Documentation research guide · Evidence checked 2026-10-21

What can you export when you leave an email platform?

A practical, evidence-led decision guide. Product capabilities and limits are separated from anything that would require hands-on testing.

A subscriber CSV can move an address book. It does not, by itself, move the system that decides who receives the next message. Before cancelling an email platform, separate three jobs: carrying usable data, retaining a readable history, and rebuilding the things that run.

Vendor-documented export options, with evidence observed on or before 21 October 2026. BenPicks did not execute account exports or test destination imports. The tables cover eight selected platforms and ten kinds of material. A documented file is evidence of an outbound route, not a promise that your next provider can recreate it.

BenPicks earns affiliate commissions from some software links. We selected these platforms because we already research them across creator newsletters, small-business email and ecommerce automation. Affiliate availability determined neither selection nor cell coding. Read our affiliate disclosure for the commercial context. Documentation links in this guide are plain source links.

Decide what you need to carry

Keep three separate folders in your migration inventory. The first holds structured contact records and status data. The second holds content and reporting archives you may need to read later. The third holds specifications for forms, templates and automations that must work in the destination.

A CSV belongs in the first folder only to the extent its columns support that job. A PDF of a newsletter belongs in the second. A share link restricted to the same product may preserve a useful starting point, but it does not establish cross-vendor import. Do not count those three things as equivalent backups.

The practical question is not whether a product has an Export button. It is whether you can retrieve the specific artifact you depend on, preserve its meaning and validate it in the replacement.

How to read the matrix

Every cell has a mechanism and a scope qualifier. File means documented downloadable data or content. API means documented programmatic retrieval, not an API call performed by BenPicks. Same product means a share/copy route tied to that vendor. Archive means a readable backup such as a PDF. Not confirmed means the reviewed sources do not establish the defined outbound mechanism; it does not mean the feature is absent.

Scoped identifies the positively documented part, not every possible field. Partial is reserved for an explicit documented restriction. Unknown accompanies an unconfirmed mechanism. Dataset codes map directly to the labels: FILE = File, API = API, SAME_PLATFORM = Same product, ARCHIVE = Archive, UNCONFIRMED = Not confirmed. SCOPED, PARTIAL and UNKNOWN are the displayed qualifiers. Silence about an extra field is recorded as an open question, rather than converted into a negative score.

We choose the mechanism with the broadest positively documented coverage of the specified artifact. At equal coverage, the tie-break is File, then API, then Same product, then Archive. Alternative mechanisms, where positively documented, and limitations remain in the downloadable notes. A plan or role requirement is stated separately; Partial highlights an explicit artifact, history or report-view restriction, rather than every access condition. There is no aggregate portability score or vendor ranking. No cell uses API as its primary route in this snapshot; documented API alternatives remain in the dataset. MANUAL_HTML_COPY names a manual procedure in the alternatives field, not a File-download classification.

Contact data: preserve meaning, not just rows

Contact data: preserve meaning, not just rows
PlatformContact identifiersSubscription status (suppression scope in notes)Custom field valuesTags, groups and membership snapshotsSubscription provenance and consent-related fields
MailchimpFile / scoped. Audience CSV export; preserve contact types separately. (MC1 ↗, MC3 ↗). Evidence: MC1: direct capture, MC3: web reader.File / scoped. Separate subscribed, unsubscribed, non-subscribed and cleaned contact files. (MC1 ↗, MC3 ↗). Evidence: MC1: direct capture, MC3: web reader.File / scoped. Audience-field/contact data; verify actual field mapping before import. (MC3 ↗). Evidence: MC3: web reader.File / scoped. Export selected tags, groups or segments as membership snapshots; not dynamic rules. (MC3 ↗). Evidence: MC3: web reader.File / partial. Conditional opt-in/confirmation and permission fields; contact export excludes email signup source and complete contact-profile update history. (MC2 ↗, MC3 ↗). Evidence: MC2: direct capture, MC3: web reader.
MailerLiteFile / scoped. Subscriber CSV or CSV for Excel; administrator access required. (ML1 ↗). Evidence: ML1: direct capture.File / scoped. Choose active, unconfirmed, unsubscribed, bounced or complaints; keep status cohorts explicit. (ML1 ↗). Evidence: ML1: direct capture.File / scoped. Only selected visible columns/fields export; check column selection. (ML1 ↗). Evidence: ML1: direct capture.File / scoped. Groups can be included through Set columns; no dynamic-segment-rule transfer claim. (ML1 ↗). Evidence: ML1: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Selected fields are exportable, but complete provenance/consent payload not established by this source. (ML1 ↗). Evidence: ML1: direct capture.
KitFile / scoped. Subscriber CSV includes email identifiers; confirm selection includes all intended rows. (KT1 ↗). Evidence: KT1: direct capture.File / scoped. Status column documented; filter/subset selection still matters. (KT1 ↗). Evidence: KT1: direct capture.File / scoped. Custom fields are listed in subscriber exports. (KT1 ↗). Evidence: KT1: direct capture.File / scoped. Tags are listed in subscriber exports; rule definitions are a separate question. (KT1 ↗). Evidence: KT1: direct capture.File / scoped. Created time and attribution fields documented; complete consent history not established. (KT1 ↗). Evidence: KT1: direct capture.
BrevoFile / scoped. CSV contacts and selected attributes; unfiltered database versus selected segment matters. (BR1 ↗). Evidence: BR1: web reader.File / scoped. Choose subscription-status data explicitly in export settings. (BR1 ↗). Evidence: BR1: web reader.File / scoped. Select standard/custom attributes; defaults are not every field. (BR1 ↗). Evidence: BR1: web reader.File / scoped. List ID can be included; destination list IDs/rules need mapping. (BR1 ↗). Evidence: BR1: web reader.File / scoped. Creation/change dates documented; full consent event history unverified. (BR1 ↗). Evidence: BR1: web reader.
GetResponseFile / partial. Active-contact CSV/XLSX only; this route excludes non-active cohorts. (GR1 ↗). Evidence: GR1: direct capture.File / partial. Active contacts only, with subscription details; not a complete status ledger. Suppression lists are exclusion lists, not contact statuses; GR2 also says suppressed contacts cannot be recovered. (GR1 ↗, GR2 ↗). Evidence: GR1: direct capture, GR2: direct capture.File / scoped. Custom/consent fields selectable in contact export. (GR1 ↗). Evidence: GR1: direct capture.File / scoped. Tags and list information are documented in contact export; not dynamic rules. (GR1 ↗). Evidence: GR1: direct capture.File / scoped. Subscription date/type/source and optional consent fields; not an assertion of legal sufficiency. (GR1 ↗). Evidence: GR1: direct capture.
ActiveCampaignFile / scoped. CSV contacts; custom fields and tags selected through export options. (AC1 ↗). Evidence: AC1: web reader.File / scoped. Per-list export includes status, with Active selected by default; choose required statuses. (AC5 ↗). Evidence: AC5: web reader.File / scoped. Custom-field columns documented; check destination field types. (AC1 ↗). Evidence: AC1: web reader.File / scoped. Tags in one column; list export carries list name. Recreate rule logic separately. (AC1 ↗, AC5 ↗). Evidence: AC1: web reader, AC5: web reader.File / scoped. Subscription/unsubscription dates documented; most recent IP is not proof of original consent. (AC5 ↗). Evidence: AC5: web reader.
OmnisendFile / scoped. CSV contacts, with owner/admin/analyst role restriction. (OM1 ↗). Evidence: OM1: direct capture.File / scoped. Email/SMS subscription status and opt-out dates listed; distinguish channels. (OM1 ↗). Evidence: OM1: direct capture.File / scoped. Custom properties exported in multiple columns. (OM1 ↗). Evidence: OM1: direct capture.File / scoped. Tags and segments each in one field; membership is not rule portability. (OM1 ↗). Evidence: OM1: direct capture.File / scoped. Email/SMS consent and opt-in/out date fields listed; legal sufficiency not assessed. (OM1 ↗). Evidence: OM1: direct capture.
beehiivFile / scoped. Quick/Full subscriber CSV; admin, all plans as stated in this source. (BH1 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture.File / scoped. Subscriber email, status and tier documented in Quick/Full exports. (BH1 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture.File / scoped. Full export includes custom fields; Quick is a smaller payload. (BH1 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Core export source does not establish tag/group membership columns; confirm publication-specific schema. (BH1 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Complete provenance/consent field set is not specified in the reviewed export inventory. (BH1 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture.

In the status column, a scoped cell covers the stated subscription/channel-status fields; it does not imply a separate suppression-list export. Such lists and contact-status history need their own evidence. The provenance column concerns technical fields such as subscription time, source or stored permission values. It is not a finding that a record is legally sufficient evidence of consent. If the needed history is undocumented, settle that question before a real migration. Do not turn an unsubscribed or suppressed record into a subscribed record simply because it appears in an export.

Content and workflows: keep export and reconstruction separate

Content and workflows: keep export and reconstruction separate
PlatformSent campaign or post contentPerformance reportsReusable email templatesAutomation definitionsForm or landing-page definitions
MailchimpFile / scoped. Regular campaign content is documented as HTML and TXT in account backup. (MC1 ↗). Evidence: MC1: direct capture.File / scoped. Report files are exportable; Mailchimp says email/SMS reports cannot be re-imported. (MC1 ↗). Evidence: MC1: direct capture.File / scoped. HTML template files; editor-block round trip into another vendor is not established. (MC1 ↗). Evidence: MC1: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Account backup inventory does not establish an outbound automation definition mechanism. (MC1 ↗). Evidence: MC1: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Account export excludes website/landing-page content; standalone form-definition export not established. (MC1 ↗). Evidence: MC1: direct capture.
MailerLiteArchive / scoped. Newsletter PDF preserves a readable copy, not an editable project. (ML3 ↗). Evidence: ML3: direct capture.File / partial. Report and subscriber-activity exports; custom date ranges and comparative reporting require Comfort or Power plans. (ML2 ↗). Evidence: ML2: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Reviewed sources do not establish a reusable-template outbound definition. (ML1 ↗, ML2 ↗, ML3 ↗). Evidence: ML1: direct capture, ML2: direct capture, ML3: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Automation participant CSV is documented; it is not a workflow definition. (ML1 ↗). Evidence: ML1: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Reviewed sources do not establish form/landing-page definition export. (ML1 ↗, ML2 ↗, ML3 ↗). Evidence: ML1: direct capture, ML2: direct capture, ML3: direct capture.
KitSame product / partial. Shared Visual Automations include sequence email content within Kit; not a sent-Broadcast archive. Broadcast CSV body fields remain unconfirmed. (KT2 ↗, KT3 ↗). Evidence: KT2: direct capture, KT3: direct capture.File / partial. Recipient cohorts, including link-click recipients, can be exported; aggregate metric CSV schema is unconfirmed. Broadcast-list CSV history has a Creator Pro boundary around August 2023. (KT3 ↗). Evidence: KT3: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Sharing sequences with content does not establish standalone reusable email-template export. (KT2 ↗). Evidence: KT2: direct capture.Same product / scoped. Visual Automation template share link copies associated setup within Kit; not cross-vendor import. (KT2 ↗). Evidence: KT2: direct capture.Same product / scoped. Forms included in shared Visual Automation context; standalone landing-page portability unconfirmed. (KT2 ↗). Evidence: KT2: direct capture.
BrevoNot confirmed / unknown. The retained report-source excerpt does not establish campaign-content export; the page was not retained in full. (BR2 ↗). Evidence: BR2: web reader.File / partial. CSV/PDF reports; domain CSV and several breakdowns require Standard, Professional or Enterprise. Not all report views are available on every plan. (BR2 ↗). Evidence: BR2: web reader.Not confirmed / unknown. Reviewed sources do not establish reusable template export. (BR1 ↗, BR2 ↗). Evidence: BR1: web reader, BR2: web reader.Not confirmed / unknown. No current-editor workflow-definition mechanism established by these sources. (BR1 ↗, BR2 ↗). Evidence: BR1: web reader, BR2: web reader.Not confirmed / unknown. Reviewed sources do not establish form/landing-page definition export. (BR1 ↗, BR2 ↗). Evidence: BR1: web reader, BR2: web reader.
GetResponseNot confirmed / unknown. Newsletter listing is documented, but this inventory does not establish retrieval of full message bodies. (GR2 ↗). Evidence: GR2: direct capture.File / partial. Custom report exports include message statistics and unsubscribes; custom reports require Marketer, Creator or MAX accounts. (GR3 ↗). Evidence: GR3: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Transactional template endpoint exists; marketing reusable-template export is not established for this defined row. (GR2 ↗). Evidence: GR2: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Workflow listing is documented, but a retrievable full workflow definition is not established by this inventory. (GR2 ↗). Evidence: GR2: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Form/landing-page listing endpoints are documented; full editable definitions are unconfirmed. (GR2 ↗). Evidence: GR2: direct capture.
ActiveCampaignSame product / scoped. Campaign saved as template can be shared to ActiveCampaign; cross-vendor content transfer unconfirmed. (AC4 ↗). Evidence: AC4: web reader.File / scoped. Automation performance table downloads in multiple formats; admin restriction documented. (AC3 ↗). Evidence: AC3: web reader.Same product / scoped. Custom template share links target other ActiveCampaign accounts. (AC4 ↗). Evidence: AC4: web reader.Same product / scoped. Share snapshot carries automation/messages; referenced lists, scores, deals and other objects need setup. (AC2 ↗). Evidence: AC2: web reader.Not confirmed / unknown. Reviewed sources do not establish standalone form/landing-page definition export. (AC1 ↗, AC2 ↗, AC4 ↗). Evidence: AC1: web reader, AC2: web reader, AC4: web reader.
OmnisendNot confirmed / unknown. Template HTML extraction is documented; a sent-campaign content archive mechanism is not established. (OM2 ↗, OM3 ↗). Evidence: OM2: direct capture, OM3: direct capture.File / scoped. Individual campaign/workflow report data export; preserve metric/date scope. (OM3 ↗). Evidence: OM3: direct capture.Same product / scoped. Copy saved template design/content between Omnisend accounts with account access/admin invitation; contact data, campaign settings and performance do not transfer. Manual HTML copying is a separate procedure, not a file-download feature. (OM2 ↗). Evidence: OM2: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Workflow performance export is not evidence of workflow definition export. (OM2 ↗, OM3 ↗). Evidence: OM2: direct capture, OM3: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Reviewed sources do not establish form definition export. (OM1 ↗, OM2 ↗, OM3 ↗). Evidence: OM1: direct capture, OM2: direct capture, OM3: direct capture.
beehiivFile / scoped. Post export includes drafts/archived/published; individual post HTML backup also documented. (BH1 ↗, BH3 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture, BH3: direct capture.File / partial. Individual analytics and Posts Report data exports differ; the Posts Report requires a paid plan. (BH2 ↗, BH3 ↗). Evidence: BH2: direct capture, BH3: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Post HTML backup does not establish reusable editor-template export. (BH1 ↗, BH3 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture, BH3: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Reviewed sources do not establish automation-definition export. (BH1 ↗, BH2 ↗, BH3 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture, BH2: direct capture, BH3: direct capture.Not confirmed / unknown. Reviewed sources do not establish form/landing-page definition export. (BH1 ↗, BH2 ↗, BH3 ↗). Evidence: BH1: direct capture, BH2: direct capture, BH3: direct capture.

For every cell, the 80-row CSV and JSON dataset retain the same classification, source IDs, date and narrow scope note. Unknowns stay visible in both. The dataset is the detailed evidence inventory, not a tested import-compatibility database.

Eight places to check before choosing your exit route

Mailchimp: an account backup is broader than a contact export

The account backup documents audience files, regular-email HTML/TXT, report data and template HTML. Those are different artifacts. Its report-export capability does not imply report restoration: Mailchimp explicitly distinguishes exported email/SMS reports from data that can be re-imported. Its audience tools also expose different contact cohorts. Keep the selected status and audience context with each file. MC1 ↗, MC3 ↗.

For provenance, hosted-form opt-in and confirmation fields have specific documented conditions. The contact export explicitly excludes email signup source and the complete record of contact-profile updates; conditional opt-in fields are a narrower record. Do not mistake them for a complete original signup history. MC2 ↗.

MailerLite: choose columns before you download

MailerLite says subscriber export uses the columns visible in the subscriber overview. Group names require the appropriate column selection. Exporting from an automation activity view gives you participant information; it does not establish an export of the workflow's logic. The newsletter PDF route is useful for preserving appearance, but it is not an editable email project. ML1 ↗, ML3 ↗.

Kit: sharing a workflow is not leaving the ecosystem

Kit documents subscriber CSV fields including status, tags and custom fields. Its Visual Automation sharing feature can include associated sequences and forms, but the documented destination is another Kit account. Treat that as a same-product mechanism. Shared automations also carry sequence email content within Kit; that is a partial content route, not a sent-Broadcast archive. Recipient and click-recipient exports are documented, while the aggregate-metric CSV schema remains unverified. The Broadcast-list CSV has a plan-dependent history boundary around August 2023. Kit also says shared templates can automatically include the sharer’s configured affiliate referral link; that is a Kit feature, not a BenPicks link in this guide. KT1 ↗, KT2 ↗, KT3 ↗.

Brevo: select subscription data explicitly

Brevo separates selected attributes, system data such as list IDs and subscription-status selections in its export setup. A file with addresses and names is not necessarily the file you need to preserve channel status. Campaign reports have their own CSV/PDF routes and plan-dependent options. The retained report excerpt does not establish campaign-body or editable-template export. BR1 ↗, BR2 ↗.

GetResponse: a listing endpoint is not an executable workflow

Its active-contact export documents subscription information and selectable fields, but does not provide every contact-status cohort. The status row therefore describes partial file coverage, not suppression lists as subscription status. The broader export guide lists API routes, including workflows, forms and landing pages. A list of objects is not sufficient evidence of their full content or editable definitions, so newsletter-body, workflow and form portability remain unconfirmed for those jobs. There is also a documentation tension: the guide lists suppression retrieval but warns that suppressed or deleted contacts cannot be recovered through export. Resolve the exact record type and account behaviour before relying on it. GR1 ↗, GR2 ↗.

ActiveCampaign: list exports and share links answer different questions

Per-list exports document status and subscription dates, with Active as the default selection. Exporting a tag column does not reproduce the rules that use it. Automation sharing captures a snapshot within ActiveCampaign; referenced objects still need setup. Custom templates also have a same-product share route. None of this establishes a cross-vendor automation import. AC5 ↗, AC2 ↗, AC4 ↗.

Omnisend: keep channels separate

The contact export inventory distinguishes email and SMS status, consent-related fields and dates, alongside custom properties, tags and segment membership. Preserve those distinctions when mapping fields. Manual saved-template HTML extraction through Inspect Element is documented separately from template copying between Omnisend accounts. Neither route carries campaign settings and performance with the design. Workflow report exports preserve observations about a workflow, not proof of a transferable definition. OM1 ↗, OM2 ↗, OM3 ↗.

beehiiv: subscriber and post exports are separate packages

The documented Quick and Full subscriber exports differ in detail; Full adds fields and statistics. Post exports cover more than published material, so check drafts and archived posts too. Individual-post HTML backups and analytics exports are separate capabilities. The presence of an HTML copy does not establish that another editor can recreate its native blocks. Report availability also differs between the paid Posts Report and individual-post analytics. BH1 ↗, BH2 ↗, BH3 ↗.

Retrieve files while the links still work

Download-link windows are a separate constraint from export coverage. Kit subscriber links expire after five days; beehiiv export links after 24 hours; GetResponse removes exports older than seven days. Mailchimp allows one account backup export per 24 hours; separately, its contact exports and CSVs remain available for 30 days. Omnisend documents a 24-hour link for its single-contact export. ActiveCampaign contact-export links last seven days. These are the named export routes, not a universal retention guarantee. Download and check the files before losing access. KT1 ↗, BH1 ↗, GR1 ↗, MC1 ↗, MC3 ↗, OM1 ↗, AC5 ↗.

A hypothetical reconciliation before switching

Imagine an inventory containing 1,200 rows: 1,080 subscribed rows, 80 unsubscribed rows and 40 bounced rows. In this fictional example the cohorts have no addresses in common, but the subscribed cohort contains 30 duplicate rows. Deduplicating that cohort leaves 1,050 distinct subscribed addresses, with 80 unsubscribed and 40 bounced records kept separately: 1,170 distinct records in total.

An imported subscribed count of 1,050 is therefore consistent with this stated example. It is not proof of a successful migration. You still need to inspect status mapping, sampled field values and the intended handling of people already inside a sequence. A dashboard total of 1,200 could instead indicate duplicates or wrongly promoted statuses. The arithmetic diagnoses questions; it does not certify permission to send. This example checks the inventory; the separate migration checklist covers the actual move sequence.

Use the blank reconciliation worksheet to record source rows, distinct identifiers, status cohorts, destination counts and unresolved differences. Record workflow position separately from the workflow definition: a reusable template does not establish where an existing subscriber should resume.

What this evidence cannot establish

This is a dated documentation review of eight deliberately selected products, not an exhaustive market survey or a ranking. No customer records were accessed; no exports, API calls, imports or sends were executed. Eight of the 25 sources were retained as reader-rendered text rather than direct HTML captures. Reader output transforms the source page; its separate text hash is an integrity anchor for that transformation, not proof of the original HTML. BR2 and MC3 are per-page retained reader excerpts, not complete page captures. BR2 covers report-export sections; MC3 covers the contact-export body and part of troubleshooting. Each has its own text file and hash; the original multi-page reader bundle remains separate local evidence. A fallback means direct retrieval was blocked; reader-only means no direct capture was retained. Plan permissions, account versions, legacy editors and actual file columns may differ. Re-check the source before a real move; no automatic refresh cadence is promised.

Twenty-four of the 80 cells are unconfirmed, as recorded in the dataset’s unconfirmed_cells field. That count describes the boundary of this research. It is not a product failure rate. Undocumented does not mean impossible, and a documented export does not establish import compatibility. The GetResponse suppression tension is retained in the affected cell and above; it has not been silently resolved.

For a correction, use the existing BenPicks Contact page and identify the cell, official documentation URL and the changed or disputed wording. We can update a cell when its evidence changes; a commercial relationship is not evidence of capability.

Turn the inventory into a move plan

Keep your archives and reconstruction work visible beside the contact files. The migration checklist covers sequencing and validation. The email marketing cost calculator compares ongoing contact and sending demand; it does not estimate migration labour. This matrix answers the preceding question: which outbound mechanism is actually documented for each artifact?

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