Updated June 30, 2026 · Pricing and features verified 2026
Key takeaways
- Mailchimp is the easiest all-rounder for small businesses and newsletters.
- Brevo is the best value, pricing by emails sent rather than contacts stored.
- Klaviyo is the strongest choice for ecommerce email and SMS.
- ActiveCampaign and HubSpot lead when automation and CRM depth matter most.
The best email marketing software in 2026 is Mailchimp for all-round ease, Brevo for value, and Klaviyo for ecommerce, with ActiveCampaign and HubSpot leading when automation and CRM matter. We compared these 5 platforms on editor and ease of use, automation depth, deliverability and segmentation, integrations, and how predictably pricing scales, because the right pick depends on whether you send a newsletter, ecommerce flows, or CRM-tied lifecycle campaigns.
Best email marketing software at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | Small business all-rounder | $13/mo (Essentials) | Yes (250 contacts) |
| Brevo | Best value | $9/mo (Starter) | Yes (300/day) |
| Klaviyo | Ecommerce email + SMS | $20/mo (Email) | Yes (250 profiles) |
| ActiveCampaign | Automation-heavy senders | $15/mo (Starter) | Trial only |
| HubSpot | All-in-one with CRM | Free, then ~$15/seat/mo | Yes (free CRM) |
1. Mailchimp - best all-rounder for small business
Mailchimp is the most recognized email tool for a reason: a friendly editor, polished templates, and a gentle learning curve make it the natural choice for newsletters and small-business campaigns. Note that its free plan dropped to 250 contacts and 500 monthly sends in 2026, and pricing counts subscribed, unsubscribed, and non-subscribed contacts toward your limit, so model the cost at your real list size.
Best for: Small businesses and creators who value ease of use.
- Strengths: Easy editor; great templates; broad integrations; AI assists.
- Limitations: Automation is shallow next to dedicated tools; contact-based pricing climbs.
- Pricing: Free (250 contacts), Essentials from $13/mo, Standard $20/mo, Premium $350/mo.
2. Brevo - best value
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) prices by emails sent rather than contacts stored, so you can keep an unlimited list and pay only for volume, a big saving for businesses with large but lightly emailed audiences. It bundles email, SMS, and a light CRM.
Best for: Teams that want strong value and unlimited contacts.
- Strengths: Email-volume pricing; unlimited contacts; SMS and CRM included.
- Limitations: Daily send caps on the free plan; editor less polished than Mailchimp.
- Pricing: Free (300 emails/day), Starter from $9/mo, Business from $18/mo.
3. Klaviyo - best for ecommerce
Klaviyo is built for ecommerce, with deep Shopify integration, powerful segmentation on purchase behavior, and pre-built flows for abandoned carts and post-purchase. It is the go-to when email and SMS revenue is a core channel.
Best for: Ecommerce brands that treat email and SMS as a revenue engine.
- Strengths: Ecommerce data and segmentation; strong flows; email plus SMS.
- Limitations: Pricing scales with active profiles and can get expensive; overkill for simple newsletters.
- Pricing: Free (250 profiles), Email from $20/mo, Email + SMS from $35/mo.
4. ActiveCampaign - best for automation
ActiveCampaign pairs email with one of the best visual automation builders on the market, plus a built-in CRM. It suits senders who want behavior-driven journeys, not just broadcasts.
Best for: Senders who want deep automation alongside email.
- Strengths: Excellent automation; built-in CRM; strong segmentation.
- Limitations: No free plan; steeper learning curve; add-ons raise cost.
- Pricing: No free plan, Starter from $15/mo, Plus $49/mo, Pro $79/mo.
5. HubSpot - best all-in-one
HubSpot sits email on top of its free CRM, so every send ties to a contact record shared with sales. It is the strongest choice when you want email as part of a unified marketing, sales, and service platform.
Best for: Growing teams that want email inside a full CRM platform.
- Strengths: Unified CRM; powerful reporting and automation; huge ecosystem.
- Limitations: Costs scale steeply with marketing contacts; more than a newsletter needs.
- Pricing: Free CRM, Marketing Hub from ~$15/seat/mo, scaling steeply.
How to choose email marketing software
Start with your use case. For simple newsletters, Mailchimp or Brevo are easiest, and Brevo wins on value if your list is large but lightly emailed. For ecommerce, Klaviyo’s behavioral data is hard to beat. If automation is central, ActiveCampaign offers the most depth for the money, while HubSpot makes sense when you want email unified with a CRM. Finally, model pricing at your real list size: contact-based tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo) climb as you grow, while Brevo’s email-volume model can be cheaper for big lists.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best email marketing software for small business? Mailchimp is the easiest all-rounder, while Brevo offers the best value, especially if you have a large list you email occasionally.
Which email tool is best for ecommerce? Klaviyo, thanks to its deep ecommerce integrations, behavioral segmentation, and strong email and SMS flows.
Is there free email marketing software? Yes. Mailchimp (250 contacts), Brevo (300 emails/day), Klaviyo (250 profiles), and HubSpot’s free CRM all offer free tiers. ActiveCampaign offers a trial only.