Email Marketing Tools: Pricing Comparison (2026)
What email marketing actually costs - at your scale, not just the starting price.
We researched the pricing pages, calculators, and review scores of 11 leading email marketing platforms so you can see exactly what you'll pay at 1K, 10K, and 50K contacts - and how it fits into your overall marketing spend.
11 Tools Compared | Last updated: February 2026
| Tool | 1K contacts | 10K contacts | 50K contacts | Pricing Model | Free Plan | Monthly Plan | Self-Service | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | $26.5/mo | $110/mo | $385/mo | Per contact | 4.4 | |||
| ActiveCampaign | $15/mo | $149/mo | $609/mo | Per contact | 4.5 | |||
| HubSpot Marketing Hub | Free | $292.5/mo | $1492.5/mo | Per contact | 4.4 | |||
| Klaviyo | $45/mo | $150/mo | $720/mo | Per contact | 4.6 | |||
| Constant Contact | $30/mo | $120/mo | $430/mo | Per contact | 4.2 | |||
| MailerLite | $15/mo | $73/mo | $289/mo | Per contact | 4.7 | |||
| Brevo | $14/mo* | $14/mo* | $45/mo* | Per email volume* | 4.2 | |||
| GetResponse | $19/mo | $79/mo | $299/mo | Per contact | 4.3 | |||
| Kit (formerly ConvertKit) | Free | Free | $439/mo | Per contact | 4.5 | |||
| Omnisend | $20/mo | $132/mo | $413/mo | Per contact | 4.7 | |||
| Drip | $39/mo | $154/mo | $699/mo | Per contact | 4.4 |
* Priced per email sent, not per contact count.
Email Marketing Tools — Detailed Breakdown
How each tool's pricing actually works, with budget context.
The most recognizable name in email marketing. Mailchimp offers an all-in-one marketing suite with email campaigns, landing pages, social posting, and basic automation - backed by a massive integration ecosystem.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$13–$385/mo
Free Plan
Up to 250 contacts, 500 emails/mo, no multi-step automations, Mailchimp branding
Mailchimp prices by total contact count across three paid tiers: Essentials ($13+/mo), Standard ($20+/mo), and Premium ($350+/mo). At 10,000 contacts on Standard, expect $110/mo. A major cost trap: Mailchimp charges for unsubscribed and inactive contacts unless you manually archive them, which can inflate your bill 10–20% over what you'd expect.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor with strong template library
- Massive integration ecosystem (300+ apps)
- Built-in landing pages, social posting, and basic CRM
Cons
- Charges for unsubscribed and inactive contacts
- Pricing increases steeply above 10K contacts
- Automation limited to Standard plan and above
A marketing automation powerhouse that combines email, CRM, and sales automation. Known for its visual workflow builder with 900+ automation templates and strong deliverability.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$15–$1,169/mo
Free Plan
No — 14-day free trial
ActiveCampaign uses tiered pricing based on both contact count and plan level (Starter, Plus, Pro, Enterprise). Starter at 1,000 contacts is $15/mo, but most B2B teams need Plus ($49/mo at 1K) for CRM and lead scoring. At 10,000 contacts, Starter jumps to ~$149/mo. Annual billing saves 20%. SMS, WhatsApp, and additional user seats cost extra.
Pros
- Best-in-class visual automation builder with 900+ templates
- Built-in CRM for sales and marketing alignment
- Strong deliverability reputation and reporting
Cons
- No free plan - 14-day trial only
- Pricing escalates quickly with contacts and feature tiers
- CRM and lead scoring require Plus plan ($49+/mo)
HubSpot's marketing suite includes email, landing pages, forms, social media, and marketing automation - all connected to its free CRM. The enterprise option for teams that want everything in one platform.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$15–$3,600/mo
Free Plan
Limited email features, HubSpot branding, basic forms and landing pages
HubSpot charges per marketing contact (contacts you actively email). Non-marketing CRM contacts are free. Starter is $15/mo per seat with 1,000 contacts. Professional ($890/mo) includes 10,000 contacts and is where real automation lives - but requires a $3,000 onboarding fee and annual commitment. Enterprise is $3,600/mo. Additional contacts cost $40–50/mo per 1K on Starter, $150–250/mo per 5K on Professional.
Pros
- Full marketing suite with free CRM included
- Excellent reporting, attribution, and analytics
- Strong ecosystem with partner network and integrations
Cons
- Professional tier ($890/mo) required for real automation
- Mandatory onboarding fees ($3,000–$7,000)
- Can dominate your entire marketing budget at scale
The go-to email and SMS platform for e-commerce. Klaviyo integrates deeply with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce for behavior-based automation, predictive analytics, and revenue attribution.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$20–$720/mo
Free Plan
Up to 250 contacts, 500 email sends/mo
Klaviyo prices by total active profiles - all subscribed contacts in your account, whether emailed recently or not. Email-only at 1,000 profiles is $30/mo, scaling to $150/mo at 10K and $720/mo at 50K. As of February 2025, Klaviyo bills on total active profiles rather than just emailed contacts, which increased costs for brands with large unengaged lists. Revenue attribution lets you directly measure ROI per email.
Pros
- Best-in-class Shopify and e-commerce integrations
- Revenue attribution shows ROI per email and flow
- Powerful predictive analytics and segmentation
Cons
- Expensive compared to general-purpose tools at scale
- Now bills all active profiles, not just emailed contacts
- Overkill and overpriced if you're not in e-commerce
One of the longest-running email marketing platforms, now offering email, social media marketing, SMS, and event management. Known for ease of use but relatively high pricing for what you get.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$12–$575/mo
Free Plan
No — 14-day free trial
Constant Contact offers three plans: Lite ($12+/mo), Standard ($35+/mo), and Premium ($80+/mo). Pricing jumps at contact tier boundaries. At 1,000 contacts, Standard is $75/mo (in the 501–2,500 tier). At 10K, it's $160/mo. The free plan was eliminated in June 2025, replaced by a 14-day trial. Annual billing saves 15%. Overage charges are $0.002 per email above your send limit.
Pros
- Very easy to use with strong onboarding for beginners
- Built-in event management and RSVP tools
- Good deliverability with 25+ years of email infrastructure
Cons
- No free plan (eliminated June 2025)
- Expensive for what you get compared to MailerLite or Brevo
- Automation capabilities lag behind ActiveCampaign and others
A clean, affordable email marketing platform that punches well above its price point. MailerLite offers email campaigns, automation, landing pages, websites, and a generous free plan - all with an intuitive interface.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$10–$340/mo
Free Plan
Up to 500 subscribers, 12,000 emails/mo, limited templates, MailerLite branding
MailerLite prices by subscriber count across three paid tiers: Growing Business ($10+/mo), Advanced ($20+/mo), and Enterprise (custom). At 1,000 subscribers, Growing Business is $15/mo - one of the cheapest in the market. At 10,000, it's just $73/mo. The free plan supports 500 subscribers with 12,000 emails/mo. Annual billing saves 10%.
Pros
- Exceptionally affordable - often 50–70% cheaper than Mailchimp
- Clean, intuitive interface with strong drag-and-drop editor
- Includes website builder, landing pages, and pop-ups at no extra cost
Cons
- Free plan reduced from 1,000 to 500 subscribers
- Template design flexibility more limited than Mailchimp
- Advanced reporting and analytics are basic compared to ActiveCampaign
Formerly Sendinblue, Brevo is a multi-channel marketing platform offering email, SMS, WhatsApp, and chat. Its pricing model based on email volume rather than contacts makes it uniquely affordable for large lists.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$9–$499/mo
Free Plan
300 emails/day (unlimited contacts), Brevo branding
Brevo prices by monthly email volume, not contact count - a significant difference. You can store unlimited contacts on every plan, including free. Starter begins at $9/mo for 5,000 emails. Business starts at $18/mo for 5,000 emails with advanced automation. This model is dramatically cheaper if you have a large list but don't email everyone every week. Remove Brevo branding for $10/mo extra.
Pros
- Unlimited contacts on all plans, including free
- Built-in SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat marketing
- Dramatically cheaper than per-contact tools for large lists
Cons
- Email editor less polished than Mailchimp or MailerLite
- Automation workflows less advanced than ActiveCampaign
- Brevo branding on free and Starter plans ($10/mo to remove)
A versatile email marketing and automation platform that also includes webinar hosting, conversion funnels, and an AI-powered website builder. Strong for teams that want marketing automation without enterprise pricing.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$19–$690/mo
Free Plan
500 contacts, 2,500 emails/mo, limited features
GetResponse offers four plans: Starter ($19/mo), Marketer ($59/mo), Creator ($69/mo), and Enterprise (custom). Starter at 1,000 contacts is $19/mo, scaling to $79/mo at 10K and $299/mo at 50K. Billing is based on peak subscriber count during the billing cycle. If you briefly exceed a tier, you're charged at the higher level. A free plan supports 500 contacts with 2,500 emails/mo. Annual billing saves 18%.
Pros
- Built-in webinar hosting and conversion funnels
- Competitive pricing for the feature set
- AI-powered email and website builder
Cons
- Bills based on peak subscriber count (can surprise you)
- Charges for unsubscribed contacts
- Interface feels dated compared to MailerLite or Mailchimp
Built for creators - bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and solo entrepreneurs. Kit focuses on simplicity, subscriber tagging, visual automations, and landing pages for audience growth.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$25–$619/mo
Free Plan
Up to 10,000 subscribers, 1 automation, basic features
Kit offers a free Newsletter plan (up to 10,000 subscribers - the most generous free tier in email marketing), Creator ($39/mo at 1K), and Creator Pro ($79/mo at 1K). Creator at 1,000 subscribers is $39/mo, scaling to ~$119/mo at 10K and ~$319/mo at 50K. No overage fees. Your plan upgrades automatically. Free migration from other platforms for lists over 5,000. Annual billing saves 16%.
Pros
- Most generous free plan in email marketing (10,000 subscribers)
- Purpose-built for content creators with landing pages and tip jars
- Clean interface with visual automation builder
Cons
- Limited template design flexibility (text-focused by design)
- Not suited for complex B2B workflows or e-commerce
- Reporting and analytics are basic compared to alternatives
An e-commerce-focused email and SMS marketing platform with deep Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce integrations. Competes with Klaviyo at a lower price point with built-in SMS credits.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$16–$715/mo
Free Plan
250 contacts, 500 emails/mo, limited features
Omnisend offers Standard ($16+/mo) and Pro ($59+/mo) plans. Standard at 1,000 contacts is $16/mo with email send limits of 12x your contact count. Pro offers unlimited emails plus monthly SMS credits matching your plan cost. At 10K contacts, Standard is $132/mo and Pro is $150/mo. The free plan covers 250 contacts with 500 emails/mo. First-time subscribers get 30% off for 3 months.
Pros
- Strong Shopify and e-commerce integrations at a lower price than Klaviyo
- Built-in SMS credits included in Pro plans
- Pre-built e-commerce automation workflows (cart abandonment, browse abandonment)
Cons
- Standard plan has email send limits (12x contact count)
- Less advanced segmentation than Klaviyo
- Smaller integration ecosystem outside e-commerce
An e-commerce CRM and email marketing platform built for online stores. Drip focuses on behavior-based automation, deep store integrations, and revenue attribution - with a simple all-features-included pricing model.
Pricing Model
Price Range
$39–$699/mo
Free Plan
No — 14-day free trial
Drip uses a single pricing tier with a subscriber-based slider. Every feature is included at every level. Starting at $39/mo for 2,500 subscribers with unlimited emails. At 10,000 subscribers, it's $154/mo. At 50,000, it's $699/mo. Lists over 180,000 move to custom pricing. No feature tiers to navigate. Live chat support is available on plans $99+/mo.
Pros
- All features included at every price point - no feature gating
- Strong e-commerce automation with revenue attribution
- Visual workflow builder with behavior-based triggers
Cons
- No free plan (14-day trial only, limited to 100 emails)
- More expensive than general-purpose tools like MailerLite
- Smaller ecosystem and fewer integrations than Mailchimp or Klaviyo
Email Marketing Pricing FAQ
Common questions about email marketing costs, budgeting, and how to get the most value from your tools.
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