Best Email Marketing Tools: An Honest Comparison

You need an email marketing tool but don't want to pay enterprise prices for features you'll never use. Fair enough. I've tested the major platforms and put together this breakdown of what actually matters: pricing that scales reasonably, automation that works, and deliverability that doesn't tank your campaigns.

Here's the reality: most businesses under 10,000 subscribers are overpaying for email marketing. The tool that's "best" depends entirely on what you're trying to do—blast newsletters, run complex automations, or nurture leads through a sales funnel.

Quick Comparison: Email Marketing Tool Pricing

Before diving deep, here's what you'll actually pay at different list sizes:

Best Budget Email Marketing: MailerLite

MailerLite wins for businesses watching their budget. The free plan includes 500 subscribers and 12,000 monthly emails—enough to get started without spending a dime. You'll see a small MailerLite logo in the footer, but that's the only catch.

The interface is clean and intuitive. Even if you've never touched email marketing software, you'll figure it out in an afternoon. The drag-and-drop editor works well, and there are over 90 pre-designed email templates to start from.

What's good:

• Generous free tier with actual usable features
• Paid plans start at $14.99/mo for unlimited emails
• Includes landing page builder and forms
• 24/7 live chat support
• Simple automation workflows

What sucks:

• No advanced automation compared to ActiveCampaign
• Limited spam testing capabilities
• Design testing is basic

MailerLite works best for newsletters, simple welcome sequences, and basic promotional campaigns. If you need complex behavioral triggers or CRM integration, look elsewhere.

Best for Pay-Per-Send: Brevo

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) flips the pricing model. Instead of charging by contacts, they charge by emails sent. This is huge if you have a large list but don't email frequently.

Their free plan gives you unlimited contacts with 300 emails per day. Paid plans start at just $8/month for 5,000 monthly emails. That's absurdly cheap compared to contact-based pricing.

What's good:

• Unlimited contacts on every plan
• Built-in CRM, SMS, and live chat
• Strong transactional email API
• Intuitive automation workflow builder
• Great for ecommerce with abandoned cart features

What sucks:

• Daily sending limits on free plan
• Email builder is decent but not exceptional
• Some features locked behind higher tiers

If you're running an ecommerce store or need transactional emails alongside marketing campaigns, Brevo is worth serious consideration. Check out our Brevo pricing breakdown and full Brevo review for more details.

Best All-in-One Value: Moosend

Moosend flies under the radar but delivers serious value. Their Pro plan starts at just $7/month for 500 contacts with unlimited emails. Here's the kicker: you get ALL features on that single paid plan. No feature gating based on price tier.

The automation and personalization tools punch way above the price point. You get behavioral triggers, product recommendations, and conditional content—features that cost $50+/month elsewhere.

What's good:

• All Pro features on every paid tier
• Strong automation capabilities for the price
• Simple, straightforward pricing
• Good ecommerce integrations
• 30-day free trial (no credit card)

What sucks:

• No free plan (just trial)
• Smaller template library
• Less brand recognition

Best for Reliability: AWeber

AWeber has been around since 1998. They're not flashy, but they're rock solid. The free plan covers up to 500 subscribers with 3,000 monthly emails—enough for most small businesses starting out.

Try AWeber if you value reliability over bells and whistles.

The Lite plan starts at $15/month for 500 subscribers, while the Plus plan (with unlimited everything) runs $30/month. AWeber's pricing is based on subscriber tiers, and they'll auto-upgrade you if you exceed limits—so watch your list size.

What's good:

• Industry veteran with proven deliverability
• No long-term contracts
• 24/7 phone support on paid plans
• Good landing page builder
• Web push notifications included

What sucks:

• Templates feel dated
• Automation is basic compared to competitors
• Gets expensive at higher subscriber counts
• Some users report limited customer support responsiveness

AWeber works well for creators, bloggers, and small businesses who need reliable email delivery without complexity. For more details, see our AWeber pricing guide.

Most Recognizable Brand: Mailchimp

Let's be honest: Mailchimp's free plan isn't what it used to be. They've cut it down to 250 contacts and 500 monthly emails. The Essentials plan starts at $13/month for 500 contacts, with a 10x monthly send limit (so 5,000 emails for 500 contacts).

Mailchimp's pricing scales aggressively. At 2,500 contacts, you're looking at around $45/month on Essentials or $60/month on Standard. At 10,000 contacts, expect to pay $100+/month.

What's good:

• Polished interface and brand recognition
• 750+ integrations with third-party tools
• Decent AI-powered features on higher tiers
• Strong ecommerce integrations
• Good analytics and reporting

What sucks:

• Free plan is now very limited
• Pricing gets expensive fast
• Advanced features require Standard plan ($20+/mo)
• Counts unsubscribed contacts in your total
• No phone support except on Premium ($350+/mo)

Mailchimp makes sense if you need specific integrations or your team is already familiar with it. Otherwise, you're likely overpaying for the brand name.

Best for Advanced Automation: ActiveCampaign

If you're serious about automation—behavioral triggers, lead scoring, multi-step workflows—ActiveCampaign is the standard. It's not the cheapest option, but you get what you pay for.

The Starter plan runs $15/month for 1,000 contacts with a 10x email send limit. But the real power unlocks on Plus ($49/month) and Pro ($79/month) plans, where you get landing pages, predictive sending, advanced segmentation, and conversion tracking.

What's good:

• Industry-leading automation capabilities
• Built-in CRM with sales automation
• 900+ integrations
• Advanced reporting and attribution
• Free migration and onboarding

What sucks:

• No free plan (14-day trial only)
• Price jumps significantly as contacts grow
• Can be overwhelming for beginners
• SMS and other features are add-ons

ActiveCampaign is overkill for simple newsletters. But if you're running complex customer journeys, lead nurturing sequences, or need tight CRM integration, it's worth every penny.

Best for Creators: Kit (formerly ConvertKit)

Kit targets bloggers, podcasters, and content creators specifically. The interface is minimal—almost too minimal—but the automation workflows are solid.

The free Newsletter plan is generous: up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited emails, forms, and landing pages. But you only get one automation. The Creator plan starts at $39/month for 1,000 subscribers, which is pricey compared to alternatives.

Important note: Kit raised prices significantly in late 2025. Some users report paying up to 50% more than before at higher subscriber tiers.

What's good:

• Very generous free plan (10,000 subscribers)
• Clean, creator-focused interface
• Good automation for sequences
• Digital product sales built-in
• 99.8% deliverability rate

What sucks:

• Expensive paid plans after recent price hike
• Limited email templates and designs
• No A/B testing on free plan
• Basic analytics compared to competitors

Kit works well if you're a solo creator building an audience and selling digital products. For most B2B applications, you'll get better value elsewhere.

Which Email Marketing Tool Should You Pick?

Here's my honest take based on different scenarios:

You're just starting out: Start with MailerLite's free plan or Brevo's free tier. Both give you enough to learn the ropes without spending money.

You're a small business on a budget: Moosend at $7/month gives you the best feature-to-price ratio. All features, one price, no surprises.

You send infrequently to a large list: Brevo's pay-per-send model will save you money compared to contact-based pricing.

You need rock-solid reliability: AWeber has been doing this for 25+ years. They're not sexy, but they work.

You need advanced automation: ActiveCampaign is the answer. Budget the higher price and invest in learning the platform properly.

You're a content creator: Kit's free plan is genuinely generous. Use it until you outgrow it or need more automation features.

You have specific integration needs: Check Mailchimp first—they integrate with everything. Just budget for the higher costs as you scale.

Things to Watch Out For

A few gotchas that catch people off guard:

Contact counting: Some platforms count unsubscribed contacts toward your limit (Mailchimp does this). Others only count active subscribers. This significantly affects your costs as you scale.

Send limits: Many tools have monthly email send limits tied to your contact tier (often 10-12x your contact limit). Run the math before committing.

Feature gating: "Free" often means missing critical features like automation, A/B testing, or removing branding. Read the fine print.

Migration costs: Switching email platforms isn't free. Some tools offer migration assistance (ActiveCampaign, Kit for larger lists), but factor in the time cost.

Bottom Line

There's no universally "best" email marketing tool. The right choice depends on your list size, budget, and what you're actually trying to accomplish.

Start with a free plan to learn the platform. Most businesses under 5,000 subscribers can get by on entry-level paid plans from MailerLite, Brevo, or Moosend for under $20/month. Only move to premium tools like ActiveCampaign when you genuinely need the advanced features.

Looking for more email marketing guidance? Check out our guide on email marketing for small business or compare email marketing software options in depth.