Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to some of the alternatives (Brevo, Moosend and AWeber). If you sign up through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Mailchimp links are not affiliate links. This guide is based on Mailchimp’s published pricing page and on independent reports, not on hands-on testing.
Mailchimp prices its plans by the number of contacts you store, and each plan carries a monthly email send limit. This guide uses Mailchimp’s own pricing page as shown to a UK visitor on 30 October 2026, so prices are in pounds. Mailchimp’s page lists a price for each contact band, from 0-500 up to more than a million. I could confirm only the smallest band, so the others are not listed here. Use the contacts selector on Mailchimp’s page for your own list size.
Mailchimp plans at a glance
Plan
Price at 0-500 contacts
Monthly sends
Seats
Free
£0, for fewer than 250 contacts
Not shown on the page
Not shown on the page
Essentials
From £9.83/month
5,000
3
Standard
From £15.12/month
6,000
5
Premium
From £264.62/month
150,000
Unlimited
Mailchimp describes Standard as its best-value plan. The page shows a 15% saving for 10,000+ contacts on the paid plans. On Premium that appears as £224.93 a month for the first 12 months, then £264.62. Independent guides report US prices of $13, $20 and $350 a month for Essentials, Standard and Premium, but check the price for your own region.
The free plan
Mailchimp’s pricing page says: under 250 contacts, it’s free, and it describes the plan as core features for early growth. Sending is paused if you exceed the contact or email limit. The page does not show the free plan’s monthly send limit; independent guides report 500 emails a month, and Mailchimp branding on free-plan emails.
Older guides, including earlier articles on this site, list the free plan as 500 contacts and 1,000 emails a month. That no longer matches Mailchimp’s page.
What each paid plan includes
Essentials: 5,000 sends at the smallest band, 3 seats, 3 audiences, up to 4 flow steps in automations, custom-coded templates you can create but must upgrade to send, 24/7 email and chat support, and an SMS add-on.
Standard: 6,000 sends, 5 seats, 5 audiences, up to 200 automation flows, generative AI features at no additional cost, custom-coded templates you can create and send, branded templates, custom reports, dynamic content, one onboarding session, and 24/7 email and chat support.
Premium: 150,000 sends, unlimited seats and audiences, phone and priority support, enterprise SSO, four onboarding sessions with a dedicated onboarding specialist, and premium migration services through sales.
Mailchimp lists the removal of its branding on all three paid plans, and 300+ integrations. SMS and MMS are add-ons in selected countries, and unused SMS credits expire each month.
How the limits work
Mailchimp sets monthly sends as a multiple of the contacts you store: 10 times for Essentials, 12 times for Standard and 15 times for Premium. Its footnotes say overages apply if you exceed the contact or send limit on a paid plan. That makes your contact count the main driver of cost, so a clean list matters.
Trial, discounts and pay as you go
Free trial: 14 days of Standard or Essentials for new customers. Mailchimp requires payment details at sign-up and charges you when the trial ends unless you cancel or move plan.
Premium trial: a one-month trial may be available to qualified customers through sales.
Nonprofits: a 15% discount, requested through Mailchimp’s billing team.
Pay as you go: email credits for infrequent senders, instead of a monthly or annual plan.
How it compares
Platform
Free option
Entry paid price
Price based on
Brevo
Free forever, up to 300 emails a day once approved
Starter £6/month, Standard £13/month
Monthly send volume
AWeber
Up to 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails a month
Lite $15/month ($12.50 annual), Plus $30/month ($20 annual)
Subscriber count
Moosend
30-day trial, no credit card
Pro from $9/month for 500 contacts
Contact count
These use different currencies and billing rules, so compare them at your own list size. Brevo’s automation sits on its Standard plan. Moosend’s Pro plan includes unlimited sends and automation. AWeber’s Lite allows 3 automations and Plus allows unlimited.
It may suit you if you need its 300+ integrations, up to 200 automation flows on Standard, or 24/7 email and chat support on its entry paid plans, and your list is small enough for the contact-based pricing to stay manageable.
Look at alternatives if your list is above 250 contacts and you want to stay free, if you need more than 4 flow steps of automation without paying for Standard, or if you want your costs to follow how often you send rather than how many contacts you hold.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailchimp still free?
Yes, for fewer than 250 contacts, according to Mailchimp’s pricing page. Above that you need a paid plan.
How much does Mailchimp cost per month?
At 0-500 contacts a UK visitor sees Essentials from £9.83, Standard from £15.12 and Premium from £264.62. The price rises with your contact band.
Do I need a card for the trial?
Yes. Mailchimp says valid payment information must be provided when you enrol in the 14-day trial.
What happens if I go over my limit?
On the free plan, sending is paused. On paid plans, Mailchimp says overages apply.
Can I pay only when I send?
Yes, through Mailchimp’s Pay As You Go email credits, which it recommends for infrequent senders.
Verdict
Mailchimp is a capable, well-integrated platform whose cost follows your contact count, and whose free plan is now small. Read the limits for your list size on Mailchimp’s page, then price two or three alternatives at the same size before you commit.
Last updated: 30 October 2026. Prices and limits change often, so confirm them on the vendor’s website before buying.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase I may earn a commission. It does not change what I recommend.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
A restaurant’s regulars are its most valuable customers, and email is one of the cheapest ways to bring them back on a quiet Tuesday. You do not need a big budget or a marketing team: a short list of people who asked to hear from you, and a few well-timed messages, can fill tables.
This guide compares three platforms that suit small restaurants, cafes and pubs: Brevo, Moosend and AWeber. I focus on what each one costs, what the free options really include, and where each one will get in your way.
How this guide was put together
Plan details below were checked in October 2026 against Moosend’s pricing page, Brevo’s help centre and independent pricing guides for AWeber. This is a comparison of published plans and features, not a hands-on test of each platform in a restaurant. Vendors change prices and limits often, so confirm the current figures on their sites before you buy. The sources are listed at the end.
What a restaurant needs from email marketing
Easy sign-up where customers already are – a QR code on menus or receipts, or a tick box on your booking form
Simple, good-looking emails – menu changes, events and offers with photos that work on a phone
A few automations – a welcome message, and ideally a birthday or lapsed-customer message
Sensible limits – enough sends per day or month to reach your whole list
Low cost – ideally free until the list is worth paying for
The three options at a glance
Platform
Free option
Paid plans
Worth knowing
Brevo
Free plan, no credit card. Independent reviews report a 300 emails per day limit
Starter from $9/month, Standard from $18/month (5,000 sends/month at entry level)
30-day free trial, no credit card. No permanent free plan
Pro from about $9/month for 500 contacts
Unlimited sends on Pro. Price rises with list size
AWeber
Free: up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails/month
Lite $15/month ($12.50 billed annually), Plus $30/month ($20 billed annually)
Free plan emails carry AWeber branding
Brevo: best if you want SMS as well as email
Brevo has a free plan that stays free with no credit card, and paid plans priced mainly by how many emails you send each month. Its official help centre lists Starter from $9/month and Standard from $18/month, with a 10% discount for paying annually.
Why a restaurant might choose it:
You can send SMS as well as email, which suits last-minute offers such as a table free tonight. SMS is paid for with prepaid credits, and the price depends on the country you send to
The free plan lets you start without paying while you build your list
Paying monthly for what you send suits a venue that emails occasionally rather than daily
Limits to know about:
The reported 300 emails per day cap on the free plan means a list of 900 would take three days to reach in full, so same-day promotions to a bigger list need a paid plan
On paid plans, Brevo’s help centre ties each send tier to a contact storage limit. The entry tiers store 500 contacts (5,000 sends) or 1,500 contacts (10,000 sends), so a growing list can push you to a higher tier
Emails on the free and Starter plans carry a Brevo logo. It comes off automatically on Standard, or on Starter with a $9/month add-on
Independent reviews report that automations on Free and Starter are capped at 2,000 contacts
Moosend: best for automated birthday and win-back emails
Moosend offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card. Its FAQ says the trial includes unlimited sends for up to 1,000 contacts, automations, segmentation, an AI writer, and landing page and form design. After the trial you move to the Pro plan, which independent pricing guides put at about $9/month for 500 contacts. Moosend’s own page shows 15% off for six-monthly billing and 20% off for annual billing. Moosend is now a Constant Contact company, following Constant Contact’s June 2025 acquisition from Sitecore.
Why a restaurant might choose it:
Pro includes unlimited email sends, so you are not rationing campaigns by volume
Its automation builder suits set-and-forget messages such as a welcome email or a win-back email to customers who have gone quiet
Landing pages and sign-up forms are included, so you can build a page for your QR code
Limits to know about:
There is no permanent free plan. After 30 days you pay or lose sending ability, though Moosend says your data stays intact
During the trial only one automation workflow can be published
Moosend’s pricing page does not list SMS, so treat it as an email platform
Pricing is by contact count, so costs rise as your list grows
AWeber’s free plan covers up to 500 subscribers and, according to several independent pricing guides, 3,000 emails per month with no time limit. Paid plans start with Lite at $15/month ($12.50 billed annually) and Plus at $30/month ($20 billed annually), priced by subscriber count.
Why a restaurant might choose it:
A free plan that suits a small local list: 500 subscribers emailed weekly is about 2,000 emails a month, inside the reported 3,000 cap
It is a long-established platform with a straightforward setup
You can see how it works before paying anything
Limits to know about:
Emailing 500 subscribers twice a week is about 4,000 emails a month, which is over the reported free limit
Independent reviews say the free plan is limited to one list, one automation and one landing page, and that AWeber branding stays on Free and Lite emails until you move to Plus
A small cafe with a few hundred regulars and a weekly email: AWeber Free or Brevo Free. Both let you start without paying
A venue that wants to text offers as well as email them: Brevo, remembering that SMS credits cost extra
A restaurant that wants automated birthday, welcome and win-back emails: try Moosend’s 30-day trial and see whether the automations are worth about $9/month to you
A list above about 1,000 people that you want to email in one go: look at a paid plan on any of them, because the free plan caps will slow you down
Collecting email addresses without being pushy
Put a QR code on menus, table cards or receipts that links to a simple sign-up page, with a clear reason to join such as news of events or a seasonal menu
Add an unticked tick box to your online booking form
Ask in person at the end of a good meal, when people are happiest
Offer something small in return, such as a free coffee on their next visit, and keep the promise
Consent matters in the UK. Marketing emails to individuals generally need consent under UK GDPR and PECR, with a limited soft opt-in for existing customers whose details you collected during a sale, as long as you offered an opt-out when you collected them and in every message. Every email needs a working unsubscribe link. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the ICO’s guidance for your situation.
Email ideas that suit restaurants
Welcome email: thank new subscribers and share one thing they will enjoy, such as a favourite dish or the story behind the place
Menu and seasonal updates: a short note with one good photo
Quiet-night offers: a midweek reason to book
Event announcements: tastings, live music, private dining
Birthday message: a small treat on the month or day, if your platform and consent allow it
We have missed you: a friendly nudge to customers who have not booked in a while
Thank you and review request: a short note after a visit asking for honest feedback
Keep each email short, put one clear action in it, and check how it looks on a phone before sending, since most customers will read it there. Try sending at different times and see when your own customers open.
Frequently asked questions
Can a restaurant do email marketing for free?
Yes, within limits. Brevo and AWeber both have free plans. AWeber’s free plan is limited to 500 subscribers and, per independent guides, 3,000 emails a month. Brevo’s free plan has a reported daily send cap. Moosend only offers a 30-day trial.
How often should a restaurant email its customers?
There is no single right answer. For most small venues, one email every one to two weeks is enough, and many do well with less. Fewer, better emails usually beat frequent ones. Watch your unsubscribe rate and open rate and adjust.
Do I need permission to email my customers?
Generally yes. In the UK you normally need consent for marketing emails, with a limited soft opt-in for existing customers. Never add people to a list who have not agreed to hear from you.
Is SMS better than email for a restaurant?
They suit different jobs. SMS is quick for time-sensitive offers but costs per message and needs its own consent. Email is cheaper for menus, stories and events. Brevo is the one of these three that offers both.
Final verdict
For a small restaurant starting from nothing, begin on a free plan. AWeber Free is a simple choice for a list under 500, and Brevo Free suits you if you want the option of SMS later. If you want automated welcome, birthday and win-back emails, use Moosend’s 30-day trial to find out whether the automations earn their keep at about $9/month.
Whichever you pick, the platform matters less than collecting addresses properly and sending something worth opening on a regular rhythm.
Constant Contact announcement of the Moosend acquisition: constantcontact.com
Last updated: October 2026. Prices and limits were checked this month but change often, so confirm them on the vendor’s website before buying.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase I may earn a commission. It does not change what I recommend.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This guide is based on ActiveCampaign’s published plans and on independent reports, not on hands-on testing of every feature.
ActiveCampaign is an automation-focused email marketing platform. This guide uses ActiveCampaign’s own pricing page, read on 30 October 2026 and shown in US dollars. The page shows a price for each contact count, and I could only confirm the 1,000-contact prices, so other list sizes are not listed here. Use the contacts selector on ActiveCampaign’s page for your own number.
ActiveCampaign plans at 1,000 contacts
Plan
From (billed yearly)
Monthly email sends
Users
Starter
$15/month
10x your contacts
1
Plus
$49/month
10x your contacts
1
Pro
$79/month
12x your contacts
3
Enterprise
$145/month
15x your contacts
5
ActiveCampaign’s page labels these prices as billed yearly. An earlier version of this article called them monthly-billing prices, which was wrong. The page does not show a separate month-to-month price. Independent guides report that month-to-month prices are higher, at about $19, $59, $99 and $179 for the four plans at 1,000 contacts. Check at checkout.
What each plan includes
Starter: multi-step marketing automation limited to 5 actions per automation, email only, 250+ templates, A/B testing on email, up to 5 lists, standard and inline forms, 15 active business goals and basic support. No landing pages.
Plus: adds cross-channel marketing, generative AI for content and images, landing pages and site messages, unlimited automation actions, 25 active business goals and A/B testing on email.
Pro: adds predictive sending, conditional content, advanced segmentation, attribution and conversion tracking, 200 active business goals, an automations map, A/B testing in automations and priority support.
Enterprise: adds single sign-on, HIPAA support, custom objects, premium CRM integrations such as Salesforce, a dedicated account team and an uptime SLA.
Site tracking and link tracking are listed on every plan, so they are not a Pro feature as an earlier version of this article said. The page also lists 1000+ integrations and 250+ templates.
Add-ons that cost extra
SMS marketing: an add-on, available from Plus upwards
WhatsApp messaging: an add-on, available from Plus upwards
Pipelines enhanced CRM: an add-on from Plus upwards. It is where deal records, pipeline management and lead scoring come from
Sales engagement enhanced CRM: a further add-on, including automated 1:1 email and win probability
Custom reporting: an add-on on Plus and Pro, included on Enterprise
Transactional email: an add-on on every plan
This corrects an earlier version of this article, which said CRM, lead scoring and SMS were included in Plus.
Trial and guarantee
ActiveCampaign offers a free trial, and independent guides report that it lasts 14 days and is limited to 100 contacts and 100 emails. The pricing page also advertises results in 30 days or your money back. Read the guarantee terms before relying on it.
Is ActiveCampaign worth it?
It may suit you if you need automations with branching, conditional content and predictive sending, want one platform for email, site messages and CRM add-ons, or have a long list of integrations to connect.
Consider alternatives if you only need simple email and a few automations, or want a free plan. Starter’s limit of 5 actions per automation and email-only sending matter for anything beyond a basic sequence.
Other platforms to compare
Brevo: a free plan capped at 300 emails a day, with unlimited multi-step automation, A/B testing, heatmaps and one landing page on Standard from $18/month. It is priced by send volume with contact storage limits.
Moosend: a 30-day trial with no credit card, then Pro from $9/month for 500 contacts with unlimited sends and automation.
AWeber: a free plan for 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails a month. Lite is $15/month ($12.50 annual) with 3 automations, and Plus is $30/month ($20 annual) with unlimited automations.
These use different billing terms and limits, so compare them at your own list size.
The pricing page shows paid plans and a free trial, not a permanent free plan.
Does ActiveCampaign include a CRM?
It has contact profiles and tags on every plan. Pipelines, deal records and lead scoring come from a paid CRM add-on on Plus and above.
How many users are included?
One on Starter and Plus, three on Pro and five on Enterprise.
Can I add SMS?
Yes, as an add-on from Plus upwards. It is not available on Starter.
Verdict
ActiveCampaign’s headline price is low, but the features most people want sit one or two plans up, and CRM, SMS and WhatsApp are extra. Work out which plan you really need and price it at your list size, including add-ons, before comparing it with cheaper platforms.
Last updated: 30 October 2026. Prices and limits change often, so confirm them on the vendor’s website before buying.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase I may earn a commission. It does not change what I recommend.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I have thoroughly researched.
Starting email marketing for the first time can feel overwhelming — there are dozens of platforms to choose from, all claiming to be the best, and it is not always clear what you actually need as a beginner versus what is just a nice-to-have.
This guide cuts through the noise. I will cover the best email marketing platforms for beginners in 2026 — what makes each one good for someone just starting out, what the free plans include, and which one is right for your specific situation. You do not need to spend anything to get started.
What Beginners Actually Need from an Email Marketing Platform
Before comparing platforms, it helps to be clear about what actually matters when you are just starting out — and what does not.
What matters for beginners:
A genuinely free plan — you should not have to pay anything until you are ready and your list justifies the cost
Simple interface — you need to be able to set up your first campaign without a tutorial for every click
A welcome email or basic automation — so new subscribers automatically receive something from you without manual work
An opt-in form — a sign-up box you can add to your website or share as a link
Reliable support — when you get stuck (and you will) you need help that actually answers your question
Good deliverability — your emails need to reach the inbox, not land in spam
What does not matter yet:
Advanced automation and complex workflows — you will not need these until your list is established
A/B testing — useful later, not on day one
CRM integration — valuable when you have a sales process, not when you are just starting
200+ email templates — you will use one or two at most
With that in mind, here are the best platforms for beginners in 2026.
Best Email Marketing Platforms for Beginners at a Glance
Platform
Free Plan
Paid From
Best For
Brevo
Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day
$9/month
Best overall free plan for beginners
AWeber
500 subscribers, unlimited sends
$12.50/month
Best for simplicity and template variety
Moosend
30-day free trial
$9/month
Best for beginners wanting automation from day one
MailerLite
1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
$10/month
Best for bloggers and content creators
Mailchimp
500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month
$13/month
Most recognised brand — though not the best value
1. Brevo — Best Overall Free Plan for Beginners
Free plan
Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day
Paid from
$9/month
Best for
Beginners who want to start free with no limits on how many contacts they add
Ease of use
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Free support
Email support included
Brevo is the best starting point for most beginners in 2026 and the platform I recommend most often. The reason is simple — its free plan removes the biggest source of stress for new email marketers: the contact limit.
With Mailchimp you can have 500 contacts before you start paying. With AWeber it is 500 subscribers. With Brevo it is unlimited — you can add every person who has ever shown interest in your business without worrying about hitting a cap and being forced to upgrade before you are ready.
For a beginner still building their audience, this removes a significant source of anxiety and cost pressure. You can focus entirely on learning the platform, growing your list, and sending your first campaigns — without a ticking clock counting down to your first bill.
What beginners get on Brevo free:
Unlimited contacts — add everyone without hitting a paywall
300 emails per day — enough for a weekly newsletter to several thousand contacts
Drag-and-drop email editor — no design skills needed
Basic automation — set up a welcome email sequence for free
Landing pages — create a sign-up page to share on social media
SMS marketing — text message campaigns included at no extra subscription cost
Email support — help available when you need it
No credit card required to sign up
The honest limitations:
The 300 emails per day limit means if you have more than 9,000 contacts and want to email everyone at once, you will need a paid plan
Brevo branding appears at the bottom of free plan emails
Advanced automation is on paid plans — but basic welcome sequences are free
For most beginners, none of these limitations matter. You are starting with a small list and growing it — the free plan covers everything you need for your first 6-12 months of email marketing.
2. AWeber — Best for Simplicity and Getting Started Fast
Free plan
500 subscribers, unlimited email sends
Paid from
$12.50/month
Best for
Beginners who want the simplest possible setup with unlimited sends
Ease of use
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Free support
Live chat included on free plan
AWeber has been helping small businesses and solopreneurs send emails since 1998 — and its reputation for simplicity and reliability is well-earned. For a complete beginner who wants to get a professional-looking email sent as quickly as possible without a steep learning curve, AWeber is the most straightforward option available.
Its Smart Designer feature is particularly useful for beginners — paste your website URL and AWeber automatically creates a branded email template matching your colours and fonts in seconds. Rather than spending an hour designing your first email from scratch, you have something that looks polished and on-brand within minutes of signing up.
The free plan includes unlimited email sends for up to 500 subscribers — meaning you can email your list as frequently as you like without worrying about monthly send limits. This compares favourably to Mailchimp’s free plan, which caps you at just 1,000 emails per month regardless of list size.
What beginners get on AWeber free:
500 subscribers with unlimited email sends
600+ professionally designed email templates
Smart Designer — creates a branded template from your website URL automatically
Basic autoresponder sequences — set up automated follow-up emails
Landing pages — capture email addresses from social media or your website
Live chat support — real help available on the free plan, not just a help centre
Outstanding deliverability — AWeber’s 25+ year reputation with inbox providers
No credit card required
The honest limitations:
500 subscriber limit — once you grow beyond this you will need to upgrade
Automation less sophisticated than Moosend at the same price point
No SMS marketing
For beginners who want to just get started without overthinking it, AWeber is the most immediately usable platform on this list. Sign up, paste your website URL, and you have a branded email template ready to send within 10 minutes.
3. Moosend — Best for Beginners Who Want Automation From Day One
Free plan
30-day free trial with full access
Paid from
$9/month
Best for
Beginners who want to learn proper automation from the start
Ease of use
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Free support
Email and chat during trial
Moosend is the strongest choice for beginners who already know they want to build proper automated email sequences — welcome series, nurture flows, and behaviour-based follow-ups — rather than just sending occasional newsletters.
Now part of the Constant Contact family, Moosend delivers automation capabilities that most platforms charge $50-100 per month for — all from just $9 per month. Its 30-day free trial gives you full access to every feature, which is enough time to set up your email list, build your welcome sequence, and understand whether the platform suits your needs before spending a penny.
The visual automation builder is genuinely approachable for beginners — you drag and drop actions and triggers onto a canvas and can see exactly how your automation flows before switching it on. Many beginners who start with Brevo or AWeber eventually switch to Moosend when they are ready to invest in more powerful automation.
What beginners get on Moosend trial:
Full access to all Pro features for 30 days
Visual automation builder — see your sequences mapped out before they run
Unlimited contacts and unlimited email sends during the trial
Lead scoring — understand who your most engaged subscribers are
Landing pages and subscription forms
Heatmap reporting — see where subscribers click within your emails
No credit card required to start the trial
The honest limitations:
No permanent free plan — after 30 days you pay $9/month or lose access
Email marketing only — no SMS or WhatsApp
Smaller template library than AWeber
If you know from the outset that automation is important to your email marketing strategy — and for most businesses it should be — starting with Moosend means you learn the right habits from day one rather than outgrowing a simpler platform and having to switch later.
4. MailerLite — Best for Beginner Bloggers and Content Creators
MailerLite offers 1,000 free subscribers with 12,000 emails per month — the most generous contact allowance of any free plan on this list after Brevo. It also includes a built-in blog, website builder, and paid newsletter subscription tool on the free plan — making it the strongest starting point for bloggers, content creators, consultants, and anyone who wants to build an audience around their expertise.
The interface is clean and uncluttered, the email editor is fast and intuitive, and basic automation is included on the free plan — so your welcome sequence runs automatically from day one. At $10 per month for the first paid tier, it is also one of the most affordable options when you are ready to upgrade.
The main limitation for beginners is MailerLite’s account approval process — new accounts are manually reviewed before you can start sending, which can take 24-48 hours. This is a minor inconvenience but worth knowing about if you want to start sending immediately.
5. Mailchimp — The Most Recognised Brand, But Not the Best Value
Mailchimp is the most famous name in email marketing and the default choice for many beginners simply because they have heard of it. It is a perfectly capable platform — but its free plan is significantly less generous than the alternatives on this list, and its paid pricing has increased substantially in recent years.
Mailchimp’s free plan caps you at 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month. This sounds reasonable until you compare it to Brevo — unlimited contacts and 9,000 emails per month free — or MailerLite — 1,000 contacts and 12,000 emails per month free. For a beginner with no reason to choose Mailchimp specifically, these alternatives offer far more without costing anything extra.
Mailchimp is worth choosing if you specifically need its 300+ native integrations or its Facebook and Instagram advertising tools. For most beginners who just want to start sending emails and building their list, the platforms above offer better value.
How to Choose the Right Platform as a Beginner
Start with Brevo if: You want the most generous free plan with no contact limits and room to grow your list without cost pressure. You want SMS marketing alongside email. You want a basic CRM to track contacts. You want to start completely free with no expiry date.
Start with AWeber if: You want the simplest possible setup and want to send a professional-looking email within the first hour. You want live chat support on the free plan. You want unlimited sends without worrying about monthly email caps.
Start with Moosend if: You already know that automation is a priority and want to learn it properly from day one. You want 30 days of full access to professional automation tools before deciding whether to pay. You are willing to pay $9 per month after the trial.
Start with MailerLite if: You are a blogger, writer, or content creator who wants to build an audience around your expertise. You want a built-in blog and website builder alongside email marketing. You are happy to wait 24-48 hours for account approval.
Your First Week of Email Marketing — A Simple Action Plan
Once you have chosen your platform, here is exactly what to do in your first week to get your email marketing working properly from the start:
Day 1 — Set Up Your Account
Sign up for your chosen platform — Brevo, AWeber, or Moosend. Verify your email address and complete the basic account setup. Add your business name, website, and contact address. These details appear in every email you send and are required by email marketing law.
Day 2 — Create Your First Contact List and Opt-In Form
Create a contact list — this is where your subscribers are stored. Then create a simple opt-in form — a sign-up box where people enter their email address to join your list. Most platforms let you generate a link to this form that you can share on social media even before your website is set up.
Day 3 — Create Your Lead Magnet
A lead magnet is a free resource you offer in exchange for an email address — a short guide, a checklist, a template, or a useful document relevant to your business. The more specific it is to your ideal subscriber’s needs, the better it will convert. A checklist titled Five Things to Check Before Signing an Office Lease will outperform a generic Guide to Running a Business every time.
Day 4 — Write Your Welcome Email
Your welcome email is the most important email you will ever send — it achieves the highest open rates of any email in your sequence. Keep it simple: thank the subscriber for joining, deliver your lead magnet or free resource, tell them briefly what to expect from you, and end with one question that invites a reply. Replies to your welcome email signal to inbox providers that your emails are worth reading — which improves deliverability for everyone on your list.
Day 5 — Set Up Your Automation
Connect your welcome email to your opt-in form so it sends automatically the moment someone subscribes. This is your first automation — and once it is set up it runs indefinitely without any further work from you. Add a second email three days later sharing your best piece of content or your most useful resource. Add a third email a week later with a soft recommendation or offer. These three emails form a basic welcome sequence that nurtures new subscribers automatically.
Days 6 and 7 — Add Your Opt-In Form to Your Website and Share Your Link
Embed your opt-in form on your website — ideally within your most visited pages and articles rather than just in the footer. Share the direct link to your sign-up form on your social media profiles. Tell your existing contacts — past clients, colleagues, friends who might be interested — what you are building and invite them personally to join. Personal invitations convert at a far higher rate than website forms for your first subscribers.
Email Marketing Mistakes Beginners Should Avoid
Adding people without their permission
Never add someone to your email list without their explicit consent. This is both illegal under UK GDPR and a quick way to damage your sender reputation — recipients who do not recognise you will mark your emails as spam, which affects your deliverability for every other subscriber. Always invite people to join rather than adding them automatically.
Waiting until your list is big enough
There is no minimum list size at which email marketing becomes worthwhile. Many successful businesses have generated significant revenue from a list of fewer than 100 engaged subscribers. Start sending as soon as you have your first subscriber — the habit of consistent sending is more valuable than waiting for a larger audience.
Sending only when you have something to sell
Subscribers who only hear from you when you want to sell something quickly learn to ignore or unsubscribe from your emails. Build the relationship first by sending genuinely useful content consistently — then when you do make an offer, your subscribers trust you enough to consider it.
Using a personal Gmail address to send
Sending marketing emails from a Gmail or Hotmail address looks unprofessional and damages deliverability. All three platforms recommended in this guide let you send from a professional address — either your own domain email or a verified sender address. Set this up before you send your first campaign.
Giving up after low open rates on your first send
Your first few emails will not perform as well as your later ones — and that is completely normal. Open rates improve as subscribers become familiar with your name, as you learn what subject lines resonate with your audience, and as inbox providers build a positive picture of your sender reputation. Give it at least two to three months of consistent sending before drawing conclusions about what is and is not working.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest email marketing platform for beginners?
AWeber is the easiest email marketing platform for complete beginners — its Smart Designer creates a branded email template from your website URL automatically, and most new users send their first professional-looking email within 30 minutes of signing up. Brevo is a close second with a clean interface and more generous free plan. Both are significantly simpler than HubSpot or ActiveCampaign, which are better suited to more advanced users.
Can I do email marketing for free?
Yes — and you can do it well for free. Brevo gives you unlimited contacts, 300 emails per day, automation, landing pages, SMS marketing, and a basic CRM at no cost with no time limit. AWeber gives you 500 subscribers with unlimited sends. MailerLite gives you 1,000 subscribers with 12,000 monthly sends. All three have no credit card requirement to start. Most beginners can run their email marketing entirely on a free plan for the first year.
How many subscribers do I need before starting email marketing?
Zero. Start with your first subscriber. The habit of writing and sending emails consistently is something you build over time — and it is much easier to build that habit with a small engaged list than to try and suddenly produce professional content for a large audience you have never written for before. Set up your platform, write your welcome email, and share your sign-up link today. Your first subscriber could be a friend or family member — and that is completely fine.
Do I need a website to start email marketing?
No — you can start building an email list before you have a website. All three platforms recommended in this guide let you create a landing page — a simple sign-up page with your opt-in form — that you can share as a link on social media, in messages, or by email. Many successful email marketers built their first hundred subscribers entirely through a landing page link shared on social media before they had a website at all.
Is email marketing still worth it for small businesses in 2026?
Yes — email marketing consistently generates the highest return on investment of any digital marketing channel, averaging £36 back for every £1 spent. Unlike social media, your email list is an asset you own — no algorithm change or platform ban can take it away. Unlike paid advertising, it compounds over time — the list you build today earns you money for years. For small businesses with limited marketing budgets, email marketing is the highest-return use of your time and money in 2026.
What should I send to my email list as a beginner?
Start with the basics: a welcome email that delivers your lead magnet and introduces your business, followed by a weekly or fortnightly email sharing something genuinely useful — a tip, a resource, a lesson from your work, or a recommendation. Do not overthink it. Your subscribers signed up because they are interested in what you know — share that knowledge consistently and simply. As you grow more comfortable, you can add promotions, offers, and more sophisticated content. But in the beginning, consistency and usefulness matter far more than polish.
Final Verdict
For most beginners in 2026, Brevo is the strongest starting point — unlimited contacts, generous daily send allowance, automation, SMS, and landing pages all completely free with no time limit. You can build your list, send your first campaigns, and learn the platform without spending anything or feeling pressure to upgrade before you are ready.
If simplicity is your absolute priority and you want to send a professional email within the hour, AWeber is the most immediately usable platform — paste your website URL and you have a branded template in minutes.
If automation is important to you from day one and you are willing to pay $9 per month after a 30-day trial, Moosend delivers more automation power than any platform on this list at a comparable price.
Whichever you choose — start today. The email list you build over the next 12 months will be one of the most valuable business assets you own. The best time to start was a year ago. The second best time is now.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This does not affect my recommendations — I only feature tools I genuinely believe are worth using.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I have thoroughly researched.
Email marketing consistently delivers the highest return on investment of any digital marketing channel — averaging £36 back for every £1 spent. But most small businesses are leaving significant results on the table by making the same avoidable mistakes.
This guide covers 20 practical email marketing tips for small businesses in 2026 — covering subject lines, automation, list building, segmentation, and the tools that make the biggest difference — with no fluff and no jargon.
Getting Started: The Foundations
1. Choose the Right Platform From the Start
The email marketing platform you choose affects everything — your deliverability, your automation capability, your costs as you grow, and how much time you spend managing your email marketing each week. Many small businesses start with Mailchimp because it is familiar, then discover they are paying significantly more than necessary as their list grows.
For most small businesses in 2026, the strongest starting points are:
Brevo — unlimited contacts on the free plan, automation included, SMS marketing, and no contact-based pricing pressure as you grow. The most generous free starting point available.
Moosend — from $9/month with powerful automation, lead scoring, and heatmap reporting that most platforms charge $50-100/month for. Best for businesses that prioritise automation depth.
AWeber — unlimited sends on the free plan for up to 500 subscribers, 600+ templates, and outstanding deliverability built over 25 years. Best for simplicity and reliability.
2. Set Up Your Welcome Sequence Before You Do Anything Else
Your welcome email sequence is the highest-performing automation you will ever set up — welcome emails typically achieve 50-80% open rates, compared to 20-30% for standard newsletters. Yet most small businesses either skip the welcome sequence entirely or send a single generic thank you email and move on.
A three-email welcome sequence set up once does the work of thousands of manual follow-ups. Email one delivers what you promised and introduces your business. Email two shares your best content or most valuable resource. Email three makes a soft recommendation or offer. Set it up in your first week and it works automatically from that point forward.
3. Create a Lead Magnet That Solves a Specific Problem
A lead magnet is a free resource you offer in exchange for an email address. The mistake most small businesses make is creating a lead magnet that is too generic — a free guide to your industry that could have been written by anyone. The best lead magnets solve one specific, immediate problem for a specific type of person.
A freelance copywriter offering five email subject line formulas that doubled her client open rates will outperform a general guide to email marketing every time. The more specific the promise, the higher the conversion rate. Think about the single most common question your ideal customer asks, and create something that answers it completely.
4. Place Your Opt-In Form Where It Will Actually Be Seen
Most small business websites bury their email sign-up form in the footer where almost nobody scrolls. The highest-converting opt-in form placements are within the body of your most visited blog posts or pages, a pop-up triggered after a visitor has spent 30-60 seconds reading (showing genuine interest), and a sticky bar at the top of the page that stays visible as visitors scroll.
The placement of your form matters more than the design. A plain text opt-in within your most visited article will outperform a beautifully designed form hidden in your footer. Put it where people are already reading and interested.
Growing Your List
5. Ask Your Existing Network First
The fastest way to get your first 50-100 subscribers is not through your website — it is through the people who already know you. Past clients, current customers, professional contacts, and personal connections are your warmest potential subscribers. A personal message explaining what your newsletter covers and inviting people to sign up will convert at a far higher rate than any website opt-in form.
Do not add people without their permission — always invite rather than add. But do not underestimate how willing people who know you are to support something you have created. A personal ask from someone they know and trust is qualitatively different from a website pop-up.
6. Use Your Social Media Bio Wisely
Every social media platform gives you at least one clickable link — your bio. Most small businesses use this link to point to their homepage, which is a missed opportunity. Point your social media bio links to a dedicated landing page for your lead magnet instead. A visitor who clicks your Instagram bio link is interested enough to learn more — give them a specific, compelling reason to share their email address rather than dropping them on a generic homepage.
7. Answer Questions on Quora and Reddit With Your Link
Quora and Reddit are searchable platforms where your answers live permanently. When someone asks a question directly related to your business or niche, a detailed, helpful answer with a link to your lead magnet or opt-in page reaches readers who are actively searching for exactly what you offer. Unlike social media posts that disappear from feeds within hours, a well-written Quora answer can drive traffic and subscribers for years. Five quality answers per week is a realistic and worthwhile commitment for most small businesses.
8. Keep Your List Clean
A smaller, engaged email list consistently outperforms a large, disengaged one. Subscribers who never open your emails damage your deliverability by lowering your overall engagement rates — which in turn affects whether your emails reach the inbox for everyone on your list. Remove subscribers who have not opened any of your last 10 emails. Send a re-engagement campaign first and give them a chance to stay — but do not be afraid to remove those who do not respond. A clean list of 500 engaged subscribers will deliver better results than 2,000 disengaged contacts.
Writing Better Emails
9. Write Subject Lines Like a Person, Not a Brand
The subject lines that consistently achieve the highest open rates are personal, specific, and slightly conversational — not corporate, polished, or promotional. Compare these two approaches:
Corporate approach: March Newsletter — Small Business Marketing Updates
Personal approach: The email mistake I see most small businesses make
The second version creates curiosity, implies useful content, and feels like it comes from a real person rather than a marketing department. Write your subject lines the way you would text a friend about something interesting — direct, specific, and human.
10. Keep Your Preview Text Out of the Hands of Your Email Platform
Preview text is the snippet of text visible next to your subject line in the inbox. If you do not set it deliberately, your email platform defaults to whatever appears first in your email — often a View this email in your browser link or legal disclaimer text. This is a wasted opportunity.
Treat preview text as a second subject line — a continuation of the story or promise you started in the subject line. Together they can significantly increase your open rate compared to a strong subject line with wasted preview text beside it.
11. Open With Your Most Interesting Sentence
Most people decide whether to keep reading an email within the first three seconds of opening it. The first sentence of your email needs to earn the second sentence — not welcome the reader, not introduce yourself, not explain what the email is about. Get straight to the most interesting, useful, or intriguing thing you have to say. Lead with value, not preamble.
12. Write to One Person, Not to a List
The most common mistake in small business email marketing is writing emails that feel like they were sent to thousands of people — because they were. The antidote is simple: write every email as if you are writing to one specific person. Use you and your rather than our subscribers or our readers. Imagine the specific person who most needs to hear what you are writing about, and write to them directly. Emails that feel personal consistently outperform those that feel like broadcasts on every metric that matters.
13. Include One Clear Call to Action
Every email should have one thing you want the reader to do next — not three or four things. Multiple calls to action create decision paralysis and reduce the likelihood that any of them get clicked. Decide what one action matters most for this email — read this article, try this tool, reply with your question, book a call — and make that the single, clear focus of your closing. Everything else is a distraction.
Improving Your Results
14. Test Your Send Time
The best time to send email varies significantly by audience — what works for a B2B newsletter may be very different from what works for a consumer brand. As a starting point, Tuesday to Thursday mornings between 9am and 11am consistently perform well across most audiences. But the only way to know what works for your specific subscribers is to test different times and track open rates. Most email platforms including Brevo and Moosend offer send time optimisation features that automatically send to each subscriber at the time they are most likely to open.
15. A/B Test Your Subject Lines
A/B testing — sending two different versions of a subject line to a portion of your list and automatically sending the winner to the rest — is one of the most effective and underused tools available to small businesses. Even a small improvement in open rate compounds significantly over time. A 5% higher open rate across 52 weekly emails means thousands more people reading your content each year. Most email platforms offer A/B testing on paid plans — test one element at a time, track the results consistently, and apply what you learn to every subsequent campaign.
16. Segment Your List to Send More Relevant Emails
Segmentation means dividing your email list into groups based on shared characteristics — interests, location, purchase history, how they found you, or how engaged they are — and sending more targeted emails to each group. Segmented email campaigns generate significantly higher open rates and click rates than non-segmented ones because the content is more relevant to each recipient.
A simple starting point for most small businesses is to segment by interest — which product, service, or content topic brought them to your list — and make sure the emails you send to each segment are relevant to that interest. Even a basic two or three way segmentation can meaningfully improve your results.
17. Check Your Emails on Mobile Before You Send
More than 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices. An email that looks polished on a desktop can be completely unreadable on a phone — with text too small to read, images that do not load, and buttons too close together to tap accurately. Always preview your emails on a mobile screen before sending. Most email platforms offer a mobile preview mode in the editor — use it every time without exception.
18. Send Consistently — Even When You Do Not Feel Like It
The single most common reason email marketing fails for small businesses is inconsistency. Going quiet for a month and then sending three emails in a week trains your subscribers to ignore you — and trains inbox providers to treat your emails as lower priority. Consistency builds the open rate habit in your subscribers and the sender reputation signals with email providers that keep your emails landing in the primary inbox. Commit to a frequency you can genuinely maintain — weekly, fortnightly, or monthly — and stick to it regardless of how inspired you feel on any given week.
Automation and Advanced Tips
19. Set Up at Least Three Automated Sequences
Automation is the feature that separates email marketing from email broadcasting. Rather than sending the same email to everyone at the same time, automation lets you send the right email to the right person at the right moment — automatically, without manual work from you. Every small business should have at least three automated sequences running at all times:
Welcome sequence — sends automatically when someone joins your list. Introduces your business, delivers your lead magnet, and makes an initial recommendation.
Re-engagement sequence — sends to subscribers who have not opened your emails in 60-90 days. Reminds them why they signed up and gives them a reason to stay engaged.
Post-purchase or post-enquiry sequence — sends after someone buys from you or makes an enquiry. Reduces buyer anxiety, provides onboarding information, and plants the seed for repeat business or referrals.
These three sequences set up once will work automatically in the background of your business indefinitely. Moosend at $9/month offers the most powerful automation available at this price point — including behaviour-based triggers and lead scoring that let you build sophisticated sequences without a technical background.
20. Track the Metrics That Actually Matter
Most small businesses track open rate and click rate and nothing else. These metrics matter — but they are not the whole picture. The metrics that most accurately reflect the health and effectiveness of your email marketing are:
Click-to-open rate — the percentage of people who opened your email and then clicked something. This measures content quality independently of subject line performance.
Unsubscribe rate per email — consistently high unsubscribes after a specific type of email tells you something about content relevance or frequency.
Revenue per email sent — for businesses with trackable sales, this is the most important number. It tells you which emails actually generate money, not just opens.
List growth rate — new subscribers minus unsubscribes as a percentage of total list size each month. A healthy small business email list grows by 3-5% per month at minimum.
Review these metrics after every campaign and look for patterns over time rather than reacting to individual results. Email marketing improves gradually through consistent measurement and small adjustments — not through dramatic overhauls based on one bad send.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a small business send marketing emails?
Weekly is the ideal frequency for most small businesses — consistent enough to build a reading habit in your subscribers without overwhelming them. Fortnightly works well if weekly feels unsustainable. Monthly is the minimum — less frequent than this and subscribers forget who you are between issues, which increases unsubscribes and reduces open rates. Whatever you choose, consistency matters far more than frequency. A fortnightly email sent reliably every other Tuesday builds more trust than a weekly email that arrives whenever you find time.
What is a good open rate for a small business email?
Average email open rates across industries sit between 20-40%. For small businesses with a warm, opted-in subscriber list, 30-50% is achievable with good subject lines and consistent sending. Welcome emails typically achieve 50-80%. If your open rate is consistently below 20%, focus first on your subject lines — test different approaches and see what resonates with your specific audience. If your open rate is above 40% consistently, you are doing something right — focus on converting that engagement into clicks and sales.
What is the best free email marketing tool for small businesses?
Brevo is the best free option for most small businesses — unlimited contacts, 300 emails per day, automation, SMS marketing, landing pages, and a basic CRM all included at no cost with no time limit. AWeber is the best free option if unlimited sends matter more than contact count — free for up to 500 subscribers with no monthly email cap. MailerLite offers the best free plan for content-focused businesses — 1,000 subscribers with automation, a built-in blog, and paid newsletter functionality.
The most effective methods for growing a small business email list are a compelling lead magnet — a specific, genuinely useful free resource offered in exchange for an email address — placed prominently on your most visited web pages. Alongside this, personally inviting your existing network is the fastest way to get your first 50-100 subscribers. Answering questions on Quora and Reddit with links to your opt-in page drives targeted traffic from people actively searching for what you offer. Consistent social media content that references your free resource and drives people to sign up adds a steady ongoing stream of new subscribers over time.
How do I improve my email click rate?
Click rate improves when your email content is genuinely useful and your call to action is specific and single-focused. The most common reasons for low click rates are multiple calls to action competing for attention, a call to action that is too vague (click here versus read the full guide on writing welcome emails), and content that does not deliver on the promise made in the subject line. Test one specific change at a time — a different call to action position, a button versus a text link, or a more specific action — and track which version performs better before changing anything else.
Should small businesses use email automation?
Yes — email automation is one of the highest-return activities a small business can invest time in. Setting up a three to five email welcome sequence takes two to three hours once and then works automatically for every new subscriber indefinitely. A re-engagement sequence can recover 10-20% of lapsing subscribers who would otherwise quietly disengage. A post-purchase sequence can increase repeat purchase rates and referrals without any manual follow-up. The time investment in setting up automation pays back many times over compared to manually following up with every new contact.
The Best Email Marketing Tools for Small Businesses in 2026
The tips above work with any email marketing platform — but the platform you choose determines how easily you can implement them. Here are the three strongest options for small businesses in 2026:
Brevo — unlimited contacts free, automation included, SMS and WhatsApp marketing, a basic CRM, and landing pages all at no cost. The most cost-effective starting point for most small businesses, with a pricing model based on sends rather than contacts that keeps costs low as your list grows.
Moosend — from $9/month with powerful automation that includes lead scoring, heatmap reporting, and behaviour-based triggers. Best for small businesses that want automation depth — features that typically cost $50-100/month on other platforms — without enterprise pricing.
AWeber — 500 free subscribers with unlimited email sends and 600+ templates. Outstanding deliverability built over 25 years, a Smart Designer that creates branded templates from your website URL, and live chat support on the free plan. Best for small businesses that prioritise simplicity and reliability.
Email marketing works — but only when it is done with genuine respect for the reader’s time and attention. The businesses that generate the best results from email are not necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets or the most sophisticated tools. They are the ones that consistently show up in their subscribers’ inboxes with something genuinely worth reading, at a frequency their subscribers can rely on, with a clear purpose behind every email they send.
Start with one or two of the tips above — the welcome sequence and the lead magnet are the highest-impact starting points for most small businesses — and add more as you build momentum. Email marketing rewards consistency and patient improvement far more than it rewards one-time perfection.
Last updated: October 2026
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This does not affect my recommendations — I only feature tools I genuinely believe are worth using.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I have thoroughly researched.
MailerLite and Mailchimp are two of the most popular email marketing platforms for small businesses — and two of the most frequently compared. Both offer free plans, both are beginner-friendly, and both are widely used. But they have meaningfully different strengths, pricing structures, and ideal use cases.
In this guide I will break down exactly how MailerLite and Mailchimp compare across free plans, pricing, features, automation, ease of use, and value for money — so you can make the right decision for your business in 2026.
MailerLite vs Mailchimp: Quick Verdict
MailerLite
Mailchimp
Best for
Bloggers, creators and small businesses wanting a generous free plan
Businesses needing the widest integration library
Free plan contacts
1,000
500
Free email sends
12,000/month
1,000/month
Paid from
$10/month
$13/month
Automation on free plan
Yes
Very basic only
Landing pages
Yes — free plan
1 page on free plan
Built-in blog
Yes
No
Paid newsletters
Yes
No
Ease of use
Very beginner friendly
Beginner friendly
Integrations
150+
300+
Value for money
Excellent
Moderate
Overall rating
4.6/5
4.0/5
Bottom line: MailerLite wins for most small businesses — a more generous free plan, lower paid pricing, automation included from the start, a built-in blog, and paid newsletter functionality that Mailchimp does not offer. Mailchimp’s main advantage is its larger integration library. For businesses that need more automation depth than either platform offers, Brevo and Moosend are worth considering as stronger alternatives.
Who Is Each Platform Built For?
MailerLite is built for small businesses, bloggers, creators, and solopreneurs who want straightforward, affordable email marketing without unnecessary complexity. Its clean interface, generous free plan, and built-in tools for content creators — including a blog, website builder, and paid newsletter subscriptions — make it particularly well suited to people building an audience around their expertise or content.
Mailchimp is a general-purpose email marketing platform that has expanded into a broader marketing suite — adding website building, social media advertising, appointment scheduling, and more alongside its email tools. Its brand recognition and large integration library make it a familiar default choice for many first-time email marketers, though its pricing has increased significantly in recent years while competitors have overtaken it on features and value.
Free Plan Comparison
This is where the difference between the two platforms is most significant — and most important for small businesses just starting out.
Free Plan Feature
MailerLite
Mailchimp
Contact limit
1,000
500
Email sends
12,000/month
1,000/month
Automation
Yes — included
Very basic only
Landing pages
Yes — unlimited
1 page only
Pop-ups and forms
Yes — included
Yes — included
Built-in blog
Yes
No
Website builder
Yes
Yes
Paid newsletter subscriptions
Yes
No
A/B testing
No
No
Email support
No — help centre only
30 days only
MailerLite/Mailchimp branding
Yes — on emails
Yes — on emails
MailerLite’s free plan is significantly more generous than Mailchimp’s in every meaningful way. Double the contacts, twelve times the monthly email sends, automation included, unlimited landing pages, a built-in blog, and paid newsletter functionality — all at no cost. Mailchimp caps its free users at 500 contacts and just 1,000 emails per month, locks automation behind paid tiers, and offers only a single landing page.
The one area where Mailchimp has an edge on the free plan is support — offering 30 days of email support versus MailerLite’s help centre only approach for free users. But the feature gap strongly favours MailerLite for most businesses.
Free plan winner: MailerLite — by a significant margin.
Pricing Comparison
MailerLite Pricing
Plan
Price
Key Features
Free
$0/month
1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month, automation, landing pages, blog
Growing Business
From $10/month
Unlimited emails, remove MailerLite branding, A/B testing, 24/7 support
Advanced
From $20/month
Custom HTML editor, promotion pop-ups, AI writing assistant, multiple users
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Dedicated account manager, custom onboarding, SLA
Mailchimp Pricing
Plan
Price
Key Features
Free
$0/month
500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month, basic templates
Essentials
From $13/month
5,000 emails/month, A/B testing, 24/7 support
Standard
From $20/month
Automation, retargeting ads, 6,000 emails/month
Premium
From $350/month
Unlimited contacts, advanced segmentation
Pricing by List Size
Contacts
MailerLite Growing Business
Mailchimp Standard
1,000
$10/month
$26/month
2,500
$15/month
$45/month
5,000
$30/month
$75/month
10,000
$55/month
$100/month
25,000
$115/month
$270/month
50,000
$220/month
$500/month
MailerLite is consistently and significantly cheaper than Mailchimp at every contact level. At 1,000 contacts MailerLite costs $10/month versus Mailchimp’s $26/month. At 25,000 contacts MailerLite costs $115/month versus Mailchimp’s $270/month. Over 12 months at 25,000 contacts, MailerLite saves you $1,860 compared to Mailchimp for comparable features.
Pricing winner: MailerLite — cheaper at every contact level.
Feature by Feature Comparison
Email Templates and Design
Mailchimp has a larger template library — 100+ professionally designed templates versus MailerLite’s more curated selection. Mailchimp’s drag-and-drop editor is also slightly more feature-rich and has been refined over more years. For businesses where template variety and design flexibility are priorities, Mailchimp has an edge.
MailerLite’s email editor is clean, fast, and produces professional results. Its templates are fewer but well-designed, and the interface is arguably simpler to use for complete beginners. MailerLite also offers a custom HTML editor on its Advanced plan for users who want full design control.
Winner: Mailchimp — larger template library and more mature editor.
Marketing Automation
Feature
MailerLite
Mailchimp
Automation on free plan
Yes
No — paid plans only
Visual automation builder
Yes — all paid plans
Yes — Standard plan only
Welcome sequences
Yes — free plan
Paid plans only
Behaviour-based triggers
Yes — paid plans
Yes — Standard plan only
Abandoned cart sequences
Yes — e-commerce plans
Yes — Standard plan
RSS to email
Yes
Yes
A/B testing in automations
Limited
Limited
MailerLite includes basic automation on its free plan — welcome sequences and simple triggers — which Mailchimp locks behind paid tiers. For small businesses just starting with automation, this is a meaningful advantage that allows you to set up a welcome email sequence and basic nurture flow before spending a penny.
Neither platform’s automation depth matches Moosend at $9/month — which includes lead scoring, heatmaps, and behaviour-based triggers that both MailerLite and Mailchimp reserve for higher tiers or do not offer at all.
Winner: MailerLite — automation included on free plan. Both are limited at entry level compared to Moosend.
Content Creator Features
This is MailerLite’s strongest differentiator. It is the only major email platform in this comparison that includes a built-in blog, a website builder with multiple pages, and a paid newsletter subscription tool — all on the free plan. For bloggers, consultants, coaches, and content creators who want to build and monetise an audience, these features are genuinely valuable and not available on Mailchimp at any price.
Built-in blog — publish content directly within MailerLite with SEO settings and custom domains
Website builder — create a full website with multiple pages, not just landing pages
Paid newsletter subscriptions — charge subscribers for premium content, managed entirely within MailerLite
Digital product selling — sell guides, templates, and downloads directly through your MailerLite account
Mailchimp offers a website builder and basic landing pages but has no blog, no paid newsletter functionality, and no digital product selling tools.
Winner: MailerLite — significantly more useful for content creators.
Integrations
Mailchimp has a larger integration library — 300+ native integrations versus MailerLite’s 150+. Mailchimp’s integrations include Facebook and Instagram advertising, deeper Shopify and WooCommerce connectivity, and a wider range of CRM and business tool connections. For businesses that use specific niche tools, Mailchimp’s broader library may be a deciding factor.
MailerLite covers all the major integrations — Shopify, WordPress, Zapier, Stripe, PayPal — but if your business uses a specialist or less mainstream tool, check MailerLite’s integration list before switching.
Both MailerLite and Mailchimp have strong deliverability track records — typically achieving inbox placement rates of 95%+ in independent testing. MailerLite is known for particularly rigorous account approval processes, which keeps the quality of senders on its platform high and benefits all users through strong shared IP reputation.
Mailchimp’s free plan attracts a higher volume of lower-quality senders, which can occasionally affect shared IP deliverability. Both platforms offer dedicated IP addresses on higher-tier plans for businesses needing maximum deliverability control.
Winner: Tie — both are strong performers. MailerLite marginally ahead on shared IP quality.
Ease of Use
Both platforms are genuinely beginner-friendly — most new users can set up an account and send their first email within an hour on either platform. MailerLite has a slight edge in interface simplicity — its dashboard is less cluttered and its email builder faster to navigate than Mailchimp’s, which has grown more complex as the platform expanded. Mailchimp has the advantage of more widely available tutorials and community resources given its larger user base.
Winner: Tie — both are accessible. MailerLite slightly cleaner, Mailchimp better documented.
Customer Support
Support
MailerLite
Mailchimp
Free plan support
Help centre only
Email — 30 days only
Paid plan support
24/7 live chat and email
24/7 chat and email (Essentials+)
Phone support
No
No
Help centre quality
Excellent
Excellent
Community resources
Good
Extensive
Mailchimp’s 30-day email support for free users is more helpful than MailerLite’s help centre only approach during the critical initial setup period. On paid plans both platforms offer comparable 24/7 live chat and email support. Neither offers phone support. Mailchimp has the advantage of a larger community with more third-party tutorials, YouTube guides, and forum answers due to its market share.
Winner: Mailchimp marginally — 30 days of free support and a larger community resource base.
MailerLite vs Mailchimp: Which Should You Choose?
Do you want the most generous free plan available? Choose MailerLite — 1,000 contacts, 12,000 monthly sends, automation, unlimited landing pages, and a built-in blog all at no cost. Mailchimp’s 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly sends are far more restrictive.
Are you a blogger, creator, or consultant building a content audience? Choose MailerLite — its built-in blog, website builder, and paid newsletter functionality are specifically designed for your needs. Mailchimp does not offer any of these tools.
Do you want automation without paying for it? Choose MailerLite — basic automation is included on the free plan. Mailchimp locks all meaningful automation behind paid tiers.
Do you need the widest possible integration library? Choose Mailchimp — 300+ native integrations cover more third-party tools than MailerLite’s 150+.
Do you need social media advertising integrated with email? Choose Mailchimp — Facebook and Instagram ad management is built in.
Are you already on Mailchimp and considering switching? MailerLite is the most popular Mailchimp alternative — the switch is straightforward, export your list as CSV, import to MailerLite, and most businesses save meaningful money immediately. Most businesses with 1,000+ contacts save $15-25/month by switching at the entry paid tier alone.
Is There a Better Alternative to Both?
For businesses wanting more automation depth or unlimited contacts, yes — there are stronger options than either platform.
Brevo — Best for Unlimited Contacts and Multi-Channel
Brevo offers unlimited contacts on its free plan — significantly more generous than MailerLite’s 1,000 or Mailchimp’s 500. It also includes SMS marketing, WhatsApp campaigns, live chat, and a basic CRM on the free plan. For businesses with a large contact database that want to keep costs low as they scale, Brevo’s contact-unlimited pricing model is the most affordable option available.
Moosend at $9/month delivers automation capabilities that outperform both MailerLite and Mailchimp at their entry paid tiers — including lead scoring, heatmap reporting, behaviour-based triggers, and product recommendations. For businesses where automation is the priority rather than content creator tools or integration breadth, Moosend is the most cost-effective option available. Its 30-day free trial gives you full access to all features before committing.
AWeber offers 500 free subscribers with unlimited email sends — far more monthly sends than either MailerLite or Mailchimp’s free plans. Its 600+ template library is the largest available at this price point, and its Smart Designer tool automatically creates branded email templates from your website URL. For businesses where unlimited sends and template variety matter most, AWeber is a strong alternative.
For most small businesses, yes — MailerLite offers a more generous free plan, lower paid pricing, automation on the free plan, a built-in blog, and paid newsletter functionality that Mailchimp does not provide. Mailchimp’s advantages are its larger integration library and better community resources. If neither of those is a priority for your business, MailerLite is the stronger choice.
Is MailerLite free?
Yes — MailerLite has a genuinely useful free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers with 12,000 emails per month. It includes automation, unlimited landing pages, a built-in blog, website builder, and paid newsletter subscriptions — all at no cost. The free plan does not include A/B testing, 24/7 support, or the custom HTML editor, which are reserved for paid plans. No credit card is required to sign up.
Why is Mailchimp more expensive than MailerLite?
Mailchimp’s pricing has increased significantly over recent years as the platform expanded into a broader marketing suite. At comparable feature levels, MailerLite is typically 50-60% cheaper than Mailchimp — at 25,000 contacts the saving is over $1,800 per year. Many businesses that have been with Mailchimp for years are unaware of how much cheaper comparable alternatives have become.
Can I switch from Mailchimp to MailerLite easily?
Yes — switching is straightforward. Export your Mailchimp audience as a CSV file and import it directly to MailerLite. Your automations and email templates will need to be recreated, but MailerLite’s interface makes this quick and the cost saving typically makes the one-time effort worthwhile. MailerLite’s support team can assist if needed, and there are extensive migration guides available on their help centre.
Is MailerLite good for beginners?
Yes — MailerLite is one of the most beginner-friendly email platforms available. Its clean, uncluttered interface makes it easy to navigate without prior email marketing experience. Most new users can set up their first campaign and automation within an hour. The generous free plan also means beginners can learn the platform without any financial commitment before deciding whether to upgrade.
Does MailerLite have automation?
Yes — MailerLite includes basic automation on its free plan, including welcome sequences and simple trigger-based emails. The Growing Business paid plan adds more advanced automation workflows, behaviour-based triggers, and integration-triggered automations. Mailchimp by comparison locks all meaningful automation behind paid plans — making MailerLite the stronger choice for small businesses that want automation without paying for it.
What is the best Mailchimp alternative?
The best Mailchimp alternative depends on what you need most. MailerLite is the best alternative for most small businesses — more generous free plan, lower pricing, and better content creator features. Brevo is the best alternative for businesses with large contact lists — unlimited contacts free and cheaper at scale. Moosend is the best alternative for automation depth — more powerful triggers and lead scoring from $9/month. AWeber is the best alternative for deliverability and unlimited sends.
Final Verdict
MailerLite wins this comparison for most small businesses — a more generous free plan, significantly lower paid pricing, automation on the free plan, content creator features Mailchimp does not offer, and comparable ease of use. The free plan alone — 1,000 contacts with 12,000 monthly sends — is twelve times the monthly sending allowance Mailchimp provides free.
Mailchimp wins for businesses that specifically need its larger integration library or Facebook and Instagram advertising integration. If neither of those is a priority, MailerLite is the stronger and more affordable choice between the two.
For businesses wanting more than either platform offers — unlimited contacts, deeper automation, or multi-channel marketing — Brevo and Moosend are worth comparing before committing to either.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This does not affect my recommendations — I only feature tools I genuinely believe are worth using.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I have thoroughly researched.
Klaviyo and Mailchimp are two of the most widely compared email marketing platforms — but they target very different businesses and excel in very different areas. Choosing the wrong one can mean paying far more than necessary or missing features your business genuinely needs.
In this guide I will break down exactly how Klaviyo and Mailchimp compare across pricing, features, automation, e-commerce capability, ease of use, and value for money — so you can make a confident decision in 2026.
Klaviyo vs Mailchimp: Quick Verdict
Klaviyo
Mailchimp
Best for
E-commerce businesses wanting deep data integration
Small businesses wanting simple email marketing
Free plan contacts
250
500
Free email sends
500/month
1,000/month
Paid from
$30/month
$13/month
E-commerce features
Best in class
Good
Automation depth
Advanced
Basic to moderate
SMS marketing
Yes — paid add-on
Yes — paid plans, US only
Ease of use
Moderate learning curve
Beginner friendly
Integrations
350+ including deep Shopify
300+ broad library
Value for money
Strong for e-commerce
Moderate
Overall rating
4.6/5
4.0/5
Bottom line: Klaviyo is the stronger platform for e-commerce businesses — its deep Shopify integration, revenue attribution, and predictive analytics are best in class. Mailchimp is better for non-e-commerce small businesses wanting simple, affordable email marketing. For businesses that do not run an online store, both platforms are more expensive than necessary — Brevo and Moosend offer comparable features at significantly lower cost.
Who Is Each Platform Built For?
Klaviyo is built specifically for e-commerce. Everything about the platform — its data model, its automation triggers, its reporting, its integrations — is designed around the needs of online stores. If you sell products online through Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, or a similar platform, Klaviyo gives you capabilities that no general-purpose email platform can match. If you do not run an e-commerce store, Klaviyo’s e-commerce focus becomes less relevant and its higher price harder to justify.
Mailchimp is a general-purpose email marketing platform that serves a much broader range of businesses — from e-commerce stores to service businesses, bloggers, nonprofits, and everything in between. Its wide appeal means it does many things reasonably well without being best in class at any particular one.
Free Plan Comparison
Feature
Klaviyo
Mailchimp
Contact limit
250
500
Email sends
500/month
1,000/month
SMS sends
150 free SMS credits
Not available on free
Automation
Full automation included
Very basic only
E-commerce features
Full access
Limited
Segmentation
Advanced included
Basic only
A/B testing
Limited
Limited
Support
Email for 60 days
Email for 30 days only
Branding on emails
Klaviyo badge
Mailchimp badge
Mailchimp’s free plan is more generous on the basics — more contacts and more monthly sends. But Klaviyo’s free plan includes full automation and advanced segmentation that Mailchimp locks behind paid tiers. For e-commerce businesses, Klaviyo’s free plan is more capable despite the lower contact and send limits. For non-e-commerce businesses, Mailchimp’s free plan is the more practical starting point.
Both free plans are significantly less generous than Brevo’s — which offers unlimited contacts, 300 emails per day, and full automation at no cost with no time limit.
Free plan winner: Depends on use case — Klaviyo for e-commerce, Mailchimp for everything else. Brevo beats both for pure email marketing value.
Pricing Comparison
Klaviyo Pricing
Plan
Price
Key Features
Free
$0/month
250 contacts, 500 emails/month, full automation, 150 SMS credits
Email
From $30/month
Unlimited emails, full features, email support
Email and SMS
From $45/month
Everything in Email plus SMS marketing
Klaviyo Pricing by Contact Count
Contacts
Email Plan
Email and SMS Plan
500
$30/month
$45/month
1,000
$45/month
$60/month
2,500
$60/month
$75/month
5,000
$100/month
$115/month
10,000
$150/month
$165/month
25,000
$400/month
$415/month
50,000
$700/month
$715/month
Mailchimp Pricing
Plan
Price
Key Features
Free
$0/month
500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month, basic templates
Essentials
From $13/month
5,000 emails/month, A/B testing, 24/7 support
Standard
From $20/month
Automation, retargeting ads, 6,000 emails/month
Premium
From $350/month
Unlimited contacts, advanced segmentation
Pricing by Contact Count — Side by Side
Contacts
Klaviyo Email
Mailchimp Standard
Brevo Business
Moosend Pro
1,000
$45/month
$26/month
$18/month
$16/month
5,000
$100/month
$75/month
$18/month
$48/month
10,000
$150/month
$100/month
$25/month
$80/month
25,000
$400/month
$270/month
$35/month
$160/month
This table makes the value picture clear. Klaviyo is the most expensive option at every contact level — sometimes dramatically so. At 25,000 contacts Klaviyo costs $400/month versus Brevo’s $35/month. For non-e-commerce businesses the price difference is very hard to justify. For e-commerce businesses the revenue uplift from Klaviyo’s advanced features can make the cost worthwhile — but only at meaningful store revenue levels.
Feature by Feature Comparison
E-commerce Features
Feature
Klaviyo
Mailchimp
Abandoned cart sequences
Best in class
Good
Browse abandonment emails
Yes
Limited
Product recommendations
AI-powered
Basic
Revenue attribution
Yes — per email
Limited
Predictive analytics
Yes — CLV, churn risk
No
Purchase behaviour triggers
Advanced
Basic
Win-back sequences
Yes
Basic
Shopify integration depth
Best available
Good
WooCommerce integration
Strong
Good
For e-commerce, Klaviyo wins convincingly. Its revenue attribution shows you exactly how much money each email generates. Its predictive analytics tell you which customers are at risk of churning and which have the highest lifetime value. Its browse abandonment triggers catch shoppers before they even add items to their cart. No general-purpose email platform at any price matches Klaviyo’s e-commerce depth.
Winner: Klaviyo — significantly and comprehensively for e-commerce.
Marketing Automation
Feature
Klaviyo
Mailchimp
Visual automation builder
Advanced
Standard plan only
Behaviour-based triggers
Advanced
Standard plan only
Conditional splits
Yes
Limited
Multi-channel flows
Email and SMS together
Separate
Pre-built automation templates
100+
Good selection
A/B testing in automations
Yes
Limited
Klaviyo’s automation is significantly more advanced than Mailchimp’s — particularly for conditional logic and multi-channel flows combining email and SMS. However for non-e-commerce businesses that do not need purchase-triggered automation, Moosend at $9/month delivers comparable general automation depth at a fraction of the cost of either platform.
Winner: Klaviyo on depth. Moosend for value at comparable automation levels.
Segmentation
Klaviyo’s segmentation is best in class — particularly for e-commerce. You can segment by purchase history, predicted lifetime value, product categories purchased, browsing behaviour, and hundreds of other data points pulled directly from your store. The ability to create a segment of customers who have bought a specific product category three or more times in the last 90 days — and send them a hyper-targeted campaign — is something Mailchimp simply cannot match.
Mailchimp’s segmentation is adequate for standard email marketing needs but limited compared to Klaviyo for data-rich e-commerce use cases.
Winner: Klaviyo — particularly for e-commerce segmentation.
Email Templates and Design
Mailchimp has a larger template library and a more refined drag-and-drop editor developed over more years. Klaviyo’s templates are clean and professional but fewer in number. For businesses where design variety matters, Mailchimp has the edge. Both produce professional results with no design experience needed.
Winner: Mailchimp — larger template library and more polished editor.
Reporting and Analytics
Klaviyo’s reporting is built around revenue — every metric connects back to what emails actually earned your store. Revenue per recipient, conversion rates, attributed revenue per flow, predicted customer lifetime value — these are reporting dimensions that matter enormously to e-commerce businesses and are simply not available in Mailchimp. Mailchimp reports well on standard email metrics but does not connect email performance to revenue outcomes.
Winner: Klaviyo for e-commerce reporting. Tie for standard email metrics.
Ease of Use
Mailchimp is more accessible for beginners — familiar interface, extensive tutorials, and most users send their first campaign within an hour. Klaviyo has a steeper learning curve, particularly for setting up flows and understanding its data model. However Klaviyo’s 100+ pre-built automation templates help new users get up and running without building from scratch.
Winner: Mailchimp for beginners. Klaviyo rewards investment in learning.
Which Should You Choose?
Do you run an e-commerce store with meaningful revenue? Choose Klaviyo. Its revenue attribution, predictive analytics, browse abandonment triggers, and deep Shopify integration will generate more revenue than the platform costs. Most serious e-commerce businesses find Klaviyo pays for itself many times over.
Do you run a service business, blog, or non-e-commerce operation? Choose neither — both are more expensive than you need. Brevo’s free plan covers everything most service businesses require at no cost.
Do you want the simplest possible email marketing? Choose Mailchimp — more accessible and better supported for beginners than Klaviyo.
Do you need powerful automation without e-commerce focus? Choose Moosend — lead scoring, heatmaps, and behaviour-based triggers from $9/month outperform both platforms at their entry-level paid tiers.
Do you want the best free plan? Choose Brevo — unlimited contacts, automation, SMS, and landing pages all free. More generous than both Klaviyo and Mailchimp’s free tiers.
Is There a Better Alternative to Both?
For most non-e-commerce businesses comparing Klaviyo and Mailchimp, yes — there are significantly better value options.
Brevo — Best Free Alternative
Brevo offers unlimited contacts on its free plan — far more generous than Klaviyo’s 250 contact limit or Mailchimp’s 500. It includes automation, SMS, WhatsApp campaigns, landing pages, and a basic CRM at no cost. For service businesses, consultants, coaches, freelancers, and content creators wanting email marketing without e-commerce complexity or premium pricing, Brevo is the strongest starting point available.
Moosend at $9/month delivers automation comparable to Klaviyo’s paid plans — lead scoring, behaviour-based triggers, heatmap reporting, and product recommendations — at a fraction of the cost. For small e-commerce businesses that want Klaviyo-level automation without Klaviyo-level pricing, Moosend is the most cost-effective option. Now part of the Constant Contact family, it combines powerful features with the stability of an established email marketing company behind it.
AWeber offers 500 free subscribers with unlimited email sends and 600+ templates — significantly more sends than either Klaviyo or Mailchimp’s free plans. For businesses wanting simplicity, outstanding deliverability, and unlimited sends without contact-based pricing complexity, AWeber is a reliable and straightforward choice.
For e-commerce businesses, yes — Klaviyo’s revenue attribution, predictive analytics, advanced segmentation, and deep Shopify integration make it the stronger platform for online stores. For non-e-commerce businesses, Mailchimp is simpler and more affordable. For most small businesses, neither is the best value option — Brevo offers comparable email features at significantly lower cost.
Why is Klaviyo so expensive?
Klaviyo’s pricing reflects its position as a specialist e-commerce platform — you are paying for revenue attribution, predictive customer lifetime value modelling, browse abandonment triggers, and deep store data integration that general-purpose email platforms do not offer. For e-commerce businesses generating significant revenue, Klaviyo typically generates more in additional sales than it costs in subscription fees. For non-e-commerce businesses, the pricing is difficult to justify.
Is Klaviyo good for small businesses?
Klaviyo is good for small e-commerce businesses — its free plan allows 250 contacts with full automation, and the paid plans start at $30/month. However for small businesses that do not sell products online, Klaviyo’s e-commerce focus makes it less suitable than general-purpose alternatives. Brevo’s free plan or Moosend’s $9/month plan are more appropriate for non-e-commerce small businesses.
Does Klaviyo integrate with Shopify?
Yes — Klaviyo’s Shopify integration is the deepest available of any email marketing platform. It syncs all customer and purchase data in real time, enables browse abandonment triggers, supports product recommendation emails, and provides revenue attribution at the individual email level. Many Shopify store owners consider Klaviyo the only serious email marketing option because of how tightly the two platforms integrate.
What is cheaper than Klaviyo?
Almost every other email marketing platform. Brevo offers unlimited contacts free and paid plans from $9/month. Moosend starts at $9/month with full automation. AWeber offers a generous free plan with unlimited sends. Mailchimp starts at $13/month for paid plans. At 10,000 contacts, Klaviyo costs $150/month — Brevo costs $25/month for comparable email volume. The cost saving of switching from Klaviyo to Brevo for a non-e-commerce business at this scale is over $1,500 per year.
Can I switch from Mailchimp to Klaviyo?
Yes — switching from Mailchimp to Klaviyo is straightforward for e-commerce businesses. Export your Mailchimp contacts as a CSV and import them to Klaviyo. Connect your e-commerce platform to unlock Klaviyo’s data-driven features. Your email templates will need to be recreated but Klaviyo’s 100+ pre-built templates make this faster than starting from scratch. Klaviyo’s support team can assist with migration.
Final Verdict
Klaviyo wins decisively for e-commerce businesses — revenue attribution, predictive analytics, browse abandonment triggers, and best-in-class Shopify integration make it the most powerful email marketing tool available for online stores. If you run a Shopify or WooCommerce store generating meaningful revenue, Klaviyo’s cost is justified by the additional sales it generates.
Mailchimp wins for non-e-commerce businesses wanting simple, accessible email marketing with a large integration library. It is more beginner-friendly than Klaviyo and better suited to service businesses, bloggers, and nonprofits that do not need e-commerce specific features.
For most small businesses however — particularly those not running an online store — both platforms are more expensive than necessary. Brevo’s unlimited free plan, Moosend’s automation from $9/month, and AWeber’s unlimited sends all deliver comparable email marketing capability at dramatically lower cost.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This does not affect my recommendations — I only feature tools I genuinely believe are worth using.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I have thoroughly researched.
HubSpot and Mailchimp are two of the most recognisable names in marketing software — but they are built for very different businesses. Choosing between them (or discovering there is a better option than both) can save you significant time and money in 2026.
HubSpot vs Mailchimp: Quick Verdict
HubSpot
Mailchimp
Best for
Businesses needing CRM and email together
Simple email marketing for small businesses
Free contacts
Unlimited
500
Free sends
2,000/month
1,000/month
Paid from
$15/month
$13/month
CRM included
Full CRM free
Not included
Full automation
From $800/month
From $20/month
Ease of use
Moderate learning curve
Beginner friendly
Overall rating
4.5/5
4.0/5
Bottom line: HubSpot wins for businesses that need CRM alongside email marketing. Mailchimp wins for simple standalone email marketing. For most small businesses though, both are more expensive or complex than necessary — Brevo and Moosend offer comparable email features at a fraction of the cost.
Who Is Each Platform Built For?
HubSpot started as a CRM platform and expanded into email marketing, sales tools, content management, and customer service software. When you use HubSpot for email, you also get contact management, deal tracking, form building, live chat, and reporting all connected together. This makes it extremely powerful for businesses wanting to manage their entire customer relationship in one place — but potentially over-engineered for those who simply want to send a newsletter.
Mailchimp started as a simple newsletter tool and has evolved into a broader marketing platform. Its brand recognition makes it the default choice for many first-time email marketers, though it has become increasingly expensive compared to newer alternatives.
Free Plan Comparison
Feature
HubSpot
Mailchimp
Contact limit
Unlimited
500
Email sends
2,000/month
1,000/month
CRM
Full CRM included
Not included
Landing pages
Included
1 page
Automation
Very basic
Very basic
Support
Community forums only
Email for 30 days only
Forms and popups
Included
Included
HubSpot’s free plan is more generous — unlimited contacts versus 500, twice as many monthly sends, and a full CRM at no cost that Mailchimp does not offer at any price. Both cut off meaningful support on free plans. Free plan winner: HubSpot.
Pricing Comparison
HubSpot Marketing Hub Pricing
Plan
Price
Key Features
Free
$0/month
Unlimited contacts, 2,000 emails/month, full CRM, forms, landing pages
Starter
$15/month
Removes HubSpot branding, email and chat support, higher send limits
Professional
$800/month
Full automation, SEO tools, social media management, custom reporting
Enterprise
$3,600/month
Advanced features, custom objects, hierarchical team management
The most important thing to understand about HubSpot pricing is the dramatic jump between Starter at $15/month and Professional at $800/month. The features that make HubSpot genuinely powerful — full automation, lead scoring, advanced reporting — are all locked behind Professional. For small businesses needing those features, the cost is significant.
At entry level HubSpot Starter is cheaper than Mailchimp Standard and includes a CRM Mailchimp does not offer. However the moment you need full automation on HubSpot, the cost jumps to $800/month — far beyond Mailchimp’s equivalent Standard tier at $20/month.
Feature Comparison
CRM and Contact Management
This is HubSpot’s defining advantage. Its free CRM includes contact profiles with full activity history, company records, deal pipelines, task management, and meeting scheduling — all at no cost. Every email sent and opened is automatically logged against the contact record. Mailchimp manages email contacts and segments but has no CRM functionality at any price. Winner: HubSpot — by a significant margin.
Marketing Automation
HubSpot’s full automation is powerful but requires Professional at $800/month. Mailchimp’s Standard plan at $20/month includes automation — welcome sequences, behaviour-based triggers, abandoned cart — that outperforms HubSpot Starter at a fraction of the price. For automation without enterprise pricing, Moosend at $9/month outperforms both. Winner: Mailchimp at entry-level paid tiers. HubSpot at Professional.
Email Templates and Design
Mailchimp has a larger template library and a more refined drag-and-drop editor. HubSpot’s email editor is capable but more limited in template variety particularly at lower tiers. Winner: Mailchimp.
Integrations
HubSpot has 1,000+ integrations with deeper connectivity to business systems. Mailchimp has 300+ native integrations with strong e-commerce platform support. Both are comprehensive — the best choice depends on which specific tools your business uses. Winner: HubSpot on depth, Mailchimp on e-commerce breadth.
Ease of Use
Mailchimp is more accessible for beginners — familiar interface, extensive tutorials, and most users send their first campaign within an hour. HubSpot has a steeper learning curve as a much larger platform, though HubSpot Academy provides excellent free training. Winner: Mailchimp for beginners.
Which Should You Choose?
Do you need CRM alongside email? Choose HubSpot — its free CRM is unmatched at zero cost and connects every email interaction to your contact and deal records.
Do you want simple email marketing without complexity? Choose Mailchimp — more accessible for beginners wanting straightforward newsletters and campaigns.
Do you need full automation at an affordable price? Choose neither — HubSpot Professional costs $800/month. Moosend delivers comparable automation from $9/month.
Do you want the best free email plan? Consider Brevo instead — unlimited contacts, automation, SMS, and landing pages all free with no contact cap.
Are you scaling to enterprise? Choose HubSpot — no other platform offers the same breadth of CRM, marketing, sales, and service tools in one ecosystem.
Is There a Better Alternative to Both?
For most small businesses, yes. Brevo gives you unlimited contacts on its free plan — more generous than either platform — plus SMS marketing, automation, WhatsApp campaigns, and a basic CRM at no cost.
Moosend at $9/month delivers automation that outperforms both HubSpot Starter and Mailchimp Standard — including lead scoring, heatmap reporting, and behaviour-based triggers — without the enterprise pricing.
AWeber offers 500 free subscribers with unlimited email sends, 600+ templates, and live chat support — more sends than either free plan and better support than both.
HubSpot is more powerful than Mailchimp — particularly for businesses needing CRM alongside email. Its free CRM, deeper automation potential, and enterprise scalability give it a meaningful edge for B2B businesses. However HubSpot’s advanced features require the Professional plan at $800/month, putting them beyond most small business budgets. For straightforward email marketing without CRM needs, Mailchimp is simpler and more accessible.
Is HubSpot free?
Yes — HubSpot has a genuinely useful free plan with unlimited contacts, 2,000 emails per month, a full CRM, landing pages, and forms. The significant limitation is that HubSpot’s most powerful features — full automation, lead scoring, advanced reporting — require the Professional plan at $800/month.
Why is HubSpot so expensive?
HubSpot Professional pricing reflects the breadth of its platform — you are paying for integrated CRM, marketing automation, sales tools, content management, and customer service software rather than a standalone email tool. For businesses that only need email marketing and basic automation, this represents poor value compared to Brevo at $18/month or Moosend at $9/month.
What is cheaper than both HubSpot and Mailchimp?
Brevo offers unlimited contacts completely free — more generous than both platforms. Moosend starts at $9/month and delivers automation that outperforms both at their entry-level paid tiers. AWeber offers 500 free subscribers with unlimited email sends and more monthly emails than either free plan.
Is Mailchimp good for beginners?
Yes — Mailchimp is one of the most accessible platforms for beginners. Most users can send their first campaign within an hour. The main limitation is the 500 contact cap on the free plan — once exceeded, Mailchimp becomes significantly more expensive than alternatives like Brevo which has no contact limit on its free plan.
Final Verdict
HubSpot wins for businesses needing CRM connected to email marketing. Its free CRM is unmatched at zero cost and for B2B businesses tracking email engagement against a sales pipeline, it is the stronger platform by a clear margin.
Mailchimp wins for simple standalone email marketing. It is more accessible for beginners wanting to send newsletters without CRM complexity or a steep learning curve.
For most small businesses however, the honest recommendation is to look at the alternatives first. Brevo’s unlimited free plan, Moosend’s automation from $9/month, and AWeber’s unlimited sends are all more cost-effective for businesses that need email marketing without enterprise pricing or unnecessary complexity.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This does not affect my recommendations — I only feature tools I genuinely believe are worth using.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I have thoroughly researched.
Most email newsletters fail for the same reason — they are written for the sender, not the reader. They lead with company news nobody asked for, use subject lines that give nothing away, and arrive with no particular consistency or purpose.
The good news is that writing a newsletter people genuinely want to read is not complicated. This guide covers everything you need to know about writing, structuring, and sending a newsletter that builds real relationships and drives real results for your business.
What Makes a Good Newsletter?
The newsletters with the highest open rates consistently share three qualities.
They are useful. Every issue gives the reader something — a tip they can apply, an insight they did not have, a resource that saves them time. If your reader finishes an issue and thinks I am glad I read that, you have done your job.
They are consistent. The newsletters people open reliably are the ones that arrive reliably. Weekly is ideal for most businesses. Fortnightly works well. Monthly is the minimum. Whatever you choose, stick to it — subscribers build habits around consistent senders.
They have a voice. The newsletters that build the most loyal audiences feel like they come from a real person with opinions and personality — not a corporate communications department. Write the way you speak and your subscribers will feel like they know you.
Step 1 — Know Exactly Who You Are Writing For
Before you write a single word, get specific about who is reading your newsletter. Not small business owners — that is too broad. Try small business owners who are overwhelmed by marketing and just want simple, practical guidance they can act on today.
The more specifically you can picture your reader, the more directly you can speak to them. Newsletters that try to appeal to everyone end up resonating with no one. Ask yourself these questions before every issue:
What is my reader struggling with right now?
What would genuinely help them today?
What would make them say I am glad I read this?
Step 2 — Write a Subject Line That Gets Opens
Your subject line is the single most important element of your newsletter. It does not matter how brilliant the content is if nobody opens the email to read it. Average email open rates across industries sit between 20-40% — your subject line is the primary driver of whether yours lands in that range or below it.
Subject line formulas that consistently work
The specific number: Seven email subject line tricks that doubled my open rate — specific numbers outperform vague promises every time.
The honest question: Are you making this email marketing mistake? — questions create an open loop the reader needs to close. They click to find out.
The personal story: I nearly made a 400 pound mistake — here is what stopped me — first-person subject lines from a named sender feel different from corporate broadcast emails.
The unexpected opinion: Why I stopped using Mailchimp and what I use instead — a clear, slightly controversial opinion triggers curiosity and signals the content has a point of view worth reading.
The useful promise: How to write a welcome email in 20 minutes — a specific, achievable outcome performs consistently well for educational newsletters.
Subject line mistakes to avoid
All caps — triggers spam filters and feels like shouting
Vague teasers like You won’t believe this — readers have learned to ignore clickbait
Too long — keep subject lines under 50 characters where possible as mobile inboxes truncate longer lines
Spam trigger words like Free, Buy now, Act immediately — these reduce deliverability
Your company name as the subject — nobody opens an email because it is a company monthly newsletter
Step 3 — Nail the Preview Text
Preview text is the short snippet that appears alongside your subject line in the inbox. Most senders ignore it, which means their preview text defaults to View this email in your browser or a legal disclaimer. Setting it deliberately gives you a second opportunity to earn the open — think of it as a continuation of your subject line that completes the story and makes clicking feel worthwhile.
Step 4 — Structure Your Newsletter for Easy Reading
Most people do not read emails — they scan them. Your structure needs to support scanning while rewarding readers who do engage fully.
The One-Thing Format (recommended for most businesses)
Each issue covers one topic in depth. This is the simplest and most effective format for most small businesses. It is easier to write, easier to read, and easier to remember.
Opening hook: one or two sentences that pull the reader in — a question, a surprising fact, or a brief personal story connected to the topic
The main content: 200 to 400 words going deeper — practical, specific, and genuinely useful
One clear call to action: one thing you want the reader to do next
Sign off: friendly, personal, brief
The Curated Format (good for content-heavy niches)
Each issue shares three to five short items — links, tips, tools, or observations — with a brief comment on each. Works well for newsletters that position the sender as a curator of useful information in a specific niche.
Step 5 — Write an Opening Line That Keeps Them Reading
The first sentence of your email is the second most important thing you will write — after the subject line. Its only job is to make the reader read the second sentence. Opening lines that work include a surprising fact, a relatable situation your reader will immediately recognise, a direct promise of what they will learn, or a short story connected to the topic. What does not work is Hi everyone welcome to this month’s newsletter or We hope this email finds you well — both of which make the reader do work to find the value.
Step 6 — Get the Length Right
Newsletter Type
Ideal Length
Tips and how-to
300-500 words
Curated roundup
200-400 words
Personal story
400-700 words
Product or service promotion
150-300 words
Company update
150-250 words
The most common mistake is writing too much. If your newsletter consistently runs over 700 words, most readers will not finish it. Respect your reader’s time and they will reward you with their attention.
Step 7 — End With One Clear Call to Action
Every newsletter should end with one thing you want the reader to do next. Not three things — one. Multiple calls to action reduce the likelihood of any of them being completed. Good options include asking the reader to reply with a question, linking to a related article, recommending a tool you genuinely use, inviting them to book a call, or asking them to forward the newsletter to someone who would find it useful.
Step 8 — Send Consistently
Consistency is the most underrated factor in newsletter success. A mediocre newsletter sent every Tuesday will outperform a brilliant newsletter sent whenever you find time. Subscribers build habits around consistent senders. Email clients reward regular engagement between sender and recipient. And writing gets easier the more consistently you do it — the hardest newsletter to write is always the first one after a long gap.
If weekly feels overwhelming, start with fortnightly. If fortnightly is too much, start monthly. The best frequency is the one you can actually maintain without it feeling like a burden.
Common Newsletter Mistakes to Avoid
Leading with company news. Nobody signed up to hear about your new office, your team award, or your upcoming trade show. Lead with value for the reader, not news about you.
Going quiet then over-correcting. Disappearing for two months then sending five emails in a week is one of the fastest ways to generate unsubscribes. When subscribers have forgotten who you are, a sudden burst of emails feels like spam even if the content is excellent.
Making every email a sales pitch. The most effective email marketing ratio is roughly 80% value, 20% promotion. Earn the right to promote by consistently giving first.
Ignoring your analytics. Your email platform tells you exactly which subject lines get the most opens and which content gets the most clicks. Look at this data after every issue and use it to improve.
How to Come Up With Newsletter Content Ideas
Questions you get asked repeatedly — if multiple clients ask you the same thing, write the answer and share it with everyone
Mistakes you see people making — your professional expertise gives you visibility of patterns that your readers would benefit from understanding
Tools or resources you have discovered — share what you are genuinely using and why
Your own results and experiments — I tested three email subject line formulas last month — here is which one performed best is specific, credible, and impossible for a competitor to copy
Industry news with your opinion — take a recent development and share your take on what it means for your reader
Reader replies and questions — when a subscriber replies with a question, the answer often makes an excellent future issue
The Best Tools for Sending Your Newsletter
Brevo — Best Free Option
Brevo offers unlimited contacts on its free plan with 300 emails per day — more than enough for most small business newsletters. The drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to design professional emails without design experience, and automation lets you set up a welcome sequence that runs automatically for every new subscriber. No credit card required.
Moosend delivers the most powerful automation of any platform at this price point from just $9/month. If you want to build behaviour-based sequences that respond to what subscribers click and read, Moosend is the strongest affordable option. The heatmap reporting is particularly useful for understanding which parts of your newsletters drive the most engagement.
AWeber’s free plan includes 500 subscribers with unlimited email sends — meaning you can send your newsletter as often as you like without hitting a monthly cap. The Smart Designer automatically creates a branded email template from your website URL, making it the fastest way to get a professional newsletter set up without any design skills.
The right length is whatever it takes to deliver your promised value and no more. For most small business newsletters, 300 to 500 words is the sweet spot. If you consistently write over 700 words, consider splitting the content across two issues. Newsletters that respect the reader’s time build more loyal audiences than those that pad word counts.
How often should I send a newsletter?
Weekly is ideal for building a strong reader relationship. Fortnightly works well if weekly feels unsustainable. Monthly is the minimum — less frequent than monthly and subscribers forget who you are between issues, which hurts open rates and increases unsubscribes. Whatever frequency you choose, consistency matters more than volume.
What is a good open rate for a newsletter?
Average email open rates across industries sit between 20 and 40%. For small business newsletters with a warm, opted-in audience, 30 to 50% is achievable with good subject lines and consistent sending. Welcome emails typically achieve 50 to 80% open rates. If your open rate is below 20%, focus first on your subject lines and sending consistency.
How do I grow my newsletter subscriber list?
The most effective methods are a lead magnet — a free resource offered in exchange for an email address — a prominent opt-in form on your website, consistent social media content that drives people to sign up, and word of mouth from existing subscribers who share your newsletter with others. Paid advertising to grow a list can work but should only be considered once your newsletter content is consistently strong enough to retain new subscribers.
Should I use plain text or designed HTML emails?
Both work well depending on your brand and audience. Plain text feels more personal and conversational, often achieving higher open and reply rates for personal brands and service businesses. Designed HTML looks more polished and works better for product businesses where visual presentation matters. If in doubt, test both — the version your specific subscribers prefer is the right answer.
Final Thoughts
Writing a newsletter people actually want to read comes down to three things — knowing your reader well enough to write specifically for them, consistently delivering genuine value, and showing up reliably in their inbox so they build the habit of opening you.
None of that requires a big budget, a professional copywriter, or a complex strategy. It requires curiosity about your reader, honesty about what you know and have experienced, and the discipline to keep showing up consistently even when it feels like nobody is paying attention.
The best time to start your newsletter was six months ago. The second best time is today.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This does not affect my recommendations — I only feature tools I genuinely believe are worth using.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I’ve thoroughly researched.
Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools available to estate agents and property professionals. It lets you nurture buyer and seller leads over weeks or months, stay front of mind with past clients who may refer you, and automate the kind of consistent follow-up that turns enquiries into instructions.
But not every email marketing platform suits the specific needs of a real estate business. You need automation that handles long nurture cycles, segmentation that separates buyers from sellers, and ideally a platform that integrates with your CRM or property management tools.
In this guide I will cover the best email marketing platforms for estate agents and property professionals in 2026 — with honest pros, cons, and clear recommendations for every type of real estate business.
What Real Estate Professionals Need from Email Marketing
Long-term lead nurturing — property buyers and sellers often take months or years to be ready to transact. Your email platform needs to handle extended nurture sequences without losing contact details or becoming expensive as your database grows
Segmentation — buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, and past clients all need different messages. The ability to segment your database and send targeted campaigns is essential
Automation — trigger emails automatically when someone registers on your website, requests a valuation, views a property, or hasn’t been in touch for a set period
CRM integration — most estate agents use a property CRM. Your email platform should connect with it to avoid manual data entry
Professional templates — property newsletters, market update emails, and new listing alerts all need to look polished and professional
Deliverability — your emails need to reach the inbox reliably, not land in spam
Best Email Marketing Tools for Real Estate at a Glance
Platform
Free Plan
Paid From
Best For
Brevo
✅ Unlimited contacts
$9/month
Best free starting point for independent agents
Moosend
⚠️ 30-day trial
$9/month
Best automation for growing agencies
AWeber
✅ 500 subscribers
$12.50/month
Best for simplicity and reliability
ActiveCampaign
❌ Trial only
$15/month
Best for complex automation and CRM
GetResponse
✅ 500 contacts
$19/month
Best all-in-one with funnels and webinars
Mailchimp
✅ 500 contacts
$13/month
Best known brand with widest integrations
1. Brevo — Best Free Starting Point for Independent Agents
Free plan
Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day
Paid from
$9/month
Best for
Independent agents and small agencies wanting to start free
Rating
⭐ 4.8/5
For independent estate agents and small agencies building their email database from scratch, Brevo is the strongest free option available. Its unlimited contact free plan means you can add your entire buyer, seller, and landlord database without cost pressure — and with 300 emails per day, a weekly property newsletter to several thousand contacts is completely free.
Brevo also includes SMS marketing on all plans — allowing you to follow up property enquiries via text as well as email from a single platform. For estate agents managing time-sensitive leads, the ability to send an automated SMS the moment someone registers an interest can meaningfully improve response rates.
Why real estate professionals choose Brevo:
No contact limit on the free plan — add your entire buyer and seller database without hitting a paywall
SMS marketing included — follow up enquiries via text automatically
Basic CRM — track lead conversations and contact history alongside email campaigns
Automation on free plan — set up buyer registration sequences and valuation follow-ups at no cost
Landing pages included — capture buyer registrations and valuation requests without a separate tool
Outstanding deliverability — your market update emails and new listing alerts reach the inbox reliably
Potential drawbacks:
300 emails/day limit on free plan — agencies with large databases sending frequent campaigns may need a paid plan
Less powerful automation than Moosend or ActiveCampaign for complex property nurture journeys
Fewer native property CRM integrations than some alternatives
Growing agencies wanting powerful lead nurturing at an affordable price
Rating
⭐ 4.4/5
Moosend is the strongest choice for real estate businesses that want to automate their lead nurturing properly. Now part of the Constant Contact family, it delivers automation capabilities that rival much more expensive platforms from just $9/month — making sophisticated property lead nurturing accessible without enterprise budgets.
For estate agents, the automation depth is particularly valuable. You can build multi-step nurture sequences that respond to lead behaviour — sending different property suggestions based on which listings a contact has viewed, automatically following up after a viewing, or triggering a re-engagement campaign when a registered buyer goes quiet. This kind of behaviour-based nurturing dramatically improves conversion rates compared to sending the same email to everyone.
Why real estate professionals choose Moosend:
Powerful visual automation builder — build complex buyer and seller nurture sequences without technical knowledge
Lead scoring — automatically identify your most engaged leads and prioritise follow-up
Behaviour-based triggers — send different property suggestions based on what contacts click and view
Countdown timers in emails — create urgency for open days and offer deadlines
Heatmap reporting — see exactly which property images and links get the most clicks
Unlimited email sends on all paid plans — send as many market updates and new listing alerts as needed
Potential drawbacks:
No permanent free plan — 30-day trial only
Email only — no SMS marketing
Fewer native property CRM integrations than ActiveCampaign
Independent agents wanting the simplest possible setup
Rating
⭐ 4.2/5
AWeber is the strongest choice for independent estate agents who want a straightforward, reliable email platform without complexity. Its free plan allows 500 subscribers with unlimited email sends — meaning a sole trader or small agency can email their entire registered buyer database as often as needed without cost pressure.
The Smart Designer feature is particularly useful for agents without design resources — paste your agency website URL and AWeber automatically creates a branded email template matching your colours and fonts in seconds. The 600+ template library includes professionally designed newsletter formats that work well for property market updates and new listing announcements.
Why real estate professionals choose AWeber:
Unlimited email sends on the free plan — email your registered buyers as often as new listings arrive
600+ professional email templates — polished market update and newsletter formats included
Smart Designer — automatically creates agency-branded templates from your website
4. ActiveCampaign — Best for Complex Automation and CRM
Free plan
❌ 14-day trial only
Paid from
$15/month
Best for
Established agencies with large databases and complex lead journeys
Rating
⭐ 4.7/5
ActiveCampaign is the most powerful option for established real estate businesses with large lead databases and complex multi-stage nurture requirements. Its combination of email automation and a full CRM makes it the strongest choice for agencies that want to track every lead from first registration through to completion — all in one place.
Its site tracking feature is particularly valuable for property businesses — triggering automations based on which property listings a contact views on your website. A buyer who views three-bedroom properties in a specific postcode can automatically receive a targeted email the moment a matching listing becomes available, without any manual intervention.
Why real estate professionals choose ActiveCampaign:
Full CRM from Plus plan — track every lead through your sales pipeline from enquiry to completion
Site tracking — trigger emails based on which property listings contacts view on your website
Lead scoring — automatically prioritise your hottest buyers and motivated sellers
500+ pre-built automation templates including real estate-specific workflows
900+ integrations — connects with most major property CRM and management systems
Split testing within automations — optimise your nurture sequences over time
Potential drawbacks:
No permanent free plan
Steeper learning curve than Brevo, Moosend, or AWeber
More expensive than the other options at comparable contact levels
CRM only available from Plus plan at $49/month
5. GetResponse — Best All-in-One for Property Webinars and Events
Free plan
500 contacts, basic features
Paid from
$19/month
Best for
Agencies running property investment seminars or online viewings
Rating
⭐ 4.8/5
GetResponse is the strongest option for property businesses that use webinars or online events as part of their marketing strategy. Its built-in webinar hosting — supporting up to 1,000 attendees — makes it ideal for property investment seminars, online open days, first-time buyer workshops, and landlord briefings — all without needing a separate webinar tool.
Why real estate professionals choose GetResponse:
Built-in webinar hosting — run property investment seminars and online viewings without a separate tool
Sales funnels — build complete lead generation funnels for buyer registrations and valuation requests
AI email writer — generate property newsletter content quickly
500+ professional email templates
Strong automation for nurturing webinar attendees into clients
Potential drawbacks:
Webinar hosting only from Marketing Automation plan at $59/month
More expensive than Brevo and Moosend at comparable feature levels
Email Marketing Features for Real Estate Compared
Feature
Brevo
Moosend
AWeber
ActiveCampaign
GetResponse
Free plan
✅ Unlimited contacts
⚠️ 30 days
✅ 500
❌
✅ 500
Automation depth
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐
CRM included
✅ Basic
❌
❌
✅ Full
⚠️ Basic
Lead scoring
❌
✅
❌
✅
✅
Site tracking
❌
⚠️
❌
✅
❌
SMS marketing
✅
❌
❌
✅
❌
Webinars
❌
❌
❌
❌
✅
Landing pages
✅
✅
✅
⚠️
✅
Paid from
$9/mo
$9/mo
$12.50/mo
$15/mo
$19/mo
Which Platform Should You Choose for Real Estate?
Are you an independent agent wanting to start free? → Brevo. Unlimited contacts, SMS, automation, and landing pages all at no cost.
Do you want the most powerful lead nurturing automation? → Moosend. Lead scoring, behaviour-based triggers, and heatmaps from $9/month.
Do you want the simplest setup with unlimited sends? → AWeber. 600+ templates, unlimited free sends, and outstanding deliverability.
Do you have a large database and need full CRM integration? → ActiveCampaign. The most powerful automation and CRM combination at this price range.
Do you run property seminars or online viewings? → GetResponse. The only platform here with built-in webinar hosting.
The Email Campaigns Every Estate Agent Should Send
1. Buyer Registration Welcome Sequence
The moment a buyer registers their requirements, trigger an automatic welcome sequence introducing your agency, confirming their search criteria, and setting expectations for how you will work together. Include a link to your current matching listings and an invitation to book a call with their dedicated agent. First impressions matter enormously in property — a slick automated welcome sequence signals professionalism and builds confidence before the first viewing.
2. New Listing Alerts
Automatically notify registered buyers the moment a property matching their criteria comes to market. Segment your database by location, property type, bedroom count, and budget so each buyer only receives listings that are genuinely relevant to them. A targeted new listing alert to a matched buyer generates significantly more viewings than a generic property newsletter sent to your entire database.
3. Valuation Follow-Up Sequence
When a seller requests a valuation — whether they complete it or not — trigger an automatic follow-up sequence over the next two to four weeks. Share market data for their area, recent comparable sales, and why sellers choose your agency. Most sellers request valuations from three or four agents — a consistent, informative follow-up sequence keeps you front of mind during their decision-making period.
4. Monthly Market Update Newsletter
A monthly email sharing local property market data — average sale prices, time to sell, demand levels, and upcoming local developments — keeps you visible to past clients and long-term prospects who are not yet ready to move. Recipients who are not actively buying or selling today will remember the agent who kept them informed when they are ready.
5. Past Client Re-engagement
Buyers who purchased through you two or three years ago may be ready to sell and upsize. Landlords who used your lettings service may be ready to expand their portfolio. A periodic email to past clients — sharing market conditions, their property’s estimated current value, or relevant news for their situation — is one of the highest-return email campaigns an estate agent can send. These are people who have already chosen to trust you once.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free email marketing tool for estate agents?
Brevo is the best free option for most estate agents — unlimited contacts, 300 emails per day, automation, SMS, and landing pages all at no cost. This means you can add your entire buyer and seller database and send weekly property alerts without spending anything. AWeber is the best free alternative if you want unlimited email sends rather than an unlimited contact limit — free for up to 500 subscribers with no monthly send cap.
Do estate agents need email marketing?
Yes — email marketing is one of the highest-return activities an estate agent can invest time in. Unlike social media, your email list is an asset you own — no algorithm can cut off your access to it. Agents with an engaged email database consistently report it as their most reliable source of repeat business, referrals, and off-market transactions. A buyer who registered three years ago and received consistent market updates is far more likely to re-engage with your agency when they are ready to move again than one who received nothing after registration.
Can email marketing help win more property instructions?
Absolutely. A well-executed valuation follow-up sequence — sharing market data, comparable sales, and your agency’s credentials over a two to four week period — keeps you front of mind while sellers are comparing agents. Many agents report that sellers who initially chose a competitor have come back to them after receiving consistent, informative follow-up that competitors did not provide. Email is also highly effective for generating off-market instructions from past clients considering a move.
Is Brevo good for estate agents?
Yes — Brevo is an excellent starting point for estate agents, particularly independent agents and smaller agencies. The unlimited contact free plan means you can add your entire database without cost concerns, the SMS marketing allows automated text follow-ups for urgent enquiries, and the basic CRM helps track lead conversations alongside email campaigns. For more sophisticated automation — lead scoring, behaviour-based property suggestions — Moosend at $9/month is the stronger paid option.
What should estate agents include in their emails?
The most effective estate agent emails are specific, locally relevant, and genuinely useful to the recipient. New listing alerts should be tightly matched to the buyer’s stated requirements — not a generic property dump. Market update newsletters should include real data for the agent’s specific area rather than national statistics. Valuation follow-ups should demonstrate local knowledge and comparable evidence rather than generic sales messages. The agents who get the best results from email are those who treat it as a relationship tool rather than a broadcast channel.
Final Verdict
The best email marketing platform for your real estate business depends on where you are and what you need:
Independent agent starting out? Start free with Brevo — unlimited contacts, SMS included, no cost pressure as your database grows
Growing agency wanting automation? Moosend at $9/month gives you lead scoring, behaviour-based triggers, and heatmaps that will transform your lead nurturing
Want the simplest possible setup? AWeber’s unlimited free sends, 600+ templates, and outstanding deliverability make it the most straightforward starting point
Established agency with a large database? ActiveCampaign’s full CRM and site tracking are worth the investment at scale
Running property seminars or online events? GetResponse is the only platform here with built-in webinar hosting
All three of our top recommended platforms offer a free starting point — so there is no reason not to get started today.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This does not affect my recommendations — I only feature tools I genuinely believe are worth using.