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Free Brevo alternatives
Every pick starts with a genuine free tier, which makes it the easiest way to test a full workflow for zero dollars. Start free and upgrade only when it earns it.
What is the best free alternative to Brevo?
beehiiv is the free Brevo alternative we recommend first. Unlike Brevo, beehiiv ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it. It scores 4.6 in our testing, and at $39/mo (free tier available) it keeps the monthly bill reasonable. See the full ranked list below to compare every pick.
3 free alternatives worth your time
beehiiv
4.6 out of 54.6A modern newsletter platform built for growth.
Unlike Brevo, beehiiv ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.
Why this swap
Best for: Pick beehiiv if you run a content-focused newsletter or media publication and want built-in audience referral loops, a sponsor ad network, and deep post engagement analytics.
Watch out: beehiiv charges based on subscriber count rather than send volume, has no transactional SMTP email relay, and lacks SMS text messaging.
Verdict: Choose beehiiv for audience growth loops and newsletter sponsorship networks. Choose Brevo for transactional email API delivery and volume-based pricing.
- Best in class growth tools. The Boosts recommendation network drives genuine subscriber acquisition through cross promotion, not just optimization of existing channels. In our 4 week test, 18 percent of new subscribers came through Boosts.
- Built in Ad Network for newsletter monetization. Beehiiv handles sponsor placements, ad sales, payment collection, and payouts. CPM rates averaged $25 to $40 for newsletters with 5,000+ subscribers. Creators keep 70 percent of ad revenue.
Substack
4.3 out of 54.3Publish and monetize a newsletter with zero setup.
Unlike Brevo, Substack ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.
Why this swap
Best for: Pick Substack if you want to write a newsletter with zero monthly software bills, built-in audience discovery through Substack Notes, and simple paid subscriptions.
Watch out: Substack takes a 10% cut of all paid subscription revenue, has no custom HTML templates, cannot send transactional application emails, and offers no SMS marketing.
Verdict: Choose Substack for zero-cost personal writing and social discovery. Choose Brevo for multi-channel business marketing, transactional API sends, and full template control.
- Zero upfront cost. Substack is completely free to use. There are no monthly fees, no tiered plans, and no feature gates. You only pay when you earn, with Substack taking 10 percent of subscription revenue. This makes it the most accessible platform for new creators.
- Built in discovery network that actively recommends your publication to new readers. Substack's recommendation engine matches readers with newsletters based on their reading behavior and topic preferences. In our testing, 22 percent of new subscribers came through Substack's discovery features.
Mailchimp
4.1 out of 54.1Email marketing and automation for small businesses.
Unlike Brevo, Mailchimp ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.
Why this swap
Best for: Pick Mailchimp if you operate an e-commerce brand on Shopify or WooCommerce that requires automated customer journey maps, predictive demographics, and pre-built retail integrations.
Watch out: Mailchimp charges for unsubscribed contacts sitting in your audience, becomes prohibitively expensive as your list grows, and caps send volume aggressively on lower tiers.
Verdict: Choose Mailchimp for deep retail e-commerce integrations. Choose Brevo for unlimited contact storage and lower total monthly send costs.
- Best template library in email marketing. 100+ professionally designed, mobile responsive templates across every industry.
- Drag and drop email builder is polished and intuitive. Building beautiful emails requires no design skills or HTML knowledge.
Brevo vs the free alternatives
| Tool | Our score | From | Free tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | 4.3 | $9/mo (free tier available) | No | Budget-conscious businesses, developers, and e-commerce shops wanting unlimited contact storage, pay-as-you-send email pricing, transactional SMTP APIs, and SMS messaging under one roof |
| beehiiv | 4.6 | $39/mo (free tier available) | Yes | Newsletter writers, publishers, and media companies that want an all in one platform for audience growth, monetization, and analytics |
| Substack | 4.3 | Free + 10% rev share | Yes | Writers, journalists, and independent creators who want to start a paid newsletter or podcast with zero upfront cost and access to a built in audience discovery network |
| Mailchimp | 4.1 | $13/mo (free tier available) | Yes | Small to mid size businesses that want polished email templates, ecommerce integrations, and an all in one marketing platform |
Who stands behind the picks
Brevo
19 hours of testing 5 review rounds Verified 2026-07-20
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