Software advice
Best Email Marketing Software in 2026
Email marketing software is a platform that stores subscriber lists, builds and sends newsletters and automated email sequences, and reports opens, clicks and sales back to the marketer. Many products add SMS, forms and landing pages. It is not a transactional email API, and it is not a full CRM, although several vendors sell both.
Quick answer
Brevo ranks first because its free tier is generous, paid plans start under $20, and its servers are in the EU. MailerLite suits small lists on a budget. Klaviyo is the pick for online stores, and HubSpot for teams that already run its CRM.
Choosing an email platform usually comes down to one awkward fact: the price is built from your list size, so the cheap plan you test with is not the plan you will pay for in a year. This ranking looks at what each vendor publishes before you commit: the free tier, the entry price, how many seats and sends are included, where data is hosted, and what it takes to move away. Several vendors hide the list-size price behind a calculator, so some figures below are described by shape rather than quoted. Everything was read on vendor pages in October 2026. We ran no deliverability tests, so inbox placement is not ranked.
The 8 best email marketing software in 2026, ranked
The order is the verdict, there is no score. No vendor paid for position. How we rank.
| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan | Entry price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brevo | Small and mid-size senders who want published prices, a usable free tier and EU-hosted data | Yes | $9 per month (Starter, lowest volume tier, billed monthly) |
| 2 | MailerLite | Solo senders, creators and small teams that want a clean editor and low monthly costs | Yes | from $12 per month (Comfort, tiered by subscribers) |
| 3 | GetResponse | Marketers who sell through webinars, landing pages and courses as well as email | Yes | 16 euros per month (Starter, 1,000 contacts, billed monthly) |
| 4 | ActiveCampaign | B2B and service teams that nurture leads through multi-step automations tied to deals | Trial | Quoted |
| 5 | Mailchimp | Small businesses that already know the interface and want one familiar tool for forms, email and basic automation | Yes | Quoted |
| 6 | Klaviyo | Online stores that want flows driven by orders, carts and browsing behavior with revenue reporting | Yes | Quoted |
| 7 | Omnisend | Small online stores that want email, SMS and web push in one tool at a modest price | Yes | $11.20 per month (Standard, 500 contacts, billed monthly) |
| 8 | HubSpot Marketing Hub | Teams already running HubSpot CRM that want email tied to deals, forms and reporting | Yes | $7 per seat per month (Starter, limited-time offer) |
- 1
Brevo
Brevo takes first place because a buyer can read almost the whole price ladder on the page, and the cheap end is genuinely cheap. The free plan lists room for 100,000 contacts, Standard unlocks automation and A/B tests, and the vendor states EU servers and ISO 27001:2022. The weak spot is the jump to Professional, which is $499 a month.
Strong on
- Pricing page lists room for 100,000 contacts on the free plan
- Security page states EU server locations and ISO 27001:2022 certification
- Standard plan includes automation, A/B testing and send time optimization
Weak on
- Professional starts at $499 a month, a large step up from Standard
- Extra seats and the logo removal on Starter are paid add-ons
Skip it if: Teams that need deep store-event flows or a complete CRM with deal pipelines built into the email tool. Standard is $18, Professional is $499. Extra marketing seats cost $12 a month on Starter and Standard.
- 2
MailerLite
MailerLite ranks second as the plainest of the budget tools to run. Its pricing page shows a free plan with two seats and 2,500 monthly emails, then two paid tiers instead of a maze. The vendor also states hosting in Germany and the Netherlands. It trails Brevo only because the trust page is silent on AI and the feature set stops short of CRM work.
Strong on
- Free plan lists 2 seats and 2,500 emails a month for up to 250 subscribers
- Trust page states EU hosting in Germany and the Netherlands
- Power plan lists unlimited seats and unlimited sending, subject to fair use
Weak on
- Comfort allows three seats, which a growing marketing team may outgrow
- Trust page does not say whether customer data feeds AI features
Skip it if: Lead nurturing teams that want scoring, deal pipelines or a CRM inside the same tool. Power starts at $25. Yearly billing saves 10%, and nonprofits can get 30% off paid plans.
- 3
GetResponse
GetResponse comes third because it bundles more than email: landing pages, webinars, courses and a free version after the trial. Prices at 1,000 contacts are shown in euros, which helps European buyers compare. The Starter plan is restrictive, with one automation workflow and three uses of its AI tools, so most serious users land on Marketer.
Strong on
- Marketer plan lifts the one-workflow limit with unlimited automation workflows
- Pricing quoted at 1,000 contacts, with a 14-day trial and no card needed
- Security page lists PCI DSS certification and GDPR compliance
Weak on
- Starter allows one automation workflow, so it works as a newsletter plan only
- Free version carries a GetResponse badge and caps webinars at 10 people
Skip it if: Anyone who only sends a monthly newsletter and does not need webinars, courses or funnels. Marketer is 54 euros and Creator 62 euros at 1,000 contacts. Yearly billing lowers each of these.
- 4
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign ranks fourth because its automation and CRM pipelines go further than any tool above it, yet the price is only revealed through a contact slider. At 1,000 contacts the page lists 10,000 to 15,000 monthly sends and one to five users across tiers. Strong for nurturing, but costly to learn and hard to compare in advance.
Strong on
- Pipelines and Sales Engagement add-ons are offered from the Plus tier up
- EU data centers are available, assigned by the account's location
- Plan table lists 3 users on Pro and 5 on Enterprise at 1,000 contacts
Weak on
- Starter caps contact lists at five and excludes the SMS add-on
- Conversations data stays in a US data center, even after a regional move
Skip it if: Newsletter publishers and tiny lists, where the automation depth and learning curve add cost without payback. The pricing page showed placeholders where prices belong. Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise tiers exist, with a 14-day trial.
- 5
Mailchimp
Mailchimp lands fifth because the brand is familiar and its ladder is easy to read, but the cost climbs with every tier and the free plan is tight: 250 contacts, 500 emails a month and 250 a day. Premium adds unlimited seats and migration help. Its published servers are in the United States, which matters for some European buyers.
Strong on
- Plan table gives clear seat counts: 3 on Essentials, 5 on Standard, unlimited on Premium
- Premium adds migration help, phone support and multivariate testing
- Security page lists SOC 2 reports and ISO 27001
Weak on
- Free plan is capped at 500 emails a month and 250 per day
- Security page places its owned servers in the United States
Skip it if: European organizations that need EU-hosted data, or teams that outgrow tiers priced by contact count. Price depends on the contact tier chosen. Paid plans are Essentials, Standard and Premium, with a 14-day trial.
- 6
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is sixth overall, though first for a Shopify-style store. Its free plan has 250 profiles, 500 emails, and monthly credits for mobile messages and its AI assistant. The reason it sits low is generality: paid prices sit behind a builder, the platform includes service and data products most newsletter senders do not need, and EU storage applies only where the customer stipulates it.
Strong on
- Free plan includes reporting, forms and revenue attribution for campaigns
- Over 350 apps and integrations are listed in its marketplace
- Trust page cites SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 27017 and PCI DSS audits
Weak on
- Paid email pricing is not visible without building a plan, so budgeting needs a quote
- Data agreement says processing may occur outside the EU even with EU residency stipulated
Skip it if: Publishers, coaches and service firms with no store data to feed into automations. Free covers 250 profiles and 500 emails a month. Paid email prices were not shown without the plan builder.
- 7
Omnisend
Omnisend ranks seventh: a sensible store-focused option with unusually clear small-list pricing, a free tier, and SMS credits from $0.007 per message on Pro. It is held back by data disclosure. Its agreement names Google Cloud without listing regions, and the pages read show no certification claims, so security-minded buyers must ask questions first, in writing.
Strong on
- Standard plan allows 6,000 emails a month at 500 contacts
- Pro plan lists unlimited email sends, with SMS rates published by credit tier
- Free plan includes 500 web push messages a month
Weak on
- Data agreement names Google Cloud but not hosting regions
- No certification such as SOC 2 was found on the pages read
Skip it if: Buyers who need named EU hosting, or who run a service business without a product catalog. Pro is $41.30 at 2,500 contacts. Free covers 250 contacts and 500 emails. Enterprise is quoted.
- 8
HubSpot Marketing Hub
HubSpot Marketing Hub ranks last for email alone because the cost leaps: Starter is a few dollars per seat, then Professional starts at $800 a month plus a required $3,000 onboarding charge. For companies already on HubSpot CRM, the single contact record can justify that, and its trust center lists SOC 2 Type II. Others pay for a suite.
Strong on
- Free tier gives 2,000 sends a month for up to 2 users
- Trust center lists SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, GDPR and an EU cloud code of conduct
- Email sits beside CRM, forms and reporting in one contact record
Weak on
- Professional and Enterprise require one-time onboarding fees of $3,000 and $7,000
- Email send limits are a multiple of the marketing contact tier, from 5x to 20x
Skip it if: Small senders who need only newsletters, since the gap to a Professional plan is large. The crossed-out regular Starter price is $20. Professional is from $800 a month, Enterprise from $3,600, both with onboarding fees.
How these email marketing software were judged
Which email marketing platform has the best automation and segmentation?
Depth rises with price, and the split is visible on the vendors' own plan tables. ActiveCampaign puts unlimited-style automation and CRM pipelines behind its Plus and higher tiers, while its Starter plan caps contact lists at five. Klaviyo and Omnisend build flows from store events such as carts and orders. Brevo adds automation and A/B testing from its Standard plan. MailerLite and GetResponse sit between: GetResponse limits the Starter plan to one automation workflow, and Marketer lifts that limit. Test with your real segment, such as customers who bought twice but ignored the last three emails, and check whether the plan you can afford builds it.
How much does email marketing software cost per month in 2026?
A budget of under $30 a month covers a small list on most tools, as of October 2026. Brevo lists Starter from $9 and Standard from $18 at the smallest volume tiers, and MailerLite lists paid plans from $12 and $25. Omnisend shows $11.20 for 500 contacts. GetResponse quotes 16 euros monthly for 1,000 contacts on Starter. HubSpot starts at a limited-time $7 per seat, but its Professional tier is from $800 a month plus a $3,000 onboarding fee. Mailchimp, Klaviyo and ActiveCampaign show list-size prices only after you pick a tier, so model your own count before comparing.
Where is my subscriber data stored, and can I keep it in the EU?
Hosting differs more than marketing pages suggest. Brevo says its servers are in the EU and states ISO 27001:2022 certification. MailerLite states hosting in Germany and the Netherlands, also on ISO 27001:2022 infrastructure. ActiveCampaign offers EU and Australian data centers, assigned by location, though some processing still happens in the United States. Mailchimp says its owned servers are in the United States. Klaviyo's data processing agreement allows EU storage where a customer has stipulated it. Omnisend's agreement names Google Cloud without listing regions. For training of AI features on your lists, only the policies of the vendors named here can answer, and most pages do not say.
How hard is it to switch email marketing providers?
Lists and templates export easily everywhere. The sticky part is the logic around them: automation flows, tags, scoring rules and store integrations cannot be moved as files, so plan to rebuild them. A suite such as HubSpot or ActiveCampaign also holds deals, notes and history that a newsletter tool has no place for. Annual prepayment is another anchor: Mailchimp offers annual plans only on Standard and Premium tiers with large lists, and GetResponse and Brevo discount yearly billing. Deliverability resets too, because a new sending domain starts without reputation. Warm it up gradually and keep the old tool alive for a few weeks.
Which email platform fits a solo creator, an online store or a B2B team?
A solo sender with a few thousand subscribers should compare Brevo, MailerLite and Mailchimp's free tier, and watch the send caps: Mailchimp's free plan allows 500 emails a month and 250 a day. An online store should price Klaviyo and Omnisend against its order volume, since both trade on revenue attribution. A B2B team nurturing leads should short-list ActiveCampaign, GetResponse and HubSpot, and count seats: ActiveCampaign Pro lists three users and Enterprise five at 1,000 contacts. A European company with strict hosting rules should begin with Brevo and MailerLite.
How to choose an email marketing platform in three steps
- Price your list at its size in twelve months. Take today's contact count and add a realistic year of growth, then run that number through each vendor's calculator. Compare the totals, not the entry price. Check what counts as a contact: some vendors bill unsubscribed profiles, others do not. Ask whether the send limit scales with contacts, as Mailchimp's Essentials and Standard plans do, or is fixed. Check which features sit behind the next tier, such as automation, A/B tests or extra seats, because the plan you need is often the second one on the page, not the first.
- Rebuild your most important flow as a trial. Use the 14-day trials, or the free tiers, to build the single sequence that earns you money: a welcome series, an abandoned cart reminder, or a lead nurture. Import a real list segment, connect your site or store, and send to your own addresses first. Note the clicks needed, the integration that was missing, and whether the reporting shows revenue or only opens. A tool that makes your flow awkward in an afternoon will not improve with a bigger list.
- Settle hosting, sender domain and exit terms early. Before importing subscribers, read the data processing agreement and find where the data lives. If you need EU hosting, ask the vendor to confirm the region for your account in writing, since ActiveCampaign assigns the region by location and Klaviyo's agreement applies EU storage only where a customer has stipulated it. Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC on your own domain so a future move does not lose your sender reputation. Confirm you can export contacts, tags and campaign reports as files on the cheapest plan, not only on the top one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best email marketing software in 2026?
Brevo ranks first here because it publishes its plans, offers a free tier, starts paid plans at $9 for the lowest volume tier, and states EU server locations. MailerLite ranks second for small lists and GetResponse third for webinar and automation needs. The best choice for a store is Klaviyo, and for a CRM-led team it is HubSpot.
Is there a free email marketing tool that is actually usable?
Yes, within limits. Brevo, MailerLite, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Omnisend, GetResponse and HubSpot all list a free tier. MailerLite lists up to 250 subscribers, Klaviyo and Omnisend also 250 profiles or contacts, and Mailchimp 250 contacts with a cap of 500 emails a month. Free tiers usually add vendor branding and exclude advanced automation.
How much does Mailchimp cost compared with MailerLite and Brevo?
Mailchimp's pricing page shows Free, Essentials, Standard and Premium, with a 14-day trial on paid tiers, but the entry price depends on the contact tier you pick. MailerLite lists paid plans from $12 and $25 a month. Brevo lists Starter from $9 and Standard from $18, as of October 2026. Compare at your own list size.
Is Klaviyo worth it if I do not sell products online?
Usually not. Klaviyo is built around store data such as orders and carts, and its pricing page presents the free plan as 250 profiles and 500 emails a month. A publisher or service business gets more from a newsletter tool such as MailerLite or Brevo, which cost less and do not depend on purchase events.
Which email marketing platforms host data in the EU?
Brevo states that its servers are located in the EU. MailerLite names Germany and the Netherlands. ActiveCampaign offers an EU data center for accounts assigned to it, though some processing remains in the United States. Klaviyo's agreement covers EU storage where the customer has stipulated it. Mailchimp says its owned servers are in the United States.
What does HubSpot Marketing Hub cost for email?
HubSpot lists a free tier with 2,000 sends per month and HubSpot branding. Starter is shown from $7 per seat as a limited-time price, with $20 crossed out. Professional is from $800 a month with a required $3,000 onboarding fee, and Enterprise from $3,600 with $7,000 onboarding, as of October 2026.
Do I need ActiveCampaign or is a simpler tool enough?
A simpler tool is enough if you send newsletters and a welcome email. ActiveCampaign pays off when you score leads, branch automations and track deals. Its Starter plan caps lists at five, and CRM pipelines start at Plus. It offers a 14-day trial, so test one real nurture flow before paying for a year.
How do I move my list from one email provider to another?
Export contacts with their tags and consent status as a CSV, import to the new tool, then rebuild automations by hand because flows do not transfer. Authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC first, send to your most engaged subscribers in the first weeks, and keep the old account active until the new sequences have run once.