Mailchimp's free plan is the best starting point. Brevo wins on value for paid features, especially if you send a lot of emails.
Email marketing delivers an average ROI of $36 for every $1 spent — higher than social media or paid ads. For small businesses, building an email list and sending regular campaigns remains one of the highest-leverage marketing activities available. The challenge is choosing the right tool without overpaying.
1. Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the most widely used email marketing platform for good reason: its free plan supports up to 500 contacts and includes basic automations, drag-and-drop templates, and analytics. It's the easiest to get started with, and most integrations (Shopify, WordPress, Stripe) support Mailchimp natively.
2. Brevo
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) charges by emails sent rather than contacts stored — making it far better value as your list grows. Advanced automation workflows are available on paid plans from $25/month. If you need transactional emails (order confirmations, password resets) alongside marketing campaigns, Brevo handles both elegantly.
✓What works well
- +Mailchimp free plan is generous and easy to start
- +Brevo's contact-unlimited pricing scales well
- +ConvertKit excels for creator monetization
- +All three support automations and segmentation
✕Watch out for
- −Mailchimp gets expensive as contacts grow
- −Brevo's UI is less polished than competitors
- −ConvertKit is overkill for simple newsletter use
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Is email marketing still effective in 2026?
Yes — email delivers an average ROI of $36 for every $1 spent, higher than social media or paid ads. Building an email list remains one of the most valuable long-term assets for any business.
Q.Can I switch email platforms later?
Yes. Most platforms let you export your contact list as a CSV. The main migration challenge is rebuilding automations and email templates.
Q.How often should I email my list?
For most small businesses, once every 1–2 weeks is the sweet spot. Emailing too often increases unsubscribes; too rarely and your audience forgets you.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Tool | Free Plan | Automation | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailchimpTOP | 500 contacts | Basic | Free | Beginners |
| Brevo | 300 emails/day | Advanced | $25/mo | Value seekers |
| ConvertKit | 1,000 subs | Advanced | Free/$29 | Creators |
Our recommendation
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