TECHNOLOGY · EMAIL MARKETING

5 email platforms.
A clearer way to connect.

Compare Mailchimp, Brevo, MailerLite, Kit and ActiveCampaign through the tasks that matter: creating campaigns, organising subscribers and sending useful messages at the right moment.

Whether you publish a newsletter, promote your services or build customer journeys, start with a platform that fits the way you communicate.

See the Comparison ↓
Illustration of email newsletters, an envelope and campaign automation

Start with the messages you need to send

A monthly business newsletter, a creator’s weekly publication and an automated customer follow-up sequence have different requirements. Write down who you want to reach, how often you expect to email them and which actions should trigger a message. This gives you a practical brief before you compare templates or subscription plans.

This email marketing platforms comparison focuses on campaign creation, audience organisation and automation. It draws on providers’ published information rather than a controlled deliverability test. Plan limits and feature availability can change, so use the official links below to check the package you intend to buy.

AT A GLANCE

Five approaches to email marketing

Compare each platform’s emphasis, then explore how it could fit your own communication plans.

Email marketing platform features and suitability comparison
Platform Platform emphasis Tools to explore Worth shortlisting for Consider before choosing
Mailchimp Email campaigns and audience marketing Email design, segmentation and automation Businesses developing regular campaigns and follow-up Contact allowances, send limits and automation access
Brevo Customer communication across multiple channels Email campaigns, segmentation and wider CRM tools Businesses considering email alongside other channels Sending allowances and the products included in your plan
MailerLite Newsletters and subscriber acquisition Email editors, forms, landing pages and automation Newsletter publishing and building a subscriber journey Subscriber, sending and feature limits
Kit Email marketing for creators Broadcasts, segmentation and visual automations Writers, educators and creator-led businesses Automation access and connections to your creator tools
ActiveCampaign Automated marketing journeys Triggers, actions, conditional paths and segmentation Businesses mapping detailed customer follow-up Automation limits, integrations and setup requirements

On smaller screens, scroll sideways to see the full table. Suitability descriptions are our editorial assessment. Feature availability depends on the chosen plan.

01 · CAMPAIGNS & AUDIENCE MARKETING

Mailchimp

Mailchimp brings email creation, audience segmentation and marketing automation into its platform. Its tools support both individual campaigns and follow-up journeys, making it relevant when a business wants to develop its email activity beyond occasional announcements.

We would shortlist Mailchimp for a business looking to manage regular newsletters and more targeted communication together. Start by creating a sample campaign and checking how you would organise your contacts. Then review the plan needed for your intended automations, audience size and sending frequency, rather than selecting a package on its headline price alone.

Explore Mailchimp’s official email features ↗

02 · EMAIL & CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION

Brevo

Brevo places email marketing within a broader marketing and CRM platform that also covers channels such as SMS and chat. Its campaign workflow includes choosing recipients, setting a subject line and creating an email design, with segmentation supporting more targeted messages.

We would shortlist Brevo when email is one part of a wider customer communication plan. Map which channels you need and establish how your contact information will move between systems. Check the products, sending allowances and features included in your chosen package, particularly if you expect to combine newsletters with other communication tools.

Explore Brevo’s official platform overview ↗ Explore Brevo’s email marketing features ↗

03 · NEWSLETTERS & SUBSCRIBER GROWTH

MailerLite

MailerLite combines email editors with signup forms, landing pages and automation tools. Its feature range also includes options for digital products and paid newsletters, offering several ways to connect audience growth with ongoing publishing.

We would shortlist MailerLite for a newsletter-led business that wants to manage both the signup experience and subsequent emails. During a trial, create a landing page, connect a form and build a short welcome sequence. Check subscriber and sending allowances alongside the number of automations, forms and pages your selected plan supports.

Explore MailerLite’s official email features ↗

04 · CREATOR-LED EMAIL BUSINESSES

Kit

Kit positions its email tools around creators, combining email editing, subscriber segmentation and visual automations. Its integrations connect the platform with tools used in creator businesses, while its recommendation features provide a route to cross-promotion.

We would shortlist Kit for writers, educators and other creators whose audience relationship is central to their business. Sketch how a new reader moves from subscribing to receiving useful content and discovering your paid work. Then check the automation features and integrations needed to support that journey, including how your existing products or teaching platform connect.

Explore Kit’s official email marketing features ↗

05 · AUTOMATED CUSTOMER JOURNEYS

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign’s automation builder combines triggers, actions and logic to create workflows. Its documentation describes follow-up paths that respond to contact activity, such as clicking a particular link or submitting a form, allowing communication to follow different routes.

We would shortlist it when your requirements involve several stages of customer follow-up. Start with a written journey rather than a collection of disconnected automation ideas. Identify the data, integrations and decisions each step requires, then test a small version of the workflow. Confirm that the chosen plan supports the actions and reporting you need, and assign someone to review it as your business changes.

Explore ActiveCampaign’s official automation guidance ↗

MAKE YOUR SHORTLIST PRACTICAL

Three checks before you commit

Create a real campaign

Use your own branding and a message you intend to send. Preview it on desktop and mobile, send a test and check how easily you can revise the layout and links.

Model your sending needs

Estimate your audience size, campaign frequency and automated messages. Compare the relevant contact and sending allowances, then repeat the exercise for the growth you expect.

Test the whole journey

Follow the route from signup to welcome email and onward communication. Check contact fields, integrations and unsubscribe behaviour before introducing more elaborate workflows.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Email marketing: useful answers

Which email marketing platform is best for a small business?

Start with your main task: newsletters, subscriber growth, creator publishing or automated customer journeys. Shortlist platforms that support it, then compare campaign editing, integrations, plan limits and the total cost at your expected audience size.

What is the difference between a campaign and an automation?

A campaign is usually a message prepared for a selected audience and sent at a chosen time. An automation follows defined conditions, such as a signup or another supported action, to send messages or update contact information. Available triggers and actions vary by platform and plan.

How should I compare subscription costs?

Use the same audience size and sending schedule for each quote. Check how contacts are counted, which features are included and whether extra sending, users or integrations affect the price. Consider renewal terms alongside any introductory offer.

Does a more advanced platform guarantee better results?

Additional features give you more ways to manage communication, but results still depend on your audience, message and implementation. Choose tools you can use consistently and evaluate them against the outcomes that matter to your business.

Keep exploring your options

Discover more technology guides or browse comparisons across all our categories.

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