Cheapest Email Marketing Platforms in 2026: Complete Price Comparison

Email marketing pricing is confusing — every platform charges differently, and the "starting at" prices rarely reflect what you'll actually pay. We compared 8 platforms at 6 list sizes to find the truly cheapest options.

⚡ QUICK ANSWER: Cheapest email platforms: Brevo ($25/mo, unlimited contacts), MailerLite ($10/mo, best free plan), GetResponse ($19/mo, best value with AI), Mailchimp ($13/mo, most known), ConvertKit ($0 free for 1K). At 10,000 contacts, Brevo is 62-85% cheaper than Klaviyo.

Cheapest Email Platforms Ranked

1. Brevo — Cheapest Overall

Starting price: $25/month (Starter) Free plan: 300 contacts, 300 emails/day Why it's cheapest: Charges per email sent, not per contact. Unlimited contacts on all paid plans.

2. MailerLite — Best Free Plan

Starting price: $10/month (Growing Business) Free plan: 1,000 contacts, 12,000 emails/month Why it's cheap: Simple feature set, no premium add-ons, generous free tier.

3. GetResponse — Best Value (Features per Dollar)

Starting price: $19/month (Starter) Free plan: 500 contacts Why it's great value: Includes AI email writer, webinar hosting, 200+ landing page templates — features others charge $50+ more for.

4. Mailchimp — Most Known (But Not Cheapest)

Starting price: $13/month (Essentials) Free plan: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month Why it's not cheapest: Pricing scales aggressively. At 10K+ contacts, it's 25-40% more than alternatives.

5. ConvertKit (Kit) — Best for Creators

Starting price: $25/month (Creator) Free plan: 1,000 contacts Why it's decent: Good free plan, but paid tiers get expensive fast.

6. ActiveCampaign — Best Automation (Premium Price)

Starting price: $15/month (Starter) Free plan: 14-day trial only Why it's not cheap: No free plan, and pricing jumps significantly with contacts.

7. Klaviyo — Best for Ecommerce (Most Expensive)

Starting price: $20/month (Email) Free plan: 250 contacts, 500 emails/month Why it's expensive: Premium pricing for ecommerce analytics. At 10K contacts, costs $170/mo.

8. HubSpot — All-in-One (Enterprise Pricing)

Starting price: $20/month (Starter) Free plan: Free CRM with limited email Why it's not cheap: Marketing automation starts at $890/month. Only worth it if you need full CRM.

Full Price Comparison Table

Best Platform by List Size

Under 1,000 contacts: MailerLite (Free)

• 1,000 contacts, 12,000 emails/month
• Basic automation, landing pages, signup forms
• No credit card required

1,000-5,000 contacts: GetResponse ($19-54/mo)

• Best value with AI tools and webinars
• 200+ landing page templates
• Advanced automation on Marketer plan

5,000-10,000 contacts: Brevo ($25-65/mo)

• Unlimited contacts, per-email pricing
• 55-85% cheaper than Klaviyo
• SMS marketing included

10,000-25,000 contacts: Brevo ($37-145/mo)

• Still cheapest due to per-email model
• Business plan adds advanced automation

25,000-50,000 contacts: GetResponse ($174-399/mo)

• Best balance of price and features
• AI tools, webinars, advanced automation
• 20-45% cheaper than Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign

50,000+ contacts: Brevo ($57-275/mo) or GetResponse ($299-399/mo)

• Brevo for low email frequency (cheapest)
• GetResponse for full feature set (best value)

Free Plans Compared

*Unlimited emails on free plans with platform badge

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Brevo if: You want the cheapest option, have a large list, or send emails infrequently. Best for price-sensitive businesses.

Choose MailerLite if: You have under 1,000 contacts and want the best free plan. Best for beginners and small newsletters.

Choose GetResponse if: You want the best value (most features per dollar). AI tools, webinars, and 200+ templates make it the best all-around platform. Best for growing businesses.

Choose Mailchimp if: You need 300+ integrations or already use it alongside other tools. Best for integration-heavy setups.

Choose Klaviyo if: You run an ecommerce store doing $50K+/month and need advanced analytics. Best for serious ecommerce only.

Our Top Recommendation: GetResponse

For most businesses, GetResponse offers the best balance of price and features:

• $19/month starting (cheaper than Mailchimp at most tiers)
• AI email writer (no one else includes this)
• Webinar hosting (unique feature)
• 200+ landing page templates (most in the industry)
• Free plan (500 contacts with AI tools)
• Advanced automation on Marketer plan

Try GetResponse Free →

Cheapest Option: Brevo

If price is your only concern, Brevo is unbeatable:

• $25/month with unlimited contacts
• Per-email pricing means you only pay for what you send
• SMS + WhatsApp included
• 62-85% cheaper than Klaviyo

Try Brevo Free →

Bottom line: Don't just look at starting prices — look at what you'll pay at your actual list size. Use our free Pricing Calculator to see your exact monthly costs across all platforms. For most businesses, GetResponse or Brevo will save you 30-70% vs Mailchimp or Klaviyo.