Email marketing still delivers better ROI than almost any other digital channel. The challenge for small businesses isn’t whether to use it — it’s picking the right tool without overpaying or getting locked into something you’ll outgrow.
Here’s a direct comparison of the tools worth considering in 2026.
The Short Answer
- Best free tier: Brevo (unlimited contacts, up to 300 emails/day free)
- Best for e-commerce: Klaviyo (deep Shopify integration, revenue-based analytics)
- Best all-rounder: GetResponse (email + automations + landing pages in one)
- Best for simplicity: MailerLite (clean UI, reasonable pricing, does the basics well)
- Most overpriced for what you get: Mailchimp (brand recognition doesn’t justify the cost at scale)
Mailchimp
Still the most recognised name in the space, but it’s coasted on that reputation for a while.
Free tier: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month. The free plan now includes only 1 audience (list), which limits segmentation.
Paid plans: Essentials starts at $13/month (500 contacts). Pricing scales steeply — 10,000 contacts runs $110+/month on Standard.
What it does well:
- Easy to use, good template library
- Reliable deliverability
- Integrates with almost everything
What it doesn’t do well:
- Expensive for the feature set compared to competitors
- Free plan is quite limited now — they’ve tightened it over the years
- Automation on lower plans is basic
Best for: Businesses that want the safe, recognisable option and don’t mind paying for it.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
The rebranded Sendinblue has become one of the better options for small businesses on a budget.
Free tier: Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day (9,000/month). No credit card required.
Paid plans: Starter at $9/month (20,000 emails/month), Business at $18/month.
Pricing model: Based on emails sent, not contact count — which is genuinely different and better if you have a large list but send infrequently.
What it does well:
- Best free tier in this list by a significant margin
- Email + SMS marketing in one platform
- Solid automation on paid plans
- Transactional email support (useful if you have a web app)
What it doesn’t do well:
- Template editor isn’t as polished as Mailchimp
- E-commerce features are less developed than Klaviyo
- Support can be slow on free/starter plans
Best for: Businesses with large contact lists who send relatively infrequently, or those wanting email + SMS without paying for two tools.
Klaviyo
Built specifically for e-commerce, and it shows.
Free tier: 250 contacts, 500 emails/month.
Paid plans: $20/month for up to 500 contacts. Scales by contact count — 5,000 contacts is $100/month, 10,000 is $150/month.
What it does well:
- Best Shopify integration on the market — syncs purchase history, browsing behaviour, cart abandonment automatically
- Revenue attribution is real: you can see exactly which emails generated sales
- Segmentation is extremely powerful (filter by purchase frequency, LTV, product category)
- Flows (automations) are detailed and customisable
What it doesn’t do well:
- Expensive if you’re not running an e-commerce store
- Overkill for service businesses or simple newsletters
- Learning curve is steeper than simpler tools
Best for: Shopify stores, e-commerce businesses, anyone where email revenue is a primary metric.
GetResponse
One of the more complete platforms in this price range.
Free tier: 500 contacts, unlimited emails/month. No time limit.
Paid plans: Email Marketing at $19/month (1,000 contacts), Marketing Automation at $59/month, E-commerce Marketing at $119/month.
What it does well:
- Email + automation + landing pages + webinars in one platform
- Marketing automation is included at a reasonable price point
- Good deliverability track record
- Webinar feature is useful for coaches, consultants, course creators
What it doesn’t do well:
- Interface feels slightly dated compared to newer tools
- E-commerce features aren’t as deep as Klaviyo
- Advanced features require the higher tiers
Best for: Service businesses, coaches, consultants, course creators who want email + landing pages + automation without stitching multiple tools together.
MailerLite
A solid, no-nonsense tool that doesn’t try to do too much.
Free tier: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month. Good free plan.
Paid plans: Growing Business at $9/month (1,000 subscribers). Scales reasonably — 5,000 subscribers is $32/month.
What it does well:
- Clean, modern interface — genuinely easy to use
- Good automation on free plan (unlike Mailchimp)
- Landing page builder included
- Reasonable pricing at every tier
What it doesn’t do well:
- Fewer integrations than Mailchimp or Klaviyo
- E-commerce features are basic
- Customer support response times vary
Best for: Small businesses, bloggers, creators who want a clean tool at a fair price without e-commerce complexity.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Mailchimp | Brevo | Klaviyo | GetResponse | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free contacts | 500 | Unlimited | 250 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Free emails/mo | 1,000 | 9,000 | 500 | Unlimited | 12,000 |
| Pricing model | Contact count | Emails sent | Contact count | Contact count | Contact count |
| Automation (free) | Basic | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| E-commerce | OK | Basic | Excellent | OK | Basic |
| Landing pages | Paid | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| SMS | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Entry paid price | $13/mo | $9/mo | $20/mo | $19/mo | $9/mo |
Which One for Which Business Type
Shopify/e-commerce store: Klaviyo. Don’t overthink it. The revenue attribution alone pays for the tool.
Service business (trades, cleaning, consulting): MailerLite or GetResponse. MailerLite if you want simple. GetResponse if you want landing pages included.
Large list, infrequent sender: Brevo. The contact-unlimited pricing model makes it significantly cheaper.
Course creator or coach: GetResponse. The webinar feature plus landing pages plus email in one tool is genuinely useful.
Just starting, want free: MailerLite (1,000 contacts free) or Brevo (unlimited contacts free). Both are legitimate free tiers, not demos.
What Actually Matters
Most small businesses don’t need advanced features. They need:
- Reliable delivery (your emails actually reach inboxes)
- A working opt-in form
- A basic welcome sequence (2–3 automated emails when someone subscribes)
- A monthly or weekly newsletter they’ll actually send
Any tool on this list handles those four things. The differences only matter when you scale, run e-commerce, or need specific integrations.
Pick one based on your business type, use the free plan for 30 days, and only upgrade when the limits actually affect you.
Quick Setup for a New List
Whichever tool you choose, the first 30 minutes should go toward:
- Creating your list and connecting your opt-in form
- Writing a 3-email welcome sequence (who you are, what to expect, your best content or offer)
- Setting up the automation to send those emails on days 0, 3, and 7
That’s a functional email marketing setup. Everything else is optimisation.