EmailOctopus vs Sender vs Brevo (Sendinblue)
Startups and bootstrapped businesses looking for maximum value often discover these three as top budget contenders. EmailOctopus keeps things stripped-back and cheap, Sender packs surprising automation into its free tier, and Brevo adds SMS and transactional email to the mix without breaking the bank.
Quick Verdict
Best for most users: EmailOctopus — email marketing made easy.
EmailOctopus: Email marketing made easy
Sender: Affordable email and SMS marketing
Brevo (Sendinblue): The most approachable CRM suite
Brevo (Sendinblue)
The most approachable CRM suite
4.5/5 Free plan · from $9/mo
Feature Comparison
| Feature | EmailOctopus | Sender | Brevo (Sendinblue) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Starting Price | $9/mo | $10/mo | $9/mo |
| Free Plan | 2,500 subscribers | 2,500 subscribers | Up to 100,000 contacts, 300 emails/day |
| Founded | 2014 | 2012 | 2012 |
| Email Templates | 100 | 50 | 60 |
| Integrations | 1,000 | 50 | 60 |
| Deliverability Rate | 97.5% | 97% | 96.5% |
| Marketing Automation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| A/B Testing | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag & Drop Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SMS Marketing | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ecommerce Features | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-Language | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web Push Notifications | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Advanced Analytics | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
The Verdict
| Criterion | Weight | EmailOctopus | Sender | Brevo (Sendinblue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $9/mo | $10/mo | $9/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 97.5% | 97% | 96.5% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1000 | 50 | 60 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Choose EmailOctopus if…
- + Best for bloggers
- + Best for solopreneurs
- + Generous free plan (2,500 subscribers)
Choose Sender if…
- + Extremely generous free plan (2,500 subs, 15,000 emails)
Choose Brevo (Sendinblue) if…
- + Only option with advanced analytics
- + Best for transactional email
- + Best for developers
EmailOctopus: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Generous free plan (2,500 subscribers)
- +Very affordable Pro plan
- +Simple and clean interface
- +Good deliverability using Amazon SES
- +Easy migration from other platforms
Cons
- −Limited feature set compared to competitors
- −No A/B testing
- −Small template library
- −Basic automation capabilities
- −No ecommerce features
Sender: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Extremely generous free plan (2,500 subs, 15,000 emails)
- +Built-in SMS marketing on all plans
- +Very affordable paid plans
- +Ecommerce integrations for abandoned cart
- +No credit card required for free plan
Cons
- −No A/B testing
- −No landing page builder
- −Smaller integration ecosystem
- −Less well-known brand
- −Limited advanced features
Brevo (Sendinblue): Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Unique pricing model based on emails sent, not contacts
- +Free plan allows unlimited contacts
- +Built-in SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat
- +Transactional email support
- +Strong API for developers
Cons
- −Free plan limited to 300 emails per day
- −Fewer email templates than competitors
- −Interface can feel cluttered
- −Automation is less intuitive than specialized tools
- −Some features feel underdeveloped