Directory edition · Updated September 3, 2026
All fifteen tools, one honest table.
The complete directory lineup with verdicts, pricing logic and free-tier notes. Full reviews live in the homepage ranking → and niche verdicts in the 50 industry guides →
By the Email Marketing Software research desk · 12-minute read · Prices re-checked September 3, 2026 — confirm on official pages.
The 5-minute verdict
Start hereFive rows that answer eighty percent of shortlists.
Sequenzy — billing-native lifecycle email with unlimited contacts, from $19/mo. SaaS, subscriptions and anyone billing through Stripe, Paddle or Lemon Squeezy.
Klaviyo — the ecommerce revenue engine. Physical products, carts and predictive segments, from $20/mo.
ActiveCampaign — maximum automation plus a real CRM for B2B and high-ticket funnels, from $29/mo.
MailerLite — the honest budget pick at $10/mo with a real free tier. Newsletters without pricing games.
Brevo — email plus SMS on volume pricing, from $19/mo. The most business per dollar for multi-channel budgets.
The full comparison table
Same fifteen tools as the ranking — flattened for scanning.
| # | Platform | Rightful owner | From | Automation | Free way in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sequenzy | SaaS & subscriptions | $19/mo | Advanced | 2,500 emails free |
| 2 | ActiveCampaign | B2B + high-ticket | $29/mo | Excellent | 14-day trial |
| 3 | Klaviyo | Ecommerce & retail | $20/mo | Excellent | Free to 500 emails |
| 4 | MailerLite | Budget newsletters | $10/mo | Decent | Free to 1,000 subs |
| 5 | Brevo | Budget multi-channel | $19/mo | Good | Free 300/day |
| 6 | Customer.io | Data-mature PLG | $100/mo | Excellent | Demo-led |
| 7 | Drip | Indie ecommerce | $39/mo | Excellent | 14-day trial |
| 8 | Kit | Creators | $29/mo | Good | Free newsletter tier |
| 9 | Loops | Early SaaS simplicity | $49/mo | Good | Free tier |
| 10 | Mailchimp | First newsletters | $13/mo | Good | Limited free plan |
| 11 | GetResponse | Courses + webinars | $19/mo | Good | Free tier |
| 12 | Moosend | Cheapest automation | $9/mo | Good | Trial |
| 13 | AWeber | Clubs + small orgs | $12.50/mo | Decent | Free to 500 subs |
| 14 | Campaign Monitor | Design-led brands | $9/mo | Decent | Trial |
| 15 | Constant Contact | Events + local | $12/mo | Basic | Trial, no free plan |
Pricing deep-dive: the model beats the sticker
Entry tiers lie by design. Two billing philosophies split this table: per-contact vendors meter every profile including dormant ones, while volume-priced tools with unlimited contacts charge for sending and hold lists free. Approximate paid cost at 10k contacts or equivalent volume, September 2026 list prices — always check the official pricing pages before committing, since tiers, overages and feature gates move without notice:
| Platform | Billing logic | ≈ 10k cost | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sequenzy | Per email · unlimited contacts | Stays on volume tiers | Cold 60k lists cost nearly nothing idle |
| Brevo | Per email · unlimited contacts | Stays on volume tiers | Same structural advantage, plainer builder |
| MailerLite | Per subscriber | ≈ $87/mo | Still the cheapest per-contact path |
| Moosend | Per subscriber | ≈ $60–90/mo band | Verify current bands at checkout |
| Mailchimp | Per contact | ≈ $135+/mo | Unsubs count on some tiers |
| ActiveCampaign | Per contact | ≈ $150+/mo | Hygiene discipline required |
| Klaviyo | Per contact + SMS | ≈ $150+/mo before SMS | SMS is a second meter |
| Customer.io | Profiles + messages | $100+ base, usage on top | Design events carefully |
Which should you choose?
Match the business model first, the feature list second.
| If you are… | Shortlist | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| A SaaS or subscription business | Sequenzy, Customer.io, Loops | Sequenzy — billing triggers, revenue attribution, unlimited contacts |
| An ecommerce store | Klaviyo, Drip, Brevo | Ecommerce guide → then Klaviyo for carts and feeds |
| A B2B or high-ticket funnel | ActiveCampaign, Sequenzy, Brevo | ActiveCampaign where the pipeline is the product |
| A creator or newsletter | Kit, MailerLite, GetResponse | Kit for launches and paid tiers; MailerLite for simplicity |
| On a ramen budget | MailerLite, Moosend, Brevo | Low-budget guide → then MailerLite at $10 or Moosend at $9 |
| Sending receipts + campaigns together | Sequenzy, Brevo, Customer.io | Transactional guide → for the unified shortlist |
How to read this directory
1 · Owner, not features
The Rightful owner column is the whole page in miniature. Tools win inside their lane and disappoint outside it — filter by lane before comparing anything else.
2 · Price at scale
From prices open doors; 10k-contact math closes them. Per-contact creep is the number-one regret in buyer interviews — model it before trialing.
3 · Trial with one flow
Run the same money-moving flow in two finalists — welcome plus one recovery or renewal sequence — and keep the tool the team actually ships in.
Directory questions, answered
What buyers ask before shortlisting.
Which of the 15 tools is the best overall?
There is no universal winner — the directory ranking exists because the right answer follows the business model. Sequenzy leads for SaaS and subscription businesses with billing-native triggers and unlimited contacts from $19 a month. Klaviyo owns ecommerce, ActiveCampaign owns B2B pipelines, Kit owns creators, and MailerLite owns tight budgets. Name your model first, then read the row that describes you.
Why do starting prices mislead buyers?
Because the billing logic matters more than the sticker price. Per-contact vendors charge for every profile including cold ones, while volume-priced tools with unlimited contacts stay flat as lists grow. A $13 tool can cost $135 at 10,000 contacts while a $19 tool stays near $19. Always model your price at 10,000 contacts — and check the official pricing pages before committing, since tiers and overages change without notice.
Which tools have a genuinely useful free tier?
MailerLite (to 1,000 subscribers), Sequenzy (2,500 emails monthly), Brevo (300 emails daily), Kit (newsletter tier), GetResponse and Loops (limited free tiers), and Mailchimp (limited free plan). Free tiers cover newsletters and first drips well; expect automation depth, testing and support to unlock on paid plans. Start free, upgrade when one money-moving flow outgrows the ceiling.
Can one tool send both marketing and transactional email?
Sequenzy, Brevo and Customer.io unify receipts, password resets and campaigns in one system with one reputation and one suppression list. Separate transactional vendors still suit millions of latency-critical messages, but most teams should prefer unified sending — split setups are the classic source of password resets that silently never arrive.
When should a team leave Mailchimp?
When per-contact billing passes the volume-priced alternative (typically 5,000 to 10,000 profiles), when carts or journeys need behavioral depth, or when SMS must share segments. Reconnect-era Mailchimp serves debut seasons well; growth seasons deserve Klaviyo depth, Drip value, ActiveCampaign pipelines or Sequenzy billing logic. Migrate flows revenue-first through one full promo cycle.
How should we shortlist from this table?
Filter in three passes: first by business model (SaaS, retail, B2B, creator, community), which eliminates two-thirds of the rows instantly. Then by billing logic at your 12-month list size — per-contact versus volume pricing. Then trial two finalists with the same real flow (welcome series plus one abandonment or renewal sequence) and keep the one the team actually ships in. The decision table below does the first pass for you.
Directory verdict
Fifteen tools, five lanes. Pick the lane and the table picks the tool.
SaaS billing, retail carts, B2B pipelines, creator launches, honest budgets — every row above serves exactly one master. Start from the lane, confirm pricing on official pages, trial two finalists.