Brevo vs Constant Contact: The Real Differences That Actually Matter

Choosing between Brevo and Constant Contact comes down to two things: how you want to pay and what features you actually need. These platforms take fundamentally different approaches to pricing and feature access, which means the right choice depends heavily on your specific situation.

After digging into both platforms, here's my take: Brevo is the better value for most small businesses, especially if you have a large contact list but don't send emails constantly. Constant Contact makes sense if you need rock-solid deliverability and don't mind paying a premium for it.

Let's break down exactly why.

The Pricing Models Are Completely Different

This is the biggest differentiator between these two platforms, and it'll likely determine your choice right off the bat.

Brevo Pricing

Brevo charges based on the number of emails you send, not how many contacts you have. This is a game-changer if you have a big list but only email them a few times a month.

The catch? Brevo's Starter plan includes their branding on your emails. Removing it costs an extra $12/month. So realistically, if you care about looking professional, your actual starting price is $21/month.

Brevo also offers a pay-as-you-go option where credits never expire - useful if your email volume is unpredictable.

For a deeper dive into Brevo's pricing structure, check out our complete Brevo pricing breakdown.

Constant Contact Pricing

Constant Contact charges based on the number of contacts you have. The more subscribers, the more you pay - regardless of how many emails you actually send.

Here's where it gets expensive: at 5,000 contacts, you're looking at $80/month on the Lite plan. At 10,000 contacts, that jumps to around $120/month. For a small business with a growing list, these costs add up fast.

Constant Contact doesn't have a free plan - just a 60-day free trial (which is actually pretty generous). They do offer a 15% discount for annual plans and 30% off for nonprofits.

Feature Comparison: What You Actually Get

Email Builder and Templates

Both platforms offer drag-and-drop email editors with template libraries. Neither will blow you away with design capabilities, but both get the job done.

Constant Contact's edge: More templates out of the box and slightly more polished design options. The interface feels more intuitive for beginners.

Brevo's edge: You can access their full template library even on the free plan. Constant Contact gates more features behind higher tiers.

Marketing Automation

This is where the differences get interesting.

Brevo offers more advanced automation workflows with if/then/else logic, even on lower-tier plans. You can create complex customer journeys, automate lead scoring, and trigger emails based on website behavior using their tracker feature.

Constant Contact focuses on simpler automations - welcome emails, birthday messages, abandoned cart sequences. It's more plug-and-play, which is either a pro or con depending on your needs. Custom automations require the Premium plan at $80/month.

One reviewer noted that Constant Contact's automation is "quite limiting" compared to competitors. If you need sophisticated automation, Brevo is the clear winner here.

Segmentation

Brevo offers advanced segmentation to all customers, including free users. You can segment based on contact behavior, email engagement, and custom attributes.

Constant Contact locks advanced segmentation behind their Standard and Premium plans. On the Lite plan, you're working with basic list management.

Transactional Emails

Brevo wins this one hands down. You can send transactional emails (shipping notifications, password resets, order confirmations) through their SMTP server at no extra cost. This lets you manage marketing and transactional emails from one platform.

Constant Contact doesn't offer transactional email capabilities built-in. You'd need a separate service for those.

SMS and Multi-Channel Marketing

Both platforms offer SMS marketing, but with different approaches:

Brevo: SMS credits available on all plans. Prices vary by country. WhatsApp campaigns available on Professional and Enterprise plans.

Constant Contact: SMS is a paid add-on starting at $10/month for 500 messages. Only available for US customers.

Integrations

Constant Contact has a slight edge here with 300+ integrations including Salesforce, Shopify, WooCommerce, Eventbrite, and more. Brevo integrates well with WordPress and WooCommerce, though some reviewers note e-commerce integrations aren't quite as smooth.

Deliverability: Does Your Email Actually Get There?

Constant Contact claims a 97% deliverability rate, which third-party tests generally support. They've been around since 1995 and have built strong relationships with email providers.

Brevo claims 99% deliverability. Both platforms offer dedicated IP addresses for high-volume senders ($251/year on Brevo, available on Professional and Enterprise plans).

In practice, both deliver emails reliably. If deliverability is your primary concern and you're willing to pay more, Constant Contact has a longer track record. But Brevo isn't far behind.

Support: Getting Help When You Need It

Constant Contact includes phone support with every paid plan. This is a big deal if you're not tech-savvy and want to talk to an actual human. They also offer live chat and a comprehensive knowledge base.

Brevo only offers phone and live chat support on Business and Enterprise plans. Free and Starter users are limited to email support. That said, their knowledge base is solid, and response times are generally reasonable.

Neither platform offers 24/7 support - both operate during business hours only.

Who Should Choose Brevo?

Brevo makes sense if you:

A nonprofit reviewer mentioned: "As we expanded the number of contacts, Constant Contact pricing became a problem. The pricing Brevo offered was our reason for selection."

Who Should Choose Constant Contact?

Constant Contact makes sense if you:

The Bottom Line

For most small businesses, Brevo offers better value. The unlimited contacts model means you're not punished for growing your list, and you get more advanced features at lower price points.

Constant Contact is a solid platform, but the pricing gets aggressive as your list grows. One reviewer put it bluntly: "the features offered by Constant Contact are not worth their price" when similar tools offer more for less.

That said, Constant Contact isn't a bad choice if you value simplicity and support over advanced features. Their 60-day free trial is generous - use it to see if the interface clicks for you.

My recommendation: Start with Brevo's free plan. It's risk-free, and you'll quickly learn whether the platform meets your needs. If you need more hand-holding and phone support, then consider Constant Contact - but go in with eyes open about how the pricing scales.

Looking for other email marketing options? Check out our guide to the best email marketing software or read our full Brevo review for more details.