How can you tell whether a landing page builder is good enough to be worth the investment? For business owners who don't have a coding or web development background, landing page software is essential. It gives you an edge by using information compiled by market researchers and web developers.
The goal of a landing page program is to let you create customized web pages quickly and easily. Two of the most popular choices are Instapage and LeadPages. Though the two share many core features, each has certain distinctions that sets it apart.
I've laid out the different aspects of each system, their advantages, and their disadvantages.
Overview of Instapage and Leadpages
Shared Features
Unique Instapage Features
Unique Leadpages Features
Integrations
Instapage
More than forty commonly-used applications and programs are fully integrated with this service. Some of the supported categories include:
If your preferred program or programs aren't on the integrations list, you may still be able to use them. Instapage is compatible with Webhooks and Zapier, two applications that create integrations for incompatible software.
Leadpages
Around thirty standard integrations are built into this service's platform. Though there aren't SMS tracking integrations, all of the competition's categories are also included. Additional categories include:
In addition, the non-basic plans include an Advanced Integrations feature. This adds integration capabilities with Marketo, Hubspot, and Salesforce.
Winner: Leadpages
Leadpages has more comprehensive categories for integrated systems. By using program integrations, you can customize your pages further with social sharing tools and unique videos. The advanced integrations let larger businesses use more intense marketing software.
Templates
Instapage
Instapage comes with more than 200 free page templates to customize. You can also use the integrated Envato marketplace to purchase other options for money.
To save you from frustrated scrolling and confusion, the filtering system lets you choose templates based on different purposes. Each category represents a different marketing method that brought the consumer to the page:
Each of the templates has a modern, professional design that's easy to parse.
For people who want the formatting without the extra design details, there are wireframe options that let you populate blank fields with your own content and color schemes.
Leadpages
Right now, this service has more than 500 responsive templates available. There are also templates for building entire websites, including homepages and other important content. You can make pop-ups and on-screen advertisements using more unique templates.
Because Leadpages is a full website builder, the page types are sorted into more categories than basic marketing tools. You can browse templates in these categories:
You can also sort the template options to view the highest-converting designs first.
Winner: Leadpages
The range of template options is simply unbeatable. In addition to landing pages for marketing tools, you also get access to templates for additional website content, pop-ups, sticky bars, checkout processes, virtual event hosting, email subscriber opt-ins, and announcements regarding upcoming content.
Landing Page Creator
Instapage
The flexibility of the Instapage drag-and-drop builder is one of the biggest selling points. Since the designs are gridless, you aren't constrained by pre-built columns and rows. That allows for a much greater degree of customization and element shifting.
Multiple widgets can be added to pages to increase conversion rates. These include countdown timers for sales, opt-in forms, and social sharing buttons.
All desktop designs are automatically formatted to display correctly on mobile screens. However, if you want to tweak the mobile appearance, you can enter "mobile mode" to create a slightly different display for mobile users.
The highest pricing tier allows for dedicated AMP designs.
Leadpages
Leadpages also boasts a highly customizable drag-and-drop editor. However, the builder uses grids rather than a freeform design. That means that adjusting page elements can be a little tricky. In addition, there's a slight learning curve since the editor tends to be complex and feature-saturated.
Each of the Leadpage templates is responsive on mobile devices. After you've finished your desktop design, you can toggle a mobile preview to see how the page will display on smartphones.
However, there aren't additional mobile customization options. AMP editing is also unavailable. Because this service is much cheaper than the competitor, though, the loss of these tools is negligible for those on a budget.
Winner: Instapage
Instapage's builder lacks the drawbacks that Leadpages suffers, and it adds a few cool new features of its own. You can create separate desktop and mobile page versions, allowing a greater degree of control over the mobile experience. The non-grid system also lets you place page elements wherever you want without restriction.
Monthly Pricing
Instapage
Leadpages
Winner: Leadpages
Leadpages is by far the more affordable of the two services.
Pros and Cons of Instapage
Pros
Cons
Pros and Cons of Leadpages
Pros
Cons
Final Thoughts: Which is Better?
The biggest question regarding which program works best for you is whether you'll make use of the extra capabilities included with Instapage.
If you have multiple team members who need to collaborate on your landing pages in real time, then Instapage has the most streamlined tools. This is also the right pick for those who want to create dynamic pages that personalize themselves to each individual consumer.
If you don't think either of these aspects is a huge priority, though, then Leadpages will give you pretty much the same tools at a fraction of the cost. It'll also let you build a whole website from scratch, even without a background in web structuring.
