Brevo vs MailerLite: Which Budget Email Platform Is Right for You?
Two of the best budget email marketing platforms, but with very different strengths. Brevo is an all-in-one marketing suite (email + SMS + CRM); MailerLite is a focused, beautifully designed email tool. Here is our data-driven comparison.
You have a large contact list but send infrequently
You need SMS, WhatsApp, or push notifications
You want a built-in CRM at no extra cost
You need production-grade transactional email (SMTP)
You want to start immediately (no approval wait)
Best for: Multi-channel marketers, SaaS companies, large lists with moderate sends
✨ Choose MailerLite If...
You want the best email editor and templates
You are a creator selling digital products
You need a simple website builder included
You want higher deliverability rates
You prefer a clean, focused email-only tool
Best for: Creators, bloggers, small businesses, and anyone who values design quality
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Brevo vs MailerLite feature comparison
Category
Brevo
MailerLite
Notes
Free Plan Contacts
✓Unlimited
1,000
Brevo allows unlimited contacts on free plan
Free Plan Emails
300/day
✓12,000/mo
MailerLite allows more total sends per month
Pricing Model
Per email volume
Per subscriber count
Different models suit different sending patterns
Starter Price (Paid)
$25/mo (20K emails)
✓$10/mo (500 subs)
MailerLite is cheaper for small lists
Price at 10K Contacts
✓$25/mo (20K emails)
$73/mo
Brevo wins big for large lists with moderate sends
Email Editor
Drag & drop + HTML
✓Drag & drop + Rich text + HTML
MailerLite editor is more intuitive and polished
Templates
40+ templates
✓90+ templates
MailerLite has more and better-designed templates
Automation
✓Advanced (visual builder)
Good (visual builder)
Brevo has more triggers, conditions, and actions
CRM Built-in
✓Yes (full CRM)
No
Brevo includes a complete CRM at no extra cost
SMS Marketing
✓Yes (built-in)
No
Brevo supports SMS, WhatsApp, and push notifications
Pricing: Pay-Per-Email vs Pay-Per-Subscriber
This is the most important difference between Brevo and MailerLite. Brevo charges based on how many emails you send (unlimited contacts on every plan). MailerLite charges based on how many subscribers you have (unlimited emails on paid plans).
This means: if you have 50,000 contacts but only send 2 newsletters per month, Brevo is dramatically cheaper. If you have 500 contacts but send daily emails, MailerLite is the better deal.
Brevo Wins When...
Large list (10K+ contacts), moderate sends
You need SMS + email in one platform
You need transactional emails (SMTP)
MailerLite Wins When...
Small list (under 5K), frequent sends
You want the best design tools
You sell digital products
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brevo the same as Sendinblue?▼
Yes. Sendinblue rebranded to Brevo in May 2023. All features, pricing, and accounts remain the same only the name changed.
Why does MailerLite require account approval?▼
MailerLite manually reviews every new account to maintain high deliverability rates across their platform. This strict vetting is why their inbox placement rate (~95%) is among the best in the industry. Approval typically takes 24-48 hours.
Can I use both for free?▼
Yes. Brevo free plan: unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day. MailerLite free plan: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month. Both include basic automation. Brevo free includes landing pages; MailerLite free includes the website builder.
Which has better automation?▼
Brevo has more advanced automation with more triggers, conditions, and multi-channel actions (email + SMS + WhatsApp in one workflow). MailerLite automation is simpler but covers most common use cases well.
Can I migrate between them easily?▼
Yes. Both support CSV import/export of contacts. Email templates need to be recreated manually. Automation workflows cannot be transferred and must be rebuilt.
Final Verdict
Brevo is the better all-in-one marketing platform. If you need email + SMS + CRM + transactional emails under one roof, and especially if you have a large contact list, Brevo delivers unmatched value. The unlimited contacts on every plan is a major advantage for growing businesses.
MailerLite is the better pure email marketing tool. If you want beautiful emails, an intuitive editor, higher deliverability, and the ability to sell digital products all at a lower starting price MailerLite is hard to beat. It does fewer things, but does them exceptionally well.
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