MailerLite vs Brevo: Which is Better Value in 2026?

MailerLite is cheaper if you send frequently; Brevo is cheaper if you have a large list but send rarely. MailerLite charges a flat monthly fee by contact count — the price is the same whether you send once or daily. Brevo charges by email volume — cheap if you send monthly, expensive if you send every day. Both are EU-based with EU data storage and GDPR-compliant. Here's the full 2026 comparison.

Both Are EU-Based — That's Already a Win

Unlike Mailchimp (US-based), both MailerLite and Brevo store data in the EU and are fully GDPR compliant. Both offer a Data Processing Agreement (DPA). If your primary concern is keeping subscriber data in Europe, either tool clears that bar. The real decision comes down to pricing model and features.

The Key Difference: How They Charge

MailerLite charges by contact count — the number of subscribers in your list, regardless of how often you email them. If you send daily, weekly, or monthly, the price stays the same.

Brevo charges by email volume — the number of emails you send per month, not how many contacts you have. You can store unlimited contacts for free; you only pay when you send. This is a huge advantage if you have a large list but send infrequently, and a potential disadvantage if you send frequently.

Price Comparison

Brevo prices assume a weekly send cadence (~4 emails/contact/month). Frequent senders (daily emails) will pay significantly more with Brevo. MailerLite prices are monthly; annual billing is ~15% cheaper.

Free Tiers Compared

MailerLite Free: Up to 1,000 contacts and 12,000 emails per month. No daily sending cap. The free plan covers most small businesses starting out and includes automation, landing pages, and surveys.

Brevo Free: Unlimited contacts but capped at 300 emails per day (9,000/month). No sending limit per list size — just a daily cap. Better if you have a large list you rarely email; worse if you need to burst-send to even a small list.

Features: Where They Differ

MailerLite Strengths

• Cleaner, more intuitive interface — widely considered the most beginner-friendly tool on the market
• Generous free plan that includes automation workflows and landing pages
• Simple contact-based pricing with no surprises — ideal for frequent senders
• Good template library and drag-and-drop editor

Brevo Strengths

• Volume-based pricing makes it dramatically cheaper for large lists with infrequent sends
• Includes SMS marketing and transactional email (e.g. order confirmations) in the same platform
• Built-in CRM and sales pipeline tools — useful if you manage leads as well as subscribers
• Better for high-volume transactional senders (e.g. SaaS products)

When to Choose MailerLite

• You send emails frequently — weekly, multiple times a week, or daily
• You're a beginner who wants the most intuitive UI possible
• Your list is under 10,000 contacts and growing steadily
• You want a simple, predictable monthly bill based on list size

When to Choose Brevo

• You have a large list (10,000+ contacts) but send a monthly newsletter or less
• You need SMS marketing alongside email
• You send transactional emails and want everything in one platform
• Price is the main concern and you can stay within a lower email volume tier

Verdict

MailerLite wins for beginners and frequent senders. Its clean interface, generous free plan, and predictable pricing make it the go-to choice for small businesses sending regular campaigns. If you send weekly or more, MailerLite will almost always be cheaper or comparable — and far easier to use.

Brevo wins for large lists with infrequent sends. If you have 10,000+ contacts but only email them once or twice a month, Brevo's volume-based model can cut your bill in half. It also wins if you need SMS or a built-in CRM.

Both are solid EU-based choices. Use our price calculator to see which is cheaper for your exact contact count and sending frequency.