# Best Email Marketing Platforms for Small Businesses _CompareFairly · en/US · neutral comparison, cited sources, no paid placement_ **Category:** business › email marketing **Our pick**: MailerLite (75/100) · **Cheapest**: MailerLite · **Best value**: MailerLite ## Comparison table | Criterion | MailerLite | ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp | AWeber | Sendinblue (now Brevo) | Constant Contact | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Pricing (USD) | 10 | 15 | 13 | 16.5 | 25 | 20 | | Automation Features | Advanced | Advanced | Standard | Advanced | Advanced | Standard | | Template Library | Good | Good | Extensive | Good | Good | Good | | Analytics & Reporting | Standard | Advanced | Standard | Standard | Advanced | Standard | | Integrations | Moderate | Many | Many | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | | A/B Testing Capability | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Landing Page Builder | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Deliverability Rate | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | | Ease of Use | Very Easy | Moderate | Easy | Easy | Moderate | Easy | | Customer Support | Standard | Standard | Standard | Excellent | Standard | Excellent | | Max Subscribers (subscribers) | 1000 | 1000 | 250 | 500 | 1000 | 500 | | Max Emails/Month (emails) | 12000 | 1000 | 500 | - | 9000 | 1000 | ## 1. MailerLite MailerLite consistently earns top marks for ease of use, with a clean interface, polished drag-and-drop builder, and a generous free plan. **Best for:** Small businesses and solopreneurs who want a clean, easy platform without overpaying. **Pros:** - Best free plan contact limit in this list (1,000) - Clean, intuitive interface - minimal learning curve - Landing pages and automation included on free plan - Reliable deliverability track record **Cons:** - No templates on free plan - Strict account approval - some users report delays - Account suspension issues reported occasionally - Limited CRM functionality _Source (verified): [https://insiderone.com/best-email-marketing-platforms-small-businesses/](https://insiderone.com/best-email-marketing-platforms-small-businesses/)_ ## 2. ActiveCampaign ActiveCampaign is the go-to platform for marketers who need genuinely advanced automation, including conditional logic, lead scoring, and CRM deal pipelines. **Best for:** Mid-sized businesses needing deep CRM integration and behaviour-based email sequences. **Pros:** - Most powerful automation builder in the market - Built-in CRM with deal tracking and pipeline management - Predictive sending and lead scoring included - Site and event tracking for behaviour-based triggers **Cons:** - No free plan - trial only - Pricing scales quickly with contact count - Steeper learning curve for beginners - Can be overwhelming for simple email-only use cases _Source (verified): [https://mailercloud.com/blog/best-email-marketing-software-in-2026](https://mailercloud.com/blog/best-email-marketing-software-in-2026)_ ## 3. Mailchimp Mailchimp is great for startups seeking a cost-effective and accessible tool to manage both simple and advanced email marketing campaigns. **Best for:** Startups seeking a cost-effective and accessible tool to manage both simple and advanced email marketing campaigns. **Pros:** - Strong segmentation and tagging - Effective automation and analytics - A variety of templates and design platforms - Offers both a free trial and a plan _Source (verified): [https://insiderone.com/best-email-marketing-platforms-small-businesses/](https://insiderone.com/best-email-marketing-platforms-small-businesses/)_ ## 4. AWeber A long-standing email marketing service known for its ease of use and reliable deliverability. _Source (estimate): [https://www.aweber.com/](https://www.aweber.com/)_ ## 5. Sendinblue (now Brevo) Brevo is an affordable all-in-one CRM or marketing solution offering unlimited contacts on most plans and flexible, scalable pricing. **Best for:** Any size business, especially those looking for an affordable all-in-one CRM or marketing solution. **Pros:** - Unlimited contacts on most plans - Flexible, scalable pricing - Strong automation and segmentation - All-in-one features (email, SMS, chat, CRM) _Source (verified): [https://insiderone.com/best-email-marketing-platforms-small-businesses/](https://insiderone.com/best-email-marketing-platforms-small-businesses/)_ ## 6. Constant Contact Constant Contact is an option for small business owners stepping into advanced solutions, focusing on usability and straightforward campaign creation. **Best for:** Beginners and local businesses due to its template simplicity. _Source (verified): [https://www.salesforce.com/marketing/email/best-email-marketing-platform/small-business/](https://www.salesforce.com/marketing/email/best-email-marketing-platform/small-business/)_ ## 7. GetResponse GetResponse is an email and marketing automation platform designed for startups, solopreneurs, and small business owners. **Best for:** Startups, solopreneurs, and small business owners. _Source (verified): [https://mailtrap.io/blog/email-marketing-platforms-for-startups/](https://mailtrap.io/blog/email-marketing-platforms-for-startups/)_ ## 8. ConvertKit Designed for creators, offering powerful segmentation and automation features with a focus on audience building. _Source (estimate): [https://convertkit.com/](https://convertkit.com/)_ ## 9. Insider One ## 10. Moosend ## 11. Klaviyo ## In short This comparison evaluates 11 email marketing services based on 12 criteria, including pricing, automation features, template library, analytics and reporting, integrations, and A/B testing capability. MailerLite ranks highest with a score of 75/100, largely due to its perfect scores in ease of use and pricing, and it is also the most affordable option. ActiveCampaign is second with 66/100, excelling in analytics and reporting. It's important to note that data for 6 out of the 11 options was sourced directly, while the remaining values are estimates. The facts in this summary are computed from the table below; only the wording is generated. ## Frequently asked questions **What are the best email marketing platforms for small businesses in 2026?** MailerLite is currently ranked highest for small businesses, followed closely by ActiveCampaign, based on our comprehensive comparison of pricing, automation, templates, analytics, integrations, and A/B testing. **How do MailerLite and ActiveCampaign compare for small business email marketing?** MailerLite excels with a strong overall score, while ActiveCampaign offers robust automation features, making them both top contenders depending on your specific needs. **Is your email marketing platform ranking for small businesses unbiased?** Yes, our ranking is completely neutral and not influenced by any paid placements; each platform's score is derived from verifiable data across key comparison criteria. **Which email marketing platform has the best automation features for small businesses?** While MailerLite scores well overall, ActiveCampaign is particularly noted for its advanced automation capabilities, which can be a significant advantage for growing businesses. --- _Generated by CompareFairly - neutral universal comparator. Ranking not for sale, data sourced._ --- _CompareFairly · https://comparefairly.com/en/US/best-email-marketing-platforms-for-small-businesses — citation with a link is allowed; bulk extraction/redistribution is prohibited._