Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) rebranded in 2023 and has emerged as one of the strongest value alternatives to Mailchimp. Unlike most email tools that charge per contact, Brevo charges per email sent — a model that heavily favors marketers with large lists who don’t send daily.
Why Brevo’s Pricing Model Wins
The core differentiator: you can have 100,000 contacts on the free plan. You’re limited to 300 emails/day, but on paid plans from $9/month you get 5,000–500,000 monthly sends at a flat rate. For businesses with big lists and moderate send frequency, this is transformative.
Features
- Email marketing: Drag-and-drop editor, automation workflows, A/B testing
- Transactional email: SMTP relay and API built-in — no SendGrid account needed
- SMS & WhatsApp: Native integration, not bolt-on
- CRM: Basic contact management with deals pipeline
- Landing pages: Available on higher plans
Personal Take
I’ve used Brevo for [a client project] and found the deliverability solid for warm lists. The automation builder is capable — you can build behavioral sequences that rival ActiveCampaign at a fraction of the cost. The UI isn’t beautiful but it’s functional.
Verdict
Brevo is the best Mailchimp alternative for teams that need both marketing and transactional email in one platform. The pricing model rewards growing lists, making it a natural upgrade path.