Best Email Marketing Software
From beginner-friendly newsletters to advanced automation, these are the best email marketing platforms ranked by value and capability.
We ranked 5 picks for Email Marketing Software. MailerLite takes the #1 spot at 4.6/5 (free to start). Paid entry pricing is $19/mo. 4 offer a free tier. 5 have a public API.
Our picks at a glance
MailerLite
Genuine free tier — test it before committing budget.
MailerLite
4.6/5 across 2,400 reviews.
MailerLite keeps email marketing simple and cheap without skimping on automations, landing pages, and websites. A favorite for small businesses and solo creators.
ActiveCampaign is a power user's email and automation platform with a visual builder, CRM, and predictive features. Best when you need deep, branching automations.
The full ranking
| # | Tool | Starts at | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MailerLite Simple, affordable email marketing | Free | 4.6/5 | SMBs & solo creators |
| 2 | Brevo Email, SMS & CRM with volume-based pricing | Free | 4.4/5 | SMBs with large lists |
| 3 | ActiveCampaign Advanced automation & marketing CRM | $19/mo | 4.5/5 | Automation-heavy teams |
| 4 | Kit Email marketing built for creators | Free | 4.5/5 | Creators & newsletters |
| 5 | Mailchimp Beginner-friendly email & marketing platform | Free | 4.3/5 | Small businesses & beginners |
Side-by-side comparison
| Comparison | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Starting price | Free | Free | $19/mo | Free |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Paid | Freemium |
| API available | ||||
| Best for | SMBs & solo creators | SMBs with large lists | Automation-heavy teams | Creators & newsletters |
| Drag-drop editor | ||||
| Automations | ||||
| Landing pages & sites | ||||
| Pop-ups | ||||
| A/B testing | ||||
| Email campaigns | ||||
| SMS marketing | ||||
| Marketing automation | ||||
| Free CRM | ||||
| Transactional email | ||||
| Visual automation builder | ||||
| Sales CRM | ||||
| Predictive sending | ||||
| Segmentation | ||||
| Site tracking | ||||
| Tag-based automation | ||||
| Landing pages | ||||
| Paid newsletters | ||||
| Visual sequences | ||||
| Commerce | ||||
| Visit | Visit | Visit | Visit |
What to look for in email marketing software
- Check whether pricing is per seat — it multiplies with team size.
- Headline prices usually assume annual billing; monthly costs more.
- Confirm the integrations you already depend on are supported.
- Start on a free tier or trial before committing to a year.
How we rank: we weigh user ratings, feature depth, pricing value, and fit for this specific use case — not rating alone. Rankings are updated as products and prices change, and affiliate relationships never affect the order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best email marketing software?+
MailerLite is our #1 pick, rated 4.6/5 and free to start. Excellent value The full ranked list with pricing and trade-offs is above.
Is there a free email marketing software option?+
Yes — MailerLite, Brevo, Kit, Mailchimp offer a free tier, so you can start without paying.
What is the cheapest email marketing software?+
Paid pricing here starts at $19/mo (ActiveCampaign).
How did you rank these tools?+
Rankings weigh user ratings, feature depth, pricing value, and fit for this specific use case — not rating alone. We update them as products and prices change.