Independently tested ranking
Best Email Marketing Software in 2026
10 email marketing platforms compared on automation, deliverability, ease of use and what you pay as your list grows.
- Tools compared
- 10
- With a free plan
- 7 of 10
- Median entry price
- $13/mo
- Average rating
- 4.4
On this page
Which email marketing software is best?
The best email marketing software in 2026 is Mailchimp for small businesses, Klaviyo for ecommerce, Brevo for large lists on a budget, MailerLite for low-cost simple email and ActiveCampaign for advanced automation. Most tools have a free plan for 250 contacts or more, and paid plans start at around $10 to $20 a month for small lists.
Our top picks
Best overall
Mailchimp
The easiest all-round start for most small businesses, with a friendly editor, simple automations and integrations for almost any tool.
Paid plans from $8.89/mo first year
See why we picked itBest value
MailerLite
Covers campaigns, automations, landing pages and a website builder for less than most rivals charge for email alone.
Paid plans from $12/mo
See why we picked itBest free plan
Kit
Lets you grow to 10,000 subscribers for free, with unlimited broadcasts, landing pages and forms.
Paid plans from $33/mo
See why we picked itKey takeaways
- Email tools price by contacts, except Brevo, which prices by emails sent. Check your cost at today's list size and at double it.
- Klaviyo leads for online stores because it syncs order and product data, while Kit and Beehiiv lead for creators.
- Free plans are smaller than they were: Mailchimp, Klaviyo, MailerLite and Omnisend now cap free plans at about 250 contacts. Kit allows up to 10,000.
- Deliverability rules from Gmail and Yahoo mean every sender needs SPF, DKIM, DMARC and one-click unsubscribe. All 10 tools here support them.
- Judge email on revenue or conversions, not opens, which privacy features have made unreliable.
Best email marketing software tools compared
| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan | Paid plans from | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mailchimp |
Small businesses starting out | Yes (250 contacts) | $8.89/mo first year | ★4.1 |
| 2 |  Klaviyo |
Ecommerce and Shopify stores | Yes (250 profiles) | $20/mo | ★4.7 |
| 3 |  Brevo |
Big lists, low send volume | Yes (300 emails/day) | $9/mo | ★4.4 |
| 4 | MailerLite |
Affordable, simple email | Yes (250 subscribers) | $12/mo | ★4.6 |
| 5 |  ActiveCampaign |
Complex automation and CRM | No (14-day trial) | $15/mo annual | ★4.5 |
| 6 | Kit |
Creators and newsletters | Yes (10,000 subscribers) | $33/mo | ★4.6 |
| 7 |  Omnisend |
Budget ecommerce email and SMS | Yes (250 contacts) | $11.20/mo | ★4.5 |
| 8 |  Constant Contact |
Local businesses and events | No (trial) | $12/mo | ★4.1 |
| 9 |  GetResponse |
Email plus webinars | Limited, after trial | €13.12/mo annual | ★4.2 |
| 10 |  Beehiiv |
Newsletter publishers | Yes (2,500 subscribers) | $49/mo annual | ★4.7 |
Our rating comes from MakeSuccessOnline's hands-on reviews. Prices are the cheapest paid plan at the smallest list size, billed monthly unless marked annual, checked November 2026.
The 10 best email marketing software tools in 2026
Email tools are priced by contacts, so the right choice depends on list size as much as features. Each tool below leads a specific type of sender.
#1Best overall for small businesses
Mailchimp
Simplest email marketing platform for small lists — easy automation, decent templates.
- Paid plans from
- $8.89/mo first year
- Free plan
- Yes (250 contacts)
- Best for
- Small businesses new to email
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
Mailchimp is the email tool most small businesses try first, and it is still a sensible default. The editor is easy to learn, the templates look professional, and you can add signup forms, landing pages and simple automations without help. Reports explain results in plain terms, so you do not need to be an email specialist to read them.
Its edge over the rest of this list is reach. Mailchimp connects to more apps than almost any rival, from online stores and booking tools to accounting software, so it fits most setups. The trade-off is cost: prices rise quickly as your list grows, and every contact in your audience counts toward your bill, including unsubscribed ones.
Key features
- Drag-and-drop email builderBuild campaigns from pre-designed templates and content blocks, then preview them on desktop and mobile before you send.
- Automation flowsSet up welcome series, birthday emails, abandoned cart reminders and follow-ups from pre-built starting points. Simple plans limit the number of steps, so longer journeys need Standard or above.
- Intuit Assist AI toolsDrafts subject lines and email copy from your brand details and suggests improvements. On Standard and above, send time optimisation picks a send time based on past engagement.
- Segments and tagsGroup contacts by tags, signup source, activity or purchase data so each campaign goes to the people most likely to care about it.
- Large integration libraryNative connections to hundreds of apps, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Canva, QuickBooks and Zapier, which keeps your contact data in sync without manual imports.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 250 contacts and 500 emails a month, 1 seat and limited templates |
| Essentials | $8.89/mo first year | Email scheduling, all templates, 3 seats, basic automations and 24/7 email and chat support |
| Standard | Higher | Branded templates, predictive segments, send time optimisation, AI tools and up to 200 automation flows |
| Premium | Much higher | Unlimited seats, advanced testing, phone support and onboarding help for large lists |
Prices checked on mailchimp.com in November 2026. New paid accounts get a first-year discount, and prices rise with your contact count.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very easy for beginners
- Huge range of integrations
- Clear, readable reports
- Landing pages and forms included
Cons
- Costs climb steeply as your list grows
- Unsubscribed contacts still count toward your bill
- Free plan is now too small for most businesses
Is it right for you?
Choose Mailchimp ifYou run a small business, want to send good-looking emails quickly, and need your email tool to connect to the other apps you already use.
Look elsewhere ifYou expect a large list soon or need deep automation, where MailerLite or ActiveCampaign give more for the money.
#2Best for ecommerce brands
Klaviyo
The email + SMS platform for Shopify stores — segmentation gold.
- Paid plans from
- $20/mo
- Free plan
- Yes (250 profiles)
- Best for
- Businesses that sell online
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
Klaviyo is built around customer data. It pulls in orders, product views and website behaviour from your store, then lets you use any of it to segment contacts, trigger flows and personalise emails. Most tools on this list treat a contact as an email address with a few tags. Klaviyo treats each contact as a full profile.
That makes it the strongest choice here if sales happen online, but less useful for businesses without a store or app. Service firms, B2B companies and publishers will pay for data features they rarely use. Klaviyo also bundles SMS, reviews and a customer help desk, so it can replace several tools if you sell products.
Key features
- Data-driven segmentationBuild segments from any profile data, such as what people bought, how often, and what they viewed. Segments update automatically as behaviour changes.
- Pre-built flowsReady-made automations for welcome series, abandoned carts, browse abandonment and post-purchase follow-ups, which you can switch on and adjust.
- Predictive analyticsEstimates values such as expected next order date and customer lifetime value, so you can target people before they lapse.
- SMS and mobile messagesSend texts and mobile push from the same platform and profiles as your email, with mobile messages available as an add-on on paid plans.
- Composer AIKlaviyo's AI assistant drafts emails and campaign content from a short prompt, with a monthly usage allowance included on every plan.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 250 profiles and 500 emails a month |
| $20/mo | 500 profiles, 5,000 emails a month, campaigns, flows, segmentation and A/B testing | |
| Marketing | $25/mo | Everything in Email plus larger social marketing, reviews and Customer Hub allowances |
| Custom | Custom | Volume pricing, data warehouse sync, SSO and a dedicated success manager |
Prices in USD, checked on klaviyo.com/pricing in November 2026. The $20 Email plan covers 500 active profiles, and prices rise with profile count.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Deepest use of customer data on this list
- Pre-built flows save setup time
- Email, SMS and reviews in one platform
- Strong reporting on revenue
Cons
- Expensive as profile counts grow
- Overkill if you do not sell online
- Takes time to learn the segmentation and data tools
Is it right for you?
Choose Klaviyo ifYou sell products online and want emails that react to what each customer buys and browses.
Look elsewhere ifYou run a service, B2B or content business, where simpler tools cost less and fit better.
#3Best for high contact counts on a budget
Brevo
Formerly Sendinblue — cheap, transactional-friendly email + SMS platform.
- Paid plans from
- $9/mo
- Free plan
- Yes (300 emails/day)
- Best for
- Large lists that email occasionally
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, prices by how many emails you send rather than how many contacts you store. Every other tool on this list charges by list size. For a business with a big list that emails a few times a month, that difference can cut the bill a lot, and you never have to delete old contacts to save money.
It is also a broad platform. Beyond email, Brevo offers SMS and WhatsApp campaigns, transactional email for receipts and password resets, a simple sales CRM, live chat and meeting booking. The editor and automation builder are less polished than Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign, but the range of channels for the price is hard to beat.
Key features
- Volume-based pricingPlans are set by monthly email volume, not contact count, so a large list that you email occasionally stays cheap.
- Transactional emailSend order confirmations, receipts and password resets through the same account, using an API or SMTP relay.
- SMS and WhatsApp campaignsReach contacts on their phones from the same platform, paying for messages with credits.
- Sales CRMTrack deals, tasks and contacts in a simple pipeline, so small teams can manage leads without a separate CRM.
- AutomationsBuild welcome series, follow-ups and re-engagement flows triggered by signups, email activity, website visits or contact details.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 300 emails a day, with Brevo branding in emails |
| Starter | $9/mo | Monthly email volume of your choice, no daily sending limit and basic reporting |
| Standard | Higher | Marketing automation, A/B testing and no Brevo logo |
| Professional and Enterprise | Much higher / custom | Higher volumes, advanced reporting, more users and dedicated support |
Prices checked in November 2026. The $9 Starter plan covers 5,000 emails a month, and paid plans do not limit how many contacts you store.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cheap for big lists that send rarely
- Many channels in one account
- Transactional email built in
- Generous contact storage on the free plan
Cons
- Editor and automation builder feel dated
- Free plan adds Brevo branding to emails
- Automation needs the Standard plan or above
Is it right for you?
Choose Brevo ifYou have a large list, send a few campaigns a month, and want email, SMS and transactional messages in one place.
Look elsewhere ifYou email your list often, where volume pricing loses its advantage, or you want a highly polished editor.
#4Best value for creators and small teams
MailerLite
Clean, simple email tool with a generous free plan.
- Paid plans from
- $12/mo
- Free plan
- Yes (250 subscribers)
- Best for
- Small businesses, creators and freelancers
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
MailerLite does the core jobs of email marketing well and charges less than most rivals for them. You get a clean drag-and-drop editor, a visual automation builder, signup forms, landing pages and even a simple website builder. The interface is calm and uncluttered, so a non-marketer can send a good campaign on day one.
What sets it apart is value. Features that other tools save for higher tiers, such as landing pages and a website, are included early. You can also sell digital products and paid newsletter subscriptions. The catches are a strict approval process for new accounts and lighter reporting and segmentation than tools like ActiveCampaign.
Key features
- Three email editorsChoose drag-and-drop, rich text or custom HTML depending on whether you want designed emails or simple letters.
- Visual automation builderMap out welcome series, follow-ups and re-engagement flows on a clear canvas, with conditions and delays.
- Websites and landing pagesBuild signup pages or a small website inside MailerLite, without paying for a separate site builder.
- Digital products and paid newslettersSell downloads, bookings and paid subscriptions through Stripe, with buyers added straight to your list.
- Signup forms and popupsCreate embedded forms, popups and promotion pop-ups to grow your list from your own site.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month, 3 automations and 1 landing page |
| Comfort | $12/mo | Monthly sends up to 10 times your subscriber tier, 50 automations, unlimited templates and no MailerLite logo |
| Power | From $25/mo | Unlimited sends, seats, automations, forms and sites, plus multiple automation triggers |
| Enterprise | Custom | Dedicated IP option, onboarding, account audits and deliverability support |
Prices checked on mailerlite.com/pricing in November 2026. Comfort starts at $12 for the smallest list size, and annual billing saves 10%.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Low prices for the features you get
- Clean, easy interface
- Website and landing pages included
- Can sell digital products and subscriptions
Cons
- New accounts face a strict approval process
- Segmentation and reporting are basic
- Free plan is small at 250 subscribers
Is it right for you?
Choose MailerLite ifYou want a simple, affordable tool that covers email, automations and landing pages without paying for extras you will not use.
Look elsewhere ifYou need advanced scoring, CRM features or detailed revenue reporting.
#5Best for advanced automation
ActiveCampaign
Marketing automation power-tool — if-this-then-that at a serious depth.
- Paid plans from
- $15/mo annual
- Free plan
- No (14-day trial)
- Best for
- B2B and service businesses
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
ActiveCampaign is the automation specialist on this list. Its builder handles branching paths, wait conditions, goals and site tracking, so emails can react to what each person actually does. A lead who visits your pricing page can get a different follow-up from one who only read a blog post, without you building separate campaigns.
That depth suits B2B firms, agencies and service businesses with longer sales cycles, where nurturing leads matters more than one-off campaigns. Contact scoring and an optional CRM help sales and marketing work from the same data. The downside is a steeper learning curve, no free plan, and features such as predictive sending reserved for higher tiers.
Key features
- Multi-step automation builderCreate automations with if/else branches, goals and wait steps, triggered by email activity, form fills, site visits or tags.
- AI automation builderDescribe the journey you want in plain words and ActiveCampaign drafts the automation for you to review and adjust.
- Contact and lead scoringAdd points for actions such as opens, clicks and page visits, so you can see who is ready for a sales conversation.
- Site and event trackingTrack which pages contacts visit on your site and use those visits to trigger or branch automations.
- Predictive sending and conditional contentOn the Pro plan, emails go out when each contact is most likely to engage, and sections of an email change based on who is reading it.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15/mo annual | Multi-step automation, AI builders, 250+ templates, 10,000 sends a month and 1 user |
| Plus | Higher | Landing pages, generative AI for content, cross-channel marketing and an optional CRM |
| Pro | Higher | Predictive sending, conditional content, advanced segmentation, attribution and 3 users |
| Enterprise | Custom | SSO, HIPAA support, custom objects, premium CRM integrations and a dedicated account team |
Prices checked on activecampaign.com/pricing in November 2026. The Starter price covers 1,000 contacts billed yearly. 14-day free trial, no card required.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Most flexible automation on this list
- Lead scoring and site tracking built in
- Strong fit for B2B nurture
- Large library of integrations
Cons
- No free plan
- Takes longer to learn than simpler tools
- Key features like predictive sending need higher plans
Is it right for you?
Choose ActiveCampaign ifYou sell services or B2B products and want emails to follow up on each lead based on what they do.
Look elsewhere ifYou only send a regular newsletter or a few campaigns a month, where a simpler tool will do.
#6Best for creators selling digital products
Kit
Built for creators and newsletters — tagging over lists, visual automations.
- Paid plans from
- $33/mo
- Free plan
- Yes (10,000 subscribers)
- Best for
- Creators, coaches and solo businesses
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
Kit, formerly ConvertKit, is built for people who sell their own expertise: writers, coaches, course creators and podcasters. Subscribers are organised with tags rather than separate lists, which makes it easy to track interests and purchases without duplicating contacts. You can also sell digital products and paid newsletters without another tool.
Its free plan stands out. You can grow to 10,000 subscribers, send unlimited broadcasts and build landing pages and forms before paying. The Creator Network lets you recommend other newsletters and get recommended in return. The trade-off is design: emails are deliberately simple, so brands that want image-heavy, highly designed campaigns may feel limited.
Key features
- Tag-based subscribersEach person is one contact with tags for interests, sources and purchases, so you can target them precisely without managing many lists.
- Visual automations and sequencesBuild email sequences and automations on a visual canvas, triggered by form signups, tags or purchases. Paid plans only.
- Digital products and subscriptionsSell ebooks, courses, coaching and paid newsletters directly through Kit, with buyers tagged automatically.
- Creator Network recommendationsRecommend other creators to new subscribers and get recommended in their signup flows, a low-cost way to grow your list.
- Landing pages and formsUnlimited landing pages and forms on every plan, including free, to capture subscribers from anywhere.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, landing pages and forms, and digital product sales |
| Creator | $33/mo ($390/year) | Visual automations, sequences, RSS campaigns, integrations, 2 users and no Kit branding |
| Pro | $66/mo | Engagement scoring, deliverability reporting, a newsletter referral system and unlimited users |
Prices checked on kit.com/pricing in November 2026. Paid prices shown are for 1,000 subscribers and rise as your list grows.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very generous free plan
- Tags keep subscriber data simple
- Built-in selling of digital products
- Creator Network helps lists grow
Cons
- Email designs are basic
- Automations need a paid plan
- Costs more than MailerLite at similar list sizes
Is it right for you?
Choose Kit ifYou are a creator or solo business that grows an audience and sells your own products or paid content.
Look elsewhere ifYou want heavily designed brand emails or detailed ecommerce data.
#7Best Klaviyo alternative for online stores
Omnisend
Klaviyo alternative for small-to-mid Shopify stores at a lower price.
- Paid plans from
- $11.20/mo
- Free plan
- Yes (250 contacts)
- Best for
- Online stores on a budget
- Works on
- Web, iOS
Omnisend is an email and SMS tool for online shops that want ecommerce features without Klaviyo prices. It connects to Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce in minutes, then gives you ready-made automations for welcome emails, abandoned carts and post-purchase follow-ups. Product blocks pull items, prices and images from your store straight into emails.
On a general page like this one, Omnisend is the pick for small stores and side businesses that sell online but do not need deep data tools. It is simpler than Klaviyo, and support is available around the clock on every plan. Businesses that do not sell products will get little from its ecommerce focus.
Key features
- Pre-built ecommerce automationsSwitch on ready-made workflows for welcome series, abandoned carts, browse abandonment and order follow-ups, even on the free plan.
- Product picker and discount codesAdd products from your store to emails in a few clicks and generate unique discount codes for each campaign.
- Email and SMS in one workflowOn Pro, mix email and text messages in the same automation so a cart reminder can go out by both channels.
- Popups and signup formsBuild popups, landing pages and forms to capture visitors, with an AI helper for forms on paid plans.
- Segmentation and A/B testingGroup shoppers by purchase history and behaviour, and test subject lines and content on every plan.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 250 contacts, 500 emails a month, pre-built workflows, popups and landing pages |
| Standard | $11.20/mo | 500 contacts, 6,000 emails a month, product recommendations, advanced reporting and no required branding |
| Pro | Higher | 2,500 contacts, unlimited emails, SMS and bonus SMS credits |
| Custom | Custom | Plans for more than 150,000 contacts with an account expert |
Prices in USD, checked on omnisend.com/pricing in November 2026. The $11.20 Standard price includes a 30% discount for the first three months and covers 500 contacts.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Quick setup for online stores
- Ecommerce automations on the free plan
- Cheaper than Klaviyo
- 24/7 support on every plan
Cons
- Little reason to use it without an online store
- Segmentation and reporting trail Klaviyo
- SMS needs the Pro plan
Is it right for you?
Choose Omnisend ifYou run a small online store and want ready-made sales emails and SMS at a low price.
Look elsewhere ifYou do not sell products online, or you need advanced data and predictive tools.
#8Best for local businesses and nonprofits
Constant Contact
Old-guard email tool — reliable, boring, good for non-profits and events.
- Paid plans from
- $12/mo
- Free plan
- No (trial)
- Best for
- Local businesses, nonprofits and event organisers
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
Constant Contact is aimed at local businesses, nonprofits and community groups rather than tech-savvy marketers. Alongside email, it handles event registration, social media posting and simple surveys, so a restaurant, church or charity can manage most of its outreach from one place. The templates are written with these groups in mind, so the first campaign does not start from a blank page.
Its biggest difference is support. Constant Contact offers phone and live chat help, which matters to owners who would rather call someone than read help articles. The downside is value. There is no free plan, and automation is basic compared with tools at a similar price, such as MailerLite or ActiveCampaign.
Key features
- Event managementCreate event pages, take registrations and sell tickets, then email attendees from the same account.
- Phone and chat supportTalk to a real person when you get stuck, a big help for teams without an in-house marketer.
- Social media postingSchedule and publish posts to social channels alongside your email campaigns.
- Industry templatesReady-made email templates for local businesses, nonprofits and events, which speed up the first campaigns.
- Email automationSend welcome emails and simple automated series, with more triggers and paths on higher plans.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $12/mo | Email campaigns, templates, signup forms and basic reporting |
| Standard | Higher | More automation, A/B testing, segmentation and social posting |
| Premium | Higher | Advanced automation and segmentation and the highest send limits |
Prices checked in November 2026. The $12 Lite price covers up to 500 contacts on monthly billing. A free trial is available.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Phone and chat support
- Event registration built in
- Easy for non-marketers
- Good templates for local businesses and nonprofits
Cons
- No free plan
- Basic automation for the price
- Costs rise quickly as your list grows
Is it right for you?
Choose Constant Contact ifYou run a local business, nonprofit or event series and want email, events and real support in one place.
Look elsewhere ifYou want advanced automation or the lowest cost per contact.
#9Best for webinars and funnels
GetResponse
Email + landing pages + webinars for solopreneurs and course sellers.
- Paid plans from
- €13.12/mo annual
- Free plan
- Limited, after trial
- Best for
- Coaches, educators and online sellers
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
GetResponse combines email marketing with tools for selling: landing pages, conversion funnels, webinars and online courses. A coach or educator can capture a lead, invite them to a live webinar, follow up by email and sell a course without stitching several apps together. For people who sell knowledge, it covers more of the journey than any other tool here.
That breadth is its main difference from the other tools here. The Starter plan includes unlimited email sends, which suits frequent senders. Webinars and courses only arrive on the Creator plan, and funnels on Marketer, so the price climbs once you need the features that make GetResponse stand out. The dashboard can also feel busy.
Key features
- WebinarsHost live and on-demand webinars inside GetResponse and email registrants automatically. Available on Creator and above.
- Conversion funnelsPre-built funnels link landing pages, signup forms, emails and sales pages for lead capture and product launches. Available on Marketer and above.
- Course creatorBuild and sell online courses, with students added to your email list for follow-ups. Creator plan and above.
- AI email generatorDrafts campaign emails and subject lines from a short brief, which helps when you need content quickly.
- Landing pages and popupsBuild landing pages, signup forms and popups on every plan to grow your list.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | A limited free version after the trial ends |
| Starter | €13.12/mo annual | Unlimited email sends, landing pages, signup forms, a welcome series and 1 automation |
| Marketer | €44.28/mo annual | Unlimited automations, sales funnels, abandoned cart recovery and revenue reports |
| Creator | €50.84/mo annual | Everything in Marketer plus webinars, a website builder, course creator and premium newsletters |
| Enterprise | Custom | SMS, transactional email, dedicated IP, SSO and priority support |
Prices in EUR for 1,000 contacts, billed yearly, checked on getresponse.com/pricing in November 2026. Monthly billing costs about 18% more. 14-day free trial, no card required.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Webinars, funnels and courses in one tool
- Unlimited sends on every paid plan
- Free version after the trial
- Good for selling courses and coaching
Cons
- Webinars and courses need the Creator plan
- Dashboard feels crowded
- Only one automation on Starter
Is it right for you?
Choose GetResponse ifYou sell coaching, courses or digital products and want email, webinars and funnels in one subscription.
Look elsewhere ifYou only need email campaigns, where cheaper and simpler tools do the job.
- Paid plans from
- $49/mo annual
- Free plan
- Yes (2,500 subscribers)
- Best for
- Newsletter publishers
- Works on
- Web, iOS
Beehiiv is built for people whose newsletter is the product. Instead of focusing on automations for sales, it focuses on growing and earning from a readership: a referral program, a recommendations network, an ad network and paid subscriptions, plus a hosted website for your posts. The editor feels closer to a blogging tool than a marketing app.
It is the right pick on this list when audience size and revenue from content matter most. Beehiiv takes no cut of paid subscription revenue beyond payment processing fees, and the free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers. It is a poor fit for ecommerce flows or B2B nurture, where the other tools here are stronger.
Key features
- Referral programReward readers for sharing your newsletter, with milestones and prizes tracked automatically.
- Recommendations and BoostsRecommend other newsletters to new subscribers and get recommended in return, or pay or get paid for subscriber growth through Boosts.
- Ad networkGet matched with sponsors and place ads in your newsletter without selling them yourself.
- Paid subscriptionsCharge for premium content through Stripe, with no Beehiiv share of the revenue.
- Hosted websiteEvery newsletter gets a website with your archive and signup forms, so posts can also be found by search engines.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 2,500 subscribers, a hosted website and newsletter editor |
| Lite | $49/mo annual | Ad network, referral program, paid subscriptions and up to 100,000 subscribers |
| Pro | $95/mo annual ($109 monthly) | Removes Beehiiv branding, adds dynamic content and up to 10 publications |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom limits and support for large media brands |
Prices in USD, checked on beehiiv.com/pricing in November 2026. Paid prices are for up to 1,000 subscribers. Lite costs $59 billed monthly. Free trial available.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built-in ways to grow and earn from a newsletter
- No cut of paid subscription revenue
- Free plan up to 2,500 subscribers
- Clean, modern editor
Cons
- Not built for ecommerce or sales automation
- Ad network is not available during trials or in all regions
- Pro plan needed to remove branding
Is it right for you?
Choose Beehiiv ifYour newsletter is your business and you want to grow readers and earn from ads or subscriptions.
Look elsewhere ifYou use email to sell products or nurture leads, where Mailchimp, Klaviyo or ActiveCampaign fit better.
Best email marketing software by need
- A first email tool for a small businessMailchimp
- Online stores on ShopifyKlaviyo
- Large lists that send occasionallyBrevo
- Low-cost, simple emailMailerLite
- Advanced automation and scoringActiveCampaign
- Creators selling productsKit
- Ecommerce on a budgetOmnisend
- Local businesses and eventsConstant Contact
- Newsletter growth and adsBeehiiv
How much does email marketing software cost in 2026?
Email marketing software is priced by contacts (or sends, for Brevo), so cost depends on list size more than features.
| Tier | Typical price | Tools at this level | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Kit, Beehiiv, MailerLite, Brevo, Klaviyo, Omnisend, Mailchimp | New lists under 250 to 2,500 contacts, depending on the tool |
| Starter | $10 to $35/mo | MailerLite, Omnisend, Brevo, Constant Contact, Klaviyo, Kit | Small businesses with up to about 1,000 contacts |
| Growth | $50 to $300/mo | Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp Standard, Beehiiv | Lists of 5,000 to 25,000 contacts |
| Scale | $500+/mo | Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign Enterprise, Mailchimp Premium | Lists over 50,000 contacts or complex programs |
Entry prices from vendor pricing pages, November 2026. Mailchimp's entry price is a first-year promotion.
Costs climb with your list. Remove inactive and unsubscribed contacts regularly so you do not pay for people who never open.
How we chose the best email marketing software tools
We started with the 16 email marketing tools in the MakeSuccessOnline directory and scored each on the criteria below using our hands-on reviews, vendor documentation and current pricing at several list sizes. Prices were checked on vendor sites in November 2026.
- Automation and segmentationFlow builder depth, triggers, conditions and how precisely you can target contacts.25%
- DeliverabilityAuthentication setup, sending reputation tools and inbox placement in independent tests.20%
- Ease of useEditor quality, templates and how fast a non-specialist can send a campaign.15%
- Pricing as you growFree plan limits and cost at 1,000, 10,000 and 50,000 contacts.20%
- IntegrationsNative connections to ecommerce, CRM, forms and analytics tools.10%
- SupportChannels offered, response time and documentation.10%
How to choose email marketing software
- Know your list size and send volumeMost tools price by contacts; Brevo prices by emails. Work out your cost at today's size and in a year.
- Match the tool to your business modelEcommerce needs store data sync, creators need commerce tools, B2B needs scoring and CRM links.
- Check deliverability basicsMake sure the tool supports SPF, DKIM and DMARC setup, one-click unsubscribe and spam monitoring.
- Build one real automation on the trialA welcome series or abandoned cart flow shows how usable the builder really is.
- Confirm the integrations you needCheck your store, CRM, forms and analytics connect natively, not only through Zapier.
- Plan your exitMake sure you can export contacts, tags and engagement data if you switch later.
Check during the free trial
- How much will the plan cost at double your current list?
- Can you set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC easily?
- Does it sync data from your store or CRM?
- Can you build your welcome flow without help?
- Are reports clear on revenue or conversions, not just opens?
Red flags
- Pricing that counts unsubscribed contacts
- No way to authenticate your own sending domain
- Features shown in demos locked to top plans
- Slow or email-only support on paid plans
- Difficult contact exports
Email marketing software FAQ
What is the best email marketing software?
Mailchimp is the best starting point for most small businesses, Klaviyo is best for ecommerce stores, Brevo is best for large lists on a budget, and ActiveCampaign is best for advanced automation.
What is the best free email marketing software?
Kit has the most generous free plan, allowing up to 10,000 subscribers without automations. Beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers, and the free Brevo plan lets you send up to 300 emails a day.
How much does email marketing software cost?
Most email tools cost $10 to $35 a month for about 500 to 1,000 contacts, rising to $50 to $300 a month for 5,000 to 25,000 contacts. Brevo prices by emails sent rather than contacts.
Which email platform is best for ecommerce?
Klaviyo is the best email platform for most ecommerce stores because it syncs Shopify order and product data into segments and flows. Omnisend is a cheaper alternative with similar ecommerce automations.
Is Mailchimp still worth it?
Mailchimp is still a good choice for small businesses that want an easy editor and many integrations. It gets expensive as your list grows, so compare costs at your expected list size.
What do I need for good email deliverability?
Authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, offer one-click unsubscribe, keep spam complaints below 0.3% (ideally 0.1%), and remove inactive contacts.
About the reviewer
Editor & Reviewer, MakeSuccessOnline
William Harrison is an editor and reviewer at MakeSuccessOnline. He reviews each tools ranking before it goes live, checking plans, prices, free tiers and features against the tool's own documentation, and keeps rankings current as tools change.