Marketing automation used to cost thousands per month. In 2026, you can automate email sequences, lead scoring, and multi-channel campaigns for under $20/month - or even free. This guide ranks every tool by what it actually costs when you use it.
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Tier 1: Free Marketing Automation
Brevo (ex-Sendinblue) Free $0 - Best Free
Brevo offers the most complete free marketing automation. 300 emails per day, unlimited contacts, email campaigns, SMS marketing, and automation workflows. The free tier includes real automation - not just batch sending.
- Contacts: Unlimited
- Emails: 300/day
- Automation: Workflows for up to 2,000 contacts
- Catch: Brevo branding on emails, 300/day send limit
MailerLite Free $0 - 1,000 Subs
MailerLite Free supports 1,000 subscribers with 12,000 emails per month, automation, landing pages, and a website builder. For small lists, this is a complete marketing platform at zero cost.
- Subscribers: 1,000
- Emails: 12,000/month
- Features: Automation, landing pages, popups
- Catch: 1,000 subscriber limit, MailerLite branding
Tier 2: Under $15/Month
Brevo Starter $9/mo
Brevo Starter at $9/month removes the daily sending limit and Brevo branding. You get 5,000 emails/month with full automation, A/B testing, and advanced statistics. The cheapest paid marketing automation that includes multi-channel (email + SMS).
- Emails: 5,000/month
- Branding: Removable
- A/B testing: Yes
- Price: $9/mo
Mailchimp Essentials $13/mo
Mailchimp Essentials at $13/month for 500 contacts gives you email automation, customer journeys, A/B testing, and 24/7 support. More expensive than Brevo but with a larger template library and better deliverability reputation.
- Contacts: 500 (scales with price)
- Automation: Customer journeys, pre-built workflows
- Templates: 100+ email templates
- Price: $13/mo for 500 contacts
Tier 3: $15-$30/Month
ActiveCampaign Starter $15/mo
ActiveCampaign Starter at $15/month is the cheapest platform with truly advanced automation. Visual automation builder, conditional logic, site tracking, and event tracking. This is where "real" marketing automation begins.
- Contacts: 1,000
- Automation: Visual builder with conditions
- Site tracking: Track visitor behavior
- Price: $15/mo for 1,000 contacts
Complete Pricing Table
| Tool | Price/Mo | Free Tier | Automation | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo Free | $0 | 300/day | Basic workflows | Best free |
| MailerLite Free | $0 | 1K subs | Yes | Small lists |
| Brevo Starter | $9 | N/A | Full | Cheapest paid |
| Mailchimp Essentials | $13 | 500 contacts | Journeys | Templates |
| ActiveCampaign | $15 | Trial | Advanced | Power users |
Bottom Line
For free marketing automation, Brevo offers the most complete package. The cheapest paid plan is Brevo Starter at $9/month. For advanced automation with conditional logic, ActiveCampaign at $15/month is the entry point.
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