Best free email marketing software in 2026: 5 genuinely free plans compared
Free email marketing software lets you send newsletters and marketing campaigns without paying, within a cap on contacts and monthly sends. The catch is telling a real forever-free plan (a lifetime freemium tier) apart from a time-limited trial. We compared the five best free plans on the global market, Brevo, Sender, MailerLite, HubSpot and Mailchimp, on the limits that actually matter (number of contacts, daily and monthly sends), the features included for free, deliverability, and the value for money once you outgrow the free tier and have to upgrade. For the full picture including premium tools, see our comparison of the best email marketing software 2026.
Our picks at a glance
Our pickBrevo, the best free plan for small businesses: store up to 100,000 contacts, 300 emails per day, plus email, SMS and a light CRM in one place, with EU data hosting.
See ↓ Most generousSender, the widest free sending envelope: up to 15,000 emails per month for 2,500 subscribers, with automation and segmentation included.
See ↓ Best editorMailerLite, the cleanest drag-and-drop editor and the nicest layouts, ideal for newsletters with a polished, professional look.
See ↓ Best all-in-oneHubSpot, free email marketing bundled with a full free CRM: perfect if you want contacts, deals and email in a single platform.
See ↓ Most popularMailchimp, the household name with the largest integration ecosystem, but a free plan that has become very tight in 2026.
See ↓At a glance
The best free email marketing software compared
| Tool | Score | Contacts (free) | Free sends | Automation free? | Paid from | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brevo Our pick | ★★★★½ 4.6 | Up to 100,000 | 300 / day | Yes (basic) | ~$9 | See → |
 Sender Generous | ★★★★☆ 4.4 | 2,500 subscribers | 15,000 / month | Yes | ~$7 | See → |
 MailerLite | ★★★★½ 4.5 | 250 subscribers | 2,500 / month | Yes | ~$10 | See → |
 HubSpot | ★★★★☆ 4.3 | 1,000 marketing | 2,000 / month | No (paid) | ~$20 | See → |
 Mailchimp | ★★★★☆ 4.0 | 250 contacts | 500 / month | No (paid) | ~$13 | See → |
Free-plan limits (forever-free tiers) and entry prices of paid plans, indicative and checked in July 2026, in US dollars, excluding tax. Paid prices shown on monthly billing; annual commitment is usually cheaper. MailerLite trimmed its free plan on 1 July 2026 (250 subscribers, 2,500 sends), HubSpot counts sends per email rather than per contact, and Mailchimp roughly halved its free plan in 2026 (250 contacts, 500 sends).
Want to start with no budget and no credit card?
Brevo offers the most versatile free plan for small businesses: store up to 100,000 contacts, send 300 emails a day, and get email, SMS and a light CRM in one account, with EU data hosting.
The top in detail
Our top 5 free email tools, analyzed
Brevo
The best free plan for small businesses
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Unusual pricing model: you pay for emails sent, not contacts stored, so the free plan lets you keep up to 100,000 contacts at no cost, no credit card.
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A true all-in-one platform: email, SMS, marketing automation and a light CRM live on the same account, unlike single-purpose newsletter tools.
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EU data hosting and strong GDPR posture, a real plus if you email subscribers in Europe.
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The “Sent with Brevo” logo stays on your emails on the free plan (removed from the Starter plan up).
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The 300 emails per day cap is tight for sending a large campaign in one go, and free automation is limited to 2,000 contacts.
Our verdict
Brevo takes the top spot among free plans because it is the only one to combine near-unlimited free contacts (up to 100,000), 300 free emails a day and a genuine all-in-one suite (email, SMS, automation, light CRM) hosted in the EU. The catch: a forced footer on your emails and a 300/day cap that forces an upgrade the day you send a big campaign, but the entry paid plan starts at just $9 a month.
Sender
The widest free sending envelope in this comparison
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The most generous free allowance here: 15,000 emails per month for up to 2,500 subscribers.
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Automation and segmentation ship on the free plan, features most rivals lock behind a paid tier.
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Simple drag-and-drop editor, fast to learn, with the vendor based in the EU (Lithuania).
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A “Powered by Sender” footer appears on free emails (removed on paid plans).
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Smaller template library and fewer native integrations than Mailchimp or HubSpot.
Our verdict
Sender is the free-volume champion: 15,000 emails a month for 2,500 subscribers, with automation and segmentation included, is unmatched at $0. It loses a little to Brevo on ecosystem and template depth, and the free footer stays on your emails, but for a growing list emailed often it is the most generous forever-free plan in this roundup.
Need the biggest free send volume?
Sender lets you send up to 15,000 emails a month to 2,500 subscribers at no cost, with automation and segmentation on the free plan.
MailerLite
The best pick for polished, professional newsletters
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The best drag-and-drop editor and the cleanest layouts in this comparison, ideal for newsletters that look professional out of the box.
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Landing pages, signup forms and automation are included on the free plan, with 2 user seats.
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Minimal, fast interface, one of the most pleasant tools on the market for getting started.
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Free plan trimmed on 1 July 2026 to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails per month, noticeably less generous than before.
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MailerLite logo kept on the free plan, and account approval at signup can be strict.
Our verdict
MailerLite is the pick if the look of your newsletter matters: its editor and templates are the most refined here, and landing pages, forms and automation are all free. The 1 July 2026 cut to 250 subscribers and 2,500 sends stings, and strict account approval can slow your first send, but for a small, design-conscious list it is our favorite free editor.
HubSpot
The best pick for email bundled with a full free CRM
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Free email marketing sits on top of a genuinely capable free CRM: contacts, deals, forms and live chat in one platform.
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Excellent if you want your newsletter, sales pipeline and website forms to share the same contact database from day one.
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Deep integration ecosystem and one of the best knowledge bases in the industry.
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Sends are counted per email, not per contact: a 500-contact campaign with four follow-ups can burn the 2,000 monthly quota fast.
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Automation is paywalled, HubSpot branding stays on every free asset, and Marketing Hub prices climb steeply after the free tier.
Our verdict
HubSpot wins if you want email and a real CRM under one roof for free: contacts, deals, forms and live chat all share the same database, which no pure newsletter tool offers. The trade-offs are real, though, sends counted per email eat the 2,000/month quota quickly, automation is paywalled and Marketing Hub gets expensive fast, so it fits best as a CRM-first foundation.
Mailchimp
The household name with the largest integration ecosystem
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The best-known name in email marketing, with one of the largest integration ecosystems (e-commerce, CMS, CRM).
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AI content and design assistant, plus a very thorough help center.
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A safe bet if you already use tools that connect to Mailchimp out of the box.
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Free plan is now very tight in 2026: only 250 contacts, 500 sends per month and 250 per day.
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Automation is paywalled and paid pricing scales steeply, among the highest once you leave the free tier.
Our verdict
Mailchimp remains the household name and the safest bet for integrations, with a polished editor and AI content tools. But its free plan has become the tightest here, 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, automation is paywalled and paid pricing climbs steeply. It is worth it mainly if you are already locked into the Mailchimp ecosystem.
Our criteria
Comparison: free limits, features and upgrade path
A free plan is only as good as its real limits and what it includes before it forces you to pay. Here is our detailed, criterion-by-criterion analysis of the five free plans.
Our method. We open a real free account on each tool and cross our hands-on tests (editor, automation, send caps) with the official pricing grids, re-checked at every change. Last verified: July 2026.
How generous is the free plan?
The single most important number is your monthly free-send allowance: how many emails you can send each month at $0. Brevo caps by day (300/day, roughly 9,000/month), while the others cap by month.
Monthly free-send allowance · indicative
Indicative figures from each vendor’s free plan (July 2026). The longer the bar, the more generous.
- Sender leads on raw volume with 15,000 free emails a month; Brevo adds near-unlimited contacts (up to 100,000) because it bills on sends.
- MailerLite and HubSpot sit mid-pack, enough for a small list emailed a few times a month.
- Mailchimp is now the tightest: 500 sends a month is barely enough to test the tool.
Key takeaway. If you have a large list but email rarely, Brevo wins on contacts. If you email a smaller list often, Sender wins on volume. See how paid plans compare in our best email marketing software 2026 roundup.
What is included for free?
Beyond the send cap, what matters is which features are unlocked on the free plan. Marketing automation, landing pages and a built-in CRM are the ones that most often sit behind a paywall.
✓ included on the free plan · ✗ paid or absent. Scroll the table horizontally if needed.
| Tool | Automation free | Landing pages | Built-in CRM | Logo removed | Free contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | ✓ (basic) | ✓ (paid) | ✓ (light) | ✗ | Up to 100k |
| Sender | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | 2,500 subs |
| MailerLite | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | 250 subs |
| HubSpot | ✗ (paid) | ✓ (limited) | ✓ (full) | ✗ | 1,000 |
| Mailchimp | ✗ (paid) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | 250 |
- Sender and MailerLite are the only tools to include real automation for free without a CRM upsell.
- HubSpot is unique in bundling a full free CRM, but paywalls automation.
- Every tool keeps its logo on free emails: removing it always means upgrading.
Key takeaway. If free automation is a must-have, pick Sender or MailerLite. If you want email and a sales pipeline together, HubSpot’s free CRM is the standout.
The upgrade path: what the first paid plan costs
A free plan is a starting point. What matters just as much is how much it costs, and what you unlock, the day you outgrow it. Here is the entry paid plan for each tool.
Indicative prices, excluding tax, checked in July 2026, in US dollars.
| Tool | Free plan | Paid from | What you unlock | Billing basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | 300 / day | ~$9/mo | No logo, higher send caps | By send volume |
| Sender | 15,000 / mo | ~$7/mo | No logo, more sends | By subscribers |
| MailerLite | 250 subs | ~$10/mo | More subs, no logo | By subscribers |
| HubSpot | 2,000 / mo | ~$20/mo | Automation, more sends | By marketing contacts |
| Mailchimp | 250 contacts | ~$13/mo | Automation, more contacts | By contacts |
- Sender and Brevo have the cheapest entry plans (~$7 and ~$9), so upgrading rarely hurts.
- HubSpot and Mailchimp climb the fastest once you leave the free tier.
- Watch the billing basis: Brevo bills on sends, everyone else on your contact or subscriber count.
Key takeaway. Before picking a free plan, look one step ahead at the paid tier you would land on. A cheap, send-based upgrade (Brevo, Sender) protects you as your list grows.
Which free email tool for which use case?
In short, here is our recommendation by situation:
| Your situation | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small business, all-in-one | Brevo | Up to 100k free contacts plus email, SMS and a light CRM |
| Biggest free send volume | Sender | 15,000 free emails a month, automation included |
| Polished newsletter design | MailerLite | The cleanest editor and templates in the comparison |
| Email + sales pipeline | HubSpot | Free email on top of a full free CRM |
| Already in the Mailchimp ecosystem | Mailchimp | The largest native integration library |
| Tiny list, emailed rarely | MailerLite or Mailchimp | Enough for a small list with the nicest editors |
Forever-free or just a trial: what is the difference?
Do not confuse two very different models. A forever-free plan (freemium) is valid for life, capped by the number of contacts and sends: that is the case for all five tools in this selection (Brevo, Sender, MailerLite, HubSpot, Mailchimp). A free trial, on the other hand, temporarily unlocks paid features for 14 to 30 days, after which you have to pull out a card. Vendors such as GetResponse, ActiveCampaign and Kit (formerly ConvertKit) lean on limited free tiers or trials rather than a truly generous forever-free plan, so the genuinely free options remain fairly few. Whatever you pick, remember that every free plan here keeps the vendor’s logo on your emails, and that CAN-SPAM and GDPR rules still apply, so read our guide to email marketing laws before your first send.
How did we build this ranking?
Each tool is scored on six weighted axes: the free plan limits (contacts, daily and monthly sends), deliverability (how reliably campaigns land in the inbox), the editor and templates (how easily you build clean campaigns), automation included for free, the upgrade path (how cheap and painless the first paid plan is) and value free versus paid (what you get at $0 and how the bill scales). We favour tools that genuinely suit small businesses, startups and solo marketers, and we re-check the offers every time a pricing grid changes, which is why the update date sits at the top of the page. Free email plans move fast: three of the five tools tightened their limits between late 2025 and summer 2026, so we reflect the state of the market in July 2026.
How do you choose the right free email marketing software?
Start by estimating two numbers: your list size and your monthly send volume. A large list emailed rarely points to Brevo, which bills on sends and lets you store up to 100,000 contacts for free; a smaller list emailed often points to Sender, the most generous on volume. Next, decide which features you cannot live without: if you need free automation, Sender or MailerLite deliver it at $0, while HubSpot and Mailchimp paywall it. If you want a sales pipeline alongside your newsletter, HubSpot’s free CRM is unmatched; if design is your priority, MailerLite has the best editor. Then look one step ahead at the upgrade path, because you will likely outgrow the free tier, and a cheap, send-based paid plan (Brevo, Sender) is far kinder to your budget than the steep curves of HubSpot or Mailchimp. Finally, factor in the vendor logo on free emails and, if you email EU subscribers, favour an EU-hosted vendor like Brevo or Sender. When you are ready to weigh premium options too, our best email marketing software 2026 comparison and our Brevo review go deeper, and the email marketing hub gathers all our guides.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free email marketing software in 2026?
For most small businesses, Brevo is the best free email marketing software: you can store up to 100,000 contacts and send 300 emails per day, with email, SMS and a light CRM in one account. If you want the largest free sending volume, Sender (15,000 emails per month) is more generous, and for the best-looking newsletter editor, choose MailerLite.
Can you really send newsletters for free forever?
Yes. All five tools in this selection offer a forever-free plan (freemium), valid with no time limit as long as you stay under the contact and send quotas. That is different from a free trial (GetResponse, ActiveCampaign, Kit), which unlocks paid features for 14 to 30 days only before switching to paid.
What are the limits of Brevo’s free plan?
Brevo’s free plan lets you store up to 100,000 contacts and send up to 300 emails per day, with no credit card required. In return, the “Sent with Brevo” logo stays on your emails and free automation is capped at 2,000 contacts. Removing the logo and getting a higher send volume requires a paid plan, from around $9 per month (indicative, July 2026).
Does the vendor logo show on free emails?
In the vast majority of cases, yes. Brevo shows “Sent with Brevo”, Sender adds a “Powered by Sender” footer, and MailerLite, HubSpot and Mailchimp all keep their branding on the free plan. Removing that mention always requires a paid subscription. If branding matters to you, factor that cost in from the start.
When should you upgrade from free to paid?
Upgrade as soon as you pass your free plan’s contact or send quota, or when the vendor logo hurts your brand. Concretely: beyond 300 emails per day on Brevo, 250 subscribers on MailerLite or Mailchimp, or 2,000 monthly sends on HubSpot. At that point compare the real cost for your volume in our roundup of the best email marketing software 2026.