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1. Brevo (Sendinblue)
Brevo (Sendinblue) Best Per-Email Pricing
Brevo charges per email sent rather than per subscriber - a model that saves money for businesses with large lists and low send frequency. Free plan includes 300 emails per day.
- Pricing: Free 300/day; Starter $25/mo for 20K emails; Business $65/mo
- Pros: Per-email pricing saves money for large lists, free plan is generous, includes SMS
- Cons: Brevo branding on free plan, limited automation on Starter
- Best for: Businesses with large subscriber lists who send infrequently
2. Mailchimp
Mailchimp Most Popular
Mailchimp's free plan was reduced to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month. Standard plan pricing scales with subscriber count - 10,000 contacts is $100/month.
- Pricing: Free 500 contacts; Essentials from $13/mo; Standard from $20/mo; Premium from $350/mo
- Pros: Largest template library, best integrations ecosystem, AI content generator
- Cons: Expensive at scale, charges for unsubscribed contacts, free plan is limited
- Best for: Small businesses under 2,500 contacts who want the widest integration support
3. ConvertKit (Kit)
ConvertKit (Kit) Best for Creators
ConvertKit (now Kit) targets creators and solopreneurs. Free plan supports 10,000 subscribers with limited features. Paid Creator plan starts at $25/month.
- Pricing: Free 10K subs (limited); Creator $25/mo for 1K; Creator Pro $50/mo for 1K
- Pros: Highest free subscriber limit, excellent for newsletters, visual automation builder
- Cons: Limited design options, no A/B testing on free
- Best for: Newsletter writers and content creators building an audience
4. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign Best Automation
ActiveCampaign is the automation powerhouse. No free plan, but the Lite plan at $29/month for 1,000 contacts includes the industry's best visual automation builder.
- Pricing: Lite $29/mo for 1K; Plus $49/mo; Professional $149/mo; Enterprise $259/mo
- Pros: Best-in-class automation, CRM included, site tracking and event-based triggers
- Cons: No free plan, pricing scales sharply with contacts, steep learning curve
- Best for: Marketing teams that rely heavily on automated sequences and segmentation
5. Beehiiv
Beehiiv Best for Newsletters
Beehiiv is built specifically for newsletter businesses. The free Launch plan supports 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends.
- Pricing: Launch free 2.5K subs; Scale $42/mo; Max $100/mo
- Pros: Built for newsletters, monetization tools, referral program, modern analytics
- Cons: Newsletter-focused - not a full email marketing platform, limited automation
- Best for: Newsletter operators who want built-in monetization and growth tools
Need help choosing? Use our free Software Comparison Calculator to find the best fit for your budget and team size.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest email marketing platform for 10,000 subscribers?
Brevo is typically cheapest at scale since it charges per email, not per subscriber. For 10,000 subscribers, Brevo Starter costs $25/month while Mailchimp Standard costs about $100/month.
Should I choose per-subscriber or per-email pricing?
Per-email pricing (Brevo) is cheaper if you send fewer than 4 emails per subscriber per month. Per-subscriber pricing is better if you send daily.
Do email marketing platforms charge for unsubscribed contacts?
Mailchimp charges for unsubscribed contacts. ConvertKit and Brevo do not. This hidden cost can add 10-20% to your bill.
Is free email marketing worth it?
Yes for lists under 2,500 subscribers. Brevo, ConvertKit, and Beehiiv all offer useful free tiers.
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