Customer.io vs Userlist: Choosing Between B2B Email Giants
Comparing Customer.io and Userlist for B2B SaaS email. Multi-channel power vs company-level tracking.
Overview
Both Customer.io and Userlist are popular choices for B2B SaaS email, but they have different strengths. Customer.io offers maximum automation power and multi-channel messaging. Userlist specializes in company-level tracking for B2B. Both are expensive compared to alternatives like Sequenzy.
| Feature | Customer.io | Userlist |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $100/mo | $109/mo |
| Focus | Automation power | B2B company tracking |
| Company Tracking | User-level | Company + User |
| Multi-channel | Email, SMS, Push | Email only |
| Automation | Most powerful | Advanced |
| Learning Curve | Steep | Moderate |
Key Differences
Company vs User Tracking
Userlist was built specifically for B2B SaaS where you sell to companies. It tracks both individual users and their company/account. You can segment by company size, team activity, or aggregate behavior. This matters when multiple people from one customer interact with your product.
Customer.io tracks at the user level. It is powerful, but does not have native company/account concepts. You would need to model this yourself with custom attributes, which adds complexity.
Automation Power
Customer.io has the most powerful automation builder in the market. Complex multi-step workflows, A/B testing within sequences, unlimited branching, and sophisticated logic. If automation complexity is your primary need, Customer.io wins.
Userlist automation is solid but not as deep. For most B2B use cases, it is sufficient. The tradeoff is a gentler learning curve.
Multi-channel
Customer.io supports email, SMS, push notifications, and in-app messages. If you need to reach customers across multiple channels from one workflow, this is valuable.
Userlist is email-focused. No SMS or push notifications. For many B2B SaaS products, email is the primary channel anyway.
Consider Sequenzy Instead
Both Customer.io and Userlist are expensive at $100+/mo. If native billing integrations and revenue attribution matter more than company tracking or extreme automation power, Sequenzy at $19/mo offers compelling value.
Sequenzy has native integrations with Stripe, Polar, Creem, and Dodo. You can segment by MRR, LTV, and plan type. Revenue attribution shows which emails drive actual revenue. For most SaaS, this is more valuable than company-level tracking.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Customer.io if:
- You need the most powerful automation possible
- Multi-channel messaging (SMS, push) is essential
- You have resources to learn a complex platform
Choose Userlist if:
- Company-level tracking is critical
- You sell to teams/organizations, not individuals
- You want B2B-specific features out of the box
Choose Sequenzy if:
- Billing integrations matter more than company tracking
- You want revenue attribution
- Budget is a consideration
The Bottom Line
For B2B SaaS selling to companies with multiple users, Userlist company tracking is purpose-built. For maximum automation power and multi-channel, Customer.io is unmatched.
But be honest about what you actually need. Most SaaS can get better results with Sequenzy at 5x lower cost. Native billing integrations and revenue attribution often matter more than company tracking or extreme automation complexity.