Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to stay connected with your audience. Unlike social media, where your posts compete with algorithms and can disappear into a feed, email lands directly in your subscribers’ inboxes — giving you a reliable, owned channel to share news, promotions, updates, and helpful content. Whether you’re nurturing new leads, keeping existing customers engaged, or driving repeat business, a good email marketing platform makes it easy to design professional-looking campaigns, grow your list, and track what’s working — all without needing a marketing degree or a big budget.
The following are common email marketing platforms designed with small business in mind. The ones I commonly recommend are marked with a star. If you’re using a provider, or have a feature requirement you don’t see listed, just let me know — I’m happy to research and work with whatever platform fits your needs.
If you’re asking any of the following questions, this article is for you.
- What email marketing platform should I use for my small business?
- Are there any free email marketing options?
- How many subscribers can I have before I have to start paying?
- Which platforms are easiest to use if I’m not tech-savvy?
- What’s the difference between all these platforms?
- Is Mailchimp still a good free option?
- Do any of these work directly with my WordPress or WooCommerce site?
- I already use HubSpot/Constant Contact/etc. — is that a good choice?
- Can I switch platforms if I outgrow my current one?
- Which platform is best if I want to send a newsletter?
- What happens when I exceed the free plan limits?
- Are there platforms that charge based on emails sent instead of subscribers?
- Which platforms include automation on the free plan?
- I’m a writer or content creator — is there a platform built for me?
- How do I know which plan is right for my business size?
Platforms
Note: Free plan limits and features across all these platforms change frequently. Always verify current details on the provider’s official website before committing to a plan.
AWeber
AWeber offers email marketing tools including newsletters, automated sequences, and subscriber list management. It emphasizes ease of use and is well-regarded for its customer support, including 24/7 phone, email, and chat access — even for free users.
Free Plan: Up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails per month, including full email design tools, automations, sign-up forms, landing pages, and integrations.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
Brevo is known for email marketing, SMS marketing, and automation. Unlike most platforms, it prices based on email volume rather than contact count, which can benefit businesses with large lists that send infrequently. It includes a built-in CRM, transactional emails, and advanced automation.
Free Plan: Send 300 emails per day (about 9,000/month) with no subscriber limit. Includes 40+ templates, personalization, automation, and basic reporting. Note: Brevo branding appears on all free plan emails.
Campaign Monitor
Campaign Monitor (now part of Marigold) provides email marketing and automation with a focus on design quality. It includes drag-and-drop campaign building, personalization, advanced analytics, and agency features for managing multiple client accounts.
Free Plan: No permanent free plan — only a limited sandbox that lets you send to 5 subscribers for testing. A 30-day free trial is available. Paid plans start at $13/month for up to 500 contacts.
Services like Mailchimp, MailerLite and Constant Contact are generally referred to as “email service providers” (ESPs) or “email marketing platforms.” More broadly, they fall under the category of marketing automation tools. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Email Service Provider (ESP)
A platform that lets you design, send and track bulk email campaigns (newsletters, promotional blasts, transactional emails). - Email Marketing Platform
Essentially the same as an ESP, but emphasizes marketing-specific features: A/B tests, list segmentation, templates, analytics. - Marketing Automation Tool
A broader category that includes ESP functionality plus multi-channel automation (e.g., SMS, social ads, landing pages, CRM integrations, drip workflows).
Constant Contact*
Constant Contact focuses on user-friendly email marketing with customizable templates, list management, event management tools, and social media posting. It is particularly well-suited for nonprofits and event-driven businesses.
Free Plan: No permanent free plan as of June 2025. A 60-day free trial is available. Paid plans start at $12/month (Lite), $35/month (Standard), and $80/month (Premium) for 500 contacts.
GetResponse
GetResponse offers email marketing, automation, landing page creation, and webinar hosting. It provides features for building campaigns, automated workflows, and a website builder.
Free Plan: Up to 500 contacts and 2,500 monthly emails, including the drag-and-drop editor, email templates, website builder, landing pages, and forms.
HubSpot
HubSpot offers a comprehensive marketing platform including email marketing, CRM, landing pages, and inbound marketing tools. It is best suited for businesses that want a unified marketing and sales system.
Free Plan: Up to 1,000 contacts and 2,000 marketing emails per month. Emails include HubSpot branding, and advanced automation, A/B testing, and detailed analytics require paid plans. Paid plans start at $20/month (Starter).
Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Kit is an email marketing platform built specifically for content creators — bloggers, podcasters, course sellers, and newsletter writers. It focuses on audience growth and monetization, with built-in tools for selling digital products and paid newsletter subscriptions directly through the platform.
Free Plan: Up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited email sends, landing pages, forms, and basic reporting — one of the most generous free tiers available. Paid plans start at $39/month (Creator) for 1,000 subscribers.
MailerLite*
MailerLite is a user-friendly platform offering email campaigns, automation, landing pages, and a website builder. It is consistently recommended for small businesses and beginners seeking an affordable, clean tool.
Free Plan: Up to 500 subscribers and 12,000 monthly emails, including single-trigger automation workflows and landing pages. Note: Email templates are not included on the free plan. Paid plans start at around $10/month.
Mailchimp*
Mailchimp provides email marketing with campaign creation, audience management, templates, and analytics. It is one of the most widely recognized platforms, though its free plan has been significantly reduced in recent years.
Free Plan: Up to 250 contacts and 500 sends per month as of 2026, with a daily send limit of 250. Automation has been removed from the free plan entirely. Paid plans start at $13/month (Essentials).
MailPoet*
MailPoet is a WordPress-native email marketing plugin that lets you manage subscribers, design newsletters, and send automated campaigns directly from your WordPress dashboard. It integrates natively with WooCommerce for e-commerce automation such as abandoned cart emails. Best for WordPress/WooCommerce sites.
Free Plan: Up to 500 subscribers and 5,000 emails per month using the MailPoet Sending Service, with MailPoet branding included in emails. Paid plans start at approximately $8/month.
Omnisend
Omnisend is an email and SMS marketing platform built specifically for e-commerce businesses. It integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and other online store platforms, and includes automation workflows for things like abandoned cart recovery, welcome sequences, and post-purchase follow-ups. Best for online stores and e-commerce brands.
Free Plan: Up to 250 contacts and 500 emails per month, with access to all core features including automation and signup forms. Paid plans start at $16/month.
Substack
Substack is a newsletter and publishing platform primarily designed for writers, journalists, and content creators. It is a strong choice for content-first publishers rather than traditional marketing campaigns. Best for content creators and newsletter writers; limited marketing automation features.
Free Plan: Publishing is free with no subscriber limit. If you enable paid subscriptions, Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue plus Stripe processing fees. If you never charge readers, you never pay Substack.
Zoho Campaigns
Zoho Campaigns is a budget-friendly email marketing platform that integrates seamlessly with Zoho CRM and the broader Zoho business suite. It’s a strong choice for businesses already using other Zoho products, and one of the most affordable options available for those who need more than a free plan. Best for businesses already in the Zoho ecosystem.
Free Plan: Up to 2,000 contacts and 6,000 emails per month, with basic templates, signup forms, and analytics. Paid plans start at just $3.50/month (billed annually).
