Brevo vs MailerLite in 2027: Which Email Marketing Tool Is Better?
Brevo and MailerLite are both popular budget-friendly alternatives to Mailchimp, but they price differently. Brevo charges mainly by emails sent and includes transactional email; MailerLite charges by subscribers and bundles automation, sites and forms. This comparison uses both vendors’ current pricing pages. Here is what to know about brevo vs mailerlite before you decide.
Brevo vs MailerLite: the short answer
- Choose MailerLite if you want a simple, subscriber-based price, a clean editor, and automation, landing pages and forms bundled in.
- Choose Brevo if you email a large list occasionally, need transactional email, or want the lowest entry price.
Both have useful free plans. MailerLite Free covers 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month; Brevo Free allows 300 emails a day with no expiry. See best free email marketing software.
Side-by-side comparison
| Brevo | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month, 3 automations | Free forever, up to 300 emails a day |
| Entry paid | Comfort $12/mo (monthly) at 500 subscribers, 5,000 emails | Starter $9/mo for 5,000 emails |
| Automation on paid | Comfort: 50 automations; Power: unlimited | Standard ($18/mo): unlimited multi-step automation |
| Top tiers | Power from $25/mo monthly billing; Enterprise at 200K+ | Professional from $499/mo; 150,000+ emails, 10 seats |
| Pricing basis | Subscribers (Comfort sends = 10x) | Emails sent per month |
| Transactional email | Via MailerSend (separate) | Included on all plans |
| Support | Free: knowledge base; Comfort: email; Power: live chat | Email on lower plans; phone on Professional |
| Annual discount | 10% | 10% |
Sources: vendor pricing pages, 6 November 2026, US dollars.
Pricing: what each costs
| List size | MailerLite Comfort | MailerLite Power | Brevo Starter (4 sends/mo) | Brevo Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $19/mo | $39/mo | $9/mo | From $18/mo |
| 10,000 | $89/mo | $129/mo | $46/mo | Check slider |
| 50,000 | $319/mo | $389/mo | Above 100K emails use Professional from $499 | Check slider |
MailerLite monthly-billing rates (annual is 10% less). Brevo monthly rates from the plan builder. Brevo Starter has no automation, so compare MailerLite Comfort with Brevo Standard for equal features; confirm the Brevo Standard price at your volume.
MailerLite is the easier to forecast because the price follows your list. Brevo can be much cheaper if you email a big list rarely, and more expensive for frequent sends. More comparisons in our email marketing pricing guide.
Features that decide it
Automation and sites
MailerLite includes a visual automation builder, landing pages, websites, forms and digital product selling in its plans, with limits that rise on Comfort and Power. Brevo adds automation, A/B testing, send-time optimisation and one landing page from Standard.
Multichannel
Brevo lists SMS, WhatsApp, web push and sales CRM options around email; MailerLite focuses on email, sites and selling digital products.
Support
MailerLite Free has knowledge-base support only; Power adds live chat. Brevo offers email support, with phone support on Professional.
Who should choose which
Newsletters and small businesses
Predictable subscriber pricing and bundled sites and forms.
Creators selling digital products
Digital products, bookings and paid newsletters appear on paid plans.
Large, occasionally emailed lists
Volume-based pricing.
Marketing plus system emails
Transactional email on every plan.
What to check before you commit
- Confirm the automation you need exists on the plan you can afford.
- Check how each vendor counts subscribers and sends.
- Test the editor with your real template.
- Price the plan at double your current list.
Brevo vs MailerLite: Annual Cost Scenarios
MailerLite prices by subscriber count; Brevo’s Starter plan prices by emails sent. The comparison assumes you email your list four times a month. MailerLite figures use yearly billing for Comfort; Brevo uses monthly billing. Prices recorded 6 November 2026.
| Scenario | MailerLite Comfort / year | Brevo Starter / year | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 subscribers, ~4,000 sends | $205 | $108 (5K tier) | Brevo about $97 less |
| 5,000 subscribers, ~20,000 sends | $529 | $384 | Brevo about $145 less |
| 10,000 subscribers, ~40,000 sends | $961 | $552 | Brevo about $409 less |
Brevo Starter excludes automation; MailerLite Comfort includes 50 automations. Brevo Standard ($18 start) adds automation, and we could not verify its higher-volume price.
Brevo is cheaper on raw sending. MailerLite includes automation at its entry paid plan, so the fair automation comparison is MailerLite Comfort against Brevo Standard, which needs a live-slider check.
Where the Real Differences Show Up
- Free plans. MailerLite Free: 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails, 3 automations (5 steps), 1 site, 3 forms, 2 seats. Brevo Free: 300 emails per day after approval.
- Paid structure. MailerLite: Comfort at $12 monthly ($10.80 yearly) for 500 subscribers, Power at $25 ($22.50 yearly). Brevo: Starter $9, Standard $18, Professional $499 (yearly $449.08).
- Breadth. Brevo reaches into WhatsApp, popups and push on Professional, plus a sales CRM (free for one seat). MailerLite concentrates on email, sites and landing pages with 100+ integrations.
- Support. MailerLite Power adds live chat; Brevo Professional adds phone support.
See the Brevo and MailerLite listings.
Pick by Situation: Brevo or MailerLite?
| If you… | Lean toward | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Send large volumes to a small list | Brevo | Send-based billing |
| Want automation included at entry price | MailerLite | Comfort includes 50 automations |
| Want one tool for email, SMS, WhatsApp | Brevo | Broader channel set |
| Want websites and landing pages bundled | MailerLite | Sites included on plans |
| Prefer a simple, lightweight interface | MailerLite | Focused product |
| Need a free CRM alongside | Brevo | Sales CRM Free (1 seat) |
How to Test Both Before You Commit
Both have free entry points, so test with real work.
- Build the same welcome automation in each.
- Import 500 contacts and check how each counts them.
- Send an identical newsletter and compare editing time.
- Test the free-plan limits against your real send schedule.
- Check the price on each live slider at your size and at double.
Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Between Them
- Comparing Brevo Starter to MailerLite Comfort without noticing the automation gap.
- Planning daily sends on a 300-per-day free plan.
- Choosing MailerLite for price and then outgrowing the 5,000-email Comfort allowance relative to list size (sends are 10× subscribers).
- Ignoring yearly versus monthly billing; MailerLite yearly is 10% cheaper.
- Skipping a deliverability check on the free plan.
Plan-by-Plan Breakdown
| Plan | MailerLite | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0: 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails, 3 automations (5 steps), 1 site, 3 forms, 2 seats, knowledge-base support | $0: 300 emails per day after approval |
| Entry paid | Comfort $12 monthly / $10.80 yearly at 500 subs: 5,000 emails, 3 seats, 50 automations, 10 forms/sites | Starter $9 monthly ($8.08 yearly): 5,000 emails; logo removal add-on $10.80 |
| Next | Power $25 / $22.50 yearly at 500: unlimited emails, automations, seats, live chat | Standard $18 ($16.17 yearly): automation, A/B testing, send-time optimisation, 1 landing page |
| Top | Enterprise (200K+ subscribers) | Professional $499 ($449.08 yearly): 150,000 emails, 10 seats, WhatsApp, popups, push, scoring, phone support |
Recorded 6 November 2026.
One detail often missed: Brevo’s Starter plan keeps Brevo branding unless you pay the $10.80 logo-removal add-on, which brings the effective entry price to about $19.80. MailerLite Comfort at $12 monthly includes branding removal as part of the plan according to our reading, but verify before subscribing.
How Each Bill Grows With Your List
| Subscribers | MailerLite Comfort (yearly) | MailerLite Power (yearly) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | $10.80 | $22.50 |
| 1,000 | $17.10 | $35.10 |
| 2,500 | $29.70 | $44.10 |
| 5,000 | $44.10 | $62.10 |
| 10,000 | $80.10 | $116.10 |
| 25,000 | $161.10 | $215.10 |
| 50,000 | $287.10 | $350.10 |
Per month with yearly billing; monthly billing is about 11% higher (for example $19 and $39 at 1,000).
Brevo Starter grows with sends instead: $9 for 5,000, $17 for 10,000, $25 for 15,000, $32 for 20,000, $39 for 30,000, $46 for 40,000, $56 for 50,000, $82 for 100,000 on monthly billing. If you send four campaigns a month to a 12,500-person list, you land near 50,000 sends and $56 a month, versus MailerLite Comfort at 10,000–25,000 subscribers of roughly $80–$161 a month. The send-based model rewards infrequent senders with big lists.
Switching Between Them
- Export subscribers and groups or tags from the old tool.
- Recreate automations: count steps first, since MailerLite Free allows 5 steps in each of 3 automations.
- Check transactional needs: Brevo includes transactional email on all plans; MailerLite uses MailerSend for transactional.
- Warm up your sending reputation after moving.
- Keep the old tool for a month.
See also best free email marketing software.
Final verdict
Our take: MailerLite is the cleaner all-in-one for small senders; Brevo wins on volume-based value and transactional email. Try both free plans against your real send pattern. See also Mailchimp vs Brevo and Mailchimp alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brevo cheaper than MailerLite?
Often for large lists emailed occasionally, because Brevo prices by emails sent. For frequent sending to a smaller list, MailerLite can be cheaper. Compare at your own volume.
Does MailerLite have a free plan?
Yes: 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month and 3 automations.
Does Brevo have a free plan?
Yes, free forever with up to 300 emails a day after account approval.
Which has better automation?
Both offer visual automation. Brevo requires Standard ($18/mo) for it; MailerLite includes 3 on Free and 50 on Comfort.
Which is better for transactional email?
Brevo includes it on all plans; MailerLite directs transactional email to MailerSend.
Which is easier to use?
Both are considered beginner-friendly. Try the free plans with your own template.
Which is cheaper, Brevo or MailerLite?
For campaign-only sending Brevo Starter was cheaper in our scenarios. When automation matters, compare MailerLite Comfort with Brevo Standard on the live sliders.
Which has the better free plan?
MailerLite Free gives 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails and 3 automations; Brevo Free gives 300 emails a day. Which is better depends on your list size versus send frequency.
Does Brevo or MailerLite have better automation?
MailerLite includes 50 automations on Comfort and unlimited on Power; Brevo puts automation in Standard and above and adds scoring and AI segmentation on Professional.
Which is cheaper for a large list?
Brevo if you send infrequently, since billing is by emails sent; MailerLite if you send often to a small list and want automation included.
Still comparing options?
Use the PreferWise comparison tool to put tools side by side, or ask for a free shortlist. Listings are alphabetical, with no paid placement in the directory order.
How this guide was made: PreferWise compares public product pages, pricing pages and documentation. We did not independently lab-test deliverability or inbox placement, and plans change often, so confirm current pricing on the vendor site before buying. PreferWise may earn a commission if you sign up through some links on this page; that never changes how tools are ordered or scored. See our affiliate disclosure and how we rank.