MailerLite is the best email marketing software for most small businesses in 2026, and Brevo is the best pick on a tight budget. MailerLite pairs a clean editor and solid automation with paid plans from $12 a month, while Brevo’s free plan sends up to 300 emails a day.
The rest of the list fits specific jobs. Mailchimp suits teams that want the most templates and integrations. Klaviyo is built for online stores, Kit for creators who sell to their audience, and ActiveCampaign for businesses that run detailed automations tied to sales.
Before you commit, look at how each tool counts your list. Some charge by contacts, some by active profiles, and some by emails sent, and unsubscribed or duplicate contacts can still count toward your bill if you do not clean them out.
Our top pick
MailerLite
The best balance of price, features, and ease of use for a growing list.
Quick picks
Best overall
Best for integrations
Best for ecommerce
Best for creators
Best on a budget
How we ranked these tools
We scored each platform on five criteria: fit for small and midsize businesses, depth of email and automation features, pricing and value as a list grows, ease of use, and support. We based the scores on vendor documentation, published pricing, and public user reviews. We did not accept payment for placement. Prices reflect published rates as of October 2026, so confirm the current price with the vendor.
The 6 best email marketing tools
1. MailerLite
Best for small businesses that want value and simplicity
Our rating4.6 / 5
Starting price$12 / month
Free planYes (250 subscribers)
MailerLite covers the core of email marketing without a steep learning curve: a drag-and-drop editor, automations, signup forms, landing pages, and a simple website builder. The free plan covers up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month. Paid plans start at $12 a month on Comfort, Power starts at $25 a month, and both rise with list size. Annual billing saves 10 percent. The caveat is depth, since its automation and reporting trail ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo for complex programs.
Pros
- Paid plans from $12 a month
- Clean editor that new users learn quickly
- Landing pages and forms included
Cons
- Free plan capped at 250 subscribers
- Less automation depth than ActiveCampaign
- Reporting is basic next to Klaviyo
Key features
- Drag-and-drop email editor
- Automation workflows
- Landing pages and signup forms
- Website builder
2. Mailchimp
Best for teams that want the most integrations
Our rating4.5 / 5
Starting priceFrom $13 / month
Free planYes (250 contacts)
Mailchimp is the best-known name in email marketing. Its large template library and long list of integrations make it easy to connect to almost any website, store, or CRM. The free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 sends a month. Paid plans start with Essentials from $13 a month, then Standard from $20 and Premium from $350, with a 14-day trial on the first two. Costs climb quickly as a list grows, and the more useful automation sits on Standard and above.
Pros
- Huge library of templates and integrations
- Familiar interface with plenty of help content
- 14-day trial on Essentials and Standard
Cons
- Costs rise quickly with list size
- Free plan is very limited
- Best automation requires Standard or higher
Key features
- Email templates and editor
- Customer journey builder
- Audience segmentation
- Integrations marketplace
3. Klaviyo
Best for ecommerce brands
Our rating4.4 / 5
Starting priceFrom $20 / month
Free planYes (250 active profiles)
Klaviyo is built for online stores. It syncs order and browsing data from Shopify and other ecommerce platforms, then uses it for segments, product recommendations, and flows such as abandoned cart and post-purchase emails. SMS runs from the same account. The free plan covers 250 active profiles and 500 email sends a month, and paid email plans start at $20 a month. Pricing follows active profiles, so the bill grows steadily with your customer list, and a service business will use only a fraction of it.
Pros
- Deep ecommerce data for segments and flows
- Email and SMS in one platform
- Prebuilt flows for carts and repeat buyers
Cons
- Price rises steadily with active profiles
- More than a service business needs
Key features
- Ecommerce integrations
- Abandoned cart flows
- Predictive segments
- SMS marketing
4. Kit
Best for creators and newsletter writers
Our rating4.3 / 5
Starting price$33 / month (billed annually)
Free planYes (up to 10,000 subscribers)
Kit, formerly ConvertKit, is made for creators who earn from a newsletter, courses, or digital products. Its free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers, which is generous for anyone starting out. The Creator plan costs $33 a month billed annually and adds automations and integrations, and the Pro plan adds more advanced features for growing audiences. Both paid plans come with a 14-day trial. Email design options are deliberately simple, which suits text-first writing and frustrates brands that want heavily designed promotions.
Pros
- Free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers
- Tag-based subscriber management
- Built-in tools to sell digital products
Cons
- Limited email design options
- Gets expensive as the list grows
Key features
- Visual automations
- Tags and segments
- Landing pages and forms
- Digital product sales
5. ActiveCampaign
Best for advanced automation
Our rating4.2 / 5
Starting price$15 / month
Free planNo (14-day trial)
ActiveCampaign is the pick when email is one part of a larger automation program. Its visual builder handles branching workflows with conditions, goals, lead scoring, and site tracking, and it ties automations to sales pipelines. The Starter plan begins at $15 a month for 1,000 contacts, with Plus, Pro, and Enterprise above it. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial. The depth that makes it powerful also means a longer setup, and a simple newsletter sender will pay for features that sit unused.
Pros
- Deep, flexible automation builder
- Lead scoring and site tracking
- Connects email to sales pipelines
Cons
- No free plan
- Takes time to set up well
- More than simple senders need
Key features
- Visual automation builder
- Lead scoring
- Site and event tracking
- Sales pipeline CRM
6. Brevo
Best for large lists on a budget
Our rating4.1 / 5
Starting price$9 / month
Free planYes (300 emails / day)
Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, prices mainly by the number of emails you send rather than the size of your list. That makes it a strong value for businesses with large contact lists that email a few times a month. The free plan allows 300 emails a day, Starter begins at $9 a month, and Standard starts at $18 a month with more automation. Brevo also handles SMS, WhatsApp, and transactional email in one account. Its editor and templates feel less polished than MailerLite or Mailchimp.
Pros
- Pricing based on sends, not list size
- Usable free plan with daily sends
- Transactional email and SMS included
Cons
- Daily send cap on the free plan
- Editor less polished than the leaders
Key features
- Email campaigns
- Marketing automation
- Transactional email
- SMS and WhatsApp
Compare the top email marketing tools
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | Small businesses that want value and simplicity | $12 / month | Yes (250 subscribers) | 4.6 |
| Mailchimp | Teams that want the most integrations | From $13 / month | Yes (250 contacts) | 4.5 |
| Klaviyo | Ecommerce brands | From $20 / month | Yes (250 active profiles) | 4.4 |
| Kit | Creators and newsletter writers | $33 / month (billed annually) | Yes (up to 10,000 subscribers) | 4.3 |
| ActiveCampaign | Advanced automation | $15 / month | No (14-day trial) | 4.2 |
| Brevo | Large lists on a budget | $9 / month | Yes (300 emails / day) | 4.1 |
How to choose email marketing software
Understand how you will be billed
MailerLite, Kit, and Mailchimp price by list size, Klaviyo by active profiles, and Brevo mostly by emails sent. Estimate your list in a year and how often you will send, then price each tool at that size. A cheap plan today can cost three times as much once the list doubles.
Match automation to what you will actually build
A welcome series and a monthly update work fine on MailerLite or Kit. Lead scoring, branching journeys, and sales handoffs call for ActiveCampaign. Paying for automation you never set up is the most common way businesses overspend on email.
Check the integrations you depend on
Confirm a native connection to your website, store, and CRM before you sign up. Stores on Shopify get the most from Klaviyo because it reads order data directly. Tools that rely on a third-party connector for your core system tend to break at the worst moment.
Set up authentication on day one
Gmail and Yahoo require bulk senders to authenticate their domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Every tool on this list walks you through it. Skipping this step sends campaigns to spam no matter which platform you choose.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best email marketing software for a small business?
MailerLite is the best fit for most small businesses. It covers campaigns, automations, forms, and landing pages, with a free plan for up to 250 subscribers and paid plans from $12 a month. Brevo is the better value if you have a large list and send a few times a month.
Is there a free email marketing tool worth using?
Yes. Kit’s free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers, which suits creators. Brevo’s free plan sends up to 300 emails a day with no tight contact cap. MailerLite and Mailchimp offer free plans too, but at 250 subscribers or contacts you will outgrow them quickly.
Do you need a separate tool for ecommerce email?
You do not have to, but it usually pays off. Klaviyo reads order and browsing data from your store and uses it to trigger abandoned cart, browse, and repeat purchase flows. General tools can send these emails too, though with less store data behind each message.
How much does email marketing software cost?
Entry plans run from about $9 to $33 a month. Brevo starts at $9, MailerLite at $12, Mailchimp from $13, ActiveCampaign at $15, Klaviyo from $20, and Kit at $33 billed annually. Prices rise with list size or send volume, so model your costs at the size you expect next year.
Can you switch email platforms without losing your list?
Yes. Every tool here lets you export contacts as a CSV and import them elsewhere. Automations, templates, and engagement history usually do not transfer, so plan time to rebuild your key flows. Warm up sending on the new platform gradually to protect deliverability.
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