Best Email Marketing for Small Business (2026)
Quick Take
Small businesses need email marketing that works without a dedicated marketing team or a big budget. We ranked platforms on ease of use, starting price, and feature-to-price ratio.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
| # | Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MailerLite | Best overall for small business | $Custom/mo | 8.8/10 |
| 2 | Brevo | Best for large contact lists | $Custom/mo | 9.3/10 |
| 3 | Mailchimp | Easiest to start with | $0/mo | 9.4/10 |
| 4 | ConvertKit (Kit) | Best for solopreneurs | $0/mo | 8.4/10 |
| 5 | Moosend | Cheapest paid option | $Custom/mo | 8.3/10 |
1. MailerLite — Best overall for small business
Clean, simple email marketing at genuinely low prices. Free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers with most features included. The best value pick for small businesses that need solid basics without complexity.
Our take: Free plan with most features included. Paid plans start at $10/mo.
MailerLite Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | Custom | — |
| Free | $0 | — |
| Growing Business | $10 | $9/mo |
| Advanced | $20 | $18/mo |
2. Brevo — Best for large contact lists
Budget-friendly email, SMS, and chat platform. Charges by emails sent (not contacts), which is a major advantage for large lists with low send frequency. Free plan includes 300 emails/day.
Our take: Pay by emails sent, not contacts. Free plan includes 300 emails/day.
Brevo Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | Custom | — |
| Free | $0 | — |
| Starter | $9 | $7/mo |
| Business | $18 | $15/mo |
3. Mailchimp — Easiest to start with
The most recognized name in email marketing, now owned by Intuit. Free plan is limited but the brand recognition and template library are unmatched. Pricing has crept up since the Intuit acquisition.
Our take: The most recognizable brand with a free plan and intuitive interface.
Mailchimp Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | — |
| Essentials | $13 | $10/mo |
| Standard | $20 | $15/mo |
| Premium | $350 | $280/mo |
4. ConvertKit (Kit) — Best for solopreneurs
Built for creators — bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers. Simple automation, excellent deliverability, and a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers. No drag-and-drop builder by design; text-based emails convert better for creators.
Our take: Creator-focused tools with a generous free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers.
ConvertKit (Kit) Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter | $0 | — |
| Creator | $29 | $25/mo |
| Creator Pro | $59 | $50/mo |
5. Moosend — Cheapest paid option
Affordable email marketing with automation, landing pages, and subscription forms. Acquired by Sitecore. Pro plan starts at just $9/mo, making it one of the cheapest paid options on the market.
Our take: Pro plan starts at just $9/mo with solid automation features.
Moosend Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | Custom | — |
| Pro | $9 | $7/mo |
How We Ranked These Tools
We weighted pricing and ease of use more heavily for this roundup, since small businesses prioritize getting started quickly without overspending. Feature depth matters less than feature accessibility.
Read our full scoring methodology for details.