Finding the email marketing software pricing for small business is harder than it looks, because every tool calls itself free and most of them are not free where it counts. The charge usually lands at download, at export, or at the feature you actually need, and the cheapest tier often buys too little to use. This guide sorts the real prices from the headlines so you can see what each tool costs to use, not just to try.
The second problem is the limit you only meet after you pay. A free plan can cap exports, watermark videos, or cut off the best voices, and a paid plan can cap credits, minutes or seats in ways the pricing page does not make obvious. The reviews below name the limit for every tool, because the limit decides whether the plan fits your workload.
The email marketing software pricing for small business in this guide were chosen for a small business or a solo creator, not for an enterprise team. Every price comes from the vendor’s own pricing page, and where a price could not be verified, the guide says to check at checkout. Start with the quick answer, then check the table for the plan that fits your budget.
Quick jump
- Quick Answer. Email marketing software pricing for small business in 30 Seconds
- Email marketing software pricing for small business. What Email Marketing Software Pricing Really Buys
- The Email marketing software pricing for small business Tools in Detail
- How to Choose Email marketing software pricing for small business
- Mistakes to Avoid
- What a Realistic First Month Looks Like
- How to Get the Most Value From Your Plan
- Related Guides
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Bottom Line
Quick Answer. Email marketing software pricing for small business in 30 Seconds
Email software costs $9 to $20 a month for most small businesses at 500 contacts. Brevo is the cheapest at $9 a month for 5,000 emails, MailerLite is the best value at $12 a month, and Mailchimp Essentials at $13 a month is the best pick for a familiar all-in-one suite. Price the list you will have in a year, not today, because contact-based pricing climbs fast.
The email marketing software pricing for small business in this guide were checked against each vendor’s own pricing page in November 2026. Prices change often, so confirm the checkout total before you pay, and check the renewal price separately, because first-year offers often rise in year two.
| Tool | Best for | Free tier | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | The familiar all-in-one suite | Free, 250 contacts and 500 sends a month | $13 a month for Essentials at 500 contacts |
| Brevo | Large lists that send occasionally | Free, 300 emails a day and up to 100,000 contacts | $9 a month for Starter with 5,000 emails |
| MailerLite | Clean design on a budget | Free, 250 subscribers and 2,500 sends a month | $12 a month for Comfort at 500 subscribers |
| Constant Contact | Local businesses that want phone support | 30-day trial, no free plan | $12 a month for Lite at 500 contacts |
| Kit | Creators and newsletters | Free plan up to 10,000 subscribers | $33 a month for Creator billed yearly |
| GetResponse | Email plus webinars and funnels | Free plan with limited features | $19 a month for Starter at 1,000 contacts |
| AWeber | Simple email for small lists | Free plan up to 500 subscribers | $15 a month for Lite at 500 subscribers |
Email marketing software pricing for small business. What Email Marketing Software Pricing Really Buys
The pricing model matters more than the price. Mailchimp, MailerLite and Constant Contact charge by contacts stored, so a list of 5,000 costs $75 a month on Mailchimp Essentials and $49 a month on MailerLite Comfort. Brevo charges by emails sent, so a business with 25,000 contacts sending one newsletter a month pays $9 a month for 5,000 emails. Work out your list size and your send frequency before you compare prices, because the cheapest model depends on those two numbers.
The second number is the free limit, and it shrank in 2026. Mailchimp Free now allows 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, and MailerLite Free allows 250 subscribers and 2,500 sends a month. Brevo Free still stores up to 100,000 contacts and sends 300 emails a day, which makes it the most generous free plan here. Kit Free covers up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts, which is the best free plan for a creator. Check the free limit before you build a list on it, because a cut free plan can force a paid upgrade sooner than you expect.
The third number is what sits behind the paywall. Automation, A/B testing and advanced reports move between plans, and the feature you need may sit on a higher tier than the entry price. Mailchimp puts multi-step automation on Standard at $20 a month, Brevo puts automation on Standard at $18 a month, and Constant Contact puts automation on Standard at $35 a month. Check the feature list for the plan you will actually buy.
The Email marketing software pricing for small business Tools in Detail
The reviews below cover every tool in the table, with real prices, real limits and a clear verdict on who each one suits. The email marketing software pricing for small business that earn their keep are the ones that remove a bottleneck that repeats every week, not the ones with the longest feature list.
1. Mailchimp. Best for the familiar all-in-one suite
Mailchimp remains the default email tool for small businesses, because it connects to almost everything and its templates look good out of the box. Essentials starts at $13 a month for 500 contacts, Standard at $20 adds multi-step automation, and Premium starts at $350. The free plan now allows only 250 contacts and 500 sends a month.
Pricing starts with free, 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, and the paid plan starts at $13 a month for Essentials at 500 contacts. That tier removes the free limits and adds the features a regular user needs, so confirm the exact total at checkout, because prices change often and the annual-billing rate is usually lower than the monthly rate. Essentials costs $13 a month at 500 contacts, Standard $20, and Premium starts at $350 a month.
What works. The template library and the integration list are the largest here. What to watch. Pricing climbs steeply with list size, because Essentials runs about $75 a month at 5,000 contacts.
Before you commit to Mailchimp, test it on the exact job you need it for, not on a demo task. Generate or edit the same real post, video or document in two tools and compare the time each one takes, because the tool that saves the most minutes on your actual work is the right one, whatever its price. Check the export, the watermark and the licence on that test, because those three limits decide whether the result can be used for real work.
2. Brevo. Best for large lists that send occasionally
Brevo charges by emails sent rather than contacts stored, which makes it the cheapest option for a business with a big list and a monthly newsletter. The free plan stores up to 100,000 contacts and sends 300 emails a day, and Starter at $9 a month covers 5,000 emails. It also adds SMS and WhatsApp on higher plans.
Pricing starts with free, 300 emails a day and up to 100,000 contacts, and the paid plan starts at $9 a month for Starter with 5,000 emails. That tier removes the free limits and adds the features a regular user needs, so confirm the exact total at checkout, because prices change often and the annual-billing rate is usually lower than the monthly rate. Starter costs $9 a month, Standard $18 a month, and Business is a custom quote.
What works. Send-based pricing is dramatically cheaper than contact-based pricing for large, rarely mailed lists. What to watch. Automation, A/B testing and advanced reports sit on Standard at $18 a month, not on Starter.
Before you commit to Brevo, test it on the exact job you need it for, not on a demo task. Generate or edit the same real post, video or document in two tools and compare the time each one takes, because the tool that saves the most minutes on your actual work is the right one, whatever its price. Check the export, the watermark and the licence on that test, because those three limits decide whether the result can be used for real work.
3. MailerLite. Best for clean design on a budget
MailerLite is the cleanest email tool here, with a simple editor, landing pages and automation that a non-technical owner learns in an afternoon. Comfort starts at $12 a month for 500 subscribers, and the price scales gently with list size, running about $49 a month at 5,000 subscribers.
Pricing starts with free, 250 subscribers and 2,500 sends a month, and the paid plan starts at $12 a month for Comfort at 500 subscribers. That tier removes the free limits and adds the features a regular user needs, so confirm the exact total at checkout, because prices change often and the annual-billing rate is usually lower than the monthly rate. Comfort costs $12 a month at 500 subscribers, $49 at 5,000, and $89 at 10,000.
What works. The editor is the simplest here, and the price scales more gently than Mailchimp. What to watch. The free plan was cut in 2026 to 250 subscribers and 2,500 sends a month.
Before you commit to MailerLite, test it on the exact job you need it for, not on a demo task. Generate or edit the same real post, video or document in two tools and compare the time each one takes, because the tool that saves the most minutes on your actual work is the right one, whatever its price. Check the export, the watermark and the licence on that test, because those three limits decide whether the result can be used for real work.
4. Constant Contact. Best for local businesses that want phone support
Constant Contact sells on support and simplicity. Every plan includes phone support, which no free plan matches, and its templates suit local businesses, restaurants and event hosts. Lite starts at $12 a month, Standard at $35 adds automation, and Premium at $80 adds advanced automation and 500 SMS a month.
Pricing starts with 30-day trial, no free plan, and the paid plan starts at $12 a month for Lite at 500 contacts. That tier removes the free limits and adds the features a regular user needs, so confirm the exact total at checkout, because prices change often and the annual-billing rate is usually lower than the monthly rate. Lite costs $12 a month, Standard $35, and Premium $80, all for up to 500 contacts.
What works. Phone support on every plan is unique here, and the event tools suit local businesses. What to watch. There is no free plan, only a trial, and pricing scales steeply with list size.
Before you commit to Constant Contact, test it on the exact job you need it for, not on a demo task. Generate or edit the same real post, video or document in two tools and compare the time each one takes, because the tool that saves the most minutes on your actual work is the right one, whatever its price. Check the export, the watermark and the licence on that test, because those three limits decide whether the result can be used for real work.
5. Kit. Best for creators and newsletters
Kit, formerly ConvertKit, is built for creators, coaches and newsletter writers. Its free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts, which is the most generous free plan here, and Creator at $33 a month billed yearly adds automation and paid newsletters.
Pricing starts with free plan up to 10,000 subscribers, and the paid plan starts at $33 a month for Creator billed yearly. That tier removes the free limits and adds the features a regular user needs, so confirm the exact total at checkout, because prices change often and the annual-billing rate is usually lower than the monthly rate. Creator costs $33 a month billed yearly, or $39 billed monthly, and Pro is a custom quote.
What works. The free plan is the most generous here, and the automation is built for creators, not for shops. What to watch. It is thin on ecommerce features, so a shop that needs abandoned-cart emails should look elsewhere.
Before you commit to Kit, test it on the exact job you need it for, not on a demo task. Generate or edit the same real post, video or document in two tools and compare the time each one takes, because the tool that saves the most minutes on your actual work is the right one, whatever its price. Check the export, the watermark and the licence on that test, because those three limits decide whether the result can be used for real work.
6. GetResponse. Best for email plus webinars and funnels
GetResponse pairs email with landing pages, webinars, funnels and ecommerce tools, which suits a business that wants one platform for the whole funnel. Starter starts at $19 a month, and the higher plans add webinars, automation and ecommerce features.
Pricing starts with free plan with limited features, and the paid plan starts at $19 a month for Starter at 1,000 contacts. That tier removes the free limits and adds the features a regular user needs, so confirm the exact total at checkout, because prices change often and the annual-billing rate is usually lower than the monthly rate. Starter costs $19 a month, Marketer $59 a month, Creator $69 a month, and the free plan is limited.
What works. Webinars and funnels in one login suit a business that sells courses or runs live events. What to watch. The interface is busier than MailerLite, and the entry price is higher.
Before you commit to GetResponse, test it on the exact job you need it for, not on a demo task. Generate or edit the same real post, video or document in two tools and compare the time each one takes, because the tool that saves the most minutes on your actual work is the right one, whatever its price. Check the export, the watermark and the licence on that test, because those three limits decide whether the result can be used for real work.
7. AWeber. Best for simple email for small lists
AWeber is one of the oldest email tools here, and it stays simple. It offers templates, automation, landing pages and a free plan up to 500 subscribers, with phone support on paid plans. It suits an owner who wants email without learning a marketing platform.
Pricing starts with free plan up to 500 subscribers, and the paid plan starts at $15 a month for Lite at 500 subscribers. That tier removes the free limits and adds the features a regular user needs, so confirm the exact total at checkout, because prices change often and the annual-billing rate is usually lower than the monthly rate. Lite costs $15 a month at 500 subscribers, Plus $30 a month, and Unlimited is a custom quote.
What works. The free plan covers 500 subscribers, and the editor is simple enough for a beginner. What to watch. The template design feels dated next to MailerLite, and the automation is basic.
Before you commit to AWeber, test it on the exact job you need it for, not on a demo task. Generate or edit the same real post, video or document in two tools and compare the time each one takes, because the tool that saves the most minutes on your actual work is the right one, whatever its price. Check the export, the watermark and the licence on that test, because those three limits decide whether the result can be used for real work.
How to Choose Email marketing software pricing for small business
Decide the job first. Before you compare tools, write down the one job the tool must do every week. A tool that does that job well is worth paying for, while a tool with a long feature list that never touches that job is not. The email marketing software pricing for small business that fit your job are the only ones worth comparing, so cut the list to three before you look at prices.
Set the real budget. Work out the first-year total, not the first-month price. A $10 monthly plan costs $120 a year, a $30 monthly plan costs $360 a year, and a one-time package of $72 costs $72 in total. Monthly templates and regular use earn a subscription, while a one-off job favours a one-time purchase. Check the renewal price too, because first-year offers often rise in year two.
Test the free plan properly. Designing and testing are free almost everywhere, so use the same real task in three tools and compare the results side by side. Check the export quality, the watermark and the commercial licence, because those three limits decide whether the tool can be used for real work. A free plan that exports clean files is worth more than a cheap paid plan that does not.
Check the limits before you pay. Every tool in this category caps something, whether it is credits, minutes, seats, exports or downloads. Find the cap on the plan you are about to buy and work out whether your weekly volume fits inside it. A plan that runs out on day 20 of a 30-day month is the wrong plan, whatever its price.
Check the licence and the renewal. Read the commercial rights before checkout, and confirm whether the plan renews automatically. Most subscriptions here renew every month or every year unless you cancel, so set a calendar reminder for the renewal date. A tool that auto-renews on a plan you stopped using is the most common wasted subscription in this category.
Mistakes to Avoid
The first mistake is buying the top plan on day one. The email marketing software pricing for small business in this guide all offer a free plan or a trial, and the entry tier covers the main job for most people. Start there, use the tool on real work for a month, and move up only when a limit starts costing you time. A top plan bought before you know the workflow is the most common wasted subscription in this category.
The second mistake is ignoring the renewal price. A plan that costs $10 a month in year one can cost $15 a month in year two, and a plan billed yearly can renew for the full year without a reminder. Set a calendar note a week before every renewal, and check the price on the vendor’s own page before the renewal date, because the price you signed up for is rarely the price you renew at.
The third mistake is judging a tool on its demo rather than on your own work. A demo uses perfect input and a practiced presenter, while your work uses messy input and a deadline. Test Mailchimp and Brevo on the same real task, time each one, and keep the tool that saves the most minutes. The tool that wins the demo is not always the tool that wins your week.
What a Realistic First Month Looks Like
Week one is setup and testing. Create accounts in Mailchimp and Brevo, connect your profiles or your files, and run one real task end to end in each tool. Do not buy anything in week one, because the free plan or the trial shows you the workflow, the export quality and the limits before any money changes hands. Write down how long each task takes, because that number decides which tool earns a subscription.
Week two is the first real work. Use the tool that won the test on a full week of real tasks, and keep a note of every limit you hit, such as a credit cap, a watermark or a missing feature. If the free plan covers the week, stay on it for another month. If a limit costs you an hour or more, move to the cheapest paid tier that removes it, and set a calendar reminder for the renewal date so the subscription never surprises you.
Week three and four are the review. Check whether the tool saved time every week or only once, and check the output quality at full size, because a thumbnail, a video or a voiceover that looks fine small can fail large. If the tool saved time every week, keep it and learn one new feature a week. If it saved time once, cancel it and keep the money, because a tool that only helps occasionally is not worth a monthly bill.
How to Get the Most Value From Your Plan
The cheapest way to use a subscription is to use it every week. A $20 monthly plan that you open twice a week costs about $2.50 a use, while the same plan opened once a month costs $20 a use. Before you pay, check your calendar and confirm that the job the tool does actually happens every week. If it happens once a month, a one-time purchase or a pay-as-you-go plan is usually cheaper.
The second way to save is to share the plan where the licence allows it. Some tools charge per seat, so a second user doubles the bill, while others charge per plan, so a second user costs nothing. Read the seat rules before you invite a colleague, because an extra seat added by accident can double a monthly bill without a warning. A plan shared properly can cut the cost per person in half.
The third way to save is to use the free plan for the jobs it covers and pay only for the jobs it does not. A free plan that exports clean files can handle drafts, tests and personal projects, while the paid plan handles client work and publishing. That split keeps the paid plan on the smallest tier that does the job, because you are not paying for work the free plan already does well.
Related Guides
- How to Automate Your Small Business with AI Tools
- How to Market Your Etsy Shop with AI Tools
- How to Price Your Freelance Design Services
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does email marketing cost for 5,000 contacts?
It depends on the pricing model. Mailchimp Essentials runs about $75 a month at 5,000 contacts, MailerLite Comfort runs about $49 a month, and Constant Contact scales steeply past 5,000. Brevo charges by emails sent, so a business with 5,000 contacts sending one newsletter a month pays $9 a month for 5,000 emails. Price the list you will have in a year, not the list you have today, because the cost climbs with every new subscriber.
Is there a free email marketing tool for small business?
Yes. Brevo Free stores up to 100,000 contacts and sends 300 emails a day, which is the most generous free plan here. Kit Free covers up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts, which suits creators. Mailchimp Free and MailerLite Free both allow only 250 contacts, so they suit a brand-new list, not a growing one. Pick the free plan whose limit matches your list size, and move to a paid plan when you need automation.
What is the cheapest option here?
Constant Contact is the cheapest entry point, at $12 a month for Lite at 500 contacts, and it wins for local businesses that want phone support. The cheapest plan is not always the cheapest over a year, so work out the first-year total before you commit, including any renewal rise. A one-time package can cost less over a year than a cheap monthly plan, and a free plan can cost nothing if its limits cover your workload.
Is there a free option that is actually usable?
Yes. Mailchimp, Brevo, MailerLite all offer a free plan that covers the basics, and the free tier is enough to test the tool properly. Check the export quality, the watermark and the commercial licence on the free plan, because those three limits decide whether it can be used for real work. A free plan that exports clean files is genuinely usable, while one that watermarks exports is a trial in practice.
Which option is best for a beginner?
Mailchimp is the best starting point, because it covers the main job well and its pricing is clear. Start with the free plan or the cheapest paid tier, use it for a month on real work, and only move up when a limit starts costing you time. A beginner who buys the top plan on day one usually pays for features they never open, so start small and upgrade when the work demands it.
Do these prices change often?
Yes. Vendors in this category change prices several times a year, and annual-billing rates, introductory offers and renewal prices all move. The prices in this guide were checked in November 2026 against each vendor’s own pricing page, but they are list prices in US dollars before tax, and your checkout total can differ by region and by offer. Confirm the price at checkout before you pay, and check the renewal price separately.
The Bottom Line
Brevo wins on price at $9 a month, MailerLite wins on value at $12 a month, and Constant Contact wins when you want phone support at $12 a month. Price the list you will have in a year, because contact-based pricing climbs fast, and send-based pricing wins for large lists that email rarely.
The email marketing software pricing for small business in this guide are not ranked by feature count, but by the job each one does best. Start with the free plan or the cheapest tier, test it on real work for a month, and move up only when a limit starts costing you time. The right tool is the one that fits your week, your budget and your licence needs, so pick by the job and check the price at checkout.
1 thought on “Email Marketing Software Pricing for Small Business”