Mailchimp vs Brevo (Sendinblue) vs MailerLite
Small businesses on a budget often narrow their search to these three affordable all-rounders. Mailchimp is the household name, Brevo offers pay-by-email pricing and built-in SMS, and MailerLite consistently undercuts both on price while delivering a clean, no-bloat experience.
Quick Verdict
Best for most users: Mailchimp — email and sms marketing with automation for small businesses.
Mailchimp: Email and SMS marketing with automation for small businesses
Brevo (Sendinblue): Email, SMS and CRM platform priced by email volume
MailerLite: Email marketing, websites and landing pages for small businesses
Mailchimp
Email and SMS marketing with automation for small businesses
Brevo (Sendinblue)
Email, SMS and CRM platform priced by email volume
MailerLite
Email marketing, websites and landing pages for small businesses
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | Brevo (Sendinblue) | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Starting Price | $13/mo | $9/mo | $12/mo |
| Free Plan | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month | Up to 100,000 contacts, 300 emails/day | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month |
| Founded | 2001 | 2012 | 2010 |
| Email Templates | 100 | 60 | 90 |
| Integrations | 300 | 150 | 140 |
| Independent Inbox Test | No independent test | No independent test | No independent test |
| Marketing Automation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| A/B Testing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Landing Pages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | Yes | Yes | No |
| Ecommerce Features | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | Yes | Yes | No |
| Web Push Notifications | No | Yes | No |
| Live Chat | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Verdict
| Criterion | Weight | Mailchimp | Brevo (Sendinblue) | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $13/mo | $9/mo | $12/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 3.9/5 | 4.1/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Rating | 25% | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 300 | 150 | 140 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Choose Mailchimp if…
- + Best for nonprofits
- + Most recognized brand in email marketing
Choose Brevo (Sendinblue) if…
- + Best for transactional email
- + Best for developers
- + Priced by email volume, with generous contact storage on higher tiers
Choose MailerLite if…
- + Best for bloggers
- + Best for freelancers
- + Excellent value for money — most affordable paid plans
Mailchimp: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Most recognized brand in email marketing
- + Excellent drag-and-drop editor
- + 300+ integrations with third-party tools
- + Strong analytics and reporting
- + Good for beginners with guided setup
Cons
- − Free plan severely limited (250 contacts, 500 sends)
- − Premium plan is expensive ($350/mo)
- − Charges for unsubscribed contacts
- − Affiliate marketing restricted
- − Deliverability has declined in recent years
Brevo (Sendinblue): Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Priced by email volume, with generous contact storage on higher tiers
- + Free plan stores up to 100,000 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
MailerLite: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Excellent value for money — most affordable paid plans
- + Clean, intuitive interface perfect for beginners
- + Built-in website and landing page builder
- + Sell digital products directly
- + Strong drag-and-drop email editor
Cons
- − Free plan limited to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month
- − No SMS marketing
- − Fewer integrations than competitors
- − Strict approval process for new accounts
- − Limited automation compared to ActiveCampaign