Email marketing pricing is built to mislead. The number on the homepage is rarely what you pay. At 500 subscribers, Brevo costs $9/month and Mailchimp costs $20/month. At 10,000 subscribers, Brevo stays at $18–35/month while Kit climbs to $139/month and Mailchimp to $100/month. The platform that looks cheapest on the pricing page is often the most expensive by month six.
The gap between advertised pricing and real pricing is where most creators get burned. Kit advertises “from $39/month”. At 25,000 subscribers, it’s $199/month. Brevo advertises “from $9/month”. At 25,000 subscribers sending twice a month, it’s only $39/month. A 5x cost difference, and it’s invisible on the pricing page.
The real cost: complete pricing matrix (July 2026)
All prices in USD, monthly billing. Annual billing typically saves 15–20%.
| Subscribers | Kit (Creator) | Mailchimp (Standard) | Brevo (Starter, 2x/mo) | ActiveCampaign (Plus) | MailerLite (Growing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | Free ($39 if paid) | $20 | $9 | $49 | $10 |
| 1,000 | $39 | $30 | $9 | $49 | $15 |
| 2,500 | $59 | $50 | $9 | $79 | $25 |
| 5,000 | $89 | $75 | $12 | $119 | $40 |
| 10,000 | $139 | $100 | $18 | $169 | $60 |
| 25,000 | $199 | $210 | $39 | $279 | $110 |
| 50,000 | $319 | $350 | $69 | Custom | $200 |
| 100,000 | $559 | $650 | $129 | Custom | Custom |
Brevo prices assume 2 emails per subscriber per month (biweekly newsletter). If you send weekly (4x/month), double the Brevo cost. ActiveCampaign requires Plus plan ($49+) for conditional automation; Lite plan ($15) is broadcast-only. MailerLite uses Growing Business tier. All prices verified July 2026 from official pricing pages.
Three pricing models, radically different costs
Per-subscriber (Kit, Mailchimp, MailerLite)
You pay based on total subscribers, including unsubscribed and inactive contacts. This model rewards small, engaged lists and punishes growth. It’s predictable when you’re small (under 2,500 subs) and punishing when you’re not.
Kit charges per subscriber including unsubscribed contacts. A 10,000-person list where 30% are unsubscribed still costs $139/month under per-subscriber pricing. Brevo’s send-volume model ignores the 3,000 unsubscribeds completely. You only pay for the 7,000 active subscribers you actually email.
Per-contact (Mailchimp)
A variant of per-subscriber that counts the same contact across multiple audiences. If “Jane” is in your newsletter audience and your course buyer audience, Mailchimp counts her twice. Kit’s tag-based model counts her once.
Per-email-sent (Brevo)
You pay for volume, not list size. A 50,000-person list you email twice a month costs the same as a 5,000-person list you email 20 times a month. This model is the cheapest for large, infrequently-emailed lists, and it’s why Brevo dominates the “best value” category once lists pass 2,500 subscribers.
I’ve watched enough solopreneurs get surprised by their first big bill to say this plainly: if your list is growing faster than your revenue, Brevo’s model will save you hundreds of dollars a year. The math is that simple.
Where each platform is cheapest (and most expensive)
| List Size + Sending Pattern | Cheapest | Monthly | Most Expensive | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 subs, weekly | Brevo | $9 | ActiveCampaign | $49 |
| 2,500 subs, biweekly | Brevo | $9 | ActiveCampaign | $79 |
| 5,000 subs, biweekly | Brevo | $12 | ActiveCampaign | $119 |
| 10,000 subs, biweekly | Brevo | $18 | ActiveCampaign | $169 |
| 25,000 subs, biweekly | Brevo | $39 | ActiveCampaign | $279 |
| 25,000 subs, weekly | MailerLite | $110 | Brevo | ~$78* |
At 25,000 subs weekly, Brevo costs ~$78/month (4 emails × 25,000 = 100,000 sends). Brevo’s $69 plan covers 100,000 emails. Kit at the same tier: $199/month.
The “free plan” math: how long until you pay?
This is the table every email platform hopes you don’t calculate.
| Platform | Free Plan Cap | Monthly Sub Growth Needed to Hit Cap | Time to Forced Upgrade at +100/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit | 10,000 subscribers | +100/mo | 8.3 years |
| Brevo | Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day | N/A | Never (daily cap applies) |
| MailerLite | 500 subscribers | +100/mo | 5 months |
| Mailchimp | 500 contacts | +100/mo | 5 months |
| ActiveCampaign | No free plan | N/A | Day 1 |
Kit’s free plan is 20x larger than Mailchimp’s and MailerLite’s. For a creator adding 100 subscribers per month, Kit gives you nearly a decade of free email marketing. Mailchimp and MailerLite push you into a paid plan within half a year.
Hidden costs that aren’t on the pricing page
| Cost | Affects |
|---|---|
| Unsubscribed contacts counted | Kit (charges for them), Brevo (doesn’t) |
| Cross-audience double-counting | Mailchimp (charges for same contact in multiple audiences) |
| Automation locked behind paid tiers | Kit (1 automation on free), ActiveCampaign (Lite = broadcast only), MailerLite (free plan reduced) |
| Branding on free plan | Kit (branded emails), Brevo (logo in footer), Mailchimp (branded) |
| SMS as paid add-on | ActiveCampaign ($25/mo extra), Mailchimp (credits), Brevo (included) |
| Commerce transaction fees | Kit (3.5% + $0.30/transaction) |
| Dedicated IP cost | Brevo ($25/mo on Business), Kit (included on Pro), ActiveCampaign (Enterprise only) |
Pricing over time: what changes after year 1
Most platforms offer promotional first-year pricing. Here’s what changes:
| Platform | Year 1 | Year 2+ | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit | $39/mo (or $33 annual) | Same | None (but 2025 saw 160% hike) |
| Mailchimp | $20/mo (Standard, 500 contacts) | Same | None (but free plan was cut from 2,000 to 500) |
| Brevo | $9/mo (Starter) | Same | None |
| ActiveCampaign | $49/mo (Plus) | Same | None (but annual discount may change) |
| MailerLite | $10/mo | Same | None (but free plan reduced in 2025) |
The industry trend: platforms are reducing free plans (Mailchimp, MailerLite) and raising paid plan prices (Kit, Mailchimp). The best hedge: pick a platform with a generous free plan (Kit or Brevo) and stay there as long as possible. Switching platforms is free (most offer migration) but time-consuming.
Solopreneur pricing cheat sheet
| Your Situation | Best Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,000 subs, basic newsletters | Kit Free | 10K free ceiling, unlimited broadcasts |
| Under 1,000 subs, need automations | MailerLite $10/mo | Automation at the lowest paid price |
| 1,000–5,000 subs, weekly sends | Brevo $9–12/mo | Send-volume pricing wins |
| 5,000–25,000 subs, biweekly | Brevo $18–39/mo | Cheaper by 3–5x vs competitors |
| 5,000+ subs, daily/weekly sends | MailerLite $60–110/mo | Beats Brevo when volume exceeds ~8 emails/mo |
| Building newsletters as primary business | Kit | Creator tools + commerce + free plan |
| Tightest possible budget, any size | Brevo | Unlimited contacts free, $9/mo for 5K emails |
The yearly cost difference at scale
What you pay per year at 10,000 subscribers (biweekly sends):
| Platform | Monthly | Yearly | vs Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | $18 | $216 | — |
| MailerLite | $60 | $720 | +$504 |
| Mailchimp | $100 | $1,200 | +$984 |
| Kit | $139 | $1,668 | +$1,452 |
| ActiveCampaign | $169 | $2,028 | +$1,812 |
The difference between the cheapest (Brevo) and most expensive (ActiveCampaign) at 10,000 subscribers is $1,812 per year. That’s enough to fund another entire tool subscription or a conference trip.
FAQ
Which platform has the most predictable pricing?
Brevo. Send-volume pricing means your costs scale linearly with how much you email, not how many people are on your list. No surprises when contacts accumulate.
Why is ActiveCampaign so expensive?
ActiveCampaign isn’t an email tool. It’s a CRM and automation platform. Its pricing reflects enterprise-grade features (lead scoring, site tracking, predictive sending) that most solopreneurs don’t need. If you do need them, it’s worth it. If you don’t, it’s overkill.
Can I avoid paying by staying on free plans?
Yes, longer than you think. Kit’s 10,000-subscriber free plan handles a real newsletter business. Brevo’s unlimited contacts with 300 emails/day covers small lists. The catch: you’ll lack automations (Kit) or daily send volume (Brevo).
What hidden cost catches most people?
Counting unsubscribed contacts. Kit and Mailchimp charge per total subscriber including those who never open. Clean your list every 90 days. Remove contacts unengaged for 60+ days. This single habit can cut your bill 10–30%.
Are annual plans worth it?
Almost always. Kit saves 16% (2 months free). Mailchimp saves 15% on 10,000+ contacts. Brevo doesn’t discount annual billing but locks in current pricing, useful if you expect price increases.
How we compiled this data
- Methodology: Collected pricing from every platform’s official pricing page at 8 subscriber tiers (500 to 100K). Cross-referenced against plan comparison pages to identify feature gates and hidden costs. All prices manually verified July 2026.
- Data sources: kit.com/pricing, mailchimp.com/pricing, brevo.com/pricing, activecampaign.com/pricing, mailerlite.com/pricing.
- Limitations: Brevo costs are based on standard send volumes (2–4 emails/month). Higher send frequency increases Brevo costs proportionally. All prices reflect monthly billing; annual billing typically reduces costs 15–20%.
- Last verified: July 2026. Pricing changes frequently. Verify on official pages before making purchase decisions.