Pick the right email marketing tool without paying for mistakes
We test free and low-cost email tools, do the pricing maths, and explain it in plain words. So you can choose in minutes, not weeks.
Which free email tool should you start with?
Big list, few emails? Start with Brevo, because it charges for emails sent, not contacts kept. Small list, many emails? A per-contact tool like MailerLite is often cheaper. Work out one number first: list size × emails per month. That number decides the winner more than any feature list.
Best free email marketing tools
Ten free plans side by side: send caps, contact limits, branding and when you must pay.
Read the roundup → 💸Brevo pricing, explained
Every plan, the 300-a-day free limit, and real costs at four list sizes.
See the maths → 🔍Brevo review
What Brevo does well, and the three places where rivals beat it.
Read the review → 🐵Mailchimp review
The best-known name. When it is worth the price, and when to leave.
Read the review → 🤝Brevo affiliate program
What it pays, who gets approved and the rules to follow.
Read the guide → 🧪How we test
Our 5-part scoring rubric, published before any vendor could pay us.
See the rubric →Popular comparisons
Two tools, one table, a clear winner for each kind of sender.
How we score every tool
Every tool is scored on the same published rubric. Scores are our editorial judgement, not lab tests, and we say so.
Sign up and send
We open an account and use the real editor, forms and automations.
Do the pricing maths
We price each plan at real list sizes, including add-ons.
Score on 5 areas
Deliverability 30%, value 25%, automation 20%, ease 15%, support 10%.
Re-check and date it
Free plans change fast, so every figure shows when we checked it.
Common questions
What is the best free email marketing tool?
It depends on how you send. If you have a big list and email it now and then, Brevo is usually best because it charges by emails sent, and its free plan sends 300 emails a day. If you have a small list and email it often, a tool that charges by contacts, like MailerLite, can work out cheaper. See our full free tools roundup.
How much does Brevo cost?
At the time of writing Brevo has a free plan with 300 emails a day. Paid plans start at about $9 a month for Starter and $18 a month for Standard, and the price goes up with how many emails you send each month. Always check Brevo’s own pricing page, because prices change. Full breakdown: Brevo pricing.
Is Brevo cheaper than Mailchimp?
Often, yes, for big lists. Brevo bills by emails sent, while Mailchimp bills by contacts stored. If you store many contacts but send rarely, Brevo is usually cheaper. If you send many emails to a small list, the gap gets smaller. Read Brevo vs Mailchimp.
Does Reechly get paid by these companies?
No vendor pays for a place or a score on Reechly. We have applied to some affiliate programs. If we are accepted, some links may earn a fee at no cost to you, and we say so on every page. Read our disclosure.
Not sure where to start?
Read the free tools roundup first. It takes about 10 minutes and saves most people a costly switch later.