations, perfect for beginners, FloDesk has less in terms of advanced automations. There are some business owners who prefer more in terms of list segmentation, advanced workflows, and complicated rules. For those businesses, FloDesk may not be the best option. If you’re unsure, you can try FloDesk on its 14-day free trial to see if it has all of the automation features that work specifically for your business.

2. A Higher Monthly Cost

While the flat rate fee is a huge bonus for those with bigger lists, as they don’t have to pay more for having more, it can feel quite high for those with smaller lists. Platforms like Kit and MailChimp have lower prices that can often be more attractive to beginner entrepreneurs. However, both of those platforms also have increased prices as your list grows for the same services.

But before you buy anything, make sure you try things out and see which is the best fit for you. Check out FloDesks’ pricing structure here.

3. Not as customizable for complex needs

While many people love how easy it is to design on FloDesk, there are definitely some customization limitations. I have found I have to adapt things to fit FloDesks’ features. For me, I don’t mind having to do this in my emails and my opt-in forms, but there are many people who prefer to have full customization. If you’re looking for more design features for your landing pages, you might need a more complex platform. FloDesk was created with the beginner entrepreneur in mind, and with limited integrations, you might need to look elsewhere to get all of your needs met.

Why I chose FloDesk

At the end of the day, I was looking for something that was simplistic and designed beautiful emails. I was moving off of Kajabi, a platform I loved for many reasons, and needed to downsize. But aesthetic was important to me. Kajabi is a great all-in-one platform, but their blogs and emails were pretty bland.

FloDesk came to me as a referral from a wedding photographer who needed her emails to have a specific look. I tried the 14-day trial and was happy to discover that FloDesk had more than just emails. I loved that I could create an opt-in page for my freebie (and didn’t need to have a website to do it), I could create a simple and effective workflow, and my cost wouldn’t go up the more people I got on my list.

I also loved that I could use her code to get 50% off my first year. Interested in 50%? Feel free to use my code!

I also love that FloDesk fits the messaging I want to send. I focus a lot on introvert-friendly, clean, engaging and visually appealing. It’s important to me to have everything feel cohesive. I was able to make my FloDesk align with my website, so it can feel as if everything is still on an all-in-one platform. I also don’t have to spend more time than I have setting up complicated workflows and automations. I get what I need done quickly!

Choosing an email marketing platform is a personal choice.

While I love FloDesk, I’m sure you could find another review that was not so positive. It’s important to try before you buy, and most platforms have a free trial.

Each platform has something different that makes it stand out. MailChimp and Kit are cheap, Active Campaign is the most robust in terms of workflow and automation, and FloDesk has the best included templates based on aesthetic.

Think about your own email marketing needs before you go out and fully commit to one or another.

Happy email marketing!