Quick Comparison Table
| Software | Free Plan | Paid From | Automation | AI Builder | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetResponse | 500 contacts | $19/mo | Full + AI | Yes | All-in-one best value |
| ActiveCampaign | No | $15/mo | 900+ recipes | No | Advanced automation |
| Klaviyo | 250 contacts | $20/mo | Full | Yes | Ecommerce |
| Brevo | 300 emails/day | $9/mo | Full | No | Budget, unlimited contacts |
| Kit | 10K subs | $15/mo | Sequences | No | Creators, bloggers |
| MailerLite | 1K / 12K emails | $10/mo | Full | AI subject lines | Best free features |
| Mailchimp | 500 contacts | $13/mo | Basic | Yes | Beginners, brand recognition |
| HubSpot | 2K emails/mo | $20/mo | Full + CRM | Yes | All-in-one CRM + email |
| Omnisend | 500 emails | $16/mo | Full + SMS | No | Ecommerce + SMS |
1. GetResponse — Best Overall Email Marketing Software
$19/mo
Starting price
500
Free plan contacts
4.7/5
User rating
GetResponse is the best all-in-one email marketing software for 2026. It combines a full email platform with AI email builder, visual automation builder, landing pages, webinar hosting, and a basic CRM — everything most businesses need in one tool.
The AI email builder is a game-changer: describe what you want, and it generates a complete email with subject line, copy, and design. This alone saves 2-3 hours per campaign. The automation builder supports conditional logic, branching, and AI-powered send-time optimization.
Pros
- ✓ AI email builder saves hours per campaign
- ✓ Built-in webinar hosting (up to 1,000 attendees)
- ✓ Landing page builder included
- ✓ Visual automation with conditional logic
- ✓ Free plan for 500 contacts
- ✓ 50% discount for nonprofits and education
Cons
- ✗ CRM is basic compared to ActiveCampaign
- ✗ No native Shopify integration on free plan
- ✗ SMS marketing is a paid add-on
Best for: Small to medium businesses, course creators, nonprofits, and anyone who wants an all-in-one platform. Try GetResponse free →
2. ActiveCampaign — Best for Advanced Automation
$15/mo
Starting price
900+
Automation recipes
4.8/5
User rating
ActiveCampaign has the deepest automation engine in the industry — 900+ pre-built automation recipes, conditional branching, site tracking, lead scoring, and a full CRM. If automation is your priority, nothing else comes close.
Site tracking shows you which pages a subscriber visited, so you can trigger emails based on behavior. Lead scoring automatically prioritizes your hottest prospects. The CRM integrates seamlessly with email, so you can track deals from first email to signed contract.
Pros
- ✓ 900+ automation recipes (industry-leading)
- ✓ Full CRM with deal pipeline + lead scoring
- ✓ Site tracking for behavior-triggered emails
- ✓ Best deliverability rates (99.9%)
- ✓ Affordable starting at $15/mo
Cons
- ✗ No free plan
- ✗ Steeper learning curve than competitors
- ✗ No built-in webinar hosting
- ✗ Landing page builder is basic
Best for: B2B companies, consultants, agencies, and businesses that need sophisticated automation and CRM. If you want the most powerful automation engine, ActiveCampaign is the choice.
3. Klaviyo — Best for Ecommerce
$20/mo
Starting price
250
Free plan contacts
4.6/5
User rating
Klaviyo is the gold standard for ecommerce email marketing. Native Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce integrations give you deep product data: purchase history, browsing behavior, cart activity, and wishlist items — all available for segmentation and automation.
Klaviyo's predictive analytics are unique: it predicts when a customer is likely to make their next purchase, their lifetime value, and their risk of churning. This enables proactive automations like "predicted to churn" win-back flows.
Pros
- ✓ Deepest ecommerce data integration
- ✓ Predictive analytics (LTV, churn risk, next order)
- ✓ AI-powered product recommendations
- ✓ Built-in SMS marketing
- ✓ 250+ pre-built flows for ecommerce
Cons
- ✗ Expensive at scale ($150/mo for 10K contacts)
- ✗ Free plan limited to 250 contacts
- ✗ Not ideal for non-ecommerce businesses
- ✗ No webinar hosting or landing pages
Best for: Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce stores. If you sell products online, Klaviyo is the best choice — but consider GetResponse if you need landing pages and webinars too.
4. Brevo — Best Value for Money
$9/mo
Starting price
Unlimited
Contacts (pay per email)
4.5/5
User rating
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) offers the most unique pricing model in the industry: unlimited contacts, pay per email sent. This makes it the most affordable option for businesses with large lists but low send frequency.
Beyond email, Brevo includes SMS marketing, WhatsApp messaging, live chat, and a basic CRM — making it a true all-in-one platform. The free plan allows 300 emails per day to unlimited contacts.
Pros
- ✓ Unlimited contacts on all plans
- ✓ Pay per email (not per contact) — cheapest at scale
- ✓ SMS + WhatsApp + live chat included
- ✓ Free plan: 300 emails/day to unlimited contacts
- ✓ Full automation on all plans
Cons
- ✗ Daily send limit on free plan (300/day)
- ✗ No AI email builder
- ✗ Limited landing page builder
- ✗ Fewer integrations than competitors
Best for: Businesses with large lists but low send frequency, budget-conscious companies, and those who need SMS + email in one platform.
5. Kit — Best for Creators and Bloggers
$15/mo
Starting price
10K
Free plan subscribers
4.7/5
User rating
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is built specifically for creators: bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and course creators. The free plan to 10,000 subscribers is the most generous in the industry — perfect for creators just starting out.
Kit's tag-based segmentation is ideal for content creators: tag subscribers based on which lead magnet they downloaded, which links they clicked, and which content they engage with. Then send targeted content to each segment.
Pros
- ✓ Free to 10,000 subscribers (most generous)
- ✓ Tag-based segmentation (perfect for content)
- ✓ Creator Commerce: sell digital products directly
- ✓ Sequences for automated email courses
- ✓ Clean, simple interface
Cons
- ✗ Limited automation (no visual builder)
- ✗ No A/B testing on free plan
- ✗ No built-in webinar hosting
- ✗ Email templates are basic
Best for: Bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, course creators, and anyone who creates content for a living. If you are a creator, Kit is designed for you.
6. MailerLite — Best Free Plan Features
$10/mo
Starting price
1K
Free plan subscribers
4.8/5
User rating
MailerLite offers the most feature-rich free plan in the industry: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails per month, automation, A/B testing, landing pages, and AI subject line generator — all free.
The drag-and-drop email editor is one of the best in the industry, and the free plan includes features that competitors charge for (A/B testing, automation, landing pages). Paid plans start at just $10/month — the cheapest in this list.
Pros
- ✓ Most generous free plan (A/B testing + automation)
- ✓ Cheapest paid plans ($10/mo)
- ✓ Best drag-and-drop email editor
- ✓ 30% discount for nonprofits
- ✓ RSS-to-email on free plan
Cons
- ✗ No CRM features
- ✗ Limited automation compared to ActiveCampaign
- ✗ No SMS marketing
- ✗ Fewer integrations than Mailchimp
Best for: Small businesses, bloggers, and nonprofits on a budget. If you want the most features for free, MailerLite is the best choice.
7. Mailchimp — Most Popular
$13/mo
Starting price
500
Free plan contacts
4.3/5
User rating
Mailchimp is the most recognized email marketing software, with 13 million+ users. It is easy to use, has 300+ integrations, and includes AI-powered content recommendations. However, pricing has increased significantly in recent years, and the free plan is now limited.
Mailchimp's strength is its ecosystem: it integrates with almost every tool, platform, and CMS. If you use Shopify, WordPress, Salesforce, or any major platform, Mailchimp has a native integration. The Content Studio includes AI image generation and content recommendations.
Pros
- ✓ 300+ integrations (most in the industry)
- ✓ AI content recommendations + image generation
- ✓ Easiest to use for beginners
- ✓ Free plan for 500 contacts
- ✓ Strong brand recognition
Cons
- ✗ Expensive at scale ($69/mo for 10K contacts)
- ✗ Automation limited on lower plans
- ✗ A/B testing only on Standard plan ($20+)
- ✗ Free plan has no automation
Best for: Beginners who want an easy-to-use platform with lots of integrations. However, for most businesses, GetResponse offers more features at a lower price.
8. HubSpot — Best All-in-One CRM + Email
$20/mo
Starting price
2K
Free emails/month
4.4/5
User rating
HubSpot is the best choice if you need a full CRM integrated with email marketing. The free CRM includes contact management, deal pipeline, meeting scheduling, and live chat — plus 2,000 emails per month.
HubSpot's strength is its ecosystem: email, CRM, marketing automation, sales tools, customer service, and CMS — all in one platform. The AI-powered content assistant helps write emails, landing pages, and blog posts.
Pros
- ✓ Best CRM in the industry (free)
- ✓ AI content assistant
- ✓ Full ecosystem: email + CRM + sales + service
- ✓ Free plan: CRM + 2,000 emails/month
- ✓ Excellent reporting and analytics
Cons
- ✗ Very expensive at scale (Marketing Pro: $890/mo)
- ✗ Email features limited on free plan
- ✗ Complex interface with steep learning curve
- ✗ Best features locked behind expensive plans
Best for: Mid-market and enterprise companies that need CRM + email + sales tools in one platform. Small businesses should consider GetResponse for better value.
9. Omnisend — Best for Ecommerce + SMS
$16/mo
Starting price
500
Free plan emails
4.6/5
User rating
Omnisend is built specifically for ecommerce, with a focus on multi-channel marketing: email + SMS + push notifications + web push. The platform integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Magento.
Omnisend's unique feature is its automation workflows that combine email and SMS in a single flow. For example, an abandoned cart flow can send an email, then an SMS reminder, then a push notification — all from one automation builder.
Pros
- ✓ Email + SMS + push in one platform
- ✓ Multi-channel automation workflows
- ✓ Pre-built ecommerce automation templates
- ✓ Free plan with 500 emails + 60 SMS
- ✓ Product picker for dynamic emails
Cons
- ✗ Ecommerce-only (not for B2B or creators)
- ✗ No CRM features
- ✗ Limited landing page builder
- ✗ No webinar hosting
Best for: Ecommerce stores that want email + SMS in one platform. If you need multi-channel automation, Omnisend is the best choice. For email-only ecommerce, Klaviyo is more powerful.
How to Choose the Right Email Marketing Software
For Small Businesses & Startups
Choose GetResponse (best all-in-one, free plan) or MailerLite (cheapest, best free features). Both offer automation, landing pages, and a free plan to get started.
For Ecommerce
Choose Klaviyo (deepest ecommerce data, predictive analytics) or Omnisend (email + SMS + push in one). If you want an all-in-one with landing pages and webinars too, choose GetResponse.
For B2B & Consultants
Choose ActiveCampaign (best automation + CRM + lead scoring) or HubSpot (best full CRM ecosystem). For budget B2B, Brevo offers unlimited contacts at $9/mo.
For Creators & Bloggers
Choose Kit (free to 10K subscribers, tag-based segmentation, Creator Commerce) or GetResponse (RSS-to-email, AI email builder, landing pages for lead magnets).
Our #1 Recommendation for 2026
GetResponse offers the best value: AI email builder, full automation, landing pages, webinars, and a free plan for 500 contacts. From $19/mo with unlimited sends.
Try GetResponse Free for 14 DaysFAQ
What is the best free email marketing software?+
MailerLite offers the best free plan: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month, automation, A/B testing, and landing pages — all free. Kit offers free to 10,000 subscribers (best for creators). GetResponse offers a free plan for 500 contacts with AI email builder. Brevo offers 300 emails/day to unlimited contacts for free.
What is the cheapest email marketing software?+
Brevo is the cheapest at $9/month for 5,000 emails (unlimited contacts). MailerLite is $10/month for 1,000+ subscribers. ActiveCampaign starts at $15/month. GetResponse starts at $19/month but includes more features (AI builder, webinars, landing pages). For free plans, MailerLite and Kit offer the most features.
Which email marketing software has the best automation?+
ActiveCampaign has the deepest automation engine with 900+ pre-built recipes, conditional branching, site tracking, and lead scoring. GetResponse offers the best AI-powered automation with send-time optimization and AI email builder. Klaviyo has the best ecommerce-specific automation with predictive analytics.
Is Mailchimp still the best email marketing software?+
Mailchimp is still the most popular, but it is no longer the best value. Pricing has increased significantly, the free plan has been limited (no automation, no A/B testing), and competitors offer more features at lower prices. For most businesses, GetResponse offers better value with AI email builder, webinars, and more automation features at a lower price.