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This comparison is based on research of each tool’s official features and pricing, checked on 2 November 2026. We haven’t run long-term hands-on tests yet. See how we review tools.
Quick verdict
MailerLite is the better pick for most small businesses that send newsletters to a growing list and want a website, landing pages and forms in the same tool. Its paid plans are priced by subscriber count, starting at $12 a month for Comfort. Brevo suits businesses with a large contact list that send less often, because its plans are priced by emails sent rather than contacts, and it adds SMS and transactional email. Brevo’s Starter plan is listed from $9 a month.
[AFFILIATE: MailerLite] Visit MailerLite
Who this comparison is for
This comparison is for small businesses choosing their first email marketing tool or moving from another one. It is written with local service firms in mind, such as trades, cleaners and salons, where email is mostly reminders, offers and review requests rather than daily newsletters. We compare plans and limits as listed by each vendor and point out where the pricing models differ.
Side-by-side comparison
| Brevo | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, up to 300 emails per day | Yes, 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month |
| Entry paid plan | Starter from $9/mo (£6, A$12) | Comfort from $12/mo |
| Next plan | Standard from $18/mo (£13, A$25) | Power from $25/mo |
| How price scales | By emails sent per month | By active subscribers |
| Automation | On Standard and above | 3 active automations on Free; 50 on Comfort; unlimited on Power |
| Landing pages | 1 included on Standard | 1 on Free, 10 on Comfort, unlimited on Power |
| SMS | Yes, credits sold separately | Not in MailerLite; SMS sits with its transactional product |
| Remove vendor logo | Standard and above | Comfort and above |
| Support | Email support on Starter; phone on Professional | Email on Comfort; 24/7 live chat on Power |
Prices in USD with GBP and AUD where the vendor listed them, from each pricing page on 2 November 2026. Brevo’s “from” prices are the lowest tier; the price rises with sending volume. MailerLite shows prices in USD and EUR only; UK and Australian prices may differ and can include VAT/GST.
Pricing in detail
Brevo
Brevo lists Free, Starter, Standard, Professional and Enterprise plans. From its pricing page:
- Free: once your account is approved for sending, up to 300 emails per day.
- Starter: from $9/mo (£6, A$12) monthly, or $96.96 a year billed annually. From 5,000 emails a month, email and SMS (SMS credits extra), drag-and-drop editor, templates, AI content generator, advanced segmentation, forms and email support.
- Standard: from $18/mo (£13, A$25), or $194.04 a year billed annually. Adds marketing automation, A/B testing, advanced reporting, send time optimisation, web and event tracking, one landing page and removes the Brevo logo.
- Professional: from $499/mo. From 150,000 emails a month, WhatsApp, pop-ups, push, 10 seats and phone support.
- Pay as you go: credits that don’t expire, aimed at occasional senders.
MailerLite
MailerLite lists Free, Comfort, Power and Enterprise. It states that “every paid plan gets our full feature set” and that you pay more only for a bigger list or more sending.
- Free: 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month, 2 seats, campaigns, automations (3 active), 1 website, 1 landing page and signup forms.
- Comfort: starting $12/month. 10× your subscriber tier in monthly emails, 50 automations, 10 forms, 10 sites, 3 seats, email support.
- Power: starting $25/month. Unlimited monthly emails (fair use), unlimited automations, forms, sites and seats, and 24/7 live chat support.
- Enterprise: custom, for 200K+ subscribers.
MailerLite also lists a 14-day free trial of premium features and a 30% discount for nonprofits. Annual billing saves 10%.
Contacts vs emails: the key difference
This is what decides it for most businesses.
MailerLite charges by active subscribers. If you have 800 subscribers and send a monthly newsletter, you pay for the subscriber tier. MailerLite explains that on Comfort, the up-to-1,000 tier gives you 10,000 emails a month.
Brevo charges by emails sent. You can store a large contact list and only pay for what you send. A trades business with 3,000 past customers that sends one seasonal reminder each quarter may find Brevo cheaper.
Rule of thumb: big list, few sends → Brevo. Smaller list, regular sends → MailerLite.
Which is better for trades and local businesses?
For a plumber, electrician or cleaning company, email is mostly about:
- Service reminders: “Your boiler service is due”, “Time for your gutter clean”.
- Seasonal offers: winter boiler checks, spring garden tidy-ups.
- Review requests after a job.
- Quote follow-ups.
Brevo’s mix of email and SMS is a real plus here, because many trade customers respond faster to a text. Brevo also lists transactional email on all plans, which suits automatic booking confirmations. MailerLite’s strength is its website and landing page builder and the ability to sell bookings (one on Free, five on Comfort), which can work as a simple booking page for a quote visit.
Automation
Brevo puts marketing automation on Standard and above, not Starter. MailerLite lets you run 3 automations on Free and 50 on Comfort. If you want a simple welcome or follow-up sequence for the lowest cost, MailerLite gets you there sooner.
Deliverability and support
We haven’t measured deliverability for either tool, so we won’t claim one lands in more inboxes. Brevo lists Deliverability Specialist support on Professional. MailerLite lists priority email support and 24/7 live chat on Power, and live chat during the 14-day trial.
Who should pick which
Choose Brevo if you:
- Have a large contact list but send occasionally
- Want SMS or WhatsApp alongside email
- Need transactional emails like booking confirmations
Choose MailerLite if you:
- Send regular newsletters to a small or medium list
- Want automations, landing pages and a simple website on a free or low-cost plan
- Prefer predictable pricing based on subscribers
Related guides
If you’re building the website your emails will link to, start with best website builder for plumbers or is Hostinger worth it. To grow the list with search traffic, see SE Ranking vs Semrush.
Getting started: a simple plan for trades businesses
Whichever tool you pick, a small service business can get real value from email with very little effort. Here’s a starter plan:
- Collect emails with permission. Add a signup checkbox to your quote form and ask customers at the end of a job. Keep a record of consent.
- Set up one welcome email. Thank new subscribers, remind them what you do and include your phone number.
- Send a seasonal reminder four times a year. For example, a boiler service reminder before winter or a gutter clean in autumn.
- Ask for a review after each job. Link to your Google Business Profile.
- Keep it short. One message, one button, your phone number in the footer.
Both tools include a drag-and-drop editor and templates, so you don’t need design skills to send a tidy email.
Privacy and consent in the UK, US and Australia
Email marketing rules differ by country. In the UK, marketing emails to individuals generally need consent. In the US, the CAN-SPAM Act sets rules such as including a working unsubscribe link and your postal address. In Australia, the Spam Act requires consent, identification and an unsubscribe option. This isn’t legal advice, so check the official guidance for your country. Both tools provide unsubscribe handling, and MailerLite states it is GDPR compliant and stores data in the EU.
How we researched this comparison
We read Brevo’s and MailerLite’s official pricing pages on 2 November 2026. Brevo’s GBP and AUD prices come from the price data published on its pricing page. We haven’t measured deliverability or support speed. Read more on our how we test page.
Our verdict
MailerLite is our pick for most small businesses that want a simple newsletter, automations and landing pages at a low price. Brevo is better if your list is large relative to how often you email, or if you want SMS and transactional email from one account.
[AFFILIATE: MailerLite] Visit MailerLite
[AFFILIATE: Brevo] Visit Brevo
FAQs
Is Brevo cheaper than MailerLite?
It depends on your list. Brevo’s Starter is listed from $9 a month and charges by emails sent; MailerLite Comfort starts at $12 a month and charges by subscribers. Large lists that send rarely often cost less on Brevo.
Is Brevo’s free plan better than MailerLite’s?
Brevo’s free plan allows up to 300 emails a day. MailerLite’s free plan allows 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month but includes automations, a website and a landing page.
Does MailerLite have SMS?
SMS isn’t part of MailerLite’s marketing plans; its pricing page places SMS with its transactional email product.
Can I use Brevo for transactional emails?
Yes. Brevo states that all plans include transactional email features, including API and SMTP.
Which is easier to use?
Both offer drag-and-drop editors and templates. We’ll report on ease of use after hands-on testing.