Userlist vs Customer.io: B2B Specialist vs Enterprise Generalist
Comparing Userlist and Customer.io for SaaS email. B2B company-level tracking vs sophisticated multi-channel automation.
Overview
Userlist and Customer.io both serve SaaS companies but with different focuses. Userlist is built specifically for B2B SaaS with company-level tracking. Customer.io is an enterprise-grade platform for sophisticated multi-channel automation.
| Feature | Userlist | Customer.io |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $100/mo | $100/mo |
| Company Tracking | Native, first-class | Possible with setup |
| Multi-channel | Email only | Email, SMS, Push, In-app |
| Workflow Complexity | Moderate | Advanced |
| B2B Focus | Purpose-built | Adaptable |
Key Differences
Company vs User Focus
Userlist natively understands B2B SaaS. Companies are first-class entities. Track engagement at the company level, segment by team size or collective usage, send different messages to users vs account owners. This B2B-specific approach is unique.
Customer.io can track companies but it's not the primary focus. You'll need to model companies as objects and build the logic yourself. More flexible but more work.
Multi-channel vs Focused
Customer.io orchestrates email, SMS, push, and in-app from unified workflows. For products with mobile apps or multiple touchpoints, this matters.
Userlist focuses on email. If email is your primary channel (common in B2B SaaS), the focus is fine. If you need multi-channel, Customer.io wins.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Userlist if:
- B2B SaaS selling to teams is your model
- Company-level tracking matters significantly
- Email is your primary automation channel
- B2B-specific workflows are important
Choose Customer.io if:
- You need multi-channel messaging
- Complex workflows with branching logic
- Flexibility is more important than B2B focus
- Enterprise-grade features matter
The Bottom Line
Userlist is the right choice for B2B SaaS where company-level tracking genuinely matters. The focused approach serves B2B workflows better than adapting a general platform.
Customer.io is better for multi-channel needs or when you need maximum workflow flexibility. The platform can handle B2B, just requires more configuration.
For simpler needs at lower cost, consider Sequenzy - it handles most SaaS lifecycle email at $19/mo.