Know what it
really costs.
We bench-test marketing software and show the real cost at scale — what you actually pay once your list grows, not the teaser on the pricing page.
Best email marketing software
Ranked by Lab Score. The cost shown is the real monthly bill at 10,000 subscribers — not the headline price.
| Score | Tool | Best for | Real cost · 10K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.1 | MailerLite | Best value at scale | $73/mo | View → |
| 8.8 | Kit | Creators & newsletters | $139/mo | View → |
| 8.7 | ActiveCampaign | Advanced automation | $189/mo | View → |
| 8.5 | Brevo | Low send volume | $49/mo | View → |
| 8.3 | GetResponse | All-in-one + webinars | $65/mo | View → |
| 7.6 | Mailchimp | Brand familiarity | $135/mo | View → |
Real Cost at Scale
See exactly what MailerLite, Kit, ActiveCampaign, Brevo, GetResponse and Mailchimp cost at 1K → 50K subscribers, side by side.
How the Lab Score works
One transparent 0–10 score. Five weighted factors. No vendor influence.
Why trust RealCostLabs
No pay-to-play. Rankings are set by the Lab Score, never by commissions.
Real cost, not teaser pricing. We compute the bill at the list size you’ll actually reach.
Transparent method. Every score breaks into the same five factors shown above.
Frequently asked
Does RealCostLabs get paid by the tools it reviews?
We may earn an affiliate commission when you sign up through our links — but commissions never change a Lab Score or a ranking, and the price we show is the real one either way.
What does “real cost at scale” mean?
Most pricing pages hide what you pay once your list grows. We compute each tool’s actual monthly cost at 1K, 5K, 10K, 25K and 50K subscribers — the number that bites at renewal.
How is the Lab Score calculated?
Five weighted factors: value at scale (30%), deliverability (20%), automation depth (20%), ease of use (15%) and support (15%). The same formula for every tool.
Affiliate disclosure: RealCostLabs may earn a commission if you sign up through our links. This never affects our scores, rankings, or the prices we show. Prices verified June 2026.