Verdict in 30 Seconds
Pros
- Unlimited contacts on all plans
- Built-in SMS marketing and transactional email
- Generous free tier (300 emails/day)
Cons
- Email template editor needs improvement
- Automation workflows less intuitive
- Daily sending limits apply even on paid
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) takes a different approach, unlimited contacts on all plans, paid by email volume instead. It also includes SMS marketing, transactional email, and live chat, making it a versatile multi-channel platform.
How We Rate Brevo
Weighted score: 4/5. Our full methodology →
Key Features
- Email Marketing
- SMS Marketing
- Transactional Email
- Live Chat
- CRM
- Marketing Automation
Pricing Breakdown
Plans and pricing as of our latest review. Always check the provider’s site for current rates.
Free
$0/mo
- Unlimited contacts
- 300 emails/day
- Customizable templates
Starter
$25/mo
- 20,000 emails/month
- No daily limit
- Basic analytics
Business
$65/mo
- 40,000 emails/month
- Marketing automation
- A/B testing
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unlimited contacts on all plans
- Built-in SMS marketing and transactional email
- Generous free tier (300 emails/day)
- Live chat and CRM included
Cons
- Email template editor needs improvement
- Automation workflows less intuitive
- Daily sending limits apply even on paid
- Reporting less detailed than niche tools
Who Brevo Is For
Brevo is best for transactional email & sms.
There's a free trial, so test it on a real project before you commit.
When to Choose Brevo
Different tools suit different teams. Here’s where Brevo fits best.
Ecommerce stores wanting email + SMS in one place
Run your abandoned cart in email and follow up with a text if they don't convert, all in one automation. You're not paying for two platforms or gluing them together with Zapier. Volume-based pricing also suits stores that send a lot of transactional mail.
Businesses with a large list that emails infrequently
Because Brevo charges by volume, not contacts, a 20,000-person list you email twice a month costs the same as a 1,000-person list on a per-contact tool. If you've grown a big list but don't blast it weekly, this is the cheapest legitimate option.
SaaS products needing transactional + marketing email
One API for transactional, one dashboard for campaigns. No separate SendGrid bill. For a SaaS sending onboarding sequences and password resets, this consolidation is clean and cheap.
How We Tested Brevo
How it went
I connected a custom domain (including SPF and DKIM verification), sent a 2,000-recipient newsletter, built a three-step automation with an SMS fallback, and tested the transactional API by firing a test order confirmation. The SMS feature worked reliably across UK numbers. The template editor was the weak point, clunkier than Mailchimp or MailerLite, but the deliverability and channel flexibility made up for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Brevo's pricing actually work?
It charges by email volume, not contacts. Unlimited contacts on every plan, you pay for how many emails you send. The free plan gives 300 emails a day, genuinely useful for a small list. Starter at $25/mo gets you 20,000 emails a month. For a business with a large list that sends rarely, this is dramatically cheaper than Mailchimp's per-contact model.
Is Brevo good for SMS marketing?
It's one of the few email tools with SMS built in properly rather than bolted on. You can run email and SMS from the same automation, trigger a text when someone doesn't open your email, and manage contacts across both channels. SMS credits cost extra on top of your plan, but the integration is the reason to pick Brevo over a pure email tool.
Does Brevo handle transactional email?
Yes, and it's the quiet strength. You can send order confirmations, password resets, and receipts from the same account as your marketing campaigns, where most email tools force you to split across two services. Deliverability on transactional mail is strong. If you run a SaaS or ecommerce store, this alone can justify Brevo.
Final Verdict
If you need transactional email and SMS alongside your marketing, Brevo's the clean pick. One account, one bill, unlimited contacts on every plan. The template editor is the weak point, but the deliverability and channel flexibility make up for it.
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