Choosing the best email marketing platform can feel like navigating a maze. You want something powerful enough to grow with your business, but simple enough that you’re not spending hours figuring it out. If you’ve narrowed your search down to MailerLite and Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), you’re already looking at two of the smartest choices available in 2025.
Both platforms have earned their stripes with thousands of users worldwide, but they take different approaches to email marketing. MailerLite champions simplicity and elegant design, while Brevo brings a multi-channel marketing suite that goes beyond just email. The question isn’t which one is “better” in absolute terms—it’s which one fits your specific needs.
In this detailed comparison, we’ll break down everything from pricing and features to email deliverability and automation capabilities. By the end, you’ll know exactly which platform deserves your business in 2025.
Which email marketing tool (Brevo vs MailerLite) should you choose in 2025?
| Feature | MailerLite | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Best For those seeking a comprehensive email marketing service. | Creators, bloggers, small businesses | Multi-channel marketers, ecommerce |
| Free Plan | Up to 1,000 subscribers can easily sign up for email automation features. | Up to 300 emails/day (unlimited contacts) |
| Starting Price is competitive, especially for those interested in email automation. | $9/month (500 subscribers) | $9/month (5,000 emails) |
| Email Builder | Drag-and-drop, highly intuitive | Drag-and-drop with SMS options |
| Best Automation tool | Visual workflow builder | Advanced with CRM features |
| Deliverability | Excellent (95%+) | Excellent (94%+) |
| Integrations with tools like Mailchimp enhance the platform’s capabilities. | 140+ native integrations | 150+ with multi-channel focus |
| Support | 24/7 email, live chat (paid plans) | Email, chat, phone (higher tiers) |
What makes MailerLite different from other email tools?
MailerLite launched in 2010 with a clear mission: make email marketing accessible to everyone, regardless of technical skill. Today, it serves over 1.4 million users across 180 countries, from solo content creators to growing businesses.
What makes MailerLite stand out is its commitment to simplicity without sacrificing power. The interface feels clean and uncluttered—you won’t find yourself drowning in features you’ll never use. But don’t mistake simplicity for limitation. MailerLite packs sophisticated automation, landing page builders, website creation tools, and even digital product sales into its platform.
Key Features:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop email editor with beautiful templates makes it easy to design best email marketing campaigns.
- Visual automation workflows that make sense at first glance
- Built-in landing page and website builder facilitate the creation of effective email automation strategies.
- Digital product delivery and newsletter monetization
- Auto-resend to non-openers feature
- Advanced segmentation based on behavior and custom fields
Ideal For:
Bloggers, content creators, coaches, small e-commerce stores, and businesses that value design and user experience. If you want to get up and running quickly without a steep learning curve, MailerLite is your friend.
Why do marketers choose Brevo over competitors?
Brevo, which rebranded from Sendinblue in 2023, positions itself as a complete marketing platform rather than just an email tool. Founded in 2012, it now serves over 500,000 users globally and has expanded far beyond its email marketing roots.
The platform’s strength lies in its multi-channel approach. You’re not just sending emails—you can integrate SMS campaigns, create Facebook ads, build a CRM, and manage service emails all from one dashboard. This makes Brevo particularly attractive if you’re looking to consolidate multiple marketing tools.
Key Features:
- Multi-channel campaigns (email, SMS, WhatsApp, chat)
- Robust CRM with sales pipeline management
- Transactional email API with high deliverability
- Advanced segmentation and contact scoring
- Heat maps and click tracking
- Facebook ad integration
Ideal For:
E-commerce businesses, agencies managing multiple clients, SaaS companies needing system emails, and marketers who want to manage multiple channels from one platform.
How do MailerLite vs Brevo compare feature by feature?
Let’s dive deep into the specific features that matter most when choosing an email marketing platform. We’ll compare both tools, Brevo and MailerLite, across the areas that directly impact your campaign success and daily workflow, focusing on email automation features.
Which platform has the easiest email builder to use?
MailerLite offers one of the cleanest email editors you’ll encounter. The drag-and-drop interface is genuinely intuitive—you can build professional-looking emails in minutes without any design experience. The template library features over 80 modern, mobile-responsive designs organized by category. What users love most is how easy it is to customize templates without breaking the design.
The rich text editor includes all the essentials: image galleries, videos, countdown timers, product blocks, and RSS content automation, making it a great tool for email automation. You can also save custom blocks for reuse across campaigns, which speeds up your workflow considerably.
Brevo provides a similarly capable drag-and-drop builder with around 70 templates. The editor includes unique features like heatmap tracking directly in your email design, so you can see where subscribers are clicking. The template variety leans slightly more toward e-commerce and sales-focused designs, ideal for email marketing campaigns.
One area where Brevo pulls ahead is automated email templates—if you need order confirmations, password resets, or shipping notifications, Brevo’s templating system is built specifically for this purpose.
Winner: MailerLite edges ahead for pure email newsletter creation, while Brevo wins if you need notification email capabilities.
Does MailerLite or Brevo Offer Better Email Marketing Automation?
MailerLite’s automation builder uses a visual flowchart interface that makes logical sense even to beginners. You can create workflows triggered by subscriber actions, dates, or custom events. Common automations include welcome sequences, abandoned cart recovery, re-engagement campaigns, and birthday emails.
The platform supports advanced features like A/B testing within automation, wait conditions based on subscriber behavior, and goal tracking to measure workflow success. You can also automate list management tasks like moving subscribers between groups based on engagement.
Brevo takes automation a step further with its email marketing automation platform. Beyond email, you can trigger SMS messages, update CRM records, and assign leads to sales team members. The workflow builder supports complex conditional logic, including “if/then” branching and time-based delays.
Brevo’s contact scoring system automatically ranks subscribers based on engagement, which helps prioritize follow-up actions in your email flows. This is particularly valuable for B2B companies with longer sales cycles.
Winner: Brevo offers more sophisticated automation, especially if you need multi-channel sequences and CRM integration. MailerLite is simpler but perfectly adequate for most email-focused automation needs.
Which service gets your emails into the inbox more often?
Both platforms maintain excellent deliverability rates, which is arguably the most critical factor in email marketing software success. What good is a beautiful email if it lands in spam?
MailerLite: MailerLite consistently achieves deliverability rates above 95% according to independent testing. They maintain strong relationships with major ISPs like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo. The platform includes SPF and DKIM authentication setup, and they actively monitor sender reputation across their infrastructure.
One standout feature: MailerLite’s auto-resend to non-openers automatically sends a follow-up with a different subject line to subscribers who didn’t open your first email. This can boost open rates by 20-30% without additional effort.
Brevo: Brevo also maintains deliverability rates around 94-96%, with particularly strong performance for transactional emails. Their dedicated IP option (available on higher-tier plans) gives you complete control over sender reputation, which matters for high-volume senders.
Brevo provides real-time deliverability monitoring and detailed bounce analysis, helping you identify and fix deliverability issues quickly.
Winner: Tie. Both platforms deliver exceptional inbox placement. Your actual deliverability will depend more on your list quality and engagement practices than the platform itself.
Can MailerLite and Brevo integrate with my existing tools?
MailerLite connects with over 140 popular tools through native integrations and supports hundreds more via Zapier. Key integrations include WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, Facebook, Elementor, and most major website builders.
The platform also offers a straightforward API for custom integrations, allowing you to automate workflows efficiently. Setting up integrations is generally painless, with clear documentation and helpful tutorials.
Brevo offers 150+ native integrations with a stronger focus on e-commerce and CRM platforms. Notable connections include Shopify, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Magento, Salesforce, and HubSpot. The platform’s API is particularly robust for automated email delivery.
Brevo’s integration with Facebook Ads deserves special mention—you can retarget email subscribers directly through Facebook campaigns, creating seamless cross-channel marketing.
Winner: Brevo slightly edges ahead with more ecommerce and multi-channel marketing integrations, though MailerLite covers all the essential tools most businesses need.
How do their analytics and reporting features stack up?
MailerLite provides clean, easy-to-understand analytics. Standard metrics include open rates, click rates, unsubscribes, and bounce rates. You can view click heatmaps to see which links performed best, track subscriber activity over time, and measure revenue from campaigns (when integrated with e-commerce platforms).
The reporting interface prioritizes clarity over complexity—you get the insights you need without drowning in data. Campaign comparison tools help identify what’s working across multiple sends.
Brevo offers more comprehensive analytics, especially for users running multi-channel campaigns. Beyond standard email metrics, you get SMS analytics, website tracking (via the Brevo tracker), conversion tracking, and advanced segmentation insights.
The platform’s statistical significance calculator helps with A/B testing decisions, and custom reports can be generated for specific timeframes or segments. Real-time statistics update as campaigns are sent, which is useful for time-sensitive promotions.
Winner: Brevo provides deeper analytics for data-driven marketers, while MailerLite offers perfectly adequate reporting for most users who want insights without complexity.
What’s the real cost difference between MailerLite and Brevo?
MailerLite Pricing
Free Plan:
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- 12,000 emails per month
- All core features included, such as automation tools and a drag-and-drop email builder, make this a competitive choice.
- MailerLite branding on emails
Growing Business Plan:
- Starts at $9/month for 500 subscribers
- Unlimited emails
- No MailerLite branding
- Auto-resend to non-openers
- Priority support
Advanced Plan:
- Starts at $19/month for 500 subscribers
- Everything in Growing Business
- Multi-user accounts
- Dynamic content personalization
- Facebook integration
Pricing scales based on subscriber count. For example, 2,500 subscribers costs $18/month (Growing Business) or $36/month (Advanced).
Brevo Pricing
Free Plan:
- Unlimited contacts
- 300 emails per day (9,000/month)
- Basic email campaigns and templates can be enhanced with a drag-and-drop editor for ease of use.
- Limited automation
Starter Plan: Ideal for new users looking to signup for basic features.
- $9/month for 5,000 emails (no daily limit)
- Remove Brevo logo
- Basic reporting and analytics
- Email support
Business Plan:
- $18/month for 5,000 emails
- Marketing automation
- A/B testing
- Advanced statistics
- Send time optimization
- Phone support and chat support are both available for user assistance.
Enterprise Plan: Designed for businesses that need extensive features like Shopify integration.
- Custom pricing
- Dedicated account manager for personalized support, including chat support options.
- Custom volume and features
- Sub-account management
- SSO and advanced security
Brevo’s pricing is based on emails sent rather than subscriber count, which can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on your sending frequency.
Pricing Winner: Depends on your situation. If you have a large list but send infrequently, Brevo could be more economical. If you send regularly to the same audience, MailerLite’s subscriber-based pricing is usually more predictable and often cheaper.
Which email platform is right for your specific business type?
| Your Situation | Recommended Platform for those looking to streamline their email automation processes. | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Blogger or Content Creator | MailerLite | Simpler interface, newsletter monetization features, excellent landing pages |
| E-commerce Store | Brevo | Abandoned cart recovery, automated emails, SMS integration |
| Small Business Owner (First Timer) looking to leverage email marketing features for growth. | MailerLite | Easier learning curve, generous free plan, all-in-one simplicity |
| Digital Course Creator | MailerLite | Digital product delivery, sales funnels, beautiful opt-in forms |
| Marketing Agency | Brevo | Multi-client management, white-label options, comprehensive CRM |
| SaaS Company | Brevo | Transactional email API, advanced automation, webhooks |
| Large Contact List, Low Send Frequency | Brevo | Unlimited contacts on free plan, pay per email sent, and the number of emails can be managed efficiently. |
| Frequent Emailer | MailerLite | Unlimited emails on paid plans, predictable pricing, making it easier to find the best email marketing solution. |
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of each?
MailerLite
Pros:
- Extremely user-friendly interface
- Generous free plan (1,000 subscribers)
- Unlimited emails on paid plans
- Beautiful, modern templates
- Includes website and landing page builder
- Digital product sales and newsletter monetization
- Excellent customer support reputation
- Auto-resend feature boosts engagement
Cons:
- No built-in CRM functionality
- SMS marketing requires third-party integration
- Fewer enterprise-level features
- Limited advanced segmentation on lower tiers
- No phone support
Brevo
Pros:
- Multi-channel marketing platform (email, SMS, WhatsApp)
- Built-in CRM with sales pipeline
- Unlimited contacts on all plans
- Excellent transactional email delivery
- Advanced automation and workflows
- Strong e-commerce integrations
- Facebook Ads integration
- Dedicated IP options available
Cons:
- Email credit system can be confusing
- Daily sending limits on the free plan (300 emails/day) can impact your email flows.
- Steeper learning curve
- Interface feels more cluttered
- Some automation features only on expensive tiers
- Free plan has limited automation
So which email marketing tool actually wins in 2025?
Here’s the truth: both platforms are excellent choices, and you won’t go wrong with either. The “winner” depends entirely on what you value most.
Choose MailerLite if:
- You prioritize ease of use and want to start quickly
- You’re a content creator, blogger, or coach building an audience
- You prefer beautiful design and clean interfaces
- You want unlimited sending on paid plans
- You need built-in landing pages and websites
- You’re selling digital products or newsletters
Choose Brevo if:
- You need multi-channel marketing (email + SMS + WhatsApp)
- You run an e-commerce store with automated email needs
- You want a built-in CRM to manage leads and customers
- You have a large contact list but send infrequently
- You need advanced automation with conditional logic
- You’re managing marketing for multiple clients or brands
For most small businesses and creators reading this on MailEvolve, MailerLite is the smarter starting point in 2025. It’s easier to learn, more affordable for regular senders, and provides everything you need to grow your email list without overwhelming complexity.
However, if you’re running a multi-channel marketing operation or need robust CRM functionality, Brevo’s additional capabilities justify the steeper learning curve.
The good news? Both offer generous free plans, so you can test drive each platform before committing. Start with MailerLite if you want simplicity, or try Brevo if you need more channels and CRM features.
Final Thoughts: Making Your Decision
The battle between MailerLite and Brevo isn’t about declaring a universal winner—it’s about finding the right fit for your business. Both platforms have earned their reputations as best email marketing tools in 2025, each excelling in different areas.
MailerLite wins on simplicity, user experience, and value for money for regular senders. It’s the platform you’ll actually enjoy using, which matters more than you might think when you’re creating campaigns week after week.
Brevo wins on versatility, multi-channel capabilities, and advanced features for complex marketing operations. If you’re running sophisticated campaigns across multiple channels or need robust CRM functionality, Brevo provides tools that MailerLite simply doesn’t offer.
For the vast majority of MailEvolve readers—content creators, small business owners, and growing brands—MailerLite represents the sweet spot of capability, simplicity, and affordability in 2025.
Ready to make your choice? Start with a free trial of both best email marketing platforms and see which interface feels more natural for your workflow. Your gut reaction after 20 minutes with each tool will tell you everything you need to know.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for beginners: MailerLite or Brevo?
MailerLite is significantly better for beginners looking to utilize email automation effectively. The interface is cleaner and more intuitive, with fewer features to navigate initially. You can create your first campaign within minutes of signing up and set up automated responses. Brevo offers more power, but comes with a steeper learning curve that might frustrate first-time email marketers.
Can I switch from Brevo to MailerLite (or vice versa)?
Yes, both platforms make it easy to import subscribers via CSV files. You can export your subscriber list from one platform and import it into the other in just a few clicks. However, you’ll need to recreate your email templates, automation workflows, and forms manually—these don’t transfer between platforms, which is a key point in the brevo vs mailerlite comparison.
Does MailerLite or Brevo have better deliverability?
Both platforms maintain excellent deliverability rates above 94%. Independent testing shows MailerLite averages around 95-96% inbox placement, while Brevo achieves 94-96%. The difference is minimal, and your actual deliverability depends more on list quality, engagement rates, and proper authentication than the platform itself.
Which platform is more affordable for a growing email list?
It depends on your sending frequency. MailerLite charges based on subscriber count with unlimited sends, making it more economical if you email frequently. Brevo charges per email sent with unlimited contacts, which benefits businesses with large lists but infrequent sending. For most active email marketers, MailerLite’s pricing becomes more predictable and affordable as you scale.
Can I use both platforms together?
While technically possible, it’s not recommended. Using multiple email platforms for the same audience can harm deliverability, confuse your analytics, and violate anti-spam regulations in some regions. Choose one platform and commit to it fully for best results.