Starting email marketing doesn't have to cost money. Several excellent platforms offer free tiers with genuine functionality—enough for startups, small businesses, and early-stage projects to build and grow their email programs. This guide compares the best free email marketing tools, their capabilities, and when you'll need to upgrade.
What to Expect from Free Email Tools
Before diving into specific platforms, understand what free tiers typically include and exclude.
What Free Tiers Usually Offer
- Basic email builder
- Limited subscriber count (500-10,000)
- Limited monthly sends
- Basic automation
- Signup forms
- Basic analytics
- Email support (limited)
What Free Tiers Usually Limit
- Advanced automation
- A/B testing
- Advanced segmentation
- Priority support
- Branding removal
- Advanced analytics
- Integrations
The Trade-Off
Free tiers are genuine products, not crippled trials. But they include trade-offs—usually branding, limited features, or subscriber caps. As you grow, paid tiers become worthwhile.
Best Free Email Marketing Tools
1. Mailchimp Free
Best for: Beginners and brand recognition
Overview: Mailchimp remains the most recognized name in email marketing. Its free tier provides a solid starting point for small businesses.
Free Tier Includes:
- Up to 500 contacts
- 1,000 emails/month
- Basic email builder
- Basic automation
- Landing pages
- Signup forms
- Marketing CRM basics
- Email support (30 days)
Free Tier Limitations:
- Mailchimp branding on emails
- Limited automation
- No A/B testing
- No send time optimization
- 500 contact cap
Best for: Small businesses wanting familiar, accessible email marketing.
When to Upgrade: Exceeding 500 contacts or needing automation.
2. MailerLite Free
Best for: Clean design and generous limits
Overview: MailerLite offers one of the most generous free tiers with clean, modern interface. Excellent for those prioritizing simplicity.
Free Tier Includes:
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- 12,000 emails/month
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Landing pages
- Signup forms
- Basic automation
- Email support
Free Tier Limitations:
- MailerLite branding
- No custom HTML
- No newsletter templates
- Limited automation
- No live chat support
Best for: Startups and small businesses wanting generous free limits.
When to Upgrade: Needing custom templates or advanced automation.
3. Brevo (Sendinblue) Free
Best for: Unlimited contacts with daily limit
Overview: Brevo's free tier is unique—unlimited contacts with a daily send limit. Great for larger lists with moderate sending needs.
Free Tier Includes:
- Unlimited contacts
- 300 emails/day (9,000/month)
- Email campaigns
- Basic automation
- Transactional emails (limited)
- CRM basics
- SMS marketing (credits)
Free Tier Limitations:
- Brevo branding
- 300/day sending limit
- Limited automation
- Basic analytics
Best for: Businesses with larger lists who send moderately.
When to Upgrade: Needing more than 300 emails/day.
See full Brevo review.
4. HubSpot Free
Best for: CRM integration from day one
Overview: HubSpot's free tier combines email marketing with free CRM, providing a foundation for growth.
Free Tier Includes:
- 2,000 emails/month
- Email marketing basics
- Free CRM (full featured)
- Landing pages
- Forms
- Live chat
- Basic analytics
Free Tier Limitations:
- HubSpot branding
- Limited customization
- Basic automation only
- No A/B testing
Best for: Businesses planning to grow into full CRM usage.
When to Upgrade: Needing automation or removing branding.
See full HubSpot guide.
5. ConvertKit Free
Best for: Creators and newsletter writers
Overview: ConvertKit offers a generous free tier specifically designed for creators—bloggers, podcasters, and newsletter publishers.
Free Tier Includes:
- Up to 10,000 subscribers
- Unlimited emails
- Landing pages
- Signup forms
- Subscriber tagging
- Basic reporting
- Community support
Free Tier Limitations:
- No automation
- No integrations
- No premium support
- ConvertKit branding
Best for: Creators building audience before monetizing.
When to Upgrade: Needing automation and sequences.
6. Klaviyo Free
Best for: Small e-commerce stores
Overview: Klaviyo's free tier provides e-commerce email capabilities for small stores starting out.
Free Tier Includes:
- Up to 250 contacts
- 500 emails/month
- E-commerce flows
- Signup forms
- Basic segmentation
- 150 SMS credits
Free Tier Limitations:
- 250 contact cap (small)
- Limited sends
- Klaviyo branding
- Basic support
Best for: Small Shopify stores starting email marketing.
When to Upgrade: Exceeding 250 contacts (quickly for growing stores).
See full Klaviyo review.
7. SendGrid Free
Best for: Developers and transactional email
Overview: SendGrid's free tier serves developers needing reliable email delivery for applications.
Free Tier Includes:
- 100 emails/day (3,000/month)
- API access
- SMTP relay
- Email templates
- Deliverability insights
- Email activity feed
Free Tier Limitations:
- 100/day limit
- Basic marketing features
- Limited support
- No dedicated IP
Best for: Developers building apps with email functionality.
When to Upgrade: Needing more than 100 emails/day.
8. Omnisend Free
Best for: E-commerce with SMS
Overview: Omnisend combines email and SMS marketing for e-commerce, with a decent free tier.
Free Tier Includes:
- Up to 250 contacts
- 500 emails/month
- 60 SMS credits
- Pre-built automation
- Signup forms
- Basic segmentation
Free Tier Limitations:
- 250 contact cap
- Limited sends
- Basic features only
Best for: Small e-commerce wanting email + SMS.
When to Upgrade: Growing beyond 250 contacts.
9. Moosend Free Trial
Best for: Testing before commitment
Overview: Moosend offers a 30-day free trial (not ongoing free tier) with full features.
Free Trial Includes:
- Full feature access
- Automation
- Landing pages
- Templates
- Reporting
Limitations: 30-day limit, then paid only.
Best for: Evaluating Moosend before purchasing.
10. Benchmark Email Free
Best for: Simple email marketing
Overview: Benchmark offers basic free email marketing for small senders.
Free Tier Includes:
- 500 contacts
- 3,500 emails/month
- Email builder
- Basic automation
- Signup forms
- Basic reporting
Free Tier Limitations:
- Benchmark branding
- Limited features
- Basic automation
Best for: Very small businesses wanting simple email.
When to Upgrade: Needing more contacts or features.
Comparison Matrix
| Tool | Free Contacts | Free Emails/Month | Automation | Branding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 500 | 1,000 | Basic | Yes |
| MailerLite | 1,000 | 12,000 | Basic | Yes |
| Brevo | Unlimited | 9,000 (300/day) | Basic | Yes |
| HubSpot | 2,000 emails | 2,000 | Basic | Yes |
| ConvertKit | 10,000 | Unlimited | No | Yes |
| Klaviyo | 250 | 500 | Yes | Yes |
| SendGrid | 3,000 (100/day) | 3,000 | No | No |
| Omnisend | 250 | 500 | Basic | Yes |
| Benchmark | 500 | 3,500 | Basic | Yes |
Choosing the Right Free Tool
By Business Type
E-commerce:
- Klaviyo Free (best e-commerce features)
- Omnisend Free (email + SMS)
- Mailchimp Free (broader use)
B2B/Startups:
- HubSpot Free (CRM included)
- MailerLite Free (generous limits)
- Brevo Free (unlimited contacts)
Creators/Newsletters:
- ConvertKit Free (10K subscribers!)
- MailerLite Free (good for creators)
- Mailchimp Free (familiar)
Developers:
- SendGrid Free (API-first)
- Brevo Free (transactional included)
By Priority
Most Subscribers Free:
- ConvertKit (10,000)
- MailerLite (1,000)
- Mailchimp/Benchmark (500)
Most Emails Free:
- ConvertKit (unlimited)
- MailerLite (12,000)
- Brevo (9,000)
Best Automation Free:
- Klaviyo (e-commerce flows)
- HubSpot (basic workflows)
- MailerLite (basic automation)
Best CRM Integration:
- HubSpot (full CRM)
- Brevo (basic CRM)
- Mailchimp (basic CRM)
Maximizing Free Tiers
Strategies to Stay Free Longer
Clean Your List Regularly: Remove inactive subscribers to stay under caps. Use email verification to remove invalid addresses.
Segment Carefully: Send targeted emails to engaged segments rather than blasting everyone.
Use Automation Wisely: Even basic automation (welcome emails) improves efficiency.
Monitor Engagement: Remove non-openers after 6-12 months to maintain clean, smaller lists.
When to Upgrade
Upgrade When:
- Approaching contact limits
- Needing removed branding
- Requiring advanced automation
- Wanting A/B testing
- Needing priority support
- Growing beyond free capabilities
Don't Upgrade Just Because: If free tier meets your needs, use it. Paid features are worthless if unused.
Maintaining Quality on Free Tiers
Free tiers don't include email verification, but list quality still matters.
Use Email Verification
EmailVerify helps free tier users:
- Verify emails at signup (prevents bad data)
- Clean imported lists before upload
- Remove invalid addresses before hitting caps
- Maintain deliverability
Even small lists benefit from verification. Invalid addresses waste your free limits.
Authentication Still Matters
Regardless of tier, configure:
- SPF records
- DKIM signing
- Custom sending domain (if available)
Most free tiers guide you through this.
Engagement Best Practices
Double Opt-In: Confirm subscribers want your emails.
Welcome Email: Set expectations immediately.
Regular Sending: Maintain consistent schedule.
Easy Unsubscribe: Keep lists healthy.
Growing Beyond Free
Planning Your Upgrade Path
Before You Need It:
- Understand paid tier features
- Know your growth trajectory
- Budget for upgrades
Transition Smoothly:
- Upgrade before hitting hard limits
- Don't wait for service interruption
- Consider annual billing savings
Migration Considerations
If switching platforms:
- Export subscriber data
- Verify your list before import with bulk verification
- Rebuild key automations
- Update signup forms
- Test thoroughly before cutover
Conclusion
Free email marketing tools are genuinely useful—not crippled trials. ConvertKit's 10,000-subscriber free tier, MailerLite's generous limits, and Brevo's unlimited contacts provide real value for startups and small businesses.
Key Takeaways:
Free Is Real: These aren't trials. You can operate on free tiers indefinitely if they meet your needs.
Trade-Offs Exist: Branding, limits, and feature restrictions are the cost of free.
Match to Needs: Choose based on your specific requirements—contacts, sends, features.
Plan for Growth: Know when and how you'll upgrade.
Quality Matters: Free doesn't mean ignoring best practices. Use email verification to maintain deliverability.
Start Somewhere: Don't let budget stop you. Start with a free tool and upgrade as you grow.
Whatever free tool you choose, maintain list quality with EmailVerify. Clean data maximizes your limited free sends.
For paid options when you're ready, see: