Quick Comparison: Top 10 Email Marketing Services
| Service | Best For | Free Plan | Paid From | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetResponse | All-in-one | 500 contacts | $19/mo | Webinars + AI + funnels |
| Mailchimp | Beginners | 500 contacts | $13/mo | 200+ templates |
| Klaviyo | Ecommerce | 250 contacts | $20/mo | Deep Shopify integration |
| ActiveCampaign | B2B automation | 14-day trial | $15/mo | 900+ automation recipes |
| Brevo | Large lists | 300/day, unlimited | $9/mo | Pay per send + SMS |
| Kit | Creators | 10K subs | $15/mo | Creator Commerce |
| MailerLite | Budget | 1K / 12K emails | $10/mo | A/B testing free |
| HubSpot | Enterprise | 2K emails/mo | $20/mo | Full CRM + marketing suite |
| Omnisend | Shopify | 500 emails/mo | $16/mo | Ecommerce templates |
1. GetResponse — Best Overall Email Marketing Service
Best for: Businesses wanting an all-in-one platform with webinars, funnels, and AI
GetResponse is the most feature-complete email marketing service on this list. It includes built-in webinar hosting (up to 1,000 attendees), conversion funnels, AI email builder, landing page builder, website builder, and course builder — features no other service offers in one package.
At $19/mo for 1,000 contacts with unlimited sends, it is cheaper than Mailchimp ($20/mo) and Klaviyo ($30/mo) at the same tier. The automation builder supports conditional branching, cross-workflow triggers, and AI-powered send-time optimization.
Pros
- - Built-in webinar hosting (unique)
- - AI email content builder
- - Conversion funnels included
- - Unlimited email sends
- - Landing page + website builder
- - 41% cheaper than Mailchimp at 10K
- - 50% nonprofit discount
Cons
- - SMS only on Enterprise plan
- - No WhatsApp
- - Transactional email is add-on
- - Limited automation on Starter
Pricing: Free (500 contacts, 2,500 emails) | Starter $19/mo (1K contacts, unlimited sends) | Marketer $59/mo (full automation) | Enterprise $99/mo+
Get webinars, AI email builder, funnels & unlimited sends from $19/mo
Try GetResponse Free →2. Mailchimp — Most Popular (But Not Best Value)
Best for: Beginners who want the easiest setup and most templates
Mailchimp is the most recognized email marketing service, with 200+ templates and 300+ integrations. Its drag-and-drop editor is the easiest in the industry. But it has raised prices 40% since 2021, cut its free plan to 500 contacts, and charges for unsubscribed contacts.
Pros
- - Easiest interface for beginners
- - 200+ polished templates
- - 300+ integrations
- - Intuit Assist AI tools
- - Most recognized brand
Cons
- - 40% more expensive since 2021
- - Free plan cut to 500 contacts
- - Charges for unsubscribed contacts
- - Weak automation (6 recipes vs 900+)
- - No CRM or lead scoring
- - Advanced automation requires $350/mo
Pricing: Free (500 contacts, 1K emails) | Essentials $13/mo | Standard $20/mo | Premium $350/mo
3. Klaviyo — Best for Ecommerce
Best for: Shopify and WooCommerce stores doing $20K+/month
Klaviyo is the ecommerce email marketing standard. Deep Shopify integration syncs your product catalog in real-time, enabling dynamic emails with live product images, prices, and inventory. AI-powered product recommendations and per-flow revenue attribution are unmatched.
Pros
- - Best-in-class Shopify integration
- - Real-time product catalog sync
- - AI product recommendations
- - Revenue attribution per flow
- - 2-4x revenue per email for ecommerce
- - Predictive LTV and churn scoring
Cons
- - More expensive than most services
- - No CRM or lead scoring
- - Poor fit for non-ecommerce
- - Email send limits (10x contacts)
- - No free plan above 250 contacts
Pricing: Free (250 contacts, 500 emails) | Paid from $20/mo (250 contacts) | $150/mo at 10K contacts
4. ActiveCampaign — Best for Automation
Best for: B2B businesses, agencies, and anyone needing complex automation
ActiveCampaign has the deepest automation engine in the industry — 900+ pre-built recipes, conditional branching, lead scoring, site tracking, and a full CRM with deal pipeline. At 10,000 contacts, it costs $79/mo vs Mailchimp's $135/mo.
Pros
- - 900+ automation recipes
- - Full CRM with deal pipeline
- - Lead scoring & site tracking
- - 850+ integrations
- - 41% cheaper than Mailchimp at 10K
- - Win-loss probability predictions
Cons
- - No free plan (14-day trial only)
- - Steeper learning curve
- - Fewer templates than Mailchimp
- - Basic Shopify integration
Pricing: 14-day free trial | Starter $15/mo (1K contacts) | Plus $49/mo (5K contacts) | Premium $145/mo
5. Brevo — Best Value for Large Lists
Best for: Businesses with large contact lists that send infrequently
Brevo charges by emails sent, not contacts stored. You get unlimited contacts on every plan — unique in the industry. At 50,000 contacts with monthly sends, Brevo costs $55/mo vs Mailchimp's $350+/mo. Includes SMS, WhatsApp, transactional email, and a full CRM.
Pros
- - Unlimited contacts (unique)
- - 50-70% cheaper than Mailchimp
- - SMS and WhatsApp built-in
- - Transactional email included
- - Full CRM with deal pipeline
- - EU-based, GDPR native
Cons
- - Limited template library
- - Email editor less polished
- - Fewer integrations (150 vs 300+)
- - Gets expensive for frequent senders
Pricing: Free (300 emails/day, unlimited contacts) | Starter $9/mo (20K sends) | Business $18/mo (automation)
6. Kit (ConvertKit) — Best for Creators
Best for: Bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, course creators, digital product sellers
Kit offers the most generous free plan in the industry — 10,000 subscribers with no time limit. Creator Commerce lets you sell digital products directly from emails. Tag-based segmentation, sequences for course delivery, and tip jar feature are designed specifically for creators.
Pros
- - Free to 10,000 subscribers (20x Mailchimp)
- - Creator Commerce for digital products
- - Tip jar feature
- - Sequences for course delivery
- - Charges only for active subscribers
Cons
- - Limited template library
- - No SMS marketing
- - Fewer integrations (100 vs 300+)
- - Not ideal for non-creator businesses
Pricing: Free (10K subscribers) | Creator $15/mo (300 subs) | Pro $29/mo (1K subs)
7. MailerLite — Best Free Plan for Features
Best for: Budget-conscious small businesses wanting the most features for free
MailerLite gives you the most features on a free plan: A/B testing, visual automations, landing pages, and a website builder — all for $0 up to 1,000 subscribers. The drag-and-drop editor is clean and intuitive. Paid plans start at just $10/mo.
Pros
- - A/B testing on free plan (rare)
- - Visual automations on free plan
- - Free landing pages and website
- - 12,000 emails/month free
- - Clean, easy-to-use interface
- - Cheapest paid tier ($10/mo)
Cons
- - 1,000 subscriber limit on free
- - No SMS marketing
- - No transactional email
- - No ecommerce features
Pricing: Free (1K subs, 12K emails) | Growing $10/mo (500 subs) | $18/mo at 1K subs
8. HubSpot — Best for Enterprise
Best for: Mid-to-large businesses wanting a full CRM + marketing suite
HubSpot is more than email marketing — it is a complete CRM, marketing, sales, and service platform. Email marketing is part of the Marketing Hub, which includes lead scoring, A/B testing, personalization, and deep analytics. The free plan includes 2,000 emails/month with basic CRM.
Pros
- - Full CRM included
- - Complete marketing + sales suite
- - Lead scoring and personalization
- - Deep analytics and reporting
- - 1,500+ integrations
- - Free plan with 2K emails/month
Cons
- - Expensive at scale ($890+/mo for Pro)
- - Complex interface (steep learning curve)
- - Email features limited on free plan
- - Overkill for small businesses
Pricing: Free (2K emails/mo) | Starter $20/mo | Professional $890/mo | Enterprise $3,600/mo
9. Omnisend — Best for Shopify Stores
Best for: Shopify and WooCommerce stores wanting ecommerce-focused email + SMS
Omnisend is a Klaviyo competitor focused on ecommerce. Pre-built automation templates for welcome series, abandoned cart, post-purchase, and win-back. Email + SMS in one platform. At $16/mo for 500 contacts, it is cheaper than both Klaviyo and Mailchimp for small ecommerce stores.
Pros
- - Email + SMS in one platform
- - Ecommerce automation templates
- - Cheaper than Klaviyo for small stores
- - Shopify-native product picker
- - Free plan with ecommerce features
Cons
- - Ecommerce-only
- - Fewer integrations than Mailchimp
- - Less deep Shopify integration than Klaviyo
- - Limited non-ecommerce features
Pricing: Free (500 emails/mo) | Standard $16/mo (500 contacts) | Pro $59/mo (automation + SMS)
How to Choose the Right Email Marketing Service
Choose GetResponse if you want everything in one platform
Webinars, funnels, AI email builder, landing pages, automation, and unlimited sends from $19/mo. Best all-in-one value. Try free →
Choose Klaviyo if you run a Shopify store
Deep Shopify integration generates 2-4x more revenue per email. Best for stores doing $20K+/month.
Choose ActiveCampaign for B2B automation
900+ automation recipes, full CRM, lead scoring, site tracking. Best for agencies and service businesses.
Choose Brevo for large lists on a budget
Unlimited contacts, pay per send. 50-70% cheaper than Mailchimp at scale. Includes SMS and CRM.
Choose Kit if you are a creator
Free to 10,000 subscribers. Creator Commerce, tip jar, sequences for course delivery.
Choose MailerLite for the best free plan
A/B testing, automations, and landing pages free up to 1,000 subscribers. Cheapest paid tier at $10/mo.
Get the Best All-in-One Email Marketing Service
GetResponse: webinars, AI email builder, automation, funnels, unlimited sends, and a free plan. From $19/mo.
Try GetResponse Free for 14 DaysFAQ
What is the best email marketing service in 2026?+
GetResponse is the best overall email marketing service in 2026 — it offers the most features (webinars, funnels, AI email builder, landing pages) at the best price ($19/mo with unlimited sends). For ecommerce, Klaviyo is best. For B2B automation, ActiveCampaign is best. For creators, Kit is best. For large lists on a budget, Brevo is best. For the best free plan, MailerLite wins.
What is the cheapest email marketing service?+
Brevo at $9/mo for 20,000 emails with unlimited contacts is the cheapest paid plan. MailerLite at $10/mo for 500 contacts is the cheapest per-contact plan. For free plans, Kit offers 10,000 subscribers free (most generous), Brevo offers unlimited contacts free, and MailerLite offers 1,000 subscribers with A/B testing and automations free.
Is Mailchimp still the best email marketing service?+
No. While Mailchimp is the most recognized brand, it has raised prices 40% since 2021, cut its free plan to 500 contacts, and charges for unsubscribed contacts. GetResponse, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, and Klaviyo all offer better value, more features, and lower pricing at scale. Mailchimp is still the easiest for absolute beginners, but most businesses outgrow it within 6 months.
Can I switch email marketing services later?+
Yes. Export your contacts as CSV and import into your new platform. You will need to recreate email templates and automation workflows. Most platforms offer migration assistance. Expect 1-2 weeks of transition time for small lists, 2-4 weeks for large lists. Most platforms offer free trials so you can test before committing.