Email marketing remains one of the most reliable ways to connect with customers, especially if you’re running a small business. In fact, research shows that 81% of SMB professionals say email campaigns help them keep customers coming back while also attracting new ones. The challenge, of course, is finding an affordable tool that doesn’t skimp on the essentials.
The good news is that there are several platforms designed with cost-conscious teams in mind. Many offer free plans with enough room to start building your list, send campaigns, and even set up basic automations. As your business grows, these tools also scale with you, unlocking features like SMS campaigns, advanced segmentation, or unlimited sends without requiring a major investment.
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the best cheap email marketing software available today. We’ll compare their free tiers, paid plans, and standout features so you can choose the one that fits your budget and goals.
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Best Cheap and Free Email Marketing Services: Pricing Comparison
Free plan contacts | Free plan email sends | Cheapest paid plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sender | 2,500 subscribers | 15,000 emails/month | $7/month |
Brevo | Unlimited contacts | 300 emails/day | $9/month |
MailerLite | 500 subscribers | 12,000 emails/month | $10/month |
EmailOctopus | 2,500 subscribers | 10,000 email/month | $9/month |
Benchmark Email | 500 contacts | 3,500 emails/month | $15/month |
Zoho Campaigns | 2,000 contacts | 6,000 emails/month | $2/month |
Cakemail | 500 contacts | 6,000 emails/month | $9/month |
7 of the Best Cheap Email Marketing Platforms to Consider
Let’s now look at each email marketing software in detail.
1. Sender
Sender is an easy first pick if you’re hunting for an affordable email marketing tool that offers powerful features to grow your business. Its Free Forever plan is impressively generous. It offers up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month.
It also includes the core features most small teams need: a responsive templates library, an intuitive drag-and-drop email builder, automation workflows, audience segmentation, real-time analytics, a landing page builder, and popups and signup forms. What’s more, you get 24/7 live chat and email support on every plan, including the free plan.
Paid plans add automated SMS to help you run omnichannel campaigns with email and text messages from one dashboard. You also gain access to unlimited landing pages.
Sender connects with the tools many SMBs already use, like WordPress, WooCommerce, and Shopify, so you can sync customer data, trigger automations from store activity, and track performance without extra glue work.
Pros:
- Generous Free Forever plan with automated workflows, audience segmentation, detailed analytics, and popups included.
- 24/7 friendly customer support, even for free plan users.
- Run email and SMS campaigns from one dashboard, and combine them for omnichannel marketing.
- Reliable deliverability means your emails consistently show up in customers’ inboxes.
- Easy integrations with WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify, and more.
Cons:
- Free plan includes Sender branding (removed on paid plans).
- SMS is only available on paid tiers.
Pricing:
- Free Forever plan available (2,500 subscribers / 15,000 emails per month).
- Paid plans start at $7/month for Standard (adds SMS campaigns, unlimited landing pages, and removes Sender branding). Professional plan starts at $14/month, while Enterprise plan provides custom pricing based on your business needs.
2. Brevo
Brevo is a budget-friendly email marketing service for small teams that prefer pricing based on emails sent not contact count, which is handy if your list grows quickly but you send modest email volumes.
The free plan lets you send 300 emails per day and includes a drag-and-drop editor, email templates, and transactional emails via API/SMTP. When you’re ready to level up your email marketing campaign, you can upgrade to the Starter plan to remove the daily cap, or the Business plan to unlock marketing automation, A/B testing, landing pages, advanced stats, and phone support.
Brevo also provides SMS campaigns and WhatsApp marketing (as an add-on). This helps you send timely messages to your customers without juggling extra tools. It also integrates with platforms like Shopify and WordPress so you can sync customer data, trigger carts/receipts, and track onsite behavior for smarter targeting.
Pros:
- Flexible send-based pricing; great if you have many contacts but send infrequently.
- Free tier includes built-in transactional email tools.
- Run multichannel campaigns through SMS + WhatsApp alongside email.
- Solid integrations with Shopify, WordPress, and other tools.
Cons:
- Brevo branding remains on the Starter plan unless you purchase an add-on to remove it.
- The 300 emails/day cap on the free plan can be limiting for launches or sales spikes.
- Some essentials for scaling (multi-user seats, landing pages, phone support) are Business-only or paid add-ons.
Pricing:
- Free plan (300 emails/day).
- Paid plans start at $9/month for Starter (5,000 emails/month). Business plan starts at $18/month (adds email marketing automation, A/B testing, landing pages, advanced stats, phone support), while Enterprise plan offers a custom price and comes with mobile and web push notifications.
3. MailerLite
MailerLite is an ideal email marketing software for businesses that want to keep their budgets in check while having essential features to grow their email lists.
The free plan supports up to 500 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month, and it includes a drag-and-drop editor, an automation builder, signup forms and popups, 10 landing pages, and one website.
If you run a small ecommerce store, the native Shopify and WooCommerce integrations help you sync customer data, pull products into emails, track sales, and trigger automations such as abandoned cart reminders. WordPress users can install the official MailerLite plugin to embed forms and show popups on their websites with minimal setup.
Customer support grows with you as well. Email support is available on the Growing Business plan, 24/7 live chat and email on Advanced, and up to 14 days of email and chat support when you start on Free.
Pros:
- The free plan offers emails, automations, signup forms, 10 landing pages, and one website.
- Ecommerce ready with Shopify and WooCommerce, including sales tracking and abandoned cart flows.
- You can scale with unlimited landing pages and unlimited websites/blogs on paid tiers as your business grows.
Cons:
- Free plan capped at 500 subscribers.
- MailerLite branding shows on the free plan. You can remove it by purchasing a paid plan.
- Some advanced testing and automation options require the Advanced tier.
Pricing:
- Free plan available for up to 500 subscribers and 12,000 emails/month.
- Paid plans start at $10/month for the Growing Business plan. Advanced plan starts at $20/month and Enterprise plan has a custom price.
4. EmailOctopus
EmailOctopus is a low-cost option for small teams that need the essentials of email marketing without breaking the bank.
The free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month, which is enough runway to grow a small list. You also get a drag-and-drop editor, automation sequences, segmentation, and built-in landing pages and signup forms.
Analytics are straightforward and get updated as data comes in. That way, you can keep an eye on opens and clicks and adjust quickly. If you’re on WordPress, there’s an official plugin for embedded forms.
For ecommerce, you can connect Shopify and WooCommerce via Zapier or Make to add new customers to lists and trigger follow-ups. And if you’re an Amazon SES user, EmailOctopus Connect lets you send emails via your Amazon SES account for lower send costs as you scale.
Pros:
- Generous free tier with a drag-and-drop editor, automations, segmentation, landing pages, and forms.
- Simple and clean user interface.
- Optional Connect plan for Amazon SES users.
Cons:
- Free plan shows EmailOctopus branding and reports are limited to 30 days.
- Landing pages and forms are capped to only three on the free plan.
- Ecommerce integrations rely on third-party connectors like Zapier/Make.
Pricing:
- Free plan available for up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails/month.
- Pro plan starts at $9/month (removes branding, lifts limits, adds unlimited landing pages and forms).
- EmailOctopus Connect starts from $8/month plus SES fees.
5. Benchmark Email
Benchmark Email keeps things simple for small businesses and teams. The Free plan covers up to 500 contacts and 3,500 emails per month, enough to launch newsletters and simple promos while you test fit. You also get a drag-and-drop builder, professional email templates, basic reporting, and basic automation and segmentation.
As you ramp up your email marketing strategy, you can purchase the Pro plan and unlock the features most SMBs need to scale, such as advanced automation workflows, A/B testing, and a landing page builder.
The platform also focuses a lot on inbox placement. It provides deliverability and domain authentication guidance to help improve the odds of your messages showing up in customers’ inboxes.
Integrations are straightforward, too. You can sync forms and lists with WordPress and pull products from Shopify into your email campaigns. And if you need quick help, 24/7 live chat support is available for all plans.
Pros:
- Solid integrations with other tools like WordPress, WooCommerce, and Shopify.
- Deliverability resources and authentication guides.
- 24/7 live chat for all plans.
Cons:
- The free plan’s send cap is quite low compared to other platforms.
- Some features, like advanced segmentation and A/B testing, require paid plans.
Pricing:
- Free plan available for 500 contacts and 3,500 emails/month.
- The Pro plan starts at $13/month for 500 contacts and 7,500 emails. Enterprise plan offers a custom price.
6. Zoho Campaigns
Zoho Campaigns is a free email marketing software for teams that already use other Zoho tools like Zoho CRM. Its Forever Free plan supports up to 2,000 contacts and 6,000 emails/month, enough to launch newsletters and basic promos to a small list. You also get a drag-and-drop template editor, basic ready-made templates, reports and analytics, and customizable signup forms.
When you’re ready to scale, the Standard plan unlocks unlimited emails, segmentation, and workflow automation while the Professional plan adds advanced components like contact scoring and tags, email polls, and AI-based product recommendations.
For small stores, Zoho’s native ecommerce hooks are a plus. You can connect Shopify and run abandoned-cart and purchase follow-ups, or sync WooCommerce data and trigger targeted campaigns. WordPress users can also embed Zoho Campaigns forms with the official plugin to capture leads from their website.
Pros:
- Unlimited emails on paid plans with automation and segmentation.
- Built-in ecommerce workflows (cart/purchase follow-ups) plus Shopify, WooCommerce, and WordPress integrations.
- Strong fit for Zoho CRM users thanks to its native sync.
Cons:
- Some key features SMBs might need (like A/B testing, popup forms, and advanced segmentation) are locked in the Professional plan and are unavailable even for Standard plan users.
- SMS marketing is an add-on, not included in base pricing.
Pricing:
- Free plan available (2,000 contacts and 6,000 emails/month).
- Paid plans start at $2/month for Standard at 500 contacts. Professional plan starts at $4/month at 500 contacts. Both paid tiers include unlimited emails.
7. Cakemail
With Cakemail, you get a simple email marketing tool, but with the key features small businesses need to grow their audience.
Its Free plan lets you send 6,000 emails per month to 500 contacts, which is enough to send occasional newsletters with a few promos while you grow. You also get a drag-and-drop editor, email templates, simple segmentation, and comprehensive delivery reports.
The Growth and Premium plans unlock other email marketing features like drip campaigns, an HTML editor, and a massive library of 700+ professional email templates.
Email support is available for all the plans, while live chat support is limited to the Growth and Premium plans, with Premium having priority phone support as well.
Pros:
- Clean editor plus an HTML option on paid plans for full design control.
- Drip campaigns on Growth/Premium help you nurture signups without manual sends.
- Large template library (700+ on paid plans) speeds up campaign creation.
- Clear support ladder: email on all plans, live chat on Growth/Premium, priority phone on Premium.
Cons:
- Free plan’s 500 contact cap means fast-growing lists will need to upgrade quickly.
- Drip campaigns and the 700+ templates sit behind paid tiers.
- Segmentation on the free plan is described as “simple,” which may feel limiting for complex targeting.
Pricing:
- Free plan available for up to 6,000 emails/month and 500 contacts.
- Growth plan starts at $9/month, while Premium starts at $14/month.
Choose an Affordable Email Marketing Platform Today
Choosing the right email marketing service doesn’t have to stretch your budget. Each of the tools covered here offers a way to get started for free or at a low monthly cost, with all the features you need to send campaigns, grow your audience, and track your email marketing efforts.
Some, like Brevo, stand out for flexible send-based pricing, while others, like Zoho Campaigns, appeal to teams already using their broader suite of tools. However, if you’re looking for a particularly generous free plan to give your business room to grow, Sender is a strong option with 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 monthly emails included at no cost. That kind of capacity, paired with automation, segmentation, and 24/7 customer support, makes it easier to see results before you ever upgrade.
At the end of the day, the best free email marketing tool comes down to your priorities, whether that’s cost, scalability, or specific integrations. Start with a free plan, test the features, and upgrade only when your business needs more firepower.
Best Cheap Email Marketing Services FAQs
What is the cheapest email marketing service?
Zoho Campaigns comes in with the lowest entry price at just $2/month for 500 contacts, making it technically the cheapest option. Others, like Sender, start at $7/month, but it offers more advanced features even on the free plan, which can make it more cost-effective in the long run.
Is there a free email marketing service?
Yes. Most of the tools offer some form of free plan. For example, Brevo lets you send 300 emails/day, MailerLite supports 500 subscribers and 12,000 monthly emails, and Zoho Campaigns includes 2,000 contacts and 6,000 monthly emails. Among these, Sender’s Free Forever plan is one of the most generous, with 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month plus extras like automation, segmentation, popups, and 24/7 customer support.
Can email marketing be done for free?
Definitely. You can get started on free plans without paying a cent, which is useful for small businesses building their first list. For instance, Sender, MailerLite, and EmailOctopus all provide free tiers with enough capacity to run regular newsletters and simple automation until your audience grows. The main limitations to keep in mind are caps on contacts or email sends, branding on emails, or restricted access to advanced features.
Which tool is best for email marketing?
The best tool depends on your needs. Brevo works well if you prefer pricing based on emails sent, Zoho Campaigns is a strong fit for teams already using Zoho tools, and MailerLite is a good pick for those wanting landing pages and website hosting included. Sender stands out for having a particularly generous free plan with features like automation, segmentation, and ecommerce integrations that are often locked behind paid plans elsewhere.
