The cheapest email marketing software for startups in 2026 is Brevo (free for up to 300 emails/day, paid from around $9/month), MailerLite (free for 250 subscribers, paid from around $12/month), or EmailOctopus and Sender if you want the most generous free plans. Most startups can send email marketing for free for months — the trick is picking a tool whose paid plans stay cheap as your list grows.
Startup budgets are tight. Every dollar matters. The good news is that email marketing is one of the cheapest marketing channels that exists — and most of the best tools let you start free. The bad news is that pricing pages are confusing, free plans keep changing, and the “cheapest” tool today can get expensive fast once your list grows.
This guide compares the genuinely cheapest options in plain English, with the real limits of each free plan and honest prices as of 2026. Prices change often, so always verify on the official site before you commit.
In This Article
- What Does “Cheapest” Actually Mean for a Startup?
- The 7 Cheapest Email Marketing Tools for Startups
- 1. Brevo — Cheapest Paid Plans Overall
- 2. MailerLite — Best Free Plan for Simplicity
- 3. Sender — Most Generous Free Plan for Small Lists
- 4. EmailOctopus — Best Budget Option for Growing Lists
- 5. Zoho Campaigns — Cheapest Entry Price
- 6. Mailchimp — Fine to Start, Watch the Price
- 7. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — Free for Creators, Pricey Later
- Quick Price Comparison
- How to Pick the Cheapest One for YOUR Startup
- The Free-Plan Trap Nobody Warns You About
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the absolute cheapest email marketing software for a startup?
- Can a startup really do email marketing for free?
- Why is Mailchimp more expensive than the alternatives?
- How many emails can I send for free with Brevo?
- When should a startup start paying for email marketing?
- The Bottom Line
What Does “Cheapest” Actually Mean for a Startup?
Before the list, here is how email tools charge you — because “cheap” depends on your situation:
- Per contact (subscriber). Most tools charge based on how many people are on your list. More subscribers = higher bill. Mailchimp and MailerLite work this way.
- Per email sent. Brevo charges mainly for how many emails you send, not how many contacts you store. This can be much cheaper if you have a big list but send rarely.
- Free plans. Every tool below has a real free tier — not a trial. Free means $0 forever, but with limits on contacts, sends, or features.
So the cheapest tool for a startup with 300 subscribers sending weekly is different from the cheapest one for a startup with 5,000 subscribers sending monthly. Keep your numbers in mind as you read.
The 7 Cheapest Email Marketing Tools for Startups
1. Brevo — Cheapest Paid Plans Overall
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) offers strong value for startups watching their budget.
- Free plan: unlimited contacts, up to 300 emails per day. Automation and a CRM included.
- Paid from: around $9 per month as of 2026.
- Best for: startups that send often or have a big list, because you pay for sends, not contacts.
The honest catch: the daily sending limit on the free plan means you cannot blast 10,000 emails in one day. You also get Brevo branding on your emails until you pay. And prices rise as your send volume grows — check the current tiers on their site.
2. MailerLite — Best Free Plan for Simplicity
MailerLite is the easiest tool on this list to learn, and its free plan covers the basics well.
- Free plan: up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails per month. Note: MailerLite has reduced its free plan over time, so it is smaller than it used to be.
- Paid from: around $12 per month as of 2026.
- Best for: founders who want the simplest possible setup — drag-and-drop editor, landing pages, automation.
The honest catch: the free plan is tight. You will outgrow 250 subscribers fast if your list is growing. Paid plans scale by subscriber count, so compare the price at your expected list size, not just the starting price.
3. Sender — Most Generous Free Plan for Small Lists
Sender flies under the radar, but its free plan is one of the most generous available.
- Free plan: up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month.
- Paid from: around $7 per month as of 2026.
- Best for: startups that want a big free runway before paying anything.
The honest catch: Sender has fewer integrations than the big names, and its automation features are simpler. If your whole business runs on one CRM or store platform, check that Sender connects to it before you commit.
4. EmailOctopus — Best Budget Option for Growing Lists
EmailOctopus is built for people who want simple email marketing at a low price.
- Free plan: up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month.
- Paid from: around $8 per month as of 2026.
- Best for: startups with a growing list that sends regularly but does not need fancy automation.
The honest catch: the templates and design tools are basic compared to Mailchimp or MailerLite. It does the job, but your emails will look simpler unless you know some HTML.
5. Zoho Campaigns — Cheapest Entry Price
If your startup already uses Zoho products, this one is an easy fit. If not, it is still worth a look.
- Free plan: available, with limits on subscribers and sends.
- Paid from: around $4 per month for 500 contacts as of 2026 — the lowest entry price on this list.
- Best for: startups on the tightest possible budget, or Zoho users who want everything in one place.
The honest catch: the interface feels dated next to Brevo or MailerLite, and the free plan is smaller. This is a “good enough and cheap” pick, not a “best tool” pick.
6. Mailchimp — Fine to Start, Watch the Price
Mailchimp is the biggest name in email marketing. It is easy to start with, but it is not the cheapest anymore.
- Free plan: up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month. Mailchimp has reduced its free plan over time, so it keeps shrinking.
- Paid from: around $13 per month for 500 contacts as of 2026.
- Best for: absolute beginners who want the most tutorials, templates, and integrations.
The honest catch: Mailchimp’s prices climb fast as your list grows — faster than most tools here. Many startups start on Mailchimp and switch to Brevo or MailerLite once the bill gets painful. If you expect rapid growth, price Mailchimp at your 12-month list size before you commit.
7. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — Free for Creators, Pricey Later
Kit is worth one mention for newsletter-style startups, because its free plan is unusually generous.
- Free plan: up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited newsletter sends.
- Paid from: around $39 per month as of 2026.
- Best for: creators and newsletter startups who send simple broadcasts, not complex automation.
The honest catch: the free plan covers newsletters only — automation and advanced features need the paid plan, which is the most expensive starting price on this list. Only pick Kit if your content is newsletter-first.
Quick Price Comparison
Here is how the cheapest options stack up, with approximate 2026 prices — verify on each official site:
- Brevo: free (300 emails/day); paid from ~$9/mo
- MailerLite: free (250 subs); paid from ~$12/mo
- Sender: free (2,500 subs); paid from ~$7/mo
- EmailOctopus: free (2,500 subs); paid from ~$8/mo
- Zoho Campaigns: free plan; paid from ~$4/mo
- Mailchimp: free (500 contacts); paid from ~$13/mo
- Kit: free (10,000 subs, newsletters); paid from ~$39/mo
How to Pick the Cheapest One for YOUR Startup
Do not just pick the lowest starting price. Answer these three questions:
1. How many subscribers will you have in 12 months? Price every tool at your future list size, not today’s. A tool that is cheap at 500 contacts can be expensive at 5,000.
2. How often will you send? If you email daily, Brevo’s send-based pricing or a generous free plan like Sender wins. If you email once a month, contact-based pricing is fine.
3. Do you need automation? Welcome sequences, abandoned-cart emails, and drip campaigns can drive real revenue. If you need automation, check that it is included in the free or cheapest plan — not locked behind a higher tier.
One more honest tip: clean your list before you import it. Most tools charge by contact count, so dead or fake email addresses quietly inflate your bill. Only pay for contacts you can actually reach.
The Free-Plan Trap Nobody Warns You About
Here is the thing startups learn the hard way: free plans shrink. Mailchimp and MailerLite have both reduced their free plans over time. This is the pattern — free tiers tend to get smaller over time as companies push people toward paid plans.
That does not mean free plans are a scam. It means you should pick a tool whose paid plan is also cheap, so the upgrade does not hurt when you outgrow free. Brevo, Sender, and EmailOctopus all pass this test. That is why they top this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the absolute cheapest email marketing software for a startup?
Brevo, at around $9 per month for paid plans as of 2026 — and its free plan (300 emails/day, unlimited contacts) is genuinely usable for months. Zoho Campaigns has the lowest entry price at around $4 per month, but with a smaller feature set. Prices change, so verify on the official sites.
Can a startup really do email marketing for free?
Yes. Brevo, Sender, EmailOctopus, MailerLite, Mailchimp, and Kit all have real free plans — not trials. Most startups can send professional email marketing for $0 for the first few months. You pay when your list or sending volume outgrows the free tier.
Why is Mailchimp more expensive than the alternatives?
Mailchimp charges per contact and its prices rise steeply as your list grows. It has also reduced its free plan over time. You are partly paying for the brand, the template library, and the integrations. For many startups, Brevo or MailerLite does the same job for less.
How many emails can I send for free with Brevo?
Up to 300 emails per day on the free plan, with unlimited contacts stored, as of 2026. That is enough for most early-stage startups. If you need to send more per day, the paid plans start at around $9 per month — verify current tiers on Brevo’s official pricing page.
When should a startup start paying for email marketing?
When you consistently hit the free plan’s limits — subscriber cap, daily send cap, or a missing feature like automation. Do not upgrade “just in case.” The moment the free plan costs you growth (unsent campaigns, lost subscribers), the cheapest paid plan pays for itself.
The Bottom Line
The cheapest email marketing software for startups in 2026 is Brevo — free to start, around $9 per month when you upgrade, and the pricing stays fair as you grow. Sender and EmailOctopus give you the biggest free runway, and MailerLite is the simplest to learn. Start free, pick the tool whose paid plan you can afford at your 12-month list size, and verify every price on the official site before you pay.
Want email marketing that actually brings in customers? Picking the tool is the easy part — the strategy, the sequences, and the copy are what make the money. At Adii Digital, we set up email marketing for startups and small businesses: list building, welcome sequences, and campaigns that convert. See our email marketing services →