Reviewed by the MarTech Wise editorial team. Last reviewed: 20 September 2026. Based on vendor pricing pages, product documentation and verified review-platform signals (G2, TrustRadius) rather than in-house send testing — see our [Methodology](https://martechwise.com/methodology/) for how we evaluate and rank software.
Choosing email marketing software is really choosing a growth engine: it decides how easily you can build a list, automate lifecycle messages, and prove that email is paying for itself. The trouble is that "email marketing software" now covers everything from a $0 newsletter tool to a six-figure enterprise automation suite, and the feature sheets rarely tell you which one fits your actual team.
This guide compares 10 current category leaders across pricing, automation depth, deliverability, integrations and who each one is genuinely built for — so you can shortlist two or three, not thirty.
Quick picks
- Best overall: HubSpot Marketing Hub — the strongest balance of email, automation, CRM and reporting in one platform, with a genuinely usable free entry point.
- Best for ecommerce: Klaviyo — the deepest commerce data model and revenue-attribution reporting of any tool on this list.
- Best value: Brevo — email, SMS and WhatsApp on one accessible, send-volume-based price ladder.
- Best for beginners: Mailchimp — the most familiar builder and templates if this is your team's first email tool.
- Best for agencies: GoHighLevel — white-label, multi-client delivery from one back end.
Comparison table
Tool — Best for — Price from — Free plan / trial
HubSpot Marketing Hub — All-round CRM + marketing platform for growing teams — Free; Starter from ~US$10/seat/mo (promotional); Professional from ~US$890/mo — Free plan
ActiveCampaign — Automation depth for SMEs and agencies — Tiered by contacts (verify quote) — Free trial
Klaviyo — Ecommerce email/SMS retention — Free entry; scales with active profiles and messaging volume — Free plan
Brevo — Value multichannel (email/SMS/WhatsApp) — Free plan; paid tiers by send volume and features — Free plan
Mailchimp — Familiar, beginner-friendly builder — Free; paid contact-based tiers — Free plan
Constant Contact — Small businesses, nonprofits and event-led lists — Tiered subscription by contacts — Free trial
Systeme.io — Budget all-in-one funnels + email — Free ($0, 2,000 contacts, unlimited email sends); Startup $17/mo — Free plan
GoHighLevel — Agencies running many client accounts — Tiered agency subscription (verify usage fees) — Free trial (14-day, commonly offered)
Keap — All-in-one SMB CRM, funnels and checkout — US$299/mo (2 users, unlimited contacts; +US$39/user) — Free trial (capped, no live payments)
Adobe Marketo Engage — Enterprise B2B lead nurturing at scale — Sales-quote pricing based on database size and modules — Demo only
Prices and plan limits change; figures above are the vendors' own published or quoted rates at time of review and should be reverified on the vendor's pricing page before you buy.
What to consider before you choose
Contact-based pricing compounds fast. Most of these tools charge by list size, active profiles or messaging volume. A plan that looks cheap at 1,000 contacts can double or triple by 10,000 — model your list growth for the next 12 months, not just today's number, before you commit.
Automation depth is not the same as ease of use. ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo and Adobe Marketo Engage all offer sophisticated visual automation builders, but that power comes with a steeper learning curve than a simple newsletter tool like Mailchimp or Constant Contact. Match the tool to who will actually build the workflows.
Decide if you need a CRM bundled in, or a dedicated CRM you'll connect. HubSpot, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo, Keap, GoHighLevel and Systeme.io all fold in some level of contact/CRM management. If you already run a separate CRM, check the integration quality rather than paying for a second, weaker one.
Deliverability and support are the parts a feature sheet won't show you. Recurring review themes on this list include Mailchimp's rising per-contact cost, Klaviyo's cost growth with SMS/profile volume, and Keap's high entry price relative to other SMB options — none of these are dealbreakers on their own, but they're the kind of detail that only shows up once you're a paying customer, so budget for them upfront.
Ecommerce and B2B lifecycle marketing want different tools. If your business sells products, Klaviyo's commerce data model and revenue attribution are hard to match. If you run longer B2B sales cycles, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot Marketing Hub or Adobe Marketo Engage's lead-scoring and nurturing depth will serve you better than a commerce-first platform.
The 10 best email marketing software platforms for 2027
1. HubSpot Marketing Hub
Best for: Growing B2B and B2C teams that want email, CRM, automation and reporting unified on one platform.
Not for: Teams on a tight budget who only need simple newsletters — the free plan is generous, but Professional and Enterprise pricing rises sharply once you need advanced automation.
HubSpot Marketing Hub pairs its email and automation tools with HubSpot's Smart CRM, so campaigns, forms, ads and reporting all sit on the same contact record. That unified data model is the platform's main selling point: users consistently value having CRM, email, workflows and reporting in one system rather than stitching several tools together with syncs that break.
Key features: Forms, email builder, marketing automation workflows, CRM-based segmentation, social and ads management, AEO/SEO recommendations, and unified analytics — plus 2,000+ Marketplace integrations.
Pricing: Free plan available. Starter from roughly US$10/seat/month (promotional rate); Professional from roughly US$890/month; Enterprise from roughly US$3,600/month. Packaging and limits are complex, so confirm the current tier structure directly with HubSpot before budgeting. (Verified 18 Aug 2026.)
Pros: Unified CRM and marketing data; broad integration ecosystem; strong onboarding and education resources; scales from free to enterprise on one platform.
Cons: Professional and Enterprise costs climb quickly as you add contacts and seats; packaging can be confusing to compare against simpler point-solution pricing.
For a closer look at the platform beyond email, see our HubSpot Marketing Hub Review.
2. ActiveCampaign
Best for: SMEs and agencies that want serious automation depth without paying for a full enterprise suite.
Not for: Teams that just want to send simple newsletters — ActiveCampaign's strength is its automation builder, which is more than most small lists need.
ActiveCampaign built its reputation on a visual automation builder that handles lead nurturing, CRM pipelines and lifecycle segmentation with a flexibility that sits between simple email tools and full marketing-automation suites. Reviewers consistently point to the automation builder and responsive support as the platform's core strengths.
Key features: Visual automation workflows, built-in CRM and pipelines, email campaigns, forms, segmentation, and predictive/AI-assisted send-time and content tools.
Pricing: Tiered subscription based on contacts and features, with a free trial available. Pricing scales with list size, so verify a quote against your actual contact count rather than the advertised entry price.
Pros: Deep, flexible automation builder; strong integration ecosystem; well-regarded support.
Cons: Pricing scales with contacts and can add up at volume; reporting and native CRM functionality trail dedicated enterprise suites.
To see how it stacks up directly against two close competitors, read our comparison: Mailchimp vs Brevo vs ActiveCampaign.
3. Klaviyo
Best for: Ecommerce brands that want email and SMS tied directly to revenue and customer behaviour.
Not for: Non-commerce businesses — Klaviyo's data model and pricing are built around ecommerce platforms and profile volume, and the extra depth is wasted (and costly) outside that use case.
Klaviyo treats email and SMS as one connected retention channel built on top of a B2C CRM, with behavioural segmentation, predictive analytics and revenue attribution that go deeper than most general-purpose email tools. It's a frequent standout in ecommerce-focused reviews for its Shopify integration and segmentation precision.
Key features: B2C CRM, email and SMS flows, predictive segments (e.g. likely-to-churn, predicted lifetime value), product recommendations, and attribution reporting tied to actual revenue.
Pricing: Free entry tier; paid plans scale by active profiles and messaging volume (email and SMS priced separately as volume grows).
Pros: Excellent commerce integrations; granular behavioural targeting; strong revenue reporting that ties campaigns to actual sales.
Cons: Costs grow with profile count and SMS volume; more capability than most non-ecommerce teams need.
4. Brevo
Best for: Teams that want email, SMS/WhatsApp, transactional messaging and light CRM on one accessible, send-volume-based price ladder.
Not for: Teams needing enterprise-grade reporting or a deep native CRM — Brevo's automation and reporting are solid but shallower than specialist enterprise suites.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) covers email, SMS/WhatsApp, transactional messaging and a lightweight CRM from one dashboard, with pricing that stays accessible as send volume grows rather than purely by contact count. Users regularly describe it as an intuitive, good-value platform with dependable deliverability.
Key features: Email campaigns and automation, SMS/WhatsApp messaging, transactional email API, forms, a built-in lightweight CRM, and meeting scheduling.
Pricing: Free plan available; tiered paid plans generally based on send volume and feature access.
Pros: Broad multichannel toolkit at accessible pricing; dependable deliverability; useful automation and tracking for the price point.
Cons: Template flexibility, deeper integrations and CRM depth trail more specialised platforms.
5. Mailchimp
Best for: Small teams and first-time email marketers who want a familiar, easy-to-learn builder.
Not for: Fast-growing lists on a budget — contact-based pricing escalates, and automation depth trails specialist platforms as your programme matures.
Mailchimp remains one of the most recognisable names in email marketing, and that familiarity is a genuine advantage for teams onboarding their first email tool: its builder, templates and audience tools are approachable without much training. Its very large review footprint consistently praises ease of use, while pricing and support consistency draw the most criticism.
Key features: Drag-and-drop email builder, templates, customer journeys, segmentation, forms, landing pages and reporting.
Pricing: Free plan available; paid contact-based tiers rise with audience size and feature access.
Pros: Familiar interface; extensive template library; broad app ecosystem; low-friction onboarding for small teams.
Cons: Contact-based pricing escalates as lists grow; automation sophistication trails specialist automation platforms.
Read our full Mailchimp Review for a deeper breakdown, or see how it compares directly in Mailchimp vs Brevo vs ActiveCampaign.
6. Constant Contact
Best for: Small businesses, nonprofits and event-led organisations that prioritise ease of use and direct support over advanced automation.
Not for: Teams that need sophisticated multi-step automation — Constant Contact's automation is functional but simpler than ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo or Brevo.
Constant Contact leans into guided onboarding, templates and direct support, with built-in event and social-posting tools that suit small businesses and nonprofits running newsletters alongside events and community programmes. Usability and support are the most consistently praised aspects in reviews, with value-at-scale drawing more mixed feedback.
Key features: Email builder and templates, contact management, basic automation, event management, social posting, and reporting.
Pricing: Tiered subscription with a free trial; pricing varies by contact count and package.
Pros: Easy onboarding; strong template library; direct, well-regarded support; useful event-marketing tools.
Cons: Less automation sophistication than specialist platforms; contact-based pricing and limited enterprise depth.
7. Systeme.io
Best for: Solo marketers and lean teams who want a website/funnel builder bundled with unlimited email sending, automation and course delivery at a low price.
Not for: Teams that need deep design control, granular segmentation or advanced analytics — Systeme.io trades some depth for affordability and simplicity.
Systeme.io bundles a drag-and-drop funnel and website builder with unlimited email sending on every plan (including the free tier), automation workflows, course hosting and affiliate program management — reducing the tool-stack sprawl of buying a separate funnel builder, email platform and course host. It holds one of the highest review-platform ratings on this list, with reviewers consistently praising its affordability and all-in-one scope.
Key features: Drag-and-drop website/funnel builder, unlimited email sending, marketing automation workflows, course and membership hosting, affiliate program management, and payment gateway integrations (Stripe, PayPal and others) with no added transaction fees.
Pricing: Free plan ($0: 2,000 contacts, 3 funnels, 1 course, unlimited email sends); Startup $17/month; Webinar $47/month; Unlimited $97/month. Annual billing includes two months free. (Verified Sep 2026.)
Pros: Genuinely useful free plan; low cost relative to feature breadth; all-in-one scope cuts tool-stack sprawl; responsive support including migration assistance.
Cons: Design customisation and template variety are more limited than dedicated tools; some advanced features (order bumps, granular segmentation, quiz types) are missing or basic; analytics are shallower than specialised platforms.
8. GoHighLevel
Best for: Agencies that want to run email, SMS, funnels and CRM for multiple clients from one white-label back end.
Not for: A single in-house marketing team — GoHighLevel is built around agency and sub-account workflows, which is more complexity than most single-brand teams need.
GoHighLevel consolidates CRM, funnels, lead capture, email/SMS, booking and reputation management into one platform designed to be resold under an agency's own brand, with sub-accounts for each client. Agency users consistently point to the convenience of running every client from one system, while breadth introduces a learning curve and some feature-quality variance across modules.
Key features: CRM and pipelines, marketing automation workflows, website/funnel builder, calendars and booking, reputation management, white-label/SaaS mode, and AI-assisted features.
Pricing: Tiered agency subscription, commonly with a 14-day free trial; verify usage-based fees (e.g. SMS, calling) against your expected client volume.
Pros: Consolidates multiple agency tools into one resellable platform; strong automation breadth; white-label potential for client delivery.
Cons: Complex setup; usage-based fees on top of subscription; feature quality varies across modules.
9. Keap
Best for: Small businesses and solo marketers who want CRM, funnels, checkout and email/text marketing bundled into one system with guided onboarding.
Not for: Budget-conscious teams — Keap's entry price sits well above comparable SMB CRM and email tools on this list.
Keap (from Thryv) bundles contact management, sales pipelines, landing pages, funnels, email and text broadcasts and native checkout into a single platform, backed by a dedicated Customer Success Manager on every plan. Reviewers consistently praise the automation depth and the convenience of not stitching together separate CRM, email and checkout tools, while cost is the most common complaint.
Key features: Tag-based contact segmentation and lead scoring, landing pages and multi-page funnels, email broadcasts and 1:1 messaging, an AI content assistant, text marketing, sales pipeline management, quote/invoice generation, and native US payment processing with checkout forms.
Pricing: Single-tier platform starting at US$299/month billed annually (US$2,988/year), including 2 users and unlimited contacts; extra users are US$39/month each. Text-marketing volume upgrades run US$24–US$279/month, and paid implementation is required separately. A free trial is available (capped at 25 email sends, no live payment processing). (Verified 20 Sep 2026.)
Pros: Deep automation combined with CRM, funnels and checkout in one system; dedicated onboarding support; unlimited contacts on the base plan.
Cons: High entry price relative to other SMB CRMs on this list; costs can rise over time; advanced automation setup has a learning curve; required paid implementation adds to total cost.
10. Adobe Marketo Engage
Best for: Enterprise B2B teams that need sophisticated lead scoring, account-based marketing and nurturing at scale.
Not for: Small teams or anyone wanting fast, simple setup — Marketo Engage rewards dedicated marketing-operations support and is overbuilt for straightforward newsletter sending.
Adobe Marketo Engage is built for mature B2B marketing organisations running complex, multi-touch nurture programmes within the Adobe Experience Cloud ecosystem. Reviewers frequently describe it as powerful for lead scoring, segmentation and complex nurturing, with the learning curve and administrative overhead as the main trade-off.
Key features: Lead management and scoring, multi-step customer journeys, email, personalisation, and account-level marketing insights.
Pros: Sophisticated automation; strong B2B lifecycle and account-based marketing support; mature ecosystem and integrations.
Cons: Complex administration; slower deployment than SMB-focused tools; pricing is opaque until you request a quote.
Pricing: Sales-quote pricing based on contact database size and modules selected; available by demo only — confirm current packaging directly with Adobe.
How to choose the right email marketing software
Start with your list size and growth trajectory, not the feature list. Every platform on this list charges more as your contacts or send volume grow, so price out your tool at 2x and 5x your current list size before committing — the "affordable" option at your current size is sometimes the most expensive one in twelve months.
Then match the tool to your business model. Ecommerce businesses should default to evaluating Klaviyo first; B2B teams with longer sales cycles should look at ActiveCampaign, HubSpot Marketing Hub or, at true enterprise scale, Adobe Marketo Engage; agencies serving multiple clients should evaluate GoHighLevel specifically for its white-label sub-account model; and solo marketers or small teams on a tight budget should start with Systeme.io, Brevo or Mailchimp's free tiers before paying for anything.
Finally, weigh how much of your stack you want unified versus best-of-breed. HubSpot, Klaviyo, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, Keap and GoHighLevel all fold in CRM or funnel functionality; if you already have a CRM you like, check integration depth rather than assuming you need the bundled version.
Pricing models explained
Most of the platforms above use one (or a mix) of these pricing approaches:
Contact- or subscriber-based pricing (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot) charges more as your list grows, regardless of how often you actually email that list. Watch for how each vendor counts "contacts" — some count unsubscribed or inactive contacts against your total, others don't.
Active-profile or send-volume pricing (Klaviyo, Brevo) ties cost to how many people you're actively messaging and how often, which can be more forgiving for large but lightly-emailed lists.
Flat or single-tier pricing (Keap, and Systeme.io at its paid tiers) charges one price for a defined feature set regardless of contact count up to a cap, which is easier to budget but can mean paying for capacity you don't yet need.
Quote-based enterprise pricing (Adobe Marketo Engage, and Salesforce-ecosystem tools generally) requires a sales conversation and is scoped to your database size and modules — expect a longer buying cycle and room to negotiate.
Whatever the model, get a quote against your actual list size and expected send volume before comparing "starting from" prices across vendors — those headline numbers are rarely the price you'll actually pay at scale.
FAQs
What is the best email marketing software overall for 2027? For most growing teams, HubSpot Marketing Hub offers the strongest balance of email, automation, CRM and reporting on one platform, with a usable free plan to start on. Ecommerce brands are generally better served by Klaviyo, and agencies managing multiple clients by GoHighLevel.
What's the difference between email marketing platforms and newsletter software? "Newsletter software" typically refers to simpler tools built mainly for sending broadcast emails to a list — Mailchimp and Constant Contact are commonly used this way. "Email marketing platforms" more often implies added automation, segmentation and (in several cases here) CRM or SMS capability layered on top of sending, such as ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo or Brevo.
Are there good free email marketing tools? Yes. Mailchimp, Brevo, Klaviyo, HubSpot Marketing Hub and Systeme.io all offer genuinely usable free plans with real (if capped) sending limits, which makes them reasonable starting points before you commit budget to a paid tier.
Which email automation tools are best for ecommerce? Klaviyo is the strongest fit for most ecommerce brands given its native commerce data model, behavioural segmentation and revenue attribution. Brevo and Mailchimp also support ecommerce integrations and are worth considering for smaller stores that don't need Klaviyo's full depth.
Which email marketing tools work best for agencies managing multiple clients? GoHighLevel is purpose-built for this, with white-label branding and sub-accounts per client. ActiveCampaign and Keap are also used by agencies, though without GoHighLevel's dedicated multi-client and reselling model.
Do these platforms charge for inactive or unsubscribed contacts? Billing rules vary by vendor and can change, so confirm directly on each vendor's current pricing page how "contacts" or "profiles" are counted before you commit — this is a common source of unexpected cost increases across the category.
Final verdict
There's no single best email marketing software for every team — there's a best fit for your list size, business model and budget. HubSpot Marketing Hub is the safest general starting point if you want room to grow into deeper CRM and automation. Klaviyo is the clear choice if you sell products online. Brevo, Mailchimp and Systeme.io all give you a genuinely usable free way to start before you commit budget. And if you're an agency or an enterprise B2B team, GoHighLevel and Adobe Marketo Engage respectively are built for the scale and complexity you're actually operating at.
Whichever you choose, price it against your list size at 2x and 5x current volume, not just today's number — that's where most of the "cheap" options on this list stop being cheap.
Want a second opinion on your shortlist, or help implementing whichever platform you choose? [Get in touch](https://martechwise.com/contact/) with the MarTech Wise team, or read our [Methodology](https://martechwise.com/methodology/) to see how we evaluate and rank marketing software. For hands-on reviews of individual platforms in other categories, see our [Ahrefs Review](https://martechwise.com/ahrefs-review/) and [Canva Review](https://martechwise.com/canva-review/).
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