Best Email Marketing Software in 2026
Platforms for building email lists, sending newsletters and campaigns, and automating messages based on subscriber behaviour.
- Verified 10 Nov 2026Every profile shows where facts came from
- Unknowns labelledGaps are stated, never guessed
- No paid placementNo affiliate links, ratings or reviews
- Not a rankingAlphabetical by default; fit notes, not scores
What is Email Marketing Software?
Email marketing software lets you collect subscribers, design and send newsletters and promotional campaigns, and automate messages such as welcome series or abandoned cart reminders. Most platforms also handle segmentation, A/B testing, deliverability and reporting, and many add SMS, landing pages or AI writing tools.
Email marketing platforms manage the whole lifecycle of a list: sign-up forms and landing pages to collect subscribers, an editor to design emails, sending infrastructure that protects deliverability, and reports on opens, clicks and revenue.
The market splits into general-purpose tools for newsletters and small-business campaigns, automation-heavy platforms for behaviour-driven marketing, creator tools built around newsletters and digital products, and ecommerce-first platforms that turn store data into email and SMS flows.
Pricing models matter more here than in most categories. Some vendors charge by stored contacts, some by subscribers, and some by the number of emails sent, so the cheapest tool depends on the size and engagement of your list. The profiles below summarise dated sources; they are research aids, not rankings.
Best email marketing software by need.
Shortlists built from what each sourced profile documents, listed alphabetically, not ranked. Open a profile for limits, prices and sources.
Best free email marketing software
7 of 16 profiles document a free plan.
Email marketing software for small businesses
5 of 16 profiles are documented mainly for small and mid-size teams.
Email marketing software for enterprises
5 of 16 profiles are documented for large enterprises.
Email marketing software with AI features
7 of 16 profiles document an AI assistant, agents or AI features.
Email Marketing Software compared: browse and filter
Search and filters update this list on the page and do not create new URLs, so every profile stays crawlable and linkable.
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign · Email marketing and automation platform (SaaS)
A marketing automation platform priced by contacts, with Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans and no permanent free plan.
- Free trial
- Contact-based pricing
- Cloud
- Advanced automation
- Independent sources
Best for Teams that need deep automation and segmentation
Key capabilities- Automations
- Orchestration and advanced segmentation
- Site tracking and forms
- Contact scoring
PricingNo free plan; plans reported from $15 per month billed yearly (Starter, 1,000 contacts).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly-
AWeber
AWeber Communications · Email marketing platform (SaaS)
A long-running email marketing tool for small businesses and creators, with a free plan for 500 subscribers and Lite and Plus paid plans priced by list size.
- Free plan
- Free trial
- Cloud
- Independent sources
Best for Creators and small businesses starting an email list
Key capabilities- Drag-and-drop editor and templates
- Autoresponders
- RSS and blog broadcasts
- Sign-up forms and landing pages
PricingFree for 500 subscribers; Lite from $12.50 a month billed annually.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly -
beehiiv
beehiiv Inc. · Newsletter platform with monetisation (SaaS)
A newsletter platform for creators and media brands, free up to 2,500 subscribers, with Lite and Pro plans that add paid subscriptions, ad monetisation and branding removal.
- Free plan
- Cloud
- Independent sources
Best for Newsletter creators and media brands
Key capabilities- Editor
- Website and archive
- Podcast and community tools
- Referral programme
PricingFree up to 2,500 subscribers; Lite $49 a month billed annually.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly Brevo
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) · Email and multichannel marketing platform (SaaS)
A multichannel marketing platform, formerly Sendinblue, priced by emails sent rather than contacts, with a free plan of 300 emails a day.
- Free plan
- Priced by email volume
- Cloud
- Marketing automation
- Independent sources
Best for Senders with large contact lists but modest sending volume
Key capabilities- Volume-based plans
- No daily cap on paid plans
- Transactional email
- Marketing automation
PricingFree plan with 300 emails a day; paid plans reported from $9 per month (Starter, 5,000 emails).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directlyCampaign Monitor
Campaign Monitor (Marigold) · Email marketing platform (SaaS)
A design-focused email marketing platform from Marigold with Lite, Essentials and Premier plans priced by contacts.
- Contact-based pricing
- Cloud
- Email design
- AI Writer
- Independent sources
Best for Brands and agencies that prioritise polished email design
Key capabilities- Drag-and-drop builder
- Custom coded templates
- AI Writer
- Automated and transactional emails
PricingPlans reported from $12 to $13 per month (Lite, 500 contacts).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directlyConstant Contact
Constant Contact · Email marketing platform (SaaS)
A small-business email platform with Lite, Standard and Premium plans priced by contacts, built-in events and no free plan.
- Free trial
- Contact-based pricing
- Cloud
- Events
- Independent sources
Best for Small businesses and nonprofits that want guided, all-in-one email
Key capabilities- AI copy generator
- Automation templates
- Subject line testing
- Custom segments
PricingNo free plan; plans reported from $12 per month (Lite, up to 500 contacts).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directlyGetResponse
GetResponse · Email marketing and automation platform (SaaS)
An email marketing platform with webinars, courses and funnels, a free plan for 500 contacts and paid plans from $19 a month.
- Free plan
- Contact-based pricing
- Cloud
- Webinars
- Independent sources
Best for Marketers who want email, funnels and webinars in one tool
Key capabilities- Unlimited sends
- AI content generators
- Autoresponders
- Unlimited automation workflows
PricingFree for up to 500 contacts; Starter reported at $19 per month or $15.58 billed annually (1,000 contacts).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directlyKit (ConvertKit)
Kit · Email marketing platform for creators (SaaS)
An email platform for creators, formerly ConvertKit, with a free Newsletter plan for up to 10,000 subscribers and paid Creator and Pro plans.
- Free plan
- Subscriber-based pricing
- Cloud
- Creators
- Independent sources
Best for Creators and solo businesses building a newsletter
Key capabilities- Unlimited broadcasts
- Landing pages and forms
- No visual automations
- Visual automations
PricingFree Newsletter plan up to 10,000 subscribers; Creator reported from $33 per month billed annually.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directlyKlaviyo
Klaviyo · Ecommerce email and SMS platform (SaaS)
An ecommerce email and SMS platform billed on active profiles, with a free plan for 250 profiles and paid Email and Email + SMS plans.
- Free plan
- Priced by active profiles
- Cloud
- Ecommerce
- Independent sources
Best for Online stores that want ecommerce-driven email and SMS flows
Key capabilities- Flows
- Segmentation
- Predictive analytics
- Email + SMS plan
PricingFree for up to 250 active profiles; Email plan reported from $20 per month (500 profiles).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directlyMailchimp
Intuit Mailchimp · Email marketing platform (SaaS)
An email and marketing automation platform priced by contact count, with a free plan for 250 contacts and Essentials, Standard and Premium paid tiers.
- Free plan
- Contact-based pricing
- Cloud
- Marketing automation
- Independent sources
Best for Small businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool
Key capabilities- Drag-and-drop editor
- Audiences
- Contact storage limits
- Customer journeys
PricingFree for up to 250 contacts; paid plans reported from $13 per month (Essentials, 500 contacts).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directlyMailerLite
MailerLite · Email marketing platform (SaaS)
An affordable email marketing platform with a free plan for 250 subscribers and paid Comfort and Power plans from $12 a month.
- Free plan
- Subscriber-based pricing
- Cloud
- Landing pages
- Independent sources
Best for Small businesses that want low-cost email with landing pages
Key capabilities- Visual automation builder
- A/B testing
- Dynamic emails and smart sending
- Websites and landing pages
PricingFree for up to 250 subscribers; Comfort reported from $12 per month and Power from $25 (500 subscribers).Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly-
Mailmodo
Mailmodo Technologies · Interactive (AMP) email marketing platform (SaaS)
An email marketing platform built around interactive AMP emails with forms, polls and calculators inside the inbox, with Lite, Pro and Max plans.
- Free trial
- Cloud
- Independent sources
Best for SaaS and B2B marketers collecting feedback
Key capabilities- AMP forms and polls
- Calculators and booking
- Fallback HTML
- Journeys
PricingLite reported from about $59 a month billed annually.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly -
Moosend
Sitecore · Email marketing and automation platform (SaaS)
A low-cost email marketing and automation platform owned by Sitecore, with unlimited sends from $9 a month and a 30-day free trial.
- Free trial
- Cloud
- Independent sources
Best for Budget-conscious SMBs that need automation
Key capabilities- Unlimited emails
- Automation workflows
- Segmentation and personalisation
- Landing pages
PricingPro from $9 a month for 500 contacts, unlimited sends.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly Omnisend
Omnisend · Ecommerce email and SMS platform (SaaS)
An ecommerce email, SMS and push platform with a free plan, Standard from $16 and Pro from $59 a month.
- Free plan
- Priced by billable contacts
- Cloud
- Ecommerce
- Vendor documentation
Best for Online stores that want email and push, with SMS on Pro
Key capabilities- Email sends
- Web push
- Automated workflows
- SMS on Pro
PricingFree plan (500 emails a month, 250 contacts); Standard from $16 and Pro from $59 per month.Prices from a vendor-published source-
Sender
Sender.net · Email and SMS marketing (SaaS)
A low-cost email and SMS marketing tool with a free plan for 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, plus monthly and pay-as-you-go paid options.
- Free plan
- Cloud
- Independent sources
Best for Small businesses on a budget
Key capabilities- Drag-and-drop builder
- Templates
- Segmentation
- Workflows
PricingFree for 2,500 subscribers.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly -
Zoho Campaigns
Zoho Corporation · Email marketing and automation (SaaS)
Zoho’s email marketing tool with a forever-free plan, low subscriber-based Standard and Professional plans, and pay-as-you-go email credits.
- Free plan
- Free trial
- Cloud
- Independent sources
Best for Zoho CRM users
Key capabilities- Drag-and-drop editor
- A/B testing
- Autoresponders
- Workflows
PricingForever Free plan; Standard from about $3 a month.Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly
No listings match these filters.
Listings are ordered alphabetically by default. They are not ranked, and there are no user ratings or paid placements.
Email Marketing Software compared on key criteria.
Summaries come from each profile; open a profile for sources and caveats.
| Product | Pricing model | Free plan | Automation | Ecommerce focus | AI features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | By contacts; add-ons extra | No; 14-day trial | Advanced; 5 actions on Starter | General purpose | Predictive features from Pro |
| Brevo | By emails sent per month | Yes (300 emails a day) | Full automation from Standard | General purpose, multichannel | AI segmentation on Professional |
| Campaign Monitor | By contacts | No permanent plan (sources conflict) | Unlimited automations from Essentials | General purpose; design-led | AI Writer |
| Constant Contact | By contacts; send caps per plan | No; 14-day trial | Templates; custom flows on Premium | General purpose; events | AI copy generator, AI campaign builder |
| GetResponse | By contacts | Yes (500 contacts) | 1 workflow on Starter; unlimited from Marketer | General purpose; funnels | AI content generators |
| Kit (ConvertKit) | By subscribers | Yes (up to 10,000 subscribers) | Visual automations from Creator | Creators and digital products | Not reviewed |
| Klaviyo | By active profiles; SMS by credit | Yes (250 profiles, 500 sends a month) | Ecommerce flows on all paid plans | Ecommerce-first | Predictive analytics |
| Mailchimp | By contacts; send caps per plan | Yes (250 contacts, 500 sends a month) | Journeys limited on Essentials; full from Standard | General purpose | Not reviewed |
| MailerLite | By subscribers | Yes (250 subscribers, 2,500 emails) | 50 automations on Comfort; unlimited on Power | General purpose; digital products | AI writing assistant from Comfort |
| Omnisend | By billable contacts | Yes (500 emails, 250 contacts) | Ecommerce workflows | Ecommerce-first | Not reviewed |
Which Email Marketing Software option fits which situation.
- ActiveCampaignMay suit Teams that need deep automation and segmentation
- BrevoMay suit Senders with large contact lists but modest sending volume
- Campaign MonitorMay suit Brands and agencies that prioritise polished email design
- Constant ContactMay suit Small businesses and nonprofits that want guided, all-in-one email
- GetResponseMay suit Marketers who want email, funnels and webinars in one tool
- Kit (ConvertKit)May suit Creators and solo businesses building a newsletter
- KlaviyoMay suit Online stores that want ecommerce-driven email and SMS flows
- MailchimpMay suit Small businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool
- MailerLiteMay suit Small businesses that want low-cost email with landing pages
- OmnisendMay suit Online stores that want email and push, with SMS on Pro
Based on each profile's documented strengths and limits. These are fit notes, not rankings: test options against your own requirements.
Key features and capabilities of Email Marketing Software.
The capabilities that define the category. Not every product offers all of them, and depth varies a lot between entry-level and enterprise tools.
Email editor and templates
Design responsive emails without code.
List and segment management
Organise subscribers by interest and behaviour.
Automation
Welcome series and triggered emails.
Personalisation
Dynamic content and merge fields.
A/B testing
Test subject lines and content.
Deliverability tools
Authentication, list hygiene and monitoring.
Signup forms
Grow the list with consent.
Reporting
Opens, clicks, conversions and revenue.
How businesses use Email Marketing Software.
- 01
Newsletters
Keep audiences engaged regularly.
- 02
Welcome series
Introduce new subscribers.
- 03
Promotions
Announce offers and launches.
- 04
Abandoned cart emails
Recover ecommerce revenue.
- 05
Customer updates
Share product news.
Who uses Email Marketing Software and what problems it solves.
Small businesses and nonprofits
Send regular newsletters and promotions and want an easy editor, templates and support without a marketing team.
Creators and publishers
Grow an audience, run sequences and sell digital products or paid newsletters from one list.
Ecommerce brands
Use store data to trigger abandoned cart, browse and post-purchase flows, often alongside SMS.
Marketing teams
Need behaviour-based automation, scoring, segmentation and testing across larger lists and several users.
What Email Marketing Software changes in practice.
Practical outcomes teams report when the category is implemented well. Results depend on adoption, data quality and process, so we do not quote percentages.
Owned audience
Direct channel to customers.
Low cost per message
Efficient at scale.
Automated revenue
Triggered emails sell continuously.
Insight into interests
Engagement shows preferences.
Features and criteria to evaluate in Email Marketing Software.
Pricing model and list size
Check whether you pay by stored contacts, subscribers or emails sent, and how unsubscribed or inactive contacts are counted.
Sending limits
Look at monthly and daily send caps, overage charges and whether automated emails count toward them.
Automation depth
Compare how many automations, steps and triggers each plan allows, and which plan unlocks branching journeys.
Deliverability
Ask about authentication setup, shared versus dedicated IPs and the tools offered to keep lists clean.
Ecommerce and integrations
Confirm native connections to your store, CRM, forms and analytics, and whether product data drives emails.
AI and content tools
Separate AI writing help and send-time optimisation included in plans from features sold as add-ons.
How to choose Email Marketing Software: a step-by-step approach.
- 1
Size your list honestly
Count active subscribers, total stored contacts and how often you send. That decides whether contact-based or send-based pricing is cheaper.
- 2
List the emails you need
Write down newsletters, promotions and automated flows such as welcome series, abandoned cart or re-engagement, then check which plan supports each.
- 3
Price the next two years
Model cost at your expected list size, including SMS credits, extra users, logo removal and other add-ons.
- 4
Check deliverability basics
Confirm domain authentication support, sending reputation tools and whether a dedicated IP is available or needed.
- 5
Test with real content
Build one real campaign and one automation in two or three tools and send test emails to different inbox providers.
- 6
Plan migration and exit
Check how lists, tags, consent records and templates export, and what is lost when you leave.
Questions to ask before you buy
- How is pricing tied to subscribers or sends?
- What deliverability support is included?
- Does it integrate with our store or CRM?
- How is consent recorded?
Common mistakes when choosing Email Marketing Software.
Paying for dead contacts
On contact-based plans every stored contact counts, so unengaged subscribers raise the bill without adding value.
Choosing on the free plan
Free plans are often small and change; check what the first paid tier costs at your realistic list size.
Ignoring send caps
Monthly and daily limits can stop campaigns mid-send or trigger overage charges.
Skipping authentication
Without proper domain authentication, even good emails can land in spam.
Over-building automation
Complex journeys are hard to maintain. Start with a few high-value flows and expand.
Email Marketing Software key terms explained.
- Contact-based pricing
- Billing by the number of contacts stored in your account, whether or not you email them.
- Send-based pricing
- Billing by the number of emails sent each month, regardless of list size.
- Automation (flow or journey)
- A sequence of emails or actions triggered by subscriber behaviour, such as signing up or abandoning a cart.
- Segmentation
- Dividing a list into groups by data or behaviour so each group gets more relevant emails.
- Deliverability
- The share of emails that reach the inbox rather than spam, shaped by authentication, reputation and list quality.
- Dedicated IP
- A sending address used only by your account, giving more control over reputation at higher volumes.
Email Marketing Software comparisons.
13 side-by-side comparisons with a feature table, pricing, strengths and limits, and best-fit scenarios. No winner is declared in any of them.
Alternatives to popular email marketing software.
Every product in this category has a guide comparing its main alternatives and competitors on pricing, free plan, features and fit.
Email Marketing Software questions and answers
What is the best free email marketing software?
7 of the 16 email marketing software profiles here document a free plan: Brevo, GetResponse, Kit (ConvertKit), Klaviyo, Mailchimp, MailerLite and Omnisend. Free plans and tiers usually cap users, records or usage, so check each profile for limits. The list is alphabetical, not a ranking.
What is the best email marketing software for small businesses?
Products documented mainly for small and mid-size teams include Constant Contact, Kit (ConvertKit), Mailchimp, MailerLite and Omnisend. Constant Contact may suit small businesses and nonprofits that want guided, all-in-one email. Kit (ConvertKit) may suit creators and solo businesses building a newsletter. Mailchimp may suit small businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool. The best fit depends on your sales or work process and budget, so trial two or three.
Which email marketing software suits large enterprises?
5 profiles are documented for large enterprises: ActiveCampaign, Brevo, Campaign Monitor, GetResponse and Klaviyo. Larger rollouts should also check SSO, permissions, audit logs, data residency and contract terms on each profile.
Which email marketing software has built-in AI features?
7 of 16 profiles document an AI assistant, agents or AI features: ActiveCampaign, Brevo, Campaign Monitor, Constant Contact, GetResponse, Klaviyo and MailerLite. Check which plans include AI and whether agent or credit usage is billed separately.
What is the best email marketing software for ecommerce?
Platforms built ecommerce-first include Klaviyo and Omnisend. They use store data for abandoned cart, browse and post-purchase flows. The list is alphabetical, not a ranking.
Where can I find alternatives to a specific email marketing platform?
Every product in this category has its own alternatives guide, for example Brevo alternatives, Mailchimp alternatives and MailerLite alternatives. Each guide compares the main competitors on pricing, free plan, features and fit.
Is contact-based or send-based pricing cheaper?
It depends on your list. Large lists that are emailed rarely are often cheaper on send-based plans, such as Brevo's, while small, frequently emailed lists can be cheaper on contact-based plans.
Do I need an ecommerce-specific email platform?
If most of your email revenue comes from store-triggered flows such as abandoned cart or post-purchase, ecommerce-first tools like Klaviyo or Omnisend are built for that. Newsletter-led businesses usually do not need one.
Why do email marketing prices differ between sources?
Vendors price by list size and change plans often; in 2025 and 2026 several, including Brevo, MailerLite and Kit, restructured plans. Confirm current prices on the vendor's own pricing page.
Are free email marketing plans enough?
For very small lists, sometimes. Most free plans cap contacts or sends tightly and keep vendor branding, so check the first paid tier before building a list on a free plan.
Narrow your Email Marketing Software shortlist.
Open a profile for sources and pricing, read an alternatives guide, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf is not the answer.
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