What is the cheapest email marketing software? Real prices compared (2026)

How email marketing pricing works

Before comparing prices, it helps to know what you are paying for, because platforms do not all measure the same thing. There are three models:

• By contacts: you pay for how many people are on your list. It is the most common model (Mailchimp, MailerLite, Spedito and many others), and the better deal if you write often.
• By emails sent: you pay for the messages you send each month, whatever the list size. This is how Brevo and Mailjet work. It suits people who rarely email a large list.
• By sending speed: you pay for how many messages an hour you can send. MailUp uses it, and it is aimed at larger companies.

One detail changes the bill a lot: which contacts count. Some platforms also count people who unsubscribed or whose address bounces. On Spedito you only pay for subscribed contacts: unsubscribed and bounced contacts stay on file for free.

Prices compared, list size by list size

This table lines up the monthly price of the cheapest plan that lets you email the whole list. Where a platform does not publish a price for that size you will see a dash: we do not guess.

From 1,000 to 25,000 contacts, Spedito costs less than all 12 platforms in this table (prices checked on 16 October 2026).

A concrete example: with 2,500 contacts, Mailchimp Essentials costs $45 a month and Spedito €9. At 10,000 contacts the difference is about €876 a year. AWeber Lite, popular in the US and the UK, costs $100 a month at 10,000 subscribers, which is about €769 more a year.

The hidden costs you will not see on the price page

The headline price is only the start. Check these six points before you choose, because they are what pushes the bill up after a few months:

1. Branding in your emails. Many free plans, and some paid ones, add the platform’s logo to the bottom of your emails. Removing it often means a higher plan. Spedito never adds its branding, not even on the free plan.
2. Unsubscribed contacts that still count. If the platform counts every contact on file, your list “grows” even when people leave, and so does the price.
3. Automatic overage charges. Some platforms charge you automatically when you go over your plan’s limit. On Spedito sending pauses at the limit and we warn you first, at 90%: no surprise charges.
4. “Monthly” prices that are really yearly. Several price lists only show the monthly price if you pay a year up front. They are marked with an asterisk in the table.
5. Per-user pricing. Some suites charge for every team member who logs in. On Spedito team members are included.
6. Dollars and VAT. Many price lists are in US dollars and exclude VAT: the amount on your invoice moves with the exchange rate and your country’s VAT.

When another platform is the better deal

Being honest about prices also means saying when we are not the right choice:

• Very large lists, few emails. With 25,000 contacts and one email a month, a platform that charges per email sent, such as Brevo, can cost less than a contact-based plan.
• You need a big list for free. Some free plans go up to thousands of contacts, with the platform’s branding and fewer features. They are in our guide to free plans.
• You want an all-in-one suite. If you also need a CRM, SMS, WhatsApp or a website builder in the same subscription, a bigger suite may be worth the extra.

How to choose in five minutes

1. Count the subscribed contacts you have today and how many you expect in a year.
2. Estimate how many emails each person gets a month: one or two newsletters, plus welcome automations.
3. Work out the cost over 12 months, not one, including VAT and in your own currency.
4. Check what the plan includes: automations, forms, integrations, team members, no branding.
5. Try it free with your real contacts and send yourself a test before deciding.

Frequently asked questions