Email Marketing Software Comparison: A 2026 Recap

Key Takeaways

• Pricing models vary widely. Most platforms price by contact list size, but Brevo prices by send volume. Model your actual usage before comparing sticker prices.
• Free plans aren’t what they used to be. Several platforms have cut back or dropped their free tiers, so check current limits before you sign up.
• Every Benchmark Email plan includes every feature. Pricing changes only with your contact list size, so budgeting stays simple as you grow.
• Match the platform to your team and goals. ActiveCampaign suits teams that want advanced automation and a built-in CRM. GetResponse suits creators who want webinars and courses. Constant Contact suits event-driven organizations. Benchmark Email suits teams that want simplicity without sacrificing results.
• Re-check pricing at least once a year. Several platforms on this list changed their plans or prices in 2026 alone.

 

Email marketing is still one of the most reliable ways for brands to reach prospects and customers directly. Social algorithms keep shifting, and ad costs keep climbing, so the inbox remains one of the few channels you actually own. That’s why choosing the right platform matters.

There are a lot of tools out there, though, so how do you know which one fits your needs? Below, we compare seven of the most popular email marketing platforms on cost, free plan availability, features, and ease of use. 

Email Marketing Software at a Glance (2026)

Platform	Free plan?	Paid plans start at*	Pricing based on
Benchmark Email	Yes: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo	$12/mo (500 contacts)	Contacts
Brevo	Yes: 300 emails/day	~$9/mo	Email volume
ActiveCampaign	No (free trial)	~$19/mo (1,000 contacts)	Contacts
Mailchimp	Yes: 250 contacts	$13/mo	Contacts
Constant Contact	No (free trial)	$12/mo (500 contacts)	Contacts
Campaign Monitor	No (30-day free trial)	~$13/mo	Contacts
GetResponse	Limited free version (after 14-day trial)	$19/mo (1,000 contacts)	Contacts

*Starting prices on monthly billing. Annual billing is cheaper on most platforms.

1. Benchmark Email

Naturally, we have to include our own platform. Benchmark Email is built for marketers who want strong results without overwhelming complexity. It’s an intuitive, effective, easy-to-use email marketing platform.

Is There a Free Plan?

Yes! Benchmark Email’s Free plan includes up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month. Unlike most free plans, it includes every platform feature. The only differences are your limits and the Benchmark branding on your emails and forms.

What Are the Other Plan Options and Prices?

• Pro plan: starts at $12/month for 500 contacts ($10/month billed annually), scaling with your list size up to 100,000 contacts
• Enterprise plan: custom pricing for lists over 100,000 contacts

Every Benchmark Email plan includes every feature. Pricing changes only based on your contact list size. Pro plans can send up to 10 times their contact limit each month, let you remove Benchmark branding, and include list verification. You can upgrade or downgrade anytime, and switch from monthly to annual billing whenever you’re ready. If you exceed your contact limit, Benchmark notifies you instead of automatically upgrading you.

What About Email Templates?

You can start from a library of ready-made email templates, build from a blank layout, or paste in your own HTML. The drag-and-drop editor includes predefined and saved content blocks, flexible responsive layouts, and a Brand Kit that keeps your logo, colors, and fonts ready to use. Before you send, a built-in audit checklist flags missing links and missing image alt text.

How Can Users Grow Their Email List?

Benchmark Email includes several tools to help you grow your email list:

• Drag-and-drop sign-up forms and form templates
• Hosted form pages, which work even if you don’t have a website
• Automatic contact tagging at sign-up

A universal embed code works with WordPress, Shopify, Wix, and any site that accepts HTML. Zapier connects Benchmark to 8,000+ apps, and the API keeps contacts flowing in from your CRM, store, or booking tool.

Why Benchmark?

Benchmark’s AI Assistant writes email copy and creates images right inside the builder, so writer’s block doesn’t slow you down. Ever been stuck staring at a blank email? Just ask.

Contact management is simple. Organize subscribers with tags, lists, custom fields, and filters, then send personalized messages with merge fields and personalized subject lines. Reporting shows contact activity in real time, which links drive clicks, and when your audience is most engaged.

For deliverability, paid plans include list verification so you can clean your list before you send. Send limits also protect your sender reputation.

Who Should Choose Benchmark?

Benchmark Email is ideal for small and mid-sized businesses that want a simpler way to do email marketing, without a steep learning curve or a bloated tech stack. Pricing is transparent, and every plan includes every feature, so Benchmark keeps things simple without cutting features.

2. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

If you remember this platform as Sendinblue, you’re not behind the times. It rebranded to Brevo in 2023 as part of a broader push into all-in-one marketing and sales, and it now offers SMS, WhatsApp, and CRM tools alongside email.

Is There a Free Plan?

Yes. Brevo’s free plan allows up to 300 emails per day.

What Are the Other Plan Options and Prices?

Brevo prices mainly by monthly email volume rather than contact count. Each send tier includes a contact storage cap, and only Enterprise offers unlimited contacts. The current lineup is:

• Starter: from about $9/month
• Standard (formerly Business): from about $18/month, adds advanced marketing automation
• Professional: from $499/month, for high-volume senders
• Enterprise: custom pricing

Each plan’s price rises as you choose a higher send volume. Removing the Brevo logo costs an extra $9/month on Starter (Standard and higher plans don’t show it), and sales tools are priced separately.

What About Email Templates?

Brevo offers a range of email templates. You can also design your own with drag-and-drop content blocks, no coding required.

How Can Users Grow Their Email List?

Brevo includes sign-up forms and integrations with third-party tools such as Facebook Lead Ads and Shopify. You can import contacts from a CSV file or sync them from another platform, and developers can use Brevo’s API to connect other apps.

Who Should Choose Brevo?

Brevo’s volume-based pricing works well for businesses with large contact lists that don’t email often, since each send tier includes generous contact allowances. It’s also worth a look if you want SMS or WhatsApp in the same platform. Budget carefully: advanced automation requires Standard, exceeding your contact cap bumps you to a higher tier, and add-ons can quickly raise your monthly cost.

3. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is an email marketing and automation platform. Its tools include segmentation, advanced automation, A/B testing, contact scoring, and a built-in CRM on higher tiers.

Is There a Free Plan?

No, but ActiveCampaign offers a 14-day free trial.

What Are the Other Plan Options and Prices?

ActiveCampaign prices by contact count. At 1,000 contacts on monthly billing, plans start at:

• Starter: about $19/month
• Plus: about $59/month
• Pro: about $99/month
• Enterprise: about $179/month

Annual billing lowers these rates. Costs climb at each contact threshold, and lists over 50,000 contacts get custom pricing.

What About Email Templates?

ActiveCampaign provides email templates you can customize with your own branding and content. You can also design emails from scratch in its drag-and-drop editor.

How Can Users Grow Their Email List?

ActiveCampaign integrates with hundreds of third-party apps, including Salesforce, Shopify, and Zendesk. It also offers landing pages and website forms.

Who Should Consider ActiveCampaign?

ActiveCampaign suits small-to-medium businesses that need sophisticated automation and CRM features. Its per-contact pricing rises quickly as your list grows, and the most useful automation features start on Plus. Model your costs at your expected list size before you commit.

4. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is one of the best-known names in email marketing. It lets you send and optimize campaigns, manage contacts, and track performance.

Is There a Free Plan?

Yes, but it’s much smaller than it used to be. Mailchimp’s free plan now covers up to 250 contacts and 500 emails per month, down from the 2,000-contact free plan it offered a few years ago. The free plan doesn’t include email scheduling or automation flows, and support is limited to your first 30 days.

What Are the Other Plan Options and Prices?

All Mailchimp plans are priced by contact count. Starting prices are:

• Essentials: from $13/month
• Standard: from $20/month
• Premium: from $350/month

Prices rise as your list grows. For example, the Standard plan runs roughly $135/month at 10,000 contacts. Full automation flows require Standard or Premium, since Essentials is limited to four flow steps.

What About Email Templates?

Mailchimp offers pre-built email templates plus branded templates on its higher plans. Its design tools let you add images and customize colors and fonts to match your brand.

How Can Users Grow Their Email List?

Mailchimp offers sign-up forms, landing pages, popup forms, and 300+ integrations to help grow your list.

Who Should Use Mailchimp?

Mailchimp suits businesses that want a widely used, feature-rich platform and are comfortable paying more as they grow. Its free plan is best suited to very small lists, and its pricing scales quickly with list size, so it’s worth comparing costs with alternatives. Want to dig deeper? Check out our Mailchimp vs. Benchmark Email comparison.

5. Constant Contact

Constant Contact is an email marketing and automation service built for small businesses, nonprofits, and local organizations. It helps them reach customers with targeted campaigns.

Is There a Free Plan?

No, but Constant Contact offers a free trial.

What Are the Other Plan Options and Prices?

At 500 contacts, Constant Contact’s plans start at:

• Lite: $12/month
• Standard: $35/month
• Premium: $80/month

Pricing scales with your contact count, and each plan’s monthly send allowance depends on your list size. Going over your allowance triggers overage fees.

What About Email Templates?

Constant Contact offers a large library of mobile-responsive email templates and a drag-and-drop editor.

How Can Users Grow Their Email List?

You can create sign-up forms and landing pages to capture contacts from your website. Social posting tools help you reach followers, and the Premium plan adds Google Ads integration.

Who Should Use Constant Contact?

Constant Contact is a strong fit for organizations that run events, because its built-in event management tools can replace a separate events platform. Lean teams focused only on email should compare costs carefully, since automation and segmentation start on Standard and prices climb as your list grows.

6. Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor, now part of the Marigold family of marketing brands, is known for design-friendly emails. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor is paired with real-time analytics.

Is There a Free Plan?

No, but Campaign Monitor offers a 30-day free trial, limited to 500 contacts and 500 emails.

What Are the Other Plan Options and Prices?

Campaign Monitor has four tiers:

• Lite: around $13/month at 500 contacts, with send limits
• Essentials: around $31/month at 500 contacts, with unlimited sends
• Premier: around $171/month at 500 contacts
• Enterprise: custom pricing

All tiers scale with contact count. Annual billing saves 10%, and nonprofits get a 15% discount.

What About Email Templates?

Campaign Monitor offers 100+ customizable, responsive templates. You can also import custom-coded HTML or generate branded templates from your website URL. Its newer AI tools can generate complete branded emails, images, and translations.

How Can Users Grow Their Email List?

Campaign Monitor includes embedded forms, popup forms, and hosted sign-up pages. It also offers 250+ integrations and API access for custom solutions.

Who Should Consider Campaign Monitor?

Campaign Monitor is a solid choice for agencies, retailers, nonprofits, and design-focused brands. Its agency tools, such as sub-accounts, client dashboards, and white labeling, make it especially popular with marketers who manage email for multiple clients.

7. GetResponse

GetResponse lets you build professional emails, customize your subject lines and content to fit your brand, and segment contacts into targeted audiences. It has also expanded into courses, premium newsletters, and website building.

Is There a Free Plan?

GetResponse leads with a 14-day free trial of its premium features. After the trial, you can keep using a limited free version or upgrade to a paid plan.

What Are the Other Plan Options and Prices?

All paid plans include unlimited monthly email sends. At 1,000 contacts on monthly billing, plans start at:

• Starter: $19/month
• Marketer: $59/month
• Creator: $69/month
• Enterprise: custom pricing

Prices scale with contact count. For example, Starter runs about $79/month at 10,000 contacts. Annual billing saves 18%.

What About Email Templates?

GetResponse offers professionally designed templates, a visual drag-and-drop editor, and an HTML editor. It includes AI email and subject line generators, though the Starter plan limits how many times you can use them.

How Can Users Grow Their Email List?

GetResponse includes sign-up forms, popups, unlimited landing pages, and paid ad tools. Webinars are available on the Creator plan and above.

Who Should Use GetResponse?

GetResponse suits creators, educators, and small businesses that want to monetize content through webinars, courses, or paid newsletters. Webinars now require the Creator plan, and the Starter plan includes only one custom automation workflow.

What’s Changed in Email Marketing Software in 2026

If you last compared platforms a year or two ago, a few changes are worth knowing:

• Free plans are shrinking. Mailchimp’s free plan dropped to 250 contacts, and GetResponse now leads with a 14-day premium trial, with only a limited free version afterward. Benchmark Email still offers a free plan with every feature included.
• Brevo restructured its pricing. The old Business plan is now Standard, and a new Professional tier starting at $499/month targets high-volume senders. Brevo still prices by email volume rather than contacts.
• AI is now standard. Most platforms now include AI tools that write copy, generate images, or suggest subject lines. What varies is how much access you get on lower-priced plans.
• Contact-based pricing still dominates. Most platforms tie both price and monthly send limits to the size of your list, so your real cost depends on where you’ll be in six months, not where you are today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free email marketing tool?

Yes. Benchmark Email, Brevo, and Mailchimp all offer free plans, and GetResponse keeps a limited free version after its trial, though limits vary a lot. Benchmark’s free plan includes 500 contacts, 2,500 emails per month, and all the features available on paid plans.

What’s the best way to choose email marketing software?

Start by listing what matters most to your team: budget, contact list size, automation needs, and whether you want bundled tools like CRM, SMS, or webinars. Then compare pricing at your actual or projected list size. Costs at scale often differ significantly from the starting tier on a pricing page.

How much does it cost to email 10,000 contacts?

On most contact-based platforms, entry-level plans for 10,000 contacts run roughly $80–$110 per month on monthly billing. Advanced tiers can cost several times that. Benchmark Email’s Pro plan falls within that range and includes every feature, so you won’t hit feature gates as you grow.

What happened to Sendinblue?

Sendinblue rebranded to Brevo in 2023 and expanded into a broader marketing and sales platform with SMS, WhatsApp, and CRM tools. Its pricing is based mainly on email send volume rather than contact count.

What plans does Benchmark Email offer, and how much do they cost?

• Free plan: $0/month for up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month
• Pro plan: starts at $12/month for 500 contacts ($10/month billed annually), up to 100,000 contacts
• Enterprise plan: custom pricing for lists over 100,000 contacts

Every Benchmark Email plan includes every feature. Pricing changes only with your contact list size, and you can adjust your plan anytime.

The right platform makes all the difference, and email marketing keeps getting stronger. Use this guide to find the right fit. When you’re ready to see what effortless email marketing really looks like, try Benchmark Email for free.