by Didem Kiran · Last updated: 2026-06-07

Switching from EmailOctopus to Mailsoftly: The Complete Migration Guide

Switching from EmailOctopus to Mailsoftly usually takes a few hours, not days. You export your contacts, segments, and templates from EmailOctopus as CSV files, import them into Mailsoftly, verify your sending domain, then rebuild your automations. Mailsoftly handles the heavy lifting with free hands-on migration and no downtime.

EmailOctopus is a capable, low-cost sender, but teams often outgrow it once contact counts climb, automation needs deepen, or they simply want a human to answer when something breaks. This guide walks through what you can carry over, the exact migration steps, an honest side-by-side comparison, and what to do in your first week so nothing slips.

Comparing options? See our full roundup of the best email marketing services for the complete picture.

Quick context: Mailsoftly offers transparent pricing, free hands-on migration, and human support. 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, no credit card.
Start free with Mailsoftly →

Why are teams leaving EmailOctopus?

Most teams leave EmailOctopus for three reasons: cost as the list grows, automation that feels limited, and thin support when something urgent breaks. EmailOctopus is excellent for lean senders and developers, but those strengths can turn into friction once email becomes a core revenue channel rather than a side task.

Cost is the most common trigger. Paid tiers scale with contact count, so a list that doubles can quietly double your bill while your sending habits stay the same. Because email reliably returns strong ROI according to widely cited email marketing benchmarks, teams want a platform that grows with them affordably instead of penalizing list growth.

The other two reasons are practical. Multi-step automations and conditional logic can feel constrained, and when a campaign misfires the day before a launch, waiting on email-only support is stressful. Teams switching to Mailsoftly cite human, responsive help as the deciding factor as often as price.

Read enough? Try Mailsoftly free with 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, no credit card.Start free with Mailsoftly →

What can you bring with you from EmailOctopus?

You can bring almost everything that matters: contacts, their custom fields, your segments, email templates, and the logic behind your automations. The only items that do not transfer directly are platform-specific settings and historical engagement reports, which stay in your old account for reference.

• Contacts and custom fields: Export as CSV with every column intact, including names, tags, and signup source.
• Segments and lists: Recreate them in Mailsoftly using the same field rules. Most map one to one.
• Templates and branding: Bring your HTML or rebuild faster in the drag-and-drop editor with your colors and logo.
• Automation logic: Welcome series, follow-ups, and triggers carry over as a blueprint you rebuild in the visual flow editor.

One important detail: your subscriber consent and opt-in history travel with your CSV, so you stay compliant. Keep your unsubscribe records too, because importing previously unsubscribed addresses is the fastest way to damage a clean sending reputation.

How do you migrate from EmailOctopus to Mailsoftly?

Migrating takes four steps: export from EmailOctopus, import into Mailsoftly, verify deliverability, then rebuild automations. If you want zero hassle, Mailsoftly’s team will do the import and setup for you through free hands-on migration, so you only review and approve.

Step 1: How do you export contacts from EmailOctopus?

In EmailOctopus, open each list, choose the export option, and download a CSV. Include all custom fields and your tags so segmentation rebuilds cleanly on the other side. Export your unsubscribe and bounce lists separately, because you will suppress those addresses rather than re-import them.

Step 2: How do you import contacts into Mailsoftly?

Create your free Mailsoftly account, open the contacts area, and upload your CSV. Map each column to the matching field, confirm your custom fields, and apply tags so your segments reform instantly. If you prefer, send the file to the migration team and they will import, map, and clean it for you, including deduplication.

Step 3: How do you verify deliverability before sending?

Before your first campaign, authenticate your sending domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. This is the single biggest factor in landing in the inbox, and skipping it is a common cause of post-migration deliverability dips. Following established email deliverability best practices from the start protects the reputation you built on EmailOctopus. Send a small test batch to engaged contacts first to warm the new path.

Step 4: How do you rebuild automations in Mailsoftly?

Use your old automations as a blueprint. Recreate triggers, wait steps, and conditions in Mailsoftly’s visual flow editor, then attach your migrated templates. Test each flow with a sample contact before turning it live, and turn off the matching automation in EmailOctopus only after the Mailsoftly version is confirmed working to avoid duplicate sends.

EmailOctopus vs Mailsoftly: how do they compare?

Both platforms send reliable email at a fair price, but they aim at different users. EmailOctopus favors developers and lean senders who want a no-frills tool, while Mailsoftly favors growing teams that want transparent pricing, deeper automation, and human support. All Mailsoftly prices below are annual rates (as of 2026-04-15).

EmailOctopus scales its paid plans by how many contacts you store, which you can confirm on EmailOctopus’s published pricing page. Mailsoftly’s tiers bundle generous contact and email volumes together, so you can forecast costs without surprises. Review Mailsoftly’s transparent pricing plans to map your current list size to the right tier.

On ease of use, both editors are friendly. The practical difference shows up in support: when a send is at risk, talking to a person who can act quickly often matters more than any single feature.

What do people ask before switching?

The most common worries are downtime, data loss, and cost. The short version: there is no downtime because your EmailOctopus account keeps running until you are ready, your data is preserved through clean CSV exports, and switching itself is free.

• Can I run both platforms briefly? Yes. Keep EmailOctopus live until your Mailsoftly flows are tested, then cut over.
• Will my unsubscribes carry over? Yes, if you import your suppression list so opted-out contacts are never emailed.
• Do my custom fields survive? Yes, as long as they are columns in your CSV and mapped during import.
• Can the team do it for me? Yes. Free hands-on migration covers import, mapping, and automation rebuild.

What should you do in your first week after switching?

In week one, confirm deliverability, validate your data, and send one real campaign to prove the setup. These three checks catch almost every issue early, while your old account is still available as a safety net.

• Day 1 to 2: Confirm SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are verified, then send a test to a few engaged contacts.
• Day 3 to 4: Spot-check imported contacts and segments. Verify counts match your EmailOctopus export.
• Day 5: Turn on one automation, send a small live campaign, and watch open and click reports.
• End of week: Once results look healthy, pause EmailOctopus sends and finish moving remaining flows.

Watch your early engagement closely. A clean list, authenticated domain, and a warm-up send to your most active subscribers give your sender reputation the best possible start on the new platform.

For the broader landscape, see our full comparison of best email marketing services covering every major platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does migrating from EmailOctopus take?

Most migrations finish in a few hours. Exporting and importing contacts takes minutes, domain verification is quick, and rebuilding automations is the longest part. With Mailsoftly’s free hands-on migration, the team does the heavy lifting and you simply review and approve.

Will I lose my contacts or automations?

No. Your contacts, custom fields, and segments transfer through CSV export and import, and your automation logic is rebuilt step by step in Mailsoftly. Nothing is deleted from EmailOctopus during the move, so you always keep a backup until you are ready to switch off.

Is there a cost to switch?

No. Switching to Mailsoftly is free, including the hands-on migration help. You can start on the free plan with 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, then move to a paid tier such as Basic at $39/mo annual only when you need more capacity.

Will switching hurt my deliverability?

Not if you authenticate your domain and warm up gradually. Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC before your first send, import only opted-in contacts, suppress past unsubscribes, and start with your most engaged subscribers. Done this way, deliverability typically holds steady or improves.

Ready to switch?Start free with Mailsoftly →
500 contacts, 2,000 emails per month. Free hands-on migration. No credit card.

Didem Kiran

Content Strategist at Mailsoftly

Didem is a Business Development Specialist at Mailsoftly, based in San Ramon, California. She has focused on building partnerships and helping businesses grow with email and marketing automation.