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 highest-returning channels available to e-commerce businesses — generating an average of £36 for every £1 spent when done well. But not every email marketing platform is built with online stores in mind, and choosing the wrong one means missing out on the features that drive the most revenue: abandoned cart sequences, product recommendations, and purchase-triggered automation.

In this guide I’ll cover the best email marketing software for e-commerce stores in 2026 — comparing the platforms that genuinely understand online retail, with honest pros, cons, and clear recommendations for every budget.

What E-commerce Businesses Need from Email Marketing

Before comparing platforms, it’s worth being clear about what separates a good general email marketing tool from one that’s genuinely built for e-commerce:

• Abandoned cart sequences — automatically follow up with customers who added items but didn’t complete checkout. On average, abandoned cart emails recover 5-15% of lost sales
• Product recommendation emails — automatically surface relevant products for each customer based on their browsing and purchase history
• Purchase-triggered automation — trigger thank you emails, upsell sequences, and review requests automatically after a purchase
• Revenue tracking — see exactly which emails and automations are generating sales, not just opens and clicks
• Deep e-commerce integrations — native connections with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and other major platforms
• Segmentation by purchase behaviour — send different emails to first-time buyers, repeat customers, high spenders, and lapsed customers

Best E-commerce Email Marketing Tools at a Glance

Platform	Free Plan	Paid From	Best For
Moosend	⚠️ 30-day trial	$9/month	Best value e-commerce automation
Brevo	✅ Unlimited contacts	$9/month	Best free plan for small stores
Klaviyo	✅ 250 contacts	$20/month	Best for scaling e-commerce brands
GetResponse	✅ 500 contacts	$19/month	Best all-in-one with funnels
ActiveCampaign	❌ Trial only	$15/month	Best for complex automation
AWeber	✅ 500 subscribers	$12.50/month	Best for simple stores starting out

1. Moosend — Best Value E-commerce Email Marketing

Free plan	30-day free trial (full access)
Paid from	$9/month
E-commerce rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best for	Small to mid-size e-commerce stores wanting powerful automation affordably

Moosend is the standout choice for e-commerce businesses on a budget — and it’s not close. Originally built with online retail in mind, it delivers abandoned cart sequences, product recommendation workflows, and purchase tracking from just $9/month. Comparable functionality on Klaviyo or ActiveCampaign costs significantly more.

Now part of the Constant Contact family, Moosend combines affordable pricing with the stability of one of the most established names in email marketing behind it — a reassuring combination for businesses building long-term customer relationships.

Key e-commerce features:

• Abandoned cart sequences — included from $9/month, not locked to a premium tier
• Product recommendation blocks — automatically pull personalised product suggestions into emails based on each customer’s browsing and purchase history
• Purchase tracking — monitor exactly which emails and automations are driving revenue
• Cross-sell and upsell automation — automatically trigger sequences after a purchase
• Weather-based product recommendations — show seasonal products based on a customer’s local weather
• Heatmap reporting — see exactly which product images and links get the most clicks within emails
• Native integrations — Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, OpenCart, PrestaShop and more

Why Moosend wins for e-commerce: The combination of advanced e-commerce features at an entry-level price is genuinely hard to match. Businesses paying $49-99/month for ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo to access these features can often get the same results with Moosend at $9/month.

Potential drawbacks:

• No permanent free plan — 30-day trial only
• Smaller brand recognition than Klaviyo or Mailchimp
• Fewer native integrations than ActiveCampaign

👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha

2. Brevo — Best Free Plan for Small E-commerce Stores

Free plan	Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day
Paid from	$9/month
E-commerce rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best for	Small stores wanting a free starting point with multi-channel marketing

Brevo is the strongest free option for small e-commerce stores — its unlimited contact free plan means you can build your customer list without hitting a paywall, which is a significant advantage for stores in the early growth phase.

Beyond the free plan, Brevo offers SMS marketing alongside email — allowing you to send cart abandonment text messages as well as emails, which can meaningfully improve recovery rates. Its multi-channel approach makes it particularly useful for stores wanting to reach customers across more than one channel from a single platform.

Key e-commerce features:

• Abandoned cart email sequences
• Purchase confirmation and follow-up automation
• SMS cart abandonment (paid plans)
• Revenue tracking and e-commerce reporting
• Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento integrations
• Transactional email sending — order confirmations, shipping updates
• Customer segmentation by purchase behaviour

Potential drawbacks:

• E-commerce automation less advanced than Moosend — no product recommendations on entry plans
• 300 emails/day free plan limit can feel restrictive for larger stores
• Abandoned cart locked to higher tiers

👉 Try Brevo for free: https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9

3. Klaviyo — Best for Scaling E-commerce Brands

Free plan	250 contacts, 500 emails/month
Paid from	$20/month
E-commerce rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best for	Growing and scaling e-commerce brands with large catalogues

Klaviyo is the gold standard for serious e-commerce email marketing — purpose-built for online retail from day one, with the deepest e-commerce feature set of any platform in the market. It’s the tool of choice for many established DTC (direct-to-consumer) brands and Shopify merchants who have outgrown more general platforms.

Where Klaviyo excels is in data depth — it pulls in detailed customer behaviour data from your store and uses it to power sophisticated segmentation and personalisation that goes beyond what most platforms offer. Its predictive analytics can estimate customer lifetime value, churn risk, and next purchase date — allowing you to send the right email to the right customer at exactly the right moment.

Key e-commerce features:

• Best-in-class Shopify integration — syncs all customer and order data in real time
• Predictive analytics — customer lifetime value, churn risk, next purchase date
• Advanced segmentation by RFM (recency, frequency, monetary value)
• Product feeds — automatically pull live product data into emails
• Browse abandonment sequences — follow up when customers view but don’t add to cart
• Post-purchase flows — thank you, review requests, cross-sell, replenishment reminders
• A/B testing across flows and campaigns
• Revenue attribution reporting

Potential drawbacks:

• Significantly more expensive than Moosend and Brevo — pricing scales steeply with list size
• Steeper learning curve — the depth of features takes time to master
• Overkill for small stores with simple needs
• Free plan limited to just 250 contacts

4. GetResponse — Best All-in-One for E-commerce

Free plan	500 contacts, basic features
Paid from	$19/month
E-commerce rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best for	Stores wanting email, funnels, landing pages and automation in one platform

GetResponse is the strongest all-in-one option for e-commerce businesses that want more than just email — its Conversion Funnel feature allows you to build complete sales funnels including landing pages, order forms, and payment processing all within the platform. For stores selling digital products or running promotional campaigns, this eliminates the need for a separate funnel tool.

Key e-commerce features:

• Conversion Funnel — build full sales funnels with landing pages and payment processing
• Abandoned cart automation
• Product recommendation emails
• Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and BigCommerce integrations
• Revenue tracking and e-commerce reporting
• Promo codes in emails
• Webinar hosting — useful for product launches and demonstrations

Potential drawbacks:

• More expensive than Moosend at comparable feature levels
• E-commerce features not as deep as Klaviyo for large catalogues
• Can feel overwhelming for stores that only need basic email

5. ActiveCampaign — Best for Complex E-commerce Automation

Free plan	❌ 14-day trial only
Paid from	$15/month
E-commerce rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best for	Stores needing sophisticated multi-step automation and CRM integration

ActiveCampaign’s strength in e-commerce comes from its automation depth — its visual automation builder is the most powerful in its price range, allowing stores to build complex, multi-step customer journeys that respond to behaviour across email, website visits, and purchase history. Its site tracking feature is particularly valuable — triggering automations based on which product pages a customer visits, even if they don’t add to cart.

Key e-commerce features:

• Site tracking — trigger emails based on product page visits
• Abandoned cart sequences
• Purchase-triggered automation
• Lead scoring — score customers based on purchase behaviour and engagement
• Deep Shopify and WooCommerce integrations
• Full CRM — manage customer relationships alongside email
• 500+ pre-built automation templates

Potential drawbacks:

• No permanent free plan
• Steeper learning curve than Moosend or Brevo
• More expensive than Moosend for comparable e-commerce features

See our full ActiveCampaign alternatives guide if you’re considering this platform.

6. AWeber — Best for Simple Stores Starting Out

Free plan	500 subscribers, unlimited emails
Paid from	$12.50/month
E-commerce rating	⭐⭐⭐
Best for	Very small stores wanting simplicity and a reliable free starting point

AWeber isn’t the most advanced e-commerce platform, but for very small stores or sole traders just starting out with email marketing, it offers a reliable and extremely easy-to-use starting point. The free plan allows 500 subscribers with unlimited email sends — generous enough to cover the early stages of building a customer list.

Key e-commerce features:

• Basic e-commerce integrations — Shopify, WooCommerce, PayPal
• Purchase-triggered autoresponders
• Abandoned cart (via integrations)
• Landing pages for product promotions
• Simple segmentation by purchase history

Potential drawbacks:

• E-commerce features significantly less advanced than Moosend or Klaviyo
• No product recommendation automation
• Design tools feel slightly dated

👉 Try AWeber free: https://www.aweber.com/easy-email.htm?id=561741

E-commerce Email Marketing Features Compared

Feature	Moosend	Brevo	Klaviyo	GetResponse	ActiveCampaign
Abandoned cart	✅ All plans	⚠️ Higher plans	✅ All plans	✅ Paid plans	✅ Paid plans
Product recommendations	✅	❌	✅ Advanced	✅	⚠️ Limited
Browse abandonment	⚠️	❌	✅	❌	✅
Purchase automation	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Revenue tracking	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Predictive analytics	❌	❌	✅	❌	⚠️
SMS marketing	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅
Shopify integration	✅	✅	✅ Best-in-class	✅	✅
Heatmap reporting	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Starting price	$9/mo	Free	$20/mo	$19/mo	$15/mo

Which E-commerce Email Platform Should You Choose?

Are you a small store wanting the best features for the lowest price?
→ Moosend. Abandoned cart, product recommendations, and purchase tracking from $9/month is unbeatable value.

Do you want to start for free with no time limit?
→ Brevo. Unlimited contacts free, with SMS marketing available on paid plans.

Are you a growing Shopify brand wanting the deepest e-commerce tools?
→ Klaviyo. The industry standard for serious e-commerce brands — worth the premium price for stores generating significant revenue.

Do you want email, funnels, landing pages and automation all in one?
→ GetResponse. The strongest all-in-one platform for stores running promotional campaigns and product launches.

Do you need sophisticated multi-step automation and site tracking?
→ ActiveCampaign. The most powerful automation builder for complex customer journeys.

Are you a very small store just starting out?
→ AWeber. Simple, reliable, and free up to 500 subscribers.

The E-commerce Email Sequences Every Store Should Have

Whatever platform you choose, these are the automations that drive the most revenue for e-commerce businesses — and should be your first priority to set up:

1. Welcome Series (Set Up First)

Sent to every new subscriber the moment they join your list. A 3-5 email sequence introducing your brand, your bestsellers, and your values — with a welcome discount to drive the first purchase. Welcome emails have the highest open rates of any email type (50-80%) and set the tone for the entire customer relationship.

2. Abandoned Cart Sequence (Highest Revenue Impact)

Sent 1 hour, 24 hours, and 72 hours after a customer abandons their cart. The first email reminds them of what they left. The second addresses objections. The third offers an incentive (free shipping or a small discount). A well-executed 3-email abandoned cart sequence typically recovers 5-15% of lost sales.

3. Post-Purchase Sequence

Sent after every purchase — a thank you email, shipping update, delivery confirmation, and review request. The review request email is particularly valuable for building social proof and improving conversion rates on product pages.

4. Win-Back Sequence

Sent to customers who haven’t purchased in 60-90 days. A 2-3 email sequence reminding them of your products, showcasing what’s new, and offering an incentive to return. Retaining existing customers costs significantly less than acquiring new ones.

5. Product Recommendation Emails

Sent periodically based on each customer’s purchase and browsing history — automatically surfacing products they’re most likely to buy next. These work best when powered by proper product recommendation algorithms, which Moosend and Klaviyo both include.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best email marketing tool for Shopify?

For most Shopify stores, Moosend offers the best combination of features and value — abandoned cart, product recommendations, and purchase tracking from $9/month with a native Shopify integration. For larger, scaling Shopify brands with significant revenue, Klaviyo’s deeper analytics and predictive features justify its higher price. For stores just starting out, Brevo’s free plan is the lowest-risk entry point.

What is the best email marketing tool for WooCommerce?

Moosend and Brevo both have strong WooCommerce integrations at affordable price points. Moosend is the stronger choice for automation depth — its product recommendation and abandoned cart features work particularly well with WooCommerce stores. Brevo is the better starting point for stores that want a free plan with no contact limit while they get established.

How much does e-commerce email marketing cost?

It depends on your list size and the features you need. Brevo offers a genuinely free plan with unlimited contacts and basic e-commerce features. Moosend starts at $9/month with full e-commerce automation. Klaviyo starts at $20/month for 500 contacts but scales steeply. Most small e-commerce stores can get everything they need for $9-20/month.

Is Klaviyo worth it for small stores?

For most small stores, Klaviyo is more platform than you need — and more expensive than the alternatives. Moosend delivers comparable abandoned cart and product recommendation functionality at a fraction of the price. Klaviyo becomes worth the investment when you’re generating significant e-commerce revenue and need its predictive analytics and advanced segmentation to squeeze more performance from a large customer list.

What is the most important email automation for e-commerce?

Abandoned cart sequences deliver the highest return on investment of any e-commerce email automation — typically recovering 5-15% of lost sales with minimal ongoing effort once set up. If you only set up one automation, make it abandoned cart. After that, a welcome series and post-purchase sequence round out the three most impactful automations for most stores.

Final Verdict

For most e-commerce businesses in 2026, Moosend is the standout choice — delivering abandoned cart sequences, product recommendations, purchase tracking, and heatmap reporting from just $9/month. It’s the platform that gives small and mid-size stores access to features that used to require a Klaviyo-level budget.

If budget is your primary concern and you want to start free, Brevo is the strongest no-cost entry point — unlimited contacts, basic e-commerce automation, and SMS marketing all available without spending a penny.

If you’re a scaling brand generating meaningful revenue and need the deepest e-commerce analytics available, Klaviyo justifies its premium. But for the vast majority of e-commerce stores, Moosend at $9/month delivers everything needed to drive meaningful revenue from email — without the enterprise price tag.

👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha
👉 Try Brevo for free (unlimited contacts): https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9
👉 Try AWeber free: https://www.aweber.com/easy-email.htm?id=561741

Last updated: August 2026

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This doesn’t 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.

MailerLite has built a loyal following among bloggers, creators, and small businesses who want a clean, affordable email marketing platform without the complexity of enterprise tools. With a generous free plan, an intuitive interface, and a growing set of creator-friendly features, it’s become one of the most recommended starting points for anyone new to email marketing.

But is MailerLite still the right choice in 2026 — or have competitors caught up and overtaken it?

In this review I’ll cover everything you need to know — features, pricing, automation, ease of use, deliverability, and who MailerLite is genuinely best for — so you can make a confident decision.

MailerLite at a Glance

Best for	Bloggers, creators and small businesses wanting a clean affordable platform
Starting price	Free up to 1,000 subscribers
Free plan	1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
Standout feature	Built-in website, blog and paid newsletter tools
Ease of use	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Value for money	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall rating	⭐ 4.5/5

What is MailerLite?

MailerLite is a Lithuanian email marketing platform founded in 2010, now serving over 1 million businesses and creators worldwide. It built its reputation on a clean, minimalist interface, a genuinely generous free plan, and a focus on giving small businesses and creators everything they need without unnecessary complexity.

In recent years MailerLite has expanded significantly beyond email — adding a website builder, a built-in blog, paid newsletter subscriptions, and digital product selling — making it increasingly useful as a broader creator platform rather than just an email tool.

Its free plan is one of the most generous available — 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month, which is double the contact allowance of Mailchimp’s free tier and significantly more than AWeber’s free plan.

MailerLite Features

Email Marketing

MailerLite’s email tools are clean, focused, and well-executed:

• Drag-and-drop email editor with a clean, minimal aesthetic
• Rich text editor — ideal for plain text newsletter-style emails
• AI writing assistant — generate email content from a short prompt
• 70+ email templates covering a range of industries and styles
• A/B split testing on subject lines, sender names, and email content
• Send time optimisation — automatically sends at the best time for each subscriber
• Auto-resend to non-openers
• RSS campaign builder — automatically send emails when new blog posts are published
• Personalisation and dynamic content blocks

The email editor is one of the cleanest and most enjoyable to use of any platform — it produces professional results quickly without unnecessary options cluttering the interface. Particularly strong for newsletter-style content where clean typography and minimal design are the priority.

Marketing Automation

MailerLite’s automation is solid for a platform at this price point — more powerful than Mailchimp and AWeber, though less sophisticated than Moosend or ActiveCampaign:

• Visual drag-and-drop automation builder
• Trigger-based workflows — start automations based on sign-ups, link clicks, purchases, and custom events
• Welcome sequences — automatically send a series of emails to new subscribers
• Abandoned cart sequences — follow up with customers who didn’t complete a purchase
• Subscriber segmentation — send targeted emails based on tags, groups, and behaviour
• Conditional steps — branch automations based on subscriber actions
• Campaign engagement filters — automatically segment based on opens and clicks

The automation builder is intuitive and well-designed — considerably easier to use than ActiveCampaign’s, and more capable than Mailchimp’s equivalent. For most bloggers and small businesses, MailerLite’s automation covers everything they’ll need.

Website and Blog Builder

One of MailerLite’s most distinctive features is its built-in website and blog builder — genuinely useful for creators who want everything in one place:

• Drag-and-drop website builder with customisable templates
• Built-in blog — write and publish posts directly within MailerLite
• Custom domain support
• SEO settings for pages and posts
• Mobile responsive designs
• Sign-up forms embedded directly into pages

For creators just starting out who don’t yet have a website, MailerLite’s builder provides a functional starting point that integrates seamlessly with the email platform — no third-party website tools required.

Paid Newsletters and Digital Products

This is where MailerLite genuinely differentiates from most competitors — it allows creators to monetise their audience directly within the platform:

• Paid newsletter subscriptions — charge subscribers a monthly or annual fee for premium content, managed entirely within MailerLite
• Digital product selling — sell ebooks, templates, courses, and other digital downloads directly through MailerLite
• Stripe integration — payments processed via Stripe with no additional MailerLite transaction fees

For content creators and bloggers looking to monetise their email list, this is a significant advantage — platforms like Mailchimp and AWeber don’t offer anything comparable at this price point.

Landing Pages and Forms

• Landing page builder with 30+ templates
• Custom domain support for landing pages
• A/B testing for landing pages
• Pop-up forms with targeting rules
• Embedded inline forms
• Exit intent triggers
• Multi-step forms
• Promotion pop-ups — display discount codes and offers to visitors

Reporting and Analytics

• Real-time campaign performance dashboard
• Open rates, click rates, bounce rates, and unsubscribe tracking
• Click map — see which links in your emails are clicked most
• Subscriber growth charts
• Ecommerce revenue tracking
• Automation performance reporting
• A/B test results

MailerLite Pricing

Plan	Price	Subscribers	Key Features
Free	$0/month	1,000	12,000 emails/month, automation, landing pages, websites
Growing Business	$10/month	500	Unlimited emails, unlimited websites, sell digital products, paid newsletters, A/B testing
Advanced	$20/month	500	Everything in Growing Business plus AI features, custom HTML editor, promotion pop-ups, priority support
Enterprise	Custom	Custom	Dedicated account manager, custom templates, SLA

Prices increase with subscriber count. Some examples at the Growing Business tier:

• $10/month — up to 500 subscribers
• $15/month — up to 1,000 subscribers
• $25/month — up to 2,500 subscribers
• $32/month — up to 5,000 subscribers
• $73/month — up to 10,000 subscribers

Is MailerLite good value? Excellent — particularly on the free plan, which is one of the most generous available. At the paid tier, $10/month for unlimited emails, paid newsletters, and digital product selling is genuinely competitive. The main caveat is the approval process — MailerLite reviews new accounts before activation, which can add a short delay.

MailerLite vs Competitors

Feature	MailerLite	Mailchimp	Brevo	Moosend	AWeber
Free subscribers	1,000	500	Unlimited	Trial only	500
Paid from	$10/mo	$13/mo	$9/mo	$9/mo	$12.50/mo
Automation	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Website builder	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Built-in blog	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Paid newsletters	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Digital products	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
SMS marketing	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌
Heatmaps	❌	❌	❌	✅	❌
E-commerce	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Value for money	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Is MailerLite Right for You?

Are you a blogger or content creator?
If yes → MailerLite is purpose-built for you. The built-in blog, paid newsletter tools, and clean email editor make it the strongest choice for content-led businesses.

Do you want to sell digital products or paid subscriptions?
If yes → MailerLite is one of very few email platforms that lets you monetise your list directly without a separate tool.

Do you want the most generous free plan available?
If yes → MailerLite offers 1,000 free subscribers — double Mailchimp’s limit. Brevo offers unlimited contacts but with a daily email cap; both are worth considering depending on your list size and send frequency.

Do you run an e-commerce store needing deep automation?
If yes → Moosend is the stronger choice. Its abandoned cart, product recommendations, and purchase tracking outperform MailerLite’s e-commerce tools at the same price point.

Do you need SMS marketing?
If yes → MailerLite doesn’t offer SMS. Brevo is the better option.

Do you need a permanent free plan with no contact limit?
If yes → Brevo’s unlimited contact free plan is unmatched. MailerLite caps the free tier at 1,000 subscribers.

MailerLite Ease of Use

MailerLite is one of the easiest email marketing platforms to use — and this is probably its single biggest selling point for beginners. The interface is clean and uncluttered, the navigation is logical, and the email builder is one of the most enjoyable to work with of any platform in this price range.

New users can typically set up their account, import contacts, and send their first campaign within an hour. The onboarding checklist guides you through each step clearly, and the help centre is well-organised with both written guides and video tutorials.

Learning curve rating: Very Low — MailerLite is among the easiest platforms to get started with, comparable to Constant Contact and easier than Mailchimp’s current cluttered interface.

MailerLite Deliverability

MailerLite performs strongly on deliverability, consistently achieving inbox placement rates of 95-97% in independent testing. This is solid — slightly below best-in-class performers like Brevo and Constant Contact, but well above average and more than sufficient for most businesses.

One important note: MailerLite’s account approval process — while occasionally frustrating for new users — actually contributes to its deliverability by keeping low-quality senders off the platform. A more selective user base means better shared sender reputation for everyone.

MailerLite Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Most generous free plan for bloggers — 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails/month
• Built-in website and blog builder — no separate tool needed
• Paid newsletter and digital product selling — monetise directly within the platform
• One of the cleanest, most intuitive interfaces available
• Strong automation for the price point
• A/B testing included on paid plans
• Good deliverability track record
• Competitively priced paid plans from $10/month
• RSS to email — automatically notify subscribers of new blog posts

Cons:

• Account approval process required — can delay getting started by 24-48 hours
• No SMS or multi-channel marketing
• Fewer email templates than Mailchimp or Constant Contact
• E-commerce features less advanced than Moosend
• No heatmap reporting
• Free plan limits to 12,000 emails/month — Brevo’s free plan has no monthly email cap (300/day)
• Smaller integration library than Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign

MailerLite Customer Support

• 24/7 live chat — available on paid plans
• Email support — available on all plans including free
• Help centre — extensive written guides and video tutorials
• Video tutorials — well-produced walkthrough library on YouTube
• Community — active user forum

Support quality is well-regarded — live chat responses are typically fast and helpful. The main limitation is no phone support at any tier, which puts it behind Constant Contact for businesses that prioritise speaking to a real person.

Who Is MailerLite Best For?

MailerLite is an excellent choice for:

• Bloggers and content creators — the built-in blog, RSS campaigns, and paid newsletter tools make it the strongest email platform for content-led businesses
• Newsletter writers — the clean email editor is perfect for text-heavy, personality-driven newsletters
• Creators selling digital products — ebooks, templates, and courses can be sold directly within the platform
• Small businesses wanting a generous free plan — 1,000 free subscribers with automation included is among the best available
• Businesses wanting an all-in-one starting point — email, website, blog, landing pages, and digital product sales under one subscription

MailerLite is less ideal for:

• E-commerce businesses needing deep automation — Moosend’s abandoned cart and product recommendations are significantly more advanced
• Businesses needing SMS or multi-channel marketing — Brevo is the better choice
• Businesses needing a contact limit free plan — Brevo’s unlimited contacts free plan is more generous at scale
• Users who need phone support — Constant Contact is the only major platform offering this
• Businesses needing powerful CRM integration — ActiveCampaign is the stronger choice

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MailerLite free?

Yes — MailerLite has a genuinely free plan that allows up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month with no credit card required. This is one of the most generous free plans in the email marketing space — double the contact allowance of Mailchimp’s free tier. Paid plans start from $10/month when you exceed 1,000 subscribers or need features like paid newsletters and digital product selling.

Is MailerLite good for beginners?

Yes — MailerLite is one of the most beginner-friendly email marketing platforms available. The clean interface, intuitive email builder, and well-organised help centre make it accessible to users with no prior experience. Most beginners can have their first campaign sent within an hour of signing up.

How does MailerLite compare to Mailchimp?

MailerLite offers a more generous free plan (1,000 subscribers vs Mailchimp’s 500), a cleaner interface, stronger automation at comparable price points, and creator-specific features like paid newsletters and digital product selling that Mailchimp doesn’t offer. Mailchimp has a larger template library and more third-party integrations. For most bloggers and creators, MailerLite is the better choice.

Why does MailerLite need to approve my account?

MailerLite reviews new accounts before activation to maintain high deliverability standards — a more selective user base means better inbox placement for everyone on the platform. The review typically takes a few hours to 24 hours. You’ll need to answer a few questions about your business and how you plan to use email marketing. Accounts are almost always approved for legitimate business use.

Can I sell digital products with MailerLite?

Yes — MailerLite allows you to sell digital products (ebooks, templates, courses, and other downloadable files) directly through the platform on paid plans. Payments are processed via Stripe and MailerLite charges no additional transaction fees beyond Stripe’s standard payment processing rate. This makes it one of the most useful platforms for creators looking to monetise their audience without a separate e-commerce tool.

How does MailerLite compare to Brevo?

Brevo offers unlimited contacts on its free plan versus MailerLite’s 1,000 — a significant advantage for businesses building a large list. MailerLite counters with a higher monthly email allowance (12,000 vs Brevo’s 9,000 equivalent), creator-specific tools like paid newsletters and digital product selling, and a built-in website and blog. For bloggers and creators, MailerLite is typically the stronger choice. For businesses prioritising list size and multi-channel marketing (including SMS), Brevo wins.

👉 Try Brevo for free: https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9

What happens when I exceed 1,000 subscribers on MailerLite’s free plan?

Once you exceed 1,000 subscribers you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. The Growing Business plan starts at $10/month for up to 500 subscribers — note that paid plan pricing is based on subscriber count from 500 upwards, so upgrading from 1,000 free subscribers moves you to the 1,000-subscriber paid tier at $15/month. MailerLite will notify you before you hit the limit so you’re not caught off guard.

Final Verdict

MailerLite earns its reputation as one of the best email marketing platforms for bloggers and creators — and in 2026 it remains a strong choice for anyone who wants a clean, affordable platform with creator-friendly features that most competitors simply don’t offer.

The free plan is genuinely generous, the interface is one of the most pleasant to use in the market, and the addition of paid newsletters and digital product selling makes it increasingly useful as a complete creator business platform rather than just an email tool.

It isn’t the best choice for e-commerce businesses (Moosend is stronger there), businesses needing SMS marketing (Brevo leads), or those requiring the most powerful automation (ActiveCampaign). But for bloggers, newsletter writers, and content creators looking for a reliable, affordable home for their email list, MailerLite is hard to beat.

Overall rating: 4.5/5 ⭐

If you need more automation power or a bigger free plan, Brevo and Moosend are both worth comparing:

👉 Try Brevo for free (unlimited contacts): https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9
👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha
👉 Try AWeber free: https://www.aweber.com/easy-email.htm?id=561741

Last updated: July 2026

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This doesn’t 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.

Mailchimp is the most recognised name in email marketing — but it’s no longer the best option for most small businesses. Pricing that scales steeply as your list grows, automation that lags behind competitors, and a free plan that has become increasingly restrictive have pushed thousands of businesses to look for alternatives.

The good news is that the alternatives are genuinely better — not just cheaper, but more powerful, easier to use, and in several cases completely free without the limitations Mailchimp imposes.

In this guide I’ll cover the best Mailchimp alternatives in 2026 — with honest pros, cons, and clear recommendations for every type of business — so you can find the right fit without wasting time on the wrong platform.

Why Are People Leaving Mailchimp?

Before diving into alternatives, it’s worth understanding what’s driving people away from Mailchimp — because the right alternative depends on what’s frustrating you most.

• Price: Mailchimp’s free plan is limited to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month. Paid plans start at $13/month but scale steeply — 10,000 contacts on the Standard plan costs $100/month
• Automation: Mailchimp’s automation is basic compared to dedicated tools. Multi-step workflows, lead scoring, and behaviour-based triggers are limited or locked to expensive tiers
• Contact counting: Mailchimp counts unsubscribed contacts toward your limit, meaning you pay for people who have opted out
• Interface complexity: Mailchimp has become cluttered and harder to navigate as it has added features over the years
• Support: Free plan users lose email support after 30 days — no chat, no phone, no help unless you pay

Best Mailchimp Alternatives at a Glance

Platform	Free Plan	Paid From	Best For
Brevo	✅ Unlimited contacts	$9/month	Best overall free Mailchimp alternative
Moosend	⚠️ 30-day trial	$9/month	Best for automation and e-commerce
AWeber	✅ 500 subscribers	$12.50/month	Best for beginners wanting simplicity
MailerLite	✅ 1,000 subscribers	$10/month	Best for bloggers and creators
GetResponse	✅ 500 contacts	$19/month	Best all-in-one with webinars
ActiveCampaign	❌ Trial only	$15/month	Best for powerful automation

1. Brevo — Best Free Mailchimp Alternative Overall

Free plan	Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day
Paid from	$9/month
Best for	Small businesses wanting no contact limit
Rating	⭐ 4.8/5

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is the strongest free Mailchimp alternative available in 2026 — and it’s not particularly close. While Mailchimp limits you to 500 contacts on its free plan, Brevo offers unlimited contacts with 300 emails per day. For a small business sending a weekly newsletter to a few thousand subscribers, that’s genuinely free — forever.

Beyond the free plan, Brevo also offers SMS marketing, WhatsApp campaigns, live chat, and a basic CRM — making it one of the most versatile platforms available at any price point. Its automation is stronger than Mailchimp’s at comparable price points, and its deliverability track record — built over more than a decade as a transactional email provider — is exceptional.

Why switch from Mailchimp to Brevo:

• No contact limit on the free plan — Mailchimp caps you at 500
• SMS marketing included — Mailchimp charges extra
• Stronger automation at lower price points
• Doesn’t count unsubscribed contacts against your limit
• Better deliverability heritage

Potential drawbacks:

• 300 emails/day limit on free plan (9,000/month) — adequate for most small businesses but restrictive for high-volume senders
• Fewer email templates than Mailchimp
• A/B testing locked to Business plan ($18/month)

👉 Try Brevo for free: https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9

2. Moosend — Best for Automation and E-commerce

Free plan	30-day free trial (full access)
Paid from	$9/month
Best for	E-commerce businesses and automation-focused users
Rating	⭐ 4.4/5

If you’re leaving Mailchimp because the automation isn’t powerful enough, Moosend is the answer. Now part of the Constant Contact family, Moosend delivers automation capabilities that rival ActiveCampaign — at a starting price of just $9/month.

Where Moosend particularly stands out against Mailchimp is e-commerce. Abandoned cart sequences, product recommendation workflows, and purchase tracking are all included from the entry-level Pro plan — features Mailchimp locks to its more expensive Standard and Premium tiers. Moosend also includes heatmap reporting as standard, which Mailchimp doesn’t offer at any price.

Why switch from Mailchimp to Moosend:

• Far more powerful automation — lead scoring, weather triggers, product recommendations
• Heatmap reporting included — Mailchimp doesn’t offer this
• Unlimited email sends on all paid plans — Mailchimp caps by plan
• Abandoned cart and e-commerce features from $9/month
• Countdown timers within emails included as standard
• Now backed by Constant Contact — added platform stability

Potential drawbacks:

• No permanent free plan — 30-day trial only
• Email only — no SMS, WhatsApp, or live chat
• Smaller template library than Mailchimp

👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha

3. AWeber — Best for Beginners Wanting Simplicity

Free plan	500 subscribers, unlimited emails
Paid from	$12.50/month
Best for	Beginners wanting the simplest possible experience
Rating	⭐ 4.2/5

AWeber is one of the oldest email marketing platforms in existence — founded in 1998, it has spent over 25 years refining a product specifically for small businesses and solopreneurs who want email marketing that just works without complexity.

Its free plan matches Mailchimp’s 500 contact limit, but crucially offers unlimited email sends — Mailchimp restricts free users to 1,000 emails per month. AWeber’s interface is cleaner and more straightforward than Mailchimp’s, and its customer support — including live chat on the free plan — is significantly better than what Mailchimp offers free users.

Why switch from Mailchimp to AWeber:

• Unlimited email sends on the free plan — Mailchimp caps at 1,000/month
• Live chat support on the free plan — Mailchimp cuts support after 30 days
• Cleaner, simpler interface — less cluttered than Mailchimp
• 30% recurring commission affiliate programme — great for creators with an audience
• Excellent deliverability built over 25+ years

Potential drawbacks:

• 500 contact limit on free plan — same as Mailchimp (Brevo has no limit)
• Automation less powerful than Moosend or ActiveCampaign
• Design tools feel slightly dated compared to newer platforms
• Fewer integrations than Mailchimp

👉 Try AWeber free: https://www.aweber.com/easy-email.htm?id=561741

4. MailerLite — Best for Bloggers and Creators

Free plan	1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
Paid from	$10/month
Best for	Bloggers, creators and newsletter writers
Rating	⭐ 4.5/5

MailerLite is the strongest Mailchimp alternative for bloggers and content creators — offering a more generous free plan (1,000 subscribers versus Mailchimp’s 500), a cleaner interface, and a suite of creator-friendly features including a built-in blog, website builder, and paid newsletter functionality.

Its automation builder is more intuitive than Mailchimp’s, and its email editor produces cleaner, more minimal designs that work particularly well for newsletter-style content. MailerLite also offers a paid newsletter feature — allowing creators to charge subscribers for premium content — which Mailchimp doesn’t include.

Why switch from Mailchimp to MailerLite:

• Free plan allows 1,000 subscribers — double Mailchimp’s 500
• Built-in website and blog creator — publish content without a separate tool
• Paid newsletter/subscription feature — monetise your audience directly
• Cleaner, more modern interface than Mailchimp
• More intuitive automation builder
• Lower paid plan pricing — from $10/month

Potential drawbacks:

• Approval process required — new accounts are reviewed before activation
• Fewer native integrations than Mailchimp
• Less advanced e-commerce features than Moosend
• No SMS or multi-channel marketing

5. GetResponse — Best All-in-One Alternative

Free plan	500 contacts, basic features
Paid from	$19/month
Best for	Businesses wanting email, landing pages, webinars and AI in one platform
Rating	⭐ 4.8/5

GetResponse is the best Mailchimp alternative for businesses that want a single platform covering as many marketing functions as possible. Where Mailchimp focuses primarily on email, GetResponse bundles in landing pages, sales funnels, webinar hosting, AI tools, and paid ad management — making it a genuine all-in-one marketing platform at a mid-range price.

Its automation builder is stronger than Mailchimp’s, its template library is larger, and its AI email generator — which produces complete campaigns from a short text prompt — is one of the most developed in the market. For businesses that currently pay for email marketing plus a separate landing page tool or webinar platform, GetResponse can actually save money by consolidating everything.

Why switch from Mailchimp to GetResponse:

• Webinar hosting built in — Mailchimp doesn’t offer this at any price
• Full landing page and sales funnel builder included
• Stronger AI tools — email writer, subject line generator, page builder
• Better automation at comparable price points
• 500+ email templates — significantly more than Mailchimp

Potential drawbacks:

• More expensive than Brevo and Moosend at paid tiers
• Free plan less generous than MailerLite
• Can feel overwhelming for users who only need basic email

6. ActiveCampaign — Best for Powerful Automation

Free plan	❌ 14-day trial only
Paid from	$15/month
Best for	Businesses that need the most powerful automation available
Rating	⭐ 4.7/5

If you’re leaving Mailchimp because you need genuinely sophisticated automation — not just welcome sequences and abandoned cart, but multi-step customer journeys, lead scoring, site tracking, and CRM integration — ActiveCampaign is the strongest choice available at its price point.

ActiveCampaign’s automation builder is the most powerful in its price range, with 500+ pre-built automation templates, behaviour-based triggers, split testing within automations, and website tracking that lets you trigger emails based on which pages your subscribers visit. It also includes a full CRM from its Plus plan — making it the strongest choice for sales-led businesses.

Why switch from Mailchimp to ActiveCampaign:

• The most powerful automation builder in its price range — no contest
• Full CRM included from Plus plan
• Site tracking — trigger automations based on website behaviour
• 500+ pre-built automation templates
• 900+ integrations — the largest library of any platform here

Potential drawbacks:

• No permanent free plan — 14-day trial only
• Steeper learning curve than all other options here
• More expensive than Brevo and Moosend at comparable contact counts
• Can be overkill for simple email marketing needs

For a full breakdown see our ActiveCampaign alternatives guide.

Mailchimp Alternatives Compared: Full Feature Table

Feature	Mailchimp	Brevo	Moosend	AWeber	MailerLite	GetResponse
Free contacts	500	Unlimited	Trial only	500	1,000	500
Free email sends	1,000/mo	300/day	Trial only	Unlimited	12,000/mo	2,500/mo
Paid from	$13/mo	$9/mo	$9/mo	$12.50/mo	$10/mo	$19/mo
Automation	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
SMS marketing	✅ Paid	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Landing pages	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Webinars	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Heatmaps	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
E-commerce	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Free plan support	⚠️ 30 days	✅	✅ Trial	✅	✅	✅

Which Mailchimp Alternative Is Right for You?

Do you want the best free plan with no contact limit?
→ Brevo. Unlimited contacts, 300 emails per day, forever free.

Do you run an e-commerce store?
→ Moosend. Abandoned cart, product recommendations and purchase tracking from $9/month.

Are you a complete beginner who wants simplicity?
→ AWeber. The cleanest, simplest interface with unlimited sends on the free plan.

Are you a blogger or newsletter creator?
→ MailerLite. Free up to 1,000 subscribers, paid newsletter tools, built-in blog.

Do you want webinars, funnels, and AI tools all in one platform?
→ GetResponse. The most feature-complete all-in-one alternative.

Do you need the most powerful automation available?
→ ActiveCampaign. Nothing rivals it for automation depth at this price range.

How to Switch from Mailchimp

Switching email platforms is easier than most people expect. Here’s the process:

1. Export your Mailchimp contacts — go to Audience → All contacts → Export. You’ll receive a CSV file with all your subscriber data
2. Sign up for your new platform — all options above have free plans or trials so you can test before committing
3. Import your contacts — upload the CSV file to your new platform. Most complete this in minutes
4. Recreate your key automations — welcome sequences, abandoned cart, and any active nurture flows
5. Send a test campaign — verify everything is working before switching fully
6. Update your sign-up forms — replace any Mailchimp-embedded forms on your website with your new platform’s forms
7. Cancel Mailchimp — once you’re happy everything is working on your new platform

Most businesses complete the full switch within a day. The contact import is instant — the main time investment is recreating automations, which is usually straightforward given that most platforms offer pre-built templates for common workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free alternative to Mailchimp?

Brevo is the best free Mailchimp alternative — it offers unlimited contacts on its free plan compared to Mailchimp’s 500, and doesn’t cut off support after 30 days. For bloggers and creators, MailerLite’s free plan (up to 1,000 subscribers) is also an excellent option. AWeber matches Mailchimp’s 500 contact limit but offers unlimited email sends where Mailchimp caps at 1,000 per month.

Is Mailchimp still worth using in 2026?

For very small businesses that want a free plan and don’t need automation beyond the basics, Mailchimp is still a viable starting point — its brand recognition means there’s no shortage of tutorials and community support. But for most businesses with any growth ambition, the alternatives above offer better features, better value, and fewer frustrations as your list scales.

Which Mailchimp alternative is easiest to use?

AWeber and MailerLite are both known for their clean, beginner-friendly interfaces. Brevo is also well-regarded for ease of use. All three are arguably easier to navigate than the current version of Mailchimp, which has become increasingly cluttered as it has added features over the years.

Can I import my Mailchimp list to another platform?

Yes — all major email platforms allow you to import contacts via CSV file. Export your list from Mailchimp’s audience section and import it to your new platform. The process typically takes less than 10 minutes. Your subscribers don’t need to re-opt-in as long as you have proper consent records from your original sign-up process.

Which Mailchimp alternative has the best automation?

Moosend and ActiveCampaign both significantly outperform Mailchimp on automation. Moosend offers lead scoring, weather-based triggers, and product recommendation workflows from $9/month. ActiveCampaign goes even further with site tracking, split testing within automations, and 500+ pre-built automation templates — though at a higher price point and with a steeper learning curve.

Does Brevo have better deliverability than Mailchimp?

Both have strong deliverability, but Brevo’s deliverability track record is particularly impressive — it was originally built as a transactional email service, which means reliable inbox placement is foundational to the product. Mailchimp’s deliverability is also strong overall but has faced more variability due to the sheer volume and variety of senders on its platform, particularly on the free tier.

Final Verdict

Mailchimp had a good run as the default choice for small business email marketing — but in 2026 it’s no longer the best option for most businesses. The alternatives above are cheaper, more powerful, and in several cases significantly more generous on their free plans.

For most small businesses, Brevo is the standout free alternative — unlimited contacts, solid automation, SMS included, and a track record of outstanding deliverability. If automation and e-commerce are your priority, Moosend at $9/month delivers more than Mailchimp’s paid plans at a fraction of the cost.

Whichever platform you choose, the switch from Mailchimp is easier than you think — and the results are usually immediately noticeable.

👉 Try Brevo for free (unlimited contacts): https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9
👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha
👉 Try AWeber free: https://www.aweber.com/easy-email.htm?id=561741

Last updated: July 2026

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This doesn’t 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.

Constant Contact and Mailchimp are the two most recognised names in small business email marketing — and for good reason. Both have been helping businesses send emails for decades, both are beginner-friendly, and both are trusted by millions of users worldwide.

But they’re not the same platform — and choosing the wrong one could mean paying more than you need to, or missing features your business genuinely needs.

In this comparison I’ll break down exactly how Constant Contact and Mailchimp stack up across every key area — features, pricing, ease of use, automation, and value for money — so you can make the right decision for your business in 2026.

Constant Contact vs Mailchimp: Quick Verdict

	Constant Contact	Mailchimp
Best for	Beginners wanting phone support and event management	Very small businesses wanting a permanent free plan
Starting price	$12/month	Free
Free plan	⚠️ 60-day trial only	✅ Up to 500 contacts
Automation	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Templates	200+	100+
Phone support	✅ All plans	❌
Event management	✅	❌
SMS marketing	✅ Paid plans	✅ Paid plans
AI tools	✅ Strong	✅ Growing
Value for money	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Overall rating	⭐ 4.2/5	⭐ 4.0/5

Bottom line: Choose Constant Contact if you’re a complete beginner who wants phone support, runs events, or needs the most guided experience available. Choose Mailchimp if you need a permanent free plan to start with no time pressure. But honestly — if budget and features are your priority, there are better value alternatives to both. More on that at the end.

Who Is Each Platform Built For?

Constant Contact is built for small business owners who want the most hand-held, supported experience available. It prioritises simplicity, guidance, and accessibility — with phone support on all plans and an onboarding process that’s more thorough than any competitor. It’s particularly strong for businesses that run events — workshops, classes, or local networking — thanks to its built-in event management tools.

Mailchimp is built for very small businesses and freelancers who want to start for free and scale up gradually. Its free plan is one of the most recognised entry points in email marketing, and its brand recognition means there’s no shortage of tutorials, community support, and third-party integrations. It’s a generalist platform that does most things adequately without excelling at any one area.

Feature by Feature Comparison

Email Marketing

Feature	Constant Contact	Mailchimp
Email templates	200+	100+
Drag-and-drop editor	✅	✅
AI email writer	✅	✅
A/B testing	✅ Standard+	✅ Paid plans
Send time optimisation	✅	✅
Resend to non-openers	✅	✅ Paid plans
Dynamic content	✅	✅ Paid plans

Constant Contact leads on templates — 200+ versus Mailchimp’s 100+ — and includes resend to non-openers on all plans, which Mailchimp locks to paid tiers. Both have AI email writing tools, though Constant Contact’s implementation is more developed.

Winner: Constant Contact — more templates and more features available at lower price points.

Marketing Automation

Feature	Constant Contact	Mailchimp
Welcome sequences	✅	✅
Behaviour-based triggers	✅	✅ Paid plans
Abandoned cart	✅ Standard+	✅ Paid plans
Birthday emails	✅	✅
Pre-built templates	✅	✅
Visual automation builder	⚠️ Basic	⚠️ Basic
Lead scoring	❌	❌

Neither platform excels at automation — this is an area where both Constant Contact and Mailchimp lag behind dedicated automation tools like ActiveCampaign and Moosend. Both cover standard needs — welcome sequences, abandoned cart, birthday emails — but neither offers the visual automation depth that growing businesses often need.

Winner: Tie — both are adequate for basic automation, neither is impressive.

Pricing

Constant Contact Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Lite	$12/month	Email marketing, 1 user, 10x contact limit sends
Standard	$35/month	Automation, SMS, A/B testing, social posting, 3 users
Premium	$80/month	Advanced automation, custom reporting, 5 users

Mailchimp Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Free	$0/month	500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month, basic templates
Essentials	$13/month	500 contacts, 5,000 emails/month, A/B testing, 24/7 support
Standard	$20/month	500 contacts, 6,000 emails/month, automation, retargeting
Premium	$350/month	Unlimited contacts, advanced segmentation, multivariate testing

Which Is Better Value?

Mailchimp wins on entry price — its free plan for up to 500 contacts is a genuine advantage for businesses just starting out. However, Mailchimp’s pricing scales steeply and becomes expensive quickly as your list grows. Constant Contact’s pricing is more predictable and transparent, though it starts higher with no permanent free option.

Neither platform offers exceptional value compared to alternatives like Brevo (free, unlimited contacts) or Moosend ($9/month with more automation features than either). For the price both platforms charge, you can get considerably more elsewhere.

Winner: Mailchimp — the free plan is a genuine advantage at the entry level.

Ease of Use

Constant Contact is the most beginner-friendly major email marketing platform available — full stop. The guided onboarding, clean interface, and accessible support make it the easiest option for business owners with no prior email marketing experience. Everything is clearly labelled, help is always one click away, and the learning curve is minimal.

Mailchimp is also beginner-friendly but has become more complex over the years as it has added features. New users occasionally find the interface cluttered and the navigation less intuitive than it used to be. It’s still accessible, but noticeably less polished than Constant Contact for complete newcomers.

Winner: Constant Contact — the clearest market leader for ease of use.

Customer Support

Support Type	Constant Contact	Mailchimp
Phone support	✅ All paid plans	❌
Live chat	✅ All paid plans	✅ Paid plans only
Email support	✅	✅ Paid plans only
Free plan support	✅ During trial	❌ Email only for 30 days
Help centre	✅ Extensive	✅ Extensive
Community forum	✅	✅

Constant Contact wins this category clearly. Phone support on all paid plans is rare in the email marketing space and genuinely valuable for small business owners who prefer speaking to a real person. Mailchimp offers no phone support at any price point — free plan users get email support for 30 days only, after which they’re limited to the help centre and community forums.

Winner: Constant Contact — phone support alone makes this a clear win.

Unique Features

Constant Contact unique features:

• Event management — create event pages, sell tickets, manage registrations, and send automated reminders. No other major email platform includes this
• Phone support — available on all paid plans
• Social media scheduling — post to Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn from within the platform
• QR code generator — for offline list building at events or in-store

Mailchimp unique features:

• Permanent free plan — up to 500 contacts with no time limit
• Website builder — basic website creation included
• Appointment scheduling — book client appointments through Mailchimp
• Largest third-party integration library — 300+ native integrations
• Postcards — send physical direct mail postcards to contacts

Deliverability

Both platforms have strong deliverability records built over decades of operation. Constant Contact consistently achieves inbox placement rates above 97% in independent testing. Mailchimp performs similarly, though its deliverability has faced more scrutiny in recent years due to the volume and variety of senders on its platform — including the free tier, which attracts some lower-quality senders that can affect shared IP reputation.

Winner: Constant Contact — marginally stronger deliverability track record.

Which Should You Choose?

Do you need a permanent free plan with no time limit?
If yes → Mailchimp. Constant Contact’s 60-day trial is generous but not permanent.

Do you want phone support?
If yes → Constant Contact. Mailchimp offers no phone support at any price.

Do you run events — workshops, classes, or local networking?
If yes → Constant Contact. Its event management tools are unique in the email marketing space.

Are you a complete beginner wanting the most guided experience?
If yes → Constant Contact. It’s the most accessible major platform available.

Do you need the largest integration library?
If yes → Mailchimp. Its 300+ integrations cover more third-party tools than Constant Contact.

Is value for money your top priority?
If yes → Neither. Both platforms are more expensive than alternatives offering better features. See below.

The Honest Truth: Are There Better Options?

Constant Contact and Mailchimp are trusted, reliable platforms — but they’re not the best value options available in 2026. Both charge premium prices for features that newer platforms deliver at a fraction of the cost.

If budget and features matter more than brand recognition, these alternatives are worth considering:

Platform	Free Plan	Paid From	Why It Beats Both
Brevo	✅ Unlimited contacts	$9/month	No contact limit on free plan, SMS included, stronger automation than both
Moosend	⚠️ 30-day trial	$9/month	Far more powerful automation, heatmaps, e-commerce features at entry price
AWeber	✅ 500 subscribers	$12.50/month	Unlimited emails on free plan, excellent deliverability, beginner friendly

👉 Try Brevo for free (unlimited contacts): https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9
👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha
👉 Try AWeber free: https://www.aweber.com/easy-email.htm?id=561741

Constant Contact vs Mailchimp: Use Cases

Choose Constant Contact if you are:

• A complete beginner who wants maximum guidance and support
• A small business that runs events, workshops, or classes
• A business owner who wants phone support included as standard
• A local business wanting to combine email with social media scheduling
• A business wanting the most generous free trial (60 days) to properly test before committing

Choose Mailchimp if you are:

• A very small business or freelancer wanting a permanent free plan
• Someone who needs the widest range of third-party integrations
• A business that wants a basic website included alongside email
• Someone already familiar with Mailchimp who doesn’t want to switch

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Constant Contact better than Mailchimp?

For ease of use, support, and feature breadth at paid tiers, yes — Constant Contact is the stronger platform. Mailchimp has the advantage of a permanent free plan and a larger integration library. Neither is the best value option in 2026 compared to alternatives like Brevo or Moosend.

Which is cheaper — Constant Contact or Mailchimp?

Mailchimp is cheaper at entry level thanks to its permanent free plan. At paid tiers, Mailchimp’s Essentials plan starts at $13/month versus Constant Contact’s Lite at $12/month — so they’re comparable. Both become expensive as your list grows, with prices scaling steeply based on contact count.

Does Mailchimp have better automation than Constant Contact?

Neither platform has strong automation compared to dedicated tools. Both cover basic sequences — welcome emails, abandoned cart, birthday emails — but neither offers the visual automation depth of ActiveCampaign or Moosend. If automation is your priority, both are the wrong choice.

Can I switch from Mailchimp to Constant Contact?

Yes — switching is straightforward. Export your contact list from Mailchimp as a CSV file and import it into Constant Contact. Your email templates and automations won’t transfer automatically and will need to be recreated, but the contact migration itself takes minutes. Constant Contact’s onboarding team can assist with the process.

Which is better for e-commerce?

Both offer e-commerce integrations and abandoned cart sequences, but neither is the strongest choice for e-commerce compared to dedicated tools. Mailchimp has slightly more e-commerce integrations. For serious e-commerce automation — product recommendations, purchase tracking, cross-sell sequences — Moosend at $9/month is a significantly stronger and cheaper option than either.

Does Constant Contact own Moosend?

Yes — Constant Contact acquired Moosend in 2025. Moosend continues to operate as a separate product with its own pricing and features. The acquisition gives Constant Contact a stronger automation and e-commerce offering via Moosend, while Constant Contact itself remains focused on ease of use and multi-channel marketing for small businesses.

Final Verdict

Constant Contact and Mailchimp are both solid, reliable platforms that have served small businesses well for decades. But in 2026, neither represents the best value in the market.

Choose Constant Contact if you’re a complete beginner who wants phone support, runs events, or simply wants the most guided and accessible email marketing experience available.

Choose Mailchimp if a permanent free plan is your priority and you’re happy to live without phone support and with more basic automation.

Consider the alternatives if budget and features matter. Brevo gives you unlimited contacts for free. Moosend gives you more powerful automation from $9/month. AWeber gives you a free plan with unlimited sends. All three outperform Constant Contact and Mailchimp on value at comparable price points.

👉 Try Brevo for free: https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9
👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha
👉 Try AWeber free: https://www.aweber.com/easy-email.htm?id=561741

Last updated: July 2026

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This doesn’t 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.

⚡ July 2026 Update: Moosend has joined the Constant Contact family. This adds the backing of one of the most established names in email marketing behind Moosend — a positive development for long-term platform stability. The Moosend product, pricing, and affiliate programme remain unchanged.

If you’re looking for an affordable email marketing platform in 2026, Brevo and Moosend are two of the strongest options available. Both offer powerful features at a fraction of the price of tools like ActiveCampaign or HubSpot — but they take very different approaches, and the right choice depends heavily on what your business actually needs.

In this comparison I’ll break down exactly how Brevo and Moosend stack up across pricing, features, automation, ease of use, and value — so you can make a confident decision without wasting time on a platform that isn’t right for you.

Brevo vs Moosend: Quick Verdict

	Brevo	Moosend
Best for	Businesses wanting a permanent free plan with no contact limit	E-commerce and small businesses wanting advanced automation affordably
Starting price	Free	$9/month
Free plan	✅ Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day	⚠️ 30-day trial only
Automation	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
E-commerce features	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Deliverability	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
SMS marketing	✅	❌
Heatmaps	❌	✅
CRM	✅ Basic	❌
Backed by	Independent	Constant Contact
Value for money	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bottom line: Choose Brevo if you want a permanent free plan with no contact limit and the flexibility of SMS marketing alongside email. Choose Moosend if you’re running an e-commerce store or need the most powerful automation available at an entry-level price — now with the added reassurance of Constant Contact’s backing.

What is Brevo?

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a multi-channel marketing platform founded in 2012 and now serving over 500,000 businesses worldwide. It originally built its reputation on a generous free plan and strong email deliverability, and has since expanded into SMS marketing, WhatsApp campaigns, live chat, and CRM tools — making it one of the most versatile platforms available at any price point.

Brevo’s free plan is genuinely one of the best in the industry — unlimited contacts with 300 emails per day, which is more than enough for a small business running a weekly newsletter to thousands of subscribers.

👉 Try Brevo for free: https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9

What is Moosend?

Moosend is a cloud-based email marketing and automation platform founded in 2011, serving over 100,000 businesses worldwide. Originally built with e-commerce in mind, it has grown into a versatile platform known for delivering automation capabilities that rival tools costing two to three times as much — starting from just $9/month. In 2025, Moosend joined the Constant Contact family, adding the stability and resources of one of the most established names in email marketing behind the product.

Where Moosend stands out is the depth of its automation and e-commerce features — abandoned cart sequences, product recommendations, and purchase tracking are all included from the entry-level Pro plan, alongside heatmap reporting that most platforms charge extra for.

👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha

Pricing Comparison

Brevo Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Free	$0/month	Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day, basic automation, landing pages
Starter	$9/month	5,000 emails/month, no daily sending limit, basic reporting
Business	$18/month	Full automation, A/B testing, advanced reporting, multi-user access
Enterprise	Custom	Dedicated support, custom volume, SSO, SLA

Moosend Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Free Trial	$0 for 30 days	Full access to all features, no credit card required
Pro	$9/month	Unlimited emails, automation, landing pages, heatmaps (up to 500 subscribers)
Pro	$16/month	Up to 1,000 subscribers
Pro	$32/month	Up to 2,500 subscribers
Enterprise	Custom	Dedicated account manager, SSO, custom reporting

Which Is Better Value?

This is genuinely close — both platforms offer exceptional value. The key difference is the free tier: Brevo’s permanent free plan with unlimited contacts is unmatched for businesses just starting out or those with tight budgets. Moosend’s free offering is a 30-day trial — generous in terms of feature access, but not a permanent option.

At the paid tier, both start at $9/month — but Brevo’s Starter plan is limited to 5,000 emails per month, whereas Moosend’s Pro plan offers unlimited email sends from day one. For businesses sending frequently to a smaller list, Moosend’s unlimited sends offer better value at the same price point.

Feature Comparison

Email Marketing

Feature	Brevo	Moosend
Email templates	40+	70+
Drag-and-drop editor	✅	✅
A/B testing	✅ Business plan	✅ All plans
Personalisation	✅	✅
Send time optimisation	✅	✅
Countdown timers	❌	✅
Weather-based content	❌	✅
RSS to email	✅	✅

Winner: Moosend

Marketing Automation

Feature	Brevo	Moosend
Visual automation builder	✅	✅
Pre-built automation templates	✅	✅
Behaviour-based triggers	✅	✅
Lead scoring	❌	✅
Abandoned cart	⚠️ E-commerce plan	✅ All plans
Product recommendations	❌	✅
Weather-based triggers	❌	✅
Conditional logic	✅	✅

Winner: Moosend

E-commerce Features

Feature	Brevo	Moosend
Abandoned cart sequences	⚠️ Higher plans	✅ All plans
Product recommendations	❌	✅
Purchase tracking	✅	✅
Revenue reporting	✅	✅
Shopify integration	✅	✅
WooCommerce integration	✅	✅

Winner: Moosend

Landing Pages and Forms

Feature	Brevo	Moosend
Landing page builder	✅ Free plan	✅ All plans
Templates	✅	✅ 40+
Pop-up forms	✅	✅
Exit intent forms	✅	✅
A/B testing for pages	❌	✅
Custom domain	✅	✅

Winner: Tie

Reporting and Analytics

Feature	Brevo	Moosend
Open and click tracking	✅	✅
Revenue tracking	✅	✅
Heatmaps	❌	✅
Real-time reporting	✅	✅
Comparative reporting	✅	✅
Map reporting	✅	❌

Winner: Moosend — heatmaps tip it.

Multi-Channel Marketing

This is where Brevo pulls decisively ahead. Beyond email, Brevo offers SMS marketing, WhatsApp campaigns, live chat, push notifications, and a basic CRM. Moosend is focused exclusively on email marketing. For businesses that want a single platform handling multiple communication channels, Brevo is the clear winner.

It’s worth noting that if multi-channel marketing including SMS and AI tools is a priority, Constant Contact — Moosend’s parent company — offers these capabilities on their own platform.

Winner: Brevo

Deliverability

Both platforms consistently achieve inbox placement rates above 98%. Brevo has a particularly strong deliverability heritage — it started as a transactional email service — but in practice the difference between the two is negligible for most businesses.

Winner: Tie

Which Should You Choose?

Do you need a permanent free plan?
If yes → Brevo. Unlimited contacts with 300 emails per day is the most generous permanent free plan in the market.

Do you run an e-commerce store?
If yes → Moosend. Abandoned cart, product recommendations, and purchase tracking from $9/month make it the stronger choice for online retailers.

Do you want to send SMS alongside email?
If yes → Brevo. Moosend is email only.

Do you need the most powerful automation at the lowest price?
If yes → Moosend. Lead scoring, weather-based triggers, and product recommendation workflows all included from $9/month.

Do you want long-term platform stability?
Both are strong, but Moosend’s acquisition by Constant Contact adds an extra layer of confidence in the platform’s future.

Are you a blogger, creator, or service business?
If yes → Brevo. The free plan and multi-channel features suit content-led businesses better than Moosend’s e-commerce focus.

Brevo vs Moosend: Use Cases

Choose Brevo if you are:

• A small business or blogger wanting a permanent free plan with no time pressure
• A business that wants email, SMS, and live chat all in one platform
• A service business or creator without specific e-commerce automation needs
• A business expecting to grow a large list and wanting no contact limit restrictions

Choose Moosend if you are:

• An e-commerce business wanting abandoned cart, product recommendations, and purchase tracking from $9/month
• A small business that needs real automation depth without paying ActiveCampaign prices
• Someone who wants heatmap reporting included as standard
• A business that sends frequently and wants unlimited email sends from the entry-level plan
• Anyone wanting the reassurance of Constant Contact’s backing behind their email platform

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brevo or Moosend better for beginners?

Both are beginner-friendly, but Brevo has a slight edge for complete newcomers — the permanent free plan removes financial pressure while you learn. Moosend is equally easy to use once you’re set up, but the 30-day trial clock adds a little pressure for those just starting out.

Which is cheaper — Brevo or Moosend?

Brevo wins on free — its permanent free plan with unlimited contacts is unbeatable for cost-conscious businesses. At the paid tier, both start at $9/month, but Moosend’s plan includes unlimited email sends whereas Brevo’s Starter plan caps you at 5,000 emails per month.

Has Moosend been acquired?

Yes — Moosend joined the Constant Contact family in 2025. The Moosend product, pricing, and affiliate programme remain unchanged. The acquisition adds the backing and resources of one of the most established email marketing companies in the world behind the Moosend platform.

Which is better for e-commerce — Brevo or Moosend?

Moosend is the stronger e-commerce choice. Abandoned cart sequences, product recommendations, and purchase tracking are all available from the $9/month Pro plan. Brevo offers some e-commerce functionality but key features like abandoned cart are locked to higher-tier plans.

Can I try both before committing?

Yes. Brevo’s free plan has no time limit — you can use it indefinitely. Moosend offers a 30-day free trial with full feature access and no credit card required. Testing both side by side for a month is a perfectly reasonable approach.

Final Verdict

Brevo and Moosend are two of the best value email marketing platforms available in 2026 — and the good news is that you genuinely can’t go wrong with either.

Choose Brevo if you want the most generous free plan in the market, multi-channel marketing beyond email, or you’re a service business or content creator without specific e-commerce needs.

Choose Moosend if you run an e-commerce store, want the deepest automation available at an entry-level price, or value heatmap reporting and unlimited email sends from day one — now with the added stability of Constant Contact behind it.

Both offer a risk-free way to get started — Brevo with a permanent free plan and Moosend with a 30-day full-feature trial. There’s nothing stopping you from trying both before deciding.

👉 Try Brevo for free: https://get.brevo.com/943m12izdnt9
👉 Try Moosend free for 30 days: https://trymoo.moosend.com/parekekwi2ha

Last updated: July 2026

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This doesn’t 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.

ConvertKit and GetResponse are two of the most popular email marketing platforms on the market — but they couldn’t be more different in their approach. ConvertKit is built for creators and bloggers who want simplicity. GetResponse is built for businesses that want a powerful all-in-one platform.

In this comparison I’ll break down exactly how ConvertKit and GetResponse stack up across every key area — features, pricing, automation, ease of use, and value for money — so you can make the right choice for your business in 2026.

ConvertKit vs GetResponse: Quick Verdict

	ConvertKit	GetResponse
Best for	Bloggers & creators	All-in-one marketing
Starting price	$25/month	$19/month
Free plan	✅ Yes (1,000 subscribers)	✅ Yes (500 contacts)
Automation	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of use	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Webinars	❌	✅ Built in
Digital products	✅ Built in	⚠️ Basic
Creator tools	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Value for money	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall rating	⭐ 4.6/5	⭐ 4.8/5

Bottom line: Choose ConvertKit if you are a blogger, creator, or coach who wants the simplest path to building and monetising an email list. Choose GetResponse if you want the best all-in-one value — covering email, landing pages, automation, and webinars under one subscription.

What is ConvertKit?

ConvertKit is an email marketing platform founded in 2013 and purpose-built for content creators — bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, newsletter writers, and online coaches. It currently serves over 600,000 creators worldwide and is widely regarded as the simplest and most creator-focused email marketing tool on the market. ConvertKit is currently rebranding as simply Kit — the product and pricing remain unchanged.

👉 Start ConvertKit for Free

What is GetResponse?

GetResponse is an all-in-one email marketing and automation platform founded in 1998. With over 350,000 customers across 183 countries, it bundles email marketing, landing pages, sales funnels, webinar hosting, AI tools, and paid ad management all under one subscription — making it one of the most feature-complete platforms available at a mid-range price point.

👉 Try GetResponse Free

Feature Comparison

Email Marketing

ConvertKit uses a deliberately minimal email editor — clean, text-focused, and designed to produce emails that feel personal rather than corporate. The philosophy is that plain, personal emails perform better for creators, and engagement data generally supports this. The template library is small by design.

GetResponse offers a full drag-and-drop email builder with 500+ professionally designed templates, an AI email generator that produces ready-to-send campaigns from a short text prompt, and A/B split testing. It’s the more polished and feature-rich email experience of the two.

Winner: GetResponse — more templates, more tools, and more flexibility. Though ConvertKit’s simplicity is a genuine advantage for creators who want their emails to feel personal.

Marketing Automation

ConvertKit offers a clean visual automation builder covering the core workflows most creators need — welcome sequences, lead magnet delivery, course drip sequences, and basic segmentation. It’s easy to set up and understand, but lacks the depth needed for complex multi-branch workflows.

GetResponse offers a significantly more powerful automation builder — with pre-built templates, behaviour-based triggers, lead scoring, abandoned cart sequences, and the ability to build sophisticated multi-step workflows. It sits between ConvertKit’s simplicity and ActiveCampaign’s complexity — powerful without being overwhelming.

Winner: GetResponse — meaningfully stronger automation capabilities.

Creator Tools and Digital Products

ConvertKit is purpose-built for creators and offers tools GetResponse simply doesn’t match:

• Built-in digital product and subscription selling — ebooks, courses, paid newsletters
• Creator Network — grow your list through collaborations with other creators
• Newsletter referral programme (Creator Pro)
• Sponsor network for monetising newsletter placements
• RSS to email — automatically sends new blog posts to subscribers

GetResponse offers basic digital product selling through its Conversion Funnel feature, but it’s not purpose-built for creators in the way ConvertKit is.

Winner: ConvertKit — not close for creator-specific tools.

Landing Pages and Funnels

ConvertKit includes a landing page builder on all plans including the free plan — with 50+ templates covering opt-in pages, sales pages, and more. Clean and functional.

GetResponse goes further — offering 200+ landing page templates plus a complete sales funnel builder called Conversion Funnel that handles everything from landing pages and opt-in forms through to payment processing. This is one of GetResponse’s standout features.

Winner: GetResponse — significantly stronger landing page and funnel tools.

Webinar Hosting

GetResponse is unique among email marketing platforms in offering built-in webinar hosting — supporting up to 1,000 attendees depending on your plan. This eliminates the cost of a separate webinar tool like Zoom Webinars or WebinarJam.

ConvertKit does not offer webinar hosting.

Winner: GetResponse — no competition here.

Subscriber Management

ConvertKit uses a tag-based system that replaces traditional lists entirely. Each subscriber exists once in your database and can have multiple tags applied — meaning you never pay for the same subscriber twice, and segmentation is highly flexible.

GetResponse uses a traditional list-based system with strong segmentation tools. It’s the more familiar approach for most users and works well for businesses managing multiple audience segments.

Winner: Tie — ConvertKit’s tag system is more flexible; GetResponse’s list system is more familiar.

Integrations

GetResponse offers 170+ native integrations covering most major platforms.
ConvertKit offers 90+ native integrations focused on tools creators use — Shopify, Teachable, Podia, Gumroad, and more.

Winner: GetResponse — more integrations overall.

Pricing Comparison

ConvertKit Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Free	$0/month	Up to 1,000 subscribers, landing pages, forms, broadcasts, sell digital products
Creator	$25/month	Automation, third-party integrations, newsletter migration
Creator Pro	$50/month	Referral programme, subscriber scoring, advanced reporting

GetResponse Pricing

Plan	Price	Key Features
Free	$0/month	Up to 500 contacts, basic email, 1 landing page
Email Marketing	$19/month	Unlimited emails, autoresponders, all landing pages
Marketing Automation	$59/month	Full automation, webinars, scoring
E-commerce Marketing	$119/month	E-commerce tools, abandoned cart

GetResponse’s free plan is more limited (500 contacts vs ConvertKit’s 1,000 subscribers) but GetResponse’s paid plans offer significantly more features at comparable price points. ConvertKit’s free plan is the more generous starting point for creators with smaller lists.

Winner: Tie — ConvertKit’s free plan is more generous; GetResponse’s paid plans offer better feature value.

Ease of Use

ConvertKit is the simpler platform — and by a meaningful margin. The interface is clean, uncluttered, and free of the feature overload that can make more powerful platforms feel overwhelming. Most users can set up their first landing page, automation, and email sequence within a single session.

GetResponse is more complex simply because it does more. The email builder is intuitive, but the full breadth of features — funnels, webinars, automation, ads — means new users have more to learn. The onboarding is guided and the pre-built templates help significantly.

Winner: ConvertKit — the clear winner for ease of use.

Deliverability

Both platforms perform strongly on deliverability, consistently achieving inbox placement rates above 98% in independent testing. GetResponse edges ahead slightly in some benchmarks due to its more sophisticated list hygiene tools and dedicated IP options on higher plans — but the difference is marginal for most users.

Winner: Tie — both are excellent.

Customer Support

Both platforms offer live chat and email support on paid plans, with extensive help documentation and video tutorials.

GetResponse offers 24/7 live chat support on paid plans — a meaningful advantage. ConvertKit has a particularly active creator community and Facebook group that provides quick peer support.

Winner: GetResponse — 24/7 live chat is a standout benefit.

ConvertKit vs GetResponse: Who Should Choose Which?

Choose ConvertKit if you:

• Are a blogger, YouTuber, podcaster, or newsletter writer
• Want the simplest and most beginner-friendly email platform available
• Need a generous free plan to get started with zero risk
• Want to sell digital products and subscriptions directly through your email platform
• Value creator-specific tools like the Creator Network and referral programme
• Want a clean, personal email style that resonates with your audience
• Have a list under 1,000 subscribers and want to start completely free

Choose GetResponse if you:

• Want the best all-in-one value — email, landing pages, funnels, and webinars in one subscription
• Need more powerful automation than ConvertKit offers
• Run webinars or online courses and want hosting built into your email platform
• Want a more complete landing page and sales funnel tool
• Run an e-commerce business needing abandoned cart and product automation
• Want AI tools for writing emails, subject lines, and landing pages
• Need 24/7 live chat support

Full Feature Comparison

Feature	ConvertKit	GetResponse
Email builder	✅ Minimal, text-focused	✅ Full drag-and-drop
Email templates	⚠️ Limited	✅ 500+
Automation	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Free plan	✅ 1,000 subscribers	✅ 500 contacts
Landing pages	✅ All plans	✅ All plans, 200+ templates
Sales funnels	❌	✅ Full funnel builder
Webinar hosting	❌	✅ Built in
Digital products	✅ Built in	⚠️ Basic
Creator Network	✅	❌
RSS to email	✅	✅
AI tools	❌	✅ Email, subject line, landing page
SMS marketing	❌	✅
CRM	❌	⚠️ Basic
Integrations	90+	170+
24/7 support	❌	✅

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ConvertKit cheaper than GetResponse?

ConvertKit’s free plan is more generous (1,000 subscribers vs GetResponse’s 500 contacts). On paid plans, GetResponse starts at $19/month versus ConvertKit’s $25/month — making GetResponse slightly cheaper at the entry level while offering significantly more features.

Which is better for bloggers — ConvertKit or GetResponse?

ConvertKit is purpose-built for bloggers and creators — its simplicity, RSS to email, digital product selling, and Creator Network make it the natural choice for content creators. GetResponse is more powerful overall but lacks the creator-specific tools that make ConvertKit special for this audience.

Can I switch from ConvertKit to GetResponse later?

Yes. Both platforms allow you to export your subscriber list as a CSV file and import it into a new platform. The migration process is straightforward and typically takes less than an hour for small to mid-sized lists.

Does GetResponse have a creator network like ConvertKit?

No — GetResponse does not offer a creator network or newsletter cross-promotion feature. This is one of ConvertKit’s unique advantages for bloggers and newsletter writers looking to grow their audience through collaborations.

Which platform is better for selling online courses?

Both can work for online courses, but in different ways. ConvertKit makes it easy to sell courses directly through the platform with its built-in digital product tools. GetResponse’s webinar hosting and Conversion Funnel builder make it stronger for selling courses through live webinars and automated funnels.

Final Verdict

ConvertKit and GetResponse serve different audiences — and the right choice depends almost entirely on who you are and what you need from email marketing.

Choose ConvertKit if you are a content creator — a blogger, YouTuber, podcaster, or coach — who wants the simplest possible path to building and monetising an email list. Its generous free plan, creator-specific tools, and clean simplicity make it the natural home for anyone building an audience online.

Choose GetResponse if you want the best overall value in email marketing — covering email, landing pages, automation, webinar hosting, and AI tools under one affordable subscription. It’s the stronger choice for small businesses that want to consolidate their marketing tools without paying for multiple platforms.

If you’re unsure, ConvertKit’s free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers is the lower-risk starting point — you can always move to GetResponse later as your needs grow.

👉 Start ConvertKit for Free
👉 Try GetResponse Free for 30 Days

ActiveCampaign users looking to switch will also find our ActiveCampaign alternatives guide useful.

Last updated: July 2026

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This doesn’t 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.

Finding a genuinely free email marketing tool in 2026 isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. Many platforms advertise free plans but hide the most useful features behind a paywall — leaving you with something too limited to be practical.

In this guide I’ve cut through the noise and reviewed the best genuinely free email marketing software in 2026 — tools with free plans that are actually useful, not just bait to get you signed up.

What Makes a Good Free Email Marketing Plan?

Before diving in, it’s worth being clear about what “genuinely free” actually means:

• No credit card required to get started
• Enough contacts or sends to run a real email strategy
• Core features included — not locked behind paid tiers
• No expiry date — a permanent free plan, not just a trial

Quick Comparison: Best Free Email Marketing Tools 2026

Platform	Free Plan Limit	Key Free Features	Best For
ConvertKit	1,000 subscribers	Landing pages, forms, broadcasts, sell digital products	Bloggers & creators
Brevo	Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day	Email, SMS, CRM, live chat	Businesses with large lists
HubSpot	Unlimited contacts	Email, CRM, forms, live chat, meeting scheduler	Businesses needing a CRM
AWeber	500 subscribers	600+ templates, landing pages, RSS to email	Beginners wanting support
Mailchimp	500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month	Email builder, basic templates	Brand recognition
Moosend	30-day full trial	Full automation, landing pages, e-commerce	Testing before committing

The 6 Best Free Email Marketing Tools in 2026

1. ConvertKit — Best Free Plan for Bloggers and Creators

ConvertKit’s free plan is genuinely one of the most useful in the market — particularly for bloggers, content creators, and anyone building an audience online.

What You Get for Free

• Up to 1,000 subscribers with no time limit
• Unlimited landing pages and forms
• Unlimited email broadcasts
• Sell digital products — ebooks, courses, and downloads
• Basic automation — deliver lead magnets and welcome sequences

Who Is ConvertKit Free Best For?

ConvertKit’s free plan is ideal for bloggers, YouTubers, newsletter writers, and online coaches just starting to build their email list. The ability to sell digital products on the free plan is a standout feature — most platforms charge for this.

Pricing When You Outgrow Free

• Creator: $25/month (1,000 subscribers)
• Creator Pro: $50/month

👉 Start ConvertKit for Free

2. Brevo — Best Free Plan for Unlimited Contacts

Brevo’s approach to free is unique — rather than limiting you by number of contacts, it limits by emails sent per day. This makes it the most generous free plan available for businesses that have (or expect to build) a large list.

What You Get for Free

• Unlimited contacts — store as many subscribers as you want at no cost
• 300 emails per day — enough for a weekly newsletter to thousands of subscribers
• Email marketing with drag-and-drop editor
• SMS marketing — credits purchased separately
• Built-in CRM — manage contacts and deals
• Live chat widget
• Transactional email
• No credit card required

Who Is Brevo Free Best For?

Brevo’s free plan is ideal for businesses with a growing contact list who send emails weekly or less frequently. It’s also excellent for businesses that want SMS and CRM tools bundled in at no cost.

Pricing When You Outgrow Free

• Starter: $25/month (20,000 emails/month, no daily limit)
• Business: $65/month (full automation, A/B testing)

👉 Try Brevo for Free

3. HubSpot — Best Free Plan for Businesses Needing a CRM

HubSpot’s free plan is arguably the most impressive free offering in the entire marketing software industry — combining email marketing with a fully featured CRM, live chat, forms, and meeting scheduling all at zero cost.

What You Get for Free

• Unlimited contacts
• Email marketing — up to 2,000 emails per month
• Full CRM — contact management, deal pipeline, activity timeline
• Live chat and chatbot
• Forms and pop-ups
• Meeting scheduling tool
• Basic reporting and analytics
• No credit card required

Who Is HubSpot Free Best For?

HubSpot’s free plan is ideal for growing small businesses and sales-led teams that need a CRM alongside their email marketing. If you’re juggling a separate CRM, email platform, and live chat tool, HubSpot free consolidates all of these at no cost.

Pricing When You Outgrow Free

• Starter: $20/month
• Professional: $890/month (significant jump)

👉 Get HubSpot Free

4. AWeber — Best Free Plan for Beginners

AWeber has been in email marketing since 1998 and its free plan reflects decades of understanding what small businesses and beginners actually need to get started.

What You Get for Free

• Up to 500 subscribers
• 600+ email templates — the largest template library of any free plan
• Landing page builder
• Sign-up forms
• RSS to email — automatically send new blog posts to subscribers
• AWeber AI writing assistant
• Basic email analytics
• No credit card required

Who Is AWeber Free Best For?

AWeber’s free plan is ideal for complete beginners who want a simple, well-supported platform to send their first emails. The 600+ templates make it easy to create professional-looking emails without any design experience.

Pricing When You Outgrow Free

• Lite: $19.99/month
• Plus: $49.99/month

👉 Try AWeber Free

5. Mailchimp — Best Known Free Email Marketing Tool

Mailchimp is the most recognisable name in email marketing and its free plan is a reasonable starting point for complete beginners — though it has become more limited in recent years.

What You Get for Free

• Up to 500 contacts
• 1,000 emails per month
• Email builder with basic templates
• Single-step automation
• Landing pages (one audience only)
• Basic reports

Pricing When You Outgrow Free

• Essentials: $13/month
• Standard: $20/month
• Premium: $350/month

6. Moosend — Best Free Trial for Testing Full Features

Moosend doesn’t offer a permanent free plan — but its 30-day free trial gives you full unrestricted access to every feature, including advanced automation and e-commerce tools that most platforms hide behind expensive plans.

What You Get on the Free Trial

• Full access to all features for 30 days — no restrictions
• Advanced automation builder
• E-commerce tools including abandoned cart and product recommendations
• Landing page builder
• Heatmap reporting
• Up to 1,000 subscribers during the trial
• No credit card required

Pricing After Trial

• Pro: $9/month (500 subscribers) — one of the most affordable paid plans available

👉 Start Your Moosend Free Trial

Which Free Plan Is Right for You?

• Blogger or creator just starting out? → ConvertKit — free up to 1,000 subscribers
• Building a large list but emailing infrequently? → Brevo — unlimited contacts free, 300 emails per day
• Need a CRM alongside email marketing? → HubSpot — unlimited contacts, full CRM, live chat all free
• Complete beginner wanting the most templates? → AWeber — 600+ templates and the most beginner-friendly experience
• Want to test a powerful platform properly? → Moosend — 30-day full feature trial with no credit card needed
• Want the most recognisable name? → Mailchimp — though competitors offer more on their free plans

Free Plan Comparison: Features Side by Side

Feature	ConvertKit	Brevo	HubSpot	AWeber	Mailchimp
Contact limit	1,000	Unlimited	Unlimited	500	500
Email sends	Unlimited	300/day	2,000/month	Unlimited	1,000/month
Landing pages	✅	❌	❌	✅	✅ limited
Automation	✅ Basic	❌	❌	❌	✅ Basic
CRM	❌	✅ Basic	✅ Full	❌	❌
Digital products	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Live chat	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌
SMS marketing	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Templates	Minimal	40+	Dozens	600+	Basic
Credit card needed	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

Tips for Getting the Most From a Free Email Marketing Plan

1. Start collecting emails immediately — Don’t wait until you have more content or traffic. Start building your list on day one.

2. Create a lead magnet — A free checklist, guide, or template gives people a compelling reason to subscribe.

3. Set up a welcome sequence — A simple three-email welcome sequence runs automatically and makes a strong first impression on every new subscriber.

4. Upgrade only when you need to — Don’t feel pressured to upgrade until the free plan becomes a genuine limitation.

5. Check GDPR compliance — All platforms listed are GDPR compliant, but make sure you’re collecting consent properly. This is a legal requirement for UK and EU businesses, in compliance with ASA guidelines and CPRs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a completely free email marketing tool with no limitations?

No email marketing tool is completely unlimited on its free plan — but Brevo comes closest for contact storage and HubSpot comes closest for features. ConvertKit offers the best balance of generous limits and useful features for most users.

Which free email marketing tool is best for small businesses?

For most small businesses HubSpot’s free plan offers the best overall value — unlimited contacts, a full CRM, email marketing, live chat, and meeting scheduling all at zero cost. For businesses that primarily need email marketing rather than CRM, ConvertKit or Brevo are stronger choices.

Can I really use a free email marketing plan for my business?

Absolutely — many successful businesses run their email marketing on free plans for months or years. The platforms listed here are all genuinely free with no expiry date (except Moosend’s trial), and their free features are more than enough to run a professional email marketing strategy at the early stages.

Which free plan has the best automation?

ConvertKit offers the best automation on a free plan — including automated lead magnet delivery and basic welcome sequences. Brevo and HubSpot require paid plans to access their full automation builders.

Final Verdict

• Best overall free plan: ConvertKit — generous subscriber limit, landing pages, and digital product selling all included free
• Best for unlimited contacts: Brevo — the only platform that lets you store unlimited contacts completely free
• Best free CRM + email combo: HubSpot — full CRM, live chat, and email marketing bundled at zero cost
• Best for beginners: AWeber — 600+ templates and the most accessible experience
• Best for testing full features: Moosend — 30 days of unrestricted access to one of the most powerful platforms available

The good news is that every platform listed here lets you get started without a credit card — so there’s nothing stopping you from trying the one that looks most relevant to your situation today.

👉 Start ConvertKit for Free
👉 Try Brevo for Free
👉 Get HubSpot Free
👉 Try AWeber Free
👉 Start Your Moosend Free Trial

Last updated: July 2026

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This doesn’t affect my recommendations — I only feature tools I genuinely believe are worth using.