Below is a fast comparison, then a deeper review of nine tools with pricing that reflects what you will see on their sites as of early 2026 (always confirm before you checkout—promos and contact tiers move the number on your invoice).
Quick comparison (2026 snapshot)
| Tool | Best for | From (paid, ballpark) | Free tier | My rating |
|---|
| Mailchimp | All-in-one brand marketing | ~$13/mo (Essentials, 500 contacts) | 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo | 4.2 / 5 |
| ConvertKit (Kit) | Creators + paid newsletters | ~$33/mo (Creator, 1K subscribers) | Newsletter plan: up to 10K subscribers | 4.5 / 5 |
| ActiveCampaign | CRM-heavy automation | ~$15/mo (Lite, 500 contacts) | No forever-free marketing plan | 4.6 / 5 |
| GetResponse | Funnels + webinars | ~$19/mo (paid tiers) | ~500 contacts, ~2.5K emails/mo | 4.0 / 5 |
| Brevo (Sendinblue) | High contact count, tight send budget | From ~$9/mo (Starter) | Unlimited contacts; daily send cap | 4.3 / 5 |
| AWeber | Simple campaigns, small biz | ~$15/mo (Lite, monthly) | 500 subscribers, 3K emails/mo | 3.9 / 5 |
| beehiiv | Newsletter growth + monetization | ~$43/mo (Scale) | Launch: up to 2.5K subscribers | 4.4 / 5 |
| MailerLite | Value + clean UI | ~$10/mo (Growing Business) | 500 subscribers, 12K emails/mo | 4.5 / 5 |
| Constant Contact | Local business + events | ~$12–15/mo (Lite, region-dependent) | Trial-focused; paid is the real product | 3.8 / 5 |
For a focused creator showdown, read Mailchimp vs ConvertKit. If budget is zero, start with best free email marketing tools. Creators weighing sequences and monetization should also see our ConvertKit review.
1. Mailchimp
Rating: 4.2 / 5 — Best for: Small businesses that want email, basic automation, and brand tools in one recognizable platform.
Mailchimp is still the default name non-marketers know, and that matters when you hire freelancers or agencies. The Free Marketing plan is tighter than people remember: up to 250 contacts, 500 sends per month, and a 250-email daily cap, with only one audience and a single seat. Paid Essentials commonly starts around $13/month for 500 contacts (Standard often lands near $20/month at the same tier before discounts). You pay for contact storage—including unsubscribes in your total—so costs creep if you do not clean lists.
Key features: Customer journeys on Standard+, solid template gallery, ecommerce hooks, SMS add-ons, and reporting that is good enough for most SMBs.
Pros
- Massive integration ecosystem and familiar UI for generalists.
- Strong option if you want marketing beyond pure email (ads, social posting in places, websites).
- Frequent promotions (for example, introductory Standard discounts) can soften year-one pricing.
Cons
- Free tier is restrictive for anyone past the true “hobby” stage.
- Automation depth still lags dedicated automation-first platforms at similar price.
- Contact-based billing punishes messy CRM hygiene.
Verdict: Choose Mailchimp if you want a household name, multi-channel marketing adjacent to email, and you are OK paying attention to audience hygiene. For the deep dive, read our Mailchimp review, or compare it head-to-head in Constant Contact vs Mailchimp, Brevo vs Mailchimp, and MailerLite vs Mailchimp.
2. ConvertKit (Kit)
Rating: 4.5 / 5 — Best for: Professional creators, course sellers, and newsletter operators who live in automations and monetization.
Kit (the product formerly marketed as ConvertKit) is built around the creator workflow: tags, visual automations, digital products, and recommendations. The Newsletter plan is $0/month for up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts and landing pages—an unusually generous free ceiling—though automation is intentionally limited (one basic visual automation on that tier). Creator at 1,000 subscribers is typically $33/month (about $390/year if you pay annually), and Pro at the same size runs $66/month (~$790/year yearly) with deliverability reporting, engagement scoring, and deeper testing.
Key features: Visual automation builder, paid recommendations network, commerce with transparent fee language on-kit, migrations for paid plans, and creator-centric templates.
Pros
- Free Newsletter tier removes the “I cannot afford email yet” excuse for serious growth.
- Tag-first mental model matches how creators actually think.
- Strong fit for paid newsletters and lightweight product sales without duct-taping a separate storefront.
Cons
- Not a full ecommerce stack; complex retail brands outgrow it fast.
- Pro pricing climbs quickly if you need advanced reporting and scoring on larger lists.
- Less ideal if you need traditional “corporate” CRM pipelines.
Verdict: If your business is audience-first, Kit should be on your shortlist—full stop. Pair this section with Mailchimp vs ConvertKit when you are torn on brand versus creator tooling.
3. ActiveCampaign
Rating: 4.6 / 5 — Best for: Teams that want email plus real automation, deals, and attribution—not just a newsletter tool with extras.
ActiveCampaign does not give you a generous forever-free marketing plan in the traditional sense; you usually start on a trial and move to Lite around $15/month for ~500 contacts (pricing scales in steps as you add contacts and jump to Plus, Professional, Enterprise). Where it wins is depth: branching automations, site tracking, CRM alignment, and deliverability tooling that serious operators actually use.
Key features: Automation maps, deal pipelines on higher tiers, split actions, predictive content on upper plans, and deep integrations for SaaS and services businesses.
Pros
- Best-in-class automation flexibility for the mid-market.
- Scales from “sophisticated solo operator” to multi-seat teams.
- CRM-lite features reduce tool sprawl for B2B.
Cons
- Steeper learning curve; you will invest time or hire help.
- Price ramps with contacts and feature tiers faster than “simple” ESPs.
- Overkill if you only send a monthly newsletter.
Verdict: Pick ActiveCampaign when email is a revenue system, not an email blast. The full breakdown lives in our ActiveCampaign review; creators weighing automation depth versus tag simplicity should also see ActiveCampaign vs ConvertKit.
4. GetResponse
Rating: 4.0 / 5 — Best for: Marketers who want email nested inside funnels, landing pages, and sometimes webinars.
GetResponse’s free footprint is usable for testing: roughly 500 contacts and about 2,500 marketing emails per month (with branding and feature limits after trial-style premium access ends—check their current help center for the exact post-trial feature set). Paid Email Marketing commonly starts around $19/month for smaller lists before you add Marketing Automation or higher bundles.
Key features: Autoresponders, conversion funnels on higher tiers, web push, live chat options on upper plans, and AI-assisted content tools.
Pros
- Strong when your workflow is “capture → nurture → sell” in one vendor.
- Webinar and funnel packaging can replace multiple subscriptions.
- Free tier is a real sandbox for small lists.
Cons
- Interface can feel busy compared to minimalist ESPs.
- Feature gating means the “cheap” plan is not the full story.
- Deliverability and support experiences vary by region and list quality.
Verdict: Choose GetResponse if webinars or funnel-centric marketing are central, not occasional.
Rating: 4.3 / 5 — Best for: Businesses with large dormant databases who send infrequently, and teams that want SMS/WhatsApp alongside email.
Brevo’s free tier is the opposite of Mailchimp’s: unlimited contacts but a daily sending cap (commonly 300 emails per day on the free plan—roughly 9,000/month if you max it). Paid Starter often begins around $9/month with higher monthly send bundles; Standard adds automation, landing pages, and reporting upgrades.
Key features: Multi-channel campaigns, transactional email, CRM basics, marketing automation on Standard+, and a pricing model tied to sends, not just list size.
Pros
- Excellent when you must legally keep a big list but only mail in bursts.
- Strong international footprint and channel breadth.
- Predictable if you model sends instead of subscribers.
Cons
- Free tier is useless for high-frequency senders.
- Automation depth is not ActiveCampaign-grade until you climb tiers.
- UI density can overwhelm first-time users.
Verdict: Brevo is a smart money pick for send-volume thinkers, not vanity subscriber counts. Get the full picture in our Brevo review, and if you also send receipts, OTPs, or password resets, see best transactional email services where Brevo ranks high.
6. AWeber
Rating: 3.9 / 5 — Best for: Beginners who want a straightforward newsletter tool with phone-friendly support expectations.
AWeber still competes on simplicity. The Free plan supports up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails per month with one list profile and branding. Lite is commonly ~$15/month billed monthly (often ~$12.50/month on annual billing) at the entry subscriber tier; Plus unlocks more lists and automation muscle for roughly $20/month at small sizes, scaling toward ~$60–90/month by the 5,000 subscriber range depending on plan.
Key features: Drag-and-drop builder, Canva integration, basic automations, landing pages, and a long track record with deliverability basics.
Pros
- Gentle learning curve for non-technical owners.
- Free tier is honest for tiny lists.
- Reliable for classic “newsletter + simple automation” use cases.
Cons
- Feels dated versus MailerLite or Kit on UX polish.
- Advanced segmentation and reporting lag premium competitors.
- Not where I would build complex SaaS lifecycle programs.
Verdict: AWeber is the “get it done without a certification” option—respectable, not flashy.
7. beehiiv
Rating: 4.4 / 5 — Best for: Newsletter publishers who care about growth loops, sponsorships, and paid subscriptions.
beehiiv is not trying to be Mailchimp; it is trying to be Substack-plus-ops. Launch (Free) supports up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends and core publishing; monetization features sit behind paid tiers. Scale is widely quoted around $43/month (often ~$517/year) for up to 100,000 subscribers with ad network access, boosts, automations, and team seats; Max lands near $96/month (~$1,151/year yearly) with branding removal and advanced publishing toys.
Key features: Recommendation network, ad network, paid subscriptions with competitive fee positioning versus some incumbents, polls, and analytics tuned to publishers.
Pros
- Native growth mechanics that generic ESPs bolt on awkwardly.
- Pricing scales against newsletter reality, not arbitrary “contacts.”
- Strong when your homepage is your newsletter, not a corporate site.
Cons
- Traditional ecommerce brands may feel out of place.
- Advanced CRM and B2B pipeline features are not the point.
- Migration from classic ESPs takes editorial discipline.
Verdict: If you say "issue" instead of "blast," beehiiv belongs in your top three. Read our beehiiv review for the deep dive, and shop the wider category in best newsletter platforms.
8. MailerLite
Rating: 4.5 / 5 — Best for: Operators who want premium polish without premium bloat—especially agencies and SMBs.
MailerLite’s Free plan covers up to 500 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month with automation, sites, and 10 landing pages—one of the more usable free packages on this list. Growing Business commonly starts at $10/month for smaller lists; Advanced often begins around $20/month with smart sending, HTML control, and richer automation triggers.
Key features: Website builder, digital products, automation builder, pop-ups, surveys, and reporting that punches above its price.
Pros
- Incredible value-to-UX ratio.
- Free plan is actually workable for real businesses at micro scale.
- Clean interface reduces training time for clients and hires.
Cons
- Not the deepest CRM/automation system at the extremes.
- Some advanced deliverability tooling wants higher tiers or add-ons.
- Brand is quieter than Mailchimp for enterprise procurement.
Verdict: MailerLite is my "default smart choice" for SMB if you do not need enterprise CRM. The full feature walkthrough is in our MailerLite review.
Rating: 3.8 / 5 — Best for: Local businesses, nonprofits, and event-driven marketers who want guided templates and human help.
Constant Contact pricing varies by region and feature bundle; in many markets Lite lands around $12–15/month entry pricing while Standard steps to roughly $33/month and Premium toward $75/month for heavier automation and segmentation—always verify your locale’s checkout page. It is less “developer cool” and more “get the PTA newsletter out reliably.”
Key features: Event management, social integrations, strong template libraries for non-designers, and onboarding that assumes marketing is not your day job.
Pros
- Excellent for organizations that value guidance over hackability.
- Solid when events and RSVPs matter as much as drip campaigns.
- Familiar to volunteers and part-time admins.
Cons
- Less flexible for technical marketers who want granular control.
- Pricing/feature matrix can feel opaque versus subscriber-transparent competitors.
- Not my first pick for SaaS lifecycle complexity.
Verdict: Constant Contact wins on operational simplicity for real-world small orgs, not on automation depth. See Constant Contact vs Mailchimp for the head-to-head, and our best email marketing tools for nonprofits and best email marketing tools for restaurants guides if either fits your use case.
How I would choose in one minute
- Tight budget, real business: MailerLite Free or Brevo Free, then upgrade on usage. See our MailerLite vs Brevo head-to-head.
- Creator economy: Kit (ConvertKit) or beehiiv—see ConvertKit review and beehiiv review.
- Automation + CRM: ActiveCampaign. Compare it with the default in our ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp breakdown.
- Brand + omnichannel SMB: Mailchimp.
- Newsletter media company: beehiiv.
- Shopify store: See best email marketing tools for Shopify.
New to email marketing entirely? Start with best email marketing tools for beginners. Still comparing the big two? Go to Mailchimp vs ConvertKit. If you want $0 options first, read best free email marketing tools.
Pick by your business type
Not every "best" list answers your real question. The right ESP for a Shopify store is rarely the right one for a non-profit donor list. Use these vertical guides instead of trying to retrofit a generic ranking:
- Ecommerce / DTC brand → best email marketing tools for ecommerce (and the Shopify-specific best email marketing tools for Shopify)
- SaaS / B2B product → best email marketing tools for SaaS — focuses on lifecycle, trial onboarding, and product-led growth flows
- Real estate agents and brokerages → best email marketing tools for real estate
- Non-profits and 501(c)(3) → best email marketing tools for nonprofits (includes vendor discount notes)
- Restaurants, cafés, hospitality → best email marketing tools for restaurants
- Local SMB and service businesses → email marketing for small business
If you have already shortlisted two ESPs and just need a tiebreaker, jump straight to the comparison:
- Klaviyo vs Mailchimp — ecommerce default vs. full-stack DTC tool
- Brevo vs Mailchimp — send-volume pricing vs. contact-based pricing
- MailerLite vs Mailchimp — modern value pick vs. legacy default
- Constant Contact vs Mailchimp — guided UX vs. self-serve depth
- ActiveCampaign vs ConvertKit — automation depth vs. creator simplicity
Specialized use cases
Sometimes "email marketing" is the wrong frame. Pick the dedicated tool category instead:
- Building drip flows, lifecycle nurtures, or branching journeys → best email automation tools
- Publishing a newsletter (paid or free) as your main product → best newsletter platforms
- Outbound sales prospecting (cold outreach) → best cold email tools
- Sending receipts, password resets, or system notifications from your app → best transactional email services
- Confused about whether you need email marketing or full marketing automation? Read email marketing vs marketing automation
- Doing serious ecommerce on Shopify? Klaviyo usually wins → start with our Klaviyo review
FAQ
Which email marketing tool has the best free plan in 2026?
For most small senders, MailerLite (500 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month) and Kit’s Newsletter plan (up to 10,000 subscribers with broadcast-first limits) are the standouts—pick MailerLite for general SMB and Kit for creator workflows.
Is Mailchimp still worth it?
Yes, if you want recognizable tooling, multi-channel marketing adjacent to email, and you will manage contact hygiene. No, if you need deep automation at mid-market scale—then ActiveCampaign or Kit may fit better.
Do these tools include SMS?
Several do as paid add-ons or bundled channels—Mailchimp and Brevo are common SMS choices; Kit focuses more on email and creator commerce than SMS-first stacks.
What is the biggest pricing mistake teams make?
Ignoring how contacts are counted. Mailchimp-style totals often include unsubscribed contacts; MailerLite bills active subscribers differently. Model your real audience before you commit annually.