Best email marketing software
We bench-tested the six platforms most teams actually choose between — scored on value at scale, deliverability, automation, ease of use and support. 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 | Review → |
| 8.8 | Kit | Creators & newsletters | $139/mo | Review → |
| 8.7 | ActiveCampaign | Advanced automation | $189/mo | Review → |
| 8.5 | Brevo | Unlimited contacts | $49/mo | Review → |
| 8.3 | GetResponse | All-in-one + webinars | $65/mo | Review → |
| 7.6 | Mailchimp | Brand familiarity | $135/mo | Review → |
The rankings, explained
Why each tool lands where it does — and what it really costs at 10K subscribers.
1. MailerLite — Best value at scale
The value leader. Clean UI, strong deliverability and the lowest real cost as your list grows — roughly half what Mailchimp charges at 10K. The free plan is generous and the automations are deep for the price.
$73/mo real cost at 10K subscribers · Visit MailerLite → · Full review
2. Kit — Creators & newsletters
Built for creators. Best-in-class for newsletters, paid subscriptions and creator commerce. Pricier at scale than MailerLite, but the audience-growth tooling earns it for serious publishers.
$139/mo real cost at 10K subscribers · Visit Kit → · Full review
3. ActiveCampaign — Advanced automation
The automation powerhouse. Branching logic, CRM and lead scoring go deeper than anyone here. You pay for it — the priciest at 10K, and add-ons stack up.
$189/mo real cost at 10K subscribers · Visit ActiveCampaign → · Full review
4. Brevo — Unlimited contacts
The wildcard. Brevo bills by emails sent, not list size, so contacts are unlimited. Store a big list but email it rarely and it is dramatically cheaper than everyone else.
$49/mo real cost at 10K subscribers · Visit Brevo → · Full review
5. GetResponse — All-in-one + webinars
The all-rounder. Email, automation, landing pages and built-in webinars in one place — a solid pick if you want webinars without paying for a second tool.
$65/mo real cost at 10K subscribers · Visit GetResponse → · Full review
6. Mailchimp — Brand familiarity
The default, and the cautionary tale. Easy to start, but the real cost climbs fast as your list grows and contacts are counted generously. It ranks last on value at scale.
$135/mo real cost at 10K subscribers · Visit Mailchimp → · Full review
See the real cost at your list size
Your list won’t stay at 10K. Check what each tool costs at 1K, 25K and 50K subscribers before you lock in.
Frequently asked
What is the best email marketing software overall?
For most businesses, MailerLite — it scores highest on value at scale (the real cost stays low as your list grows) while keeping strong deliverability and automation. Creators may prefer Kit; heavy-automation users, ActiveCampaign.
Which is cheapest as your list grows?
MailerLite and Brevo. MailerLite has the lowest per-tier pricing; Brevo bills by emails sent rather than contacts, so it is cheapest if you store a large list but send infrequently. See the real cost at every tier in our calculator.
Do you take money to rank tools higher?
No. Rankings come only from the Lab Score. We may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links, but it never changes a score, a ranking, or the price we show.
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.