How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Mailchimp and Constant Contact suit small businesses that want all-in-one email and marketing.
- ConvertKit, now Kit, suits creators who want simple email and audience growth.
- Brevo and GetResponse suit budget-conscious senders who want automation at lower cost.
- ActiveCampaign, AWeber, and Klaviyo suit automation, legacy simplicity, and ecommerce respectively.
Quick comparison
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We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best MailerLite alternatives
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Mailchimp suits small businesses that want all-in-one email marketing, with a huge template library, drag-and-drop editing, audience segmentation, and analytics in one platform. Its integration ecosystem covers ecommerce, CRM, and social tools, while its free tier covers small lists for testing. That breadth makes Mailchimp the default recommendation for many small businesses.
Pricing rises quickly as contact counts grow, since Mailchimp charges by audience size, and automation depth trails ActiveCampaign for complex workflows. For a small business that wants a proven, all-in-one email tool, Mailchimp remains the most popular MailerLite alternative among small businesses today.
What we like- Huge template library
- Strong analytics
- Large integration ecosystem
Watch out for- Pricing rises quickly with contacts
- Automation is thinner than ActiveCampaign
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
ConvertKit, now also known as Kit, suits creators who want simple email and audience growth, with visual automations, landing pages, forms, and subscriber tagging that fit bloggers, podcasters, and course creators. Its design prioritizes writing and sequences over fancy templates, which suits creators whose emails are text-led. That focus makes ConvertKit easy to learn.
Email design is simpler than Mailchimp, with fewer visual templates, and pricing rises with subscriber counts. A free tier covers small audiences. For a creator who wants email that grows an audience without marketing complexity, ConvertKit is the best creator-focused alternative for bloggers and course creators.
What we like- Simple creator-focused design
- Visual automations
- Landing pages and forms
Watch out for- Email design is simpler than Mailchimp
- Pricing rises with subscribers
#3Brevo
Best for: Budget automation4.5/5 on
G2 (2,747 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit brevo.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, suits budget-conscious senders who want automation at lower cost, with a free tier that allows unlimited contacts, email plus SMS, and automation workflows. Its pricing by emails sent, rather than contacts stored, suits businesses with large lists but modest sending volumes. That pricing model saves money for many MailerLite switchers.
Templates are simpler than Mailchimp, and support can be slow on free plans. For a business that wants affordable automation with a generous free tier, Brevo is the best budget alternative for growing lists.
What we like- Free tier with unlimited contacts
- Email plus SMS
- Affordable paid plans
Watch out for- Templates are simpler
- Support can be slow on free plans
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Constant Contact suits small businesses and nonprofits that want very easy email marketing, with drag-and-drop editing, event tools, social posting, and phone support that beginners appreciate. Its templates cover common small business needs, from newsletters to event invitations, and its list tools handle imports and segmentation simply. That ease suits users who want email without a learning curve.
Automation is basic compared with ActiveCampaign, and pricing sits above budget tools for large lists, with a free trial for testing. For a small business that values ease and support over advanced automation, Constant Contact is a strong alternative for beginners.
What we like- Very easy for beginners
- Strong event and social tools
- Good support
Watch out for- Automation is basic
- Pricing is higher than Brevo for large lists
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
ActiveCampaign suits businesses that want advanced automation and CRM in one platform, with visual workflows, deep segmentation, lead scoring, and sales automation that go far beyond basic newsletters. Its automation builder handles multi-step journeys, conditional logic, and CRM actions, which suits growing businesses with complex customer journeys. Deliverability tools help emails reach inboxes.
The learning curve is steeper than MailerLite, and pricing sits above budget tools, with a free trial for testing. For a business that has outgrown simple email and needs serious automation, ActiveCampaign is the most powerful alternative for complex customer journeys.
What we like- Deepest automation and CRM
- Strong segmentation
- Excellent deliverability tools
Watch out for- Learning curve
- Pricing is higher than MailerLite
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
GetResponse suits businesses that want affordable automation plus webinars, landing pages, and funnels in one platform. Its automation workflows cover welcome series, abandoned carts, and lead nurturing, while webinars add a channel that most email tools lack. That breadth suits small businesses that want marketing tools beyond email.
The interface feels dated in places, and deliverability varies by region, so testing matters. A free tier covers basic use. For a business that wants automation, webinars, and funnels at a fair price, GetResponse is a strong value alternative for small businesses.
What we like- Affordable plans
- Webinars and funnels included
- Good automation
Watch out for- Interface feels dated in places
- Deliverability varies by region
#7AWeber
Best for: Simple email4.2/5 on
G2 (650 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit aweber.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
AWeber suits users who want simple, reliable email, with a long history dating to the early email marketing era, easy autoresponders, landing pages, and support that small businesses trust. Its simplicity suits bloggers and small businesses that want newsletters and sequences without complex automation. That reliability has kept AWeber popular for decades.
Automation is basic compared with ActiveCampaign, and design tools trail newer rivals such as Mailchimp and Brevo. A free tier covers small lists. For a user who wants simple email that just works, AWeber is a dependable alternative with a long track record.
What we like- Long history and reliability
- Easy autoresponders
- Good support
Watch out for- Automation is basic
- Design tools trail newer rivals
#8Klaviyo
Best for: Ecommerce email4.6/5 on
G2 (1,368 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit klaviyo.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Klaviyo suits ecommerce businesses, with deep integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, and other stores, powerful segmentation by purchase behavior, and SMS plus email in one platform. Its flows cover abandoned carts, post-purchase, winback, and browse abandonment, which drive ecommerce revenue directly. That ecommerce focus makes Klaviyo the standard for online stores.
Pricing rises with contact counts, and Klaviyo is overkill for non-ecommerce senders who need only newsletters. A free tier covers small lists. For an online store that wants email and SMS revenue, Klaviyo is the best ecommerce alternative for revenue growth.
What we like- Deep ecommerce integrations
- Powerful segmentation
- SMS plus email
Watch out for- Pricing rises with contacts
- Overkill for non-ecommerce senders
How we chose
We compared vendor pages, product documentation, and public user reviews, and we judged each tool on email design, automation, segmentation, deliverability, integrations, support, and price. Simple tools were judged on ease, while advanced tools were judged on automation depth, since the two jobs differ. We did not claim hands-on testing. Where pricing varied by contacts or tier, we wrote See website rather than publish a figure that could mislead.
What to check before you pick
Start with your list size and sending volume, since pricing models differ: some tools charge by contacts, others by emails sent, and the cheaper model depends on your numbers. A business with a large list but modest sending suits Brevo, while a business with a small list but frequent sending suits a contact-based plan. Model your actual numbers before choosing.
Also check deliverability, since inbox placement matters more than features, and a beautiful email that lands in spam helps no one. Check authentication setup, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and confirm the tool guides you through it. Check list hygiene tools, since cleaning inactive subscribers improves deliverability and lowers costs, and check migration support, since moving lists, templates, and automations from MailerLite takes effort.
A further check matters for compliance: confirm the tool supports GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and consent management, including double opt-in, unsubscribe handling, and data export, since email laws vary by region and violations carry fines. Check data residency if your audience is in Europe, and confirm how the tool handles subscriber data requests. Compliance features are not optional for businesses with international audiences.
Finally, test two tools with a real campaign to a segment of your list, and compare open rates, click rates, unsubscribes, and deliverability, rather than judging by dashboards alone. A tool that delivers better inbox placement beats a tool with more templates, since deliverability drives results. Keep your MailerLite account active during migration until the new tool proves itself.
A further consideration is reporting: confirm each tool shows opens, clicks, bounces, unsubscribes, and revenue attribution clearly, since reporting drives decisions about subject lines, send times, and content. A tool with weak reporting leaves you guessing, while a tool with clear reports helps you improve each campaign. Check whether reports break down by segment, device, and campaign, and whether you can export data for deeper analysis. Reporting quality matters as much as sending features, since email marketing improves through measurement, not guesswork.
One more consideration is automation needs: a business that sends only newsletters needs a simple tool, while a business that runs welcome series, cart recovery, and lead nurturing needs automation depth. Paying for ActiveCampaign depth when you need only newsletters wastes money, while choosing a simple tool when you need complex flows wastes time rebuilding later. Match tool depth to your actual workflows, not your ambitions alone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest MailerLite alternative?
Brevo is closest on price and simplicity, with a generous free tier and automation, while Mailchimp is closest on popularity and templates today. ConvertKit suits creators, and ActiveCampaign suits businesses that need deeper automation than MailerLite offers.
Can I migrate my list from MailerLite?
Yes, most tools support importing contacts by CSV, with tags and custom fields preserved in most cases, though automations and templates usually need rebuilding from scratch. Check each tool migration guides and support before moving, and test with a small segment first.
Which email tool is cheapest?
Brevo is among the cheapest for large lists, since its free tier allows unlimited contacts and paid plans charge by emails sent rather than contacts. AWeber, GetResponse, and Klaviyo also offer free tiers for small lists, so compare pricing for your actual list size and sending volume.
Do I need automation or just newsletters?
Newsletters suit simple tools such as AWeber or Constant Contact, while welcome series, cart recovery, and lead nurturing need automation tools such as ActiveCampaign, Brevo, or Klaviyo instead. Start with your actual workflows, not features you may never use in practice.
Is Mailchimp better than MailerLite?
Mailchimp offers more templates and integrations, while MailerLite offers simpler pricing and an easier interface for many users today. The better tool follows your needs: Mailchimp for breadth, MailerLite for simplicity, Brevo for budget savings.
What is Klaviyo best for?
Klaviyo is best for ecommerce email and SMS, with deep store integrations, purchase-based segmentation, and revenue-driving flows such as abandoned cart and post-purchase series for stores. Non-ecommerce senders will find it overkill and expensive for simple newsletters.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.mailchimp.com
- https://www.convertkit.com
- https://www.brevo.com
- https://www.constantcontact.com
- https://www.activecampaign.com
- https://www.getresponse.com
- https://www.aweber.com
- https://www.klaviyo.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
Mailchimp
ConvertKit
Constant Contact
ActiveCampaign
GetResponse