Choosing an email marketing platform can be overwhelming. There are dozens to choose from, all with mind-boggling pricing tiers and lists of features seemingly designed to boggle your mind.
Constant Contact, Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and MailerLite are three of the most popular budget-friendly options. But the way that each of them prices is very different, which is probably why you’re comparing them in the first place.
Constant Contact has been a trusted choice for small businesses for years, but it recently eliminated its free plan. Brevo charges for how many emails you send (not how many people you have on your list), which may be a game-changer for some businesses. MailerLite has a clean, beginner-friendly interface and free plan—but they just released a lower-limits version.
So which one actually saves you money without losing features? That depends on the size of your list and how often you email.
Quick verdict: If you’re just starting out and you’re looking for a genuine free plan, MailerLite is your best bet (250 subscribers, 2,500 monthly emails). If you have a big list but don’t send a lot, Brevo is the winner with its send-based pricing and unlimited contacts on every plan. If you want human support, Constant Contact is reliable for nonprofits and businesses—but it will cost you.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Constant Contact | Brevo (Sendinblue) | MailerLite |
| Starting Price | ~$12/month (Lite) | $9/month (Starter, 5,000 emails) | $10/month (Growing Business) |
| Free Plan | No (30-day trial only) | Yes (300 emails/day, unlimited contacts) | Yes (250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month) |
| Pricing Model | Based on contacts | Based on emails sent | Based on contacts |
| Best For | Nonprofits & support-seekers | Infrequent senders with large lists | Beginners & bloggers |
| CRM Included | Yes | Yes (built-in) | Basic |
| SMS Marketing | Add-on ($10/month) | Yes (paid plans) | No |
| Automation | Limited on lower tiers | Included from free plan | Basic automation (free) |
| 24/7 Phone Support | Yes | Paid plans only | No |
| G2 Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Trustpilot | 1.3/5 (1000+ reviews) | Positive | Strong |
1. Constant Contact – The Reliable Veteran with Human Support
Constant Contact has been around forever — and for good reason. It’s the platform that many small businesses, nonprofits and community organizations rely on.
Its strength is event promotion and registration tools that distinguish it from most of its competitors. If you’re running fundraisers, classes, or webinars, these built-in features will be very helpful. It also integrates with Canva and it comes with AI campaign creation tools for speeding things up.
But here’s the thing: Constant Contact completely removed its free plan in June 2025, offering only a 14-day trial. And costs escalate quickly—at 2,500 contacts on the Standard plan you’re paying $75/month and at 10,000 contacts you’re looking at over $200/month.
There are also serious problems. Over 180 BBB complaints and a 1.3-star Trustpilot rating (across nearly 1,000 reviews) highlight issues with billing disputes and difficult cancellations – you literally have to call during business hours to cancel.
Official Website: constantcontact.com
Pros
- Great phone, chat and email support a rarity among competitors
- Robust event management and registration capabilities
- Canva integration and AI-driven campaign creation
- Discounts for non-profits
- The learning center offers rich educational resources
Cons
- No free plan, only a 30-day trial
- As your list grows, pricing gets expensive
- Advanced automation is locked behind the $80/mont Premium plan
- Cancellation is a phone call away—many users complain of being charged even after cancellation
- The interface is a bit old school versus the competition
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.4/5
Feedback: See what users are saying on G2 and Trustpilot
2. Brevo (Sendinblue) – The Flexible Multi-Channel Platform
Brevo – which you might know as Sendinblue – flipped the pricing model for email marketing on its head. Instead of charging based on how many contacts you have, Brevo charges based on how many emails you send. And contacts are unlimited on every single plan, including the free one.
That’s huge. If you have a large list but only send a few newsletters a month, Brevo can save you a lot of money compared to contact-based platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
The platform has evolved into a full marketing suite. Beyond email, you get SMS campaigns, WhatsApp messaging, a built-in CRM, live chat, landing pages and marketing automation. Over 600,000 customers worldwide use it and it has more than 2,500 G2 reviews.
The free plan gives you 300 emails per day (about 9,000/month) with unlimited contacts, which is genuinely usable. The downside? You’ll see Brevo branding on your emails unless you pay an extra $10.80/month to remove it.
Official Website: brevo.com
Pros
- Free plan with 300 emails/day and unlimited contacts
- Send-based pricing saves money for infrequent senders
- Built-in CRM, SMS, WhatsApp and live chat
- Transactional email capabilities via SMTP/API
- A/B testing, click heatmaps and AI features on higher plans
Cons
- Brevo branding on free and Starter plans unless you pay extra
- Big price jump from Standard ($18/month) to Professional ($499/month)
- The interface can feel overwhelming due to feature density
- Sales features (CRM, deal pipelines) are a separate paid add-on
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5/5
Feedback: Read real customer experiences on G2 and Trustpilot
3. MailerLite – The Beginner-Friendly Budget Champion
MailerLite has developed a dedicated following among bloggers, freelancers and small business owners who crave simplicity at an affordable price. The interface is clean and intuitive, letting you focus on creating content instead of wading through menus.
It features a drag-and-drop email editor, landing page builder, signup forms and basic automation workflows. Paid plans add unlimited emails, more automation steps and team collaboration.
But there’s a catch: MailerLite updated its free plan on June 16, 2026. The subscriber limit has been cut from 1,000 to 250 active subscribers and the monthly sending limit has been cut from 12,000 to 2,500 emails. Free users will be transitioned to the new plan starting July 1, 2026.
On the plus side, they added more features to the free plan—custom templates, an HTML editor, blogs and promotional pop-ups. And paid plans still include unlimited email sends on higher tiers.
Official Website: mailerlite.com
Pros
- Easy-to-learn clean interface for beginners
- Free plan (up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month)
- Unlimited email sends are available with paid plans
- Good reputation of deliverability
- Email and chat support 24/7 for first 30 days
Cons
- Free plan limits dropped significantly in June 2026
- Advanced automation features are limited compared to competitors
- The landing page builder has a slight learning curve
- Small keyword and form database compared to bigger platforms
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.6/5
Feedback: Check out user reviews on G2 and Trustpilot
Feature-by-Feature Comparison: Who Actually Does It Better?
User Interface & Ease of Use
| Criteria | Constant Contact | Brevo | MailerLite |
| Dashboard | Functional but dated | Feature-rich, slightly overwhelming | Clean, modern, intuitive |
| Learning Curve | Very low | Moderate | Very low |
| Navigation | Straightforward | Busy | Smooth and polished |
Winner: MailerLite – There’s no contest here. MailerLite is built for beginners who want to get started quickly without training. Brevo is powerful but dense and Constant Contact works fine but looks older.
Features & Functionality
Core features: All three do email campaigns, automation and landing pages. Constant Contact has exceptional tools for managing events. Brevo offers the most channels (email, SMS, WhatsApp, live chat). MailerLite is the most focused on email essentials.
Special features: Brevo has a send-based pricing model that is unique in this comparison—unlimited contacts on all plans. The event registration tools from Constant Contacts are actually useful for nonprofits. MailerLite’s free plan includes a website and blog builder.
Automation: Brevo offers automation on the free plan but with contact limits. MailerLite provides basic automation on free plans and more steps on paid plans. Advanced automation features are locked behind Constant Contact’s $80/month Premium plan.
Winner: Brevo – Its combination of multi-channel tools and automation starting on the free plan gives it a real edge. Constant Contact’s automation restrictions at its price point are frustrating.
Pricing Comparison – Where’s Your Money Going?
| Plan | Constant Contact | Brevo | MailerLite |
| Free | No (30-day trial only) | Yes (300 emails/day, unlimited contacts) | Yes (250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month) |
| Entry | $12/month (Lite) | $9/month (Starter, 5,000 emails) | $10/month (Growing Business) |
| Mid | $45/month (Plus) | $18/month (Standard) | $20/month (Advanced) |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom ($499/month Professional) | Custom |
Value for money: Brevo is a winner for infrequent senders with large lists, as there are unlimited contacts. MailerLite is best for beginners after a free starting point and predictable, contact-based pricing. Constant Contact is the most expensive and has the worst free offering.
Winner: Brevo—The free plan is genuinely useful and send-based pricing saves money for businesses that don’t email their entire list every week.
Security & Privacy
All three are legitimate, established platforms with solid security practices. Brevo holds ISO certifications and has earned the trust of over 600,000 customers. MailerLite has a strong deliverability reputation. Constant Contact has been around for decades.
Winner: Tie – No significant security issues for any of these platforms.
Customer Support – When Something Breaks
| Support Type | Constant Contact | Brevo | MailerLite |
| Phone support | Yes (rare among competitors) | Paid plans only | No |
| Live chat | Yes | Yes | Yes (first 30 days) |
| Email support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Knowledge base | Extensive Learning Center | Good documentation | Helpful resources |
Winner: Constant Contact – Phone, chat and email support is genuinely rare at this price point. But remember the cancellation complaints.
User Reviews & Ratings – What Real Users Say
| Platform | Constant Contact | Brevo | MailerLite |
| G2 | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Capterra | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Trustpilot | 1.3/5 (~1000 reviews) | Solid | Solid |
What users like across all three:
- No steep learning curve for beginners
- Affordable entry points
- Reliable email delivery
Common complaints:
- Constant Contact: Billing issues and difficult cancellation process
- Brevo: Branding on emails unless you pay extra
- MailerLite: Free plan limits just got reduced in 2026
Which Tool Is Best for Different Use Cases?
Choose Constant Contact if:
- You run a nonprofit, community organization, or local business
- You host events, fundraisers, or classes regularly
- Phone support is non-negotiable for you
- You value stability over cutting-edge features
Choose Brevo if:
- You have a large subscriber list but send infrequently
- You need multi-channel marketing (email, SMS, WhatsApp)
- You want a built-in CRM without paying extra
- You’re comfortable with a slightly steeper learning curve
Choose MailerLite if:
- You’re a complete beginner or blogger starting from scratch
- You want the cleanest, most intuitive interface
- You need a genuine free plan with room to grow
- You prefer predictable contact-based pricing
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
| Best Overall for Beginners | MailerLite |
| Best Free Plan | Brevo |
| Best for Infrequent Senders | Brevo |
| Best for Nonprofits | Constant Contact |
| Best for Multi-Channel | Brevo |
| Cheapest Entry Point | Brevo ($9/month) |
| Best Interface | MailerLite |
Here’s the honest breakdown:
If you’re a complete beginner with a small list, MailerLite is the best place to start. The interface is easy to use, the free plan meets early needs and paid plans are straightforward. Just be aware of the new free plan limits.
For those with a large list but only sending a few emails a month, Brevo is a clear choice. You get unlimited contacts with every plan, so you’re not penalized for growing your list (even with the free plan). Multi-channel capabilities are a bonus if you want to add SMS later.
If you’re running a nonprofit or local business that needs human support and event tools, Constant Contact is reliable—but you’ll pay more and deal with that famous cancellation process. In fact, many businesses leave Constant Contact for Brevo and MailerLite because of pricing and automation limitations.
Personally? I’d start with MailerLite for simplicity, switch to Brevo if my list grows beyond 500 but I still send infrequently and only consider Constant Contact if event management and phone support are mission critical.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is Constant Contact better than MailerLite?
For most beginners, no. MailerLite has a free plan, a nicer interface and cheaper prices. Constant Contact is better only if you need phone support, event management tools, or a nonprofit. MailerLite has become a lot more accessible to budget-conscious users since Constant Contact dropped its free plan in June 2025.
Which tool offers the best free plan?
Brevo offers the most generous free plan with 300 emails per day (about 9000 per month) and unlimited contacts. The free plan is now 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails after the June 2026 update. Constant Contact doesn’t have a free plan. It’s free for 30 days. If you want a forever free option, Brevo is your winner.
Which tool is safest to use?
All three are legitimate, established sites with strong security practices. Brevo has more than 600,000 customers worldwide. MailerLite scores well across deliverability and user satisfaction. Constant Contact is old. None of them had any big security red flags—though the billing complaints against Constant Contact are worth noting.
Which option is best for small business owners?
Brevo is the best balance of features and flexibility for most small business owners. The free plan is generous enough to get started; send-based pricing saves you money if you don’t constantly email your list and you have built-in CRM and SMS tools. If you want the simplest setup and the cleanest interface, then MailerLite is the better option. Good for running events or needing phone support. Constant Contact.
