Brevo vs EmailOctopus Comparison 2026
Brevo prices by how many emails go out, which favours a large list that is mailed rarely, with a free forever plan before Starter at $9 a month. EmailOctopus prices by subscriber count instead, free to 2,500 subscribers with its own branding on every send, and Pro also starts around $9 a month once that branding and the 30-day report limit need to go. Both start near the same number; the real question is whether your list is big and quiet, which favours Brevo, or growing steadily and mailed often, which favours EmailOctopus.
Email, SMS and automation on one free plan
Email for lists that outgrew a free plan
At a glance
- Both have a genuinely free tier.
Side by side
Brevo | EmailOctopus | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $9 | From $9 |
| Pricing model | Free plan, paid tiers | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | None | Not stated |
| API | Yes |
Brevo
Email, SMS and automation on one free plan
Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, prices by messages sent rather than by contacts stored, which is the cheaper shape for anybody with a big list they mail rarely. Email, SMS and WhatsApp sit in one place. The editor and templates are plainer than the newsletter-first tools.
Our note
This is the one to pick when the list is big and quiet. If you mail weekly, the send-based pricing stops being a saving and a newsletter-first tool will serve the writing better.
Only on this side
- Works with WhatsApp
EmailOctopus
Email for lists that outgrew a free plan
EmailOctopus is deliberately plain: lists, campaigns, a drag-and-drop editor and simple automations, at a price that undercuts the platforms with more features than a newsletter needs. The free tier goes to 2,500 subscribers with the company's branding on every send. Reports only go back 30 days until you pay, which is the free plan's real limit rather than the subscriber count.
Why people weigh these two
- EmailOctopus instead of Brevo
- EmailOctopus does the same email marketing job at the same $9 entry price with a free tier, pitched at lists that outgrew a free plan.
- Brevo instead of EmailOctopus
- Brevo adds SMS sending alongside email on its free plan, at the same $9 starting price as EmailOctopus once you move past free.
Which one should you pick
Pick Brevo if the list is large and gets mailed occasionally, since pricing by sends rather than contacts is the cheaper shape for exactly that, and email, SMS and WhatsApp share one account. The free plan needs no card and has no subscriber ceiling stated, only a daily send limit.
Pick EmailOctopus if the list is smaller and growing, and a plain drag-and-drop tool at a low price matters more than multiple channels. The free tier covers 2,500 subscribers, one of the larger free allowances in the category, though EmailOctopus branding stays on every send and reports expire after 30 days until Pro removes both starting around $9 a month.
Common questions
- Which free plan is more generous?
- It depends what you count. EmailOctopus states its free tier plainly: 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month, with branding attached. Brevo's free plan has no stated subscriber cap, only a daily send limit, which suits a large list that is mailed rarely better than one mailed often.
- Which one is cheaper for a list that grows quickly?
- Brevo, generally, because its price rises with how often you mail rather than with list size. EmailOctopus scales its Pro plan by subscriber count once you are past the free tier, so a fast-growing list costs more there than a large but quiet one costs on Brevo.
- Does either one remove its own branding from emails?
- EmailOctopus does, on the paid Pro plan starting around $9 a month; the free plan carries EmailOctopus branding on every send. Brevo's listing does not mention branding on its free plan the same way.
- Which one is simpler to use?
- EmailOctopus is described as deliberately plain: lists, campaigns, a drag-and-drop editor and simple automations, without the extra channels. Brevo covers more ground, with email, SMS and WhatsApp from one account, which is more to learn but more that a growing operation can use.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.