Klaviyo and Brevo dominate for small businesses, with Klaviyo excelling for Shopify stores and Brevo offering exceptional value. MailerLite suits SMBs seeking intuitive design; ActiveCampaign fits marketing teams needing sophisticated automation; and HubSpot appeals to companies wanting integrated CRM and email in one platform.
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1KlaviyoNative Shopify integration pulls real-time customer data including purchase history and browsing behaviour.95.0NEW£15/month (approx. $20/month) 2BrevoPricing model charges for emails sent, not contacts stored, making it cost-effective for large lists.92.5NEW£7/month (approx. $9/month) 3MailerLiteFree plan supports 1,000 subscribers with 12,000 sends per month and includes landing page builder.90.0NEWFree (up to 1,000 subscribers) 4ActiveCampaignBalances intuitive interface with sophisticated automation that connects entire customer journey across sales and service.87.5NEW£11/month (approx. $15/month) 5GetResponseUnlimited emails included at base tier with 1,000 contacts, simplifying cost structure for growing businesses.85.0NEW£14/month (approx. $19/month) 6OmnisendStandard plan includes email and SMS credits with Pro tier offering unlimited emails for coordinated omnichannel campaigns.82.5NEW£12/month (approx. $16/month) 7HubSpotFree tier includes CRM, email marketing, and contact management; paid tiers unlock sophisticated automation and additional tools.80.0NEWFree (with limitations) 8KitFree plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited emails and digital product sales functionality.77.5NEWFree (up to 10,000 subscribers) 9DripAll-features-included pricing model with no feature tiers ensures every subscriber accesses complete automation and CRM functionality.75.0NEW£29/month (approx. $39/month) 10Mailtrap Email MarketingSpecialises in email delivery with 90 percent plus inbox placement rate through advanced reputation management.74.0NEWFree (limited volume) The ranking, in detail
01
Powerful email and SMS marketing for online retailers
Klaviyo specialises in e-commerce marketing with native Shopify integration and real-time customer data including purchase history and browsing behaviour. The platform delivers sophisticated automation for online businesses at an accessible price point.
From £15/month (approx. $20/month)Best for Small e-commerce stores and Shopify merchants prioritising ease of use and conversion-focused automation
95.0
02
All-in-one marketing platform with email, SMS, and CRM
Brevo offers email, SMS, and CRM functionality in a single platform with flexible pay-as-you-go pricing based on emails sent rather than contacts stored. This makes it ideal for businesses with large lists but occasional sending.
From £7/month (approx. $9/month)Best for Budget-conscious teams needing integrated email, SMS, and CRM without contact-based pricing
92.5
03
User-friendly email marketing with built-in landing pages
MailerLite combines a clean, intuitive drag-and-drop builder with landing page functionality and automation features. The platform offers a genuinely free plan and low-cost paid tiers, making it accessible for startups and small businesses.
From Free (up to 1,000 subscribers)Best for Small businesses and SMBs seeking an intuitive interface with landing pages and affordable pricing
90.0
04
Marketing automation designed for customer journey mapping
ActiveCampaign balances user-friendly design with sophisticated automation capabilities and CRM functionality. The platform connects email marketing with broader sales and customer service tools to manage complete customer journeys.
From £11/month (approx. $15/month)Best for Marketing teams prioritising advanced email automation and customer journey orchestration
87.5
05
Affordable marketing automation with unlimited emails
GetResponse offers a straightforward pricing structure with unlimited emails, an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, and core automation features. The platform suits startups and small businesses seeking accessible marketing automation without complexity.
From £14/month (approx. $19/month)Best for Startups and small businesses seeking affordable marketing automation with unlimited email sending
85.0
06
Omnichannel marketing for e-commerce businesses
Omnisend specialises in omnichannel marketing with seamless email and SMS integration, particularly for Shopify and WooCommerce stores. The platform provides pre-built automation flows optimised for e-commerce conversion.
From £12/month (approx. $16/month)Best for E-commerce stores on Shopify or WooCommerce seeking integrated email and SMS marketing
82.5
07
Integrated CRM and marketing automation platform
HubSpot combines email marketing with a comprehensive CRM, sales, and service platform. The free tier provides basic email marketing and CRM functionality, whilst paid tiers unlock advanced automation and multi-tool integration.
From Free (with limitations)Best for Companies needing integrated CRM with email marketing and wanting a unified customer data platform
80.0
08
Email marketing platform built for digital creators
Kit, formerly ConvertKit, specialises in serving creators, bloggers, and digital product sellers. The platform offers unlimited email sending on the free plan and includes built-in functionality for selling digital products and subscriptions.
From Free (up to 10,000 subscribers)Best for Creators and bloggers seeking to monetise audiences through digital product and subscription sales
77.5
09
Behavioural automation designed for e-commerce
Drip specialises in behavioural automation for e-commerce businesses with an all-inclusive pricing model that includes all features at every tier. The platform excels at tracking customer behaviour and triggering sophisticated, rules-based automations.
From £29/month (approx. $39/month)Best for E-commerce stores with focus on behavioural automation and willing to invest in advanced features
75.0
10
Email delivery platform with focus on inbox placement
Mailtrap Email Marketing prioritises email deliverability with tools designed to achieve high inbox placement rates. Originally a testing platform, Mailtrap now offers production email sending for high-volume senders and product companies.
From Free (limited volume)Best for High-volume product companies and development teams prioritising email deliverability and inbox placement rates
74.0
Frequently asked questions
Which email marketing platform is best for beginners with small budgets?
MailerLite offers the best combination of ease of use and affordability, with a free plan supporting 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 sends monthly, plus landing pages included. Brevo and Kit also offer generous free tiers with more generous contact limits if you prefer SMS or creator features respectively.
What is the difference between contact-based and send-based pricing models?
Contact-based pricing charges based on list size regardless of sending frequency (e.g., Klaviyo), whilst send-based pricing charges per email sent (e.g., Brevo). Send-based is better for businesses with large, inactive lists; contact-based suits those sending frequently to smaller, engaged lists.
Which platforms integrate best with Shopify and WooCommerce?
Klaviyo leads for Shopify with native real-time customer data integration. Omnisend offers excellent omnichannel email and SMS for both Shopify and WooCommerce. ActiveCampaign and HubSpot also integrate well with both platforms, though with less e-commerce specialisation.