Brevo is usually the better email marketing choice for small businesses that want email, SMS, automation, and CRM features without paying more just because the contact list grows. Formerly known as Sendinblue, Brevo includes a free plan with 300 emails per day, which helps tiny teams test campaigns before buying software [source: Brevo]. Mailchimp is still strong for polished newsletter design and beginner-friendly templates, but its contact-based pricing can feel painful as a list gets bigger.
TLDR: Brevo is a practical pick for small businesses that send regular campaigns, need simple automation, or want SMS and email in one account. Mailchimp suits brands that care most about polished templates, quick setup, and familiar newsletter tools. For example, a local bakery with 2,400 contacts sending four campaigns a month would send about 9,600 emails monthly; Brevo may keep costs steadier because it focuses more on email volume, while Mailchimp pricing often rises with contact count. If the business expects its list to grow by 20% to 40% in a year, pricing structure matters a lot.
What Is Brevo Email Marketing Software?
Brevo is an email marketing and customer communication platform for small and midsize businesses. It helps companies create newsletters, send automated emails, manage contacts, build signup forms, run SMS campaigns, and track customer activity.
Its main appeal is simple: it combines several tools that small teams often buy separately. A business can send a welcome email, follow up with a discount code, add the customer to a list, and track opens and clicks from one dashboard.
Brevo is often used by:
- Online stores sending product updates and abandoned cart emails.
- Service businesses confirming bookings and sharing offers.
- Local shops promoting events, coupons, and seasonal sales.
- Startups building a contact list on a tight budget.
- Nonprofits sending donor updates and campaign appeals.
It includes a drag-and-drop editor, marketing automation flows, segmentation, landing pages on some plans, transactional emails, SMS, and basic CRM tools. That mix makes it more than a newsletter sender. It is closer to a compact customer communication system.
How Brevo Works
Brevo starts with a contact database. A business imports subscribers, adds tags or list groups, then builds campaigns using templates or custom layouts. The editor is clear enough for non-designers, though some template options feel less polished than Mailchimp’s.
The automation builder is one of Brevo’s strongest features. A store can create a flow such as:
- A visitor signs up for a newsletter.
- Brevo sends a welcome email within minutes.
- If the person clicks, Brevo sends a discount offer.
- If the person does not click, Brevo sends a reminder two days later.
- The contact is tagged based on interest.
This is useful for small teams because it reduces manual work. No one wants to copy names between spreadsheets at 9 p.m. because a campaign tool refuses to keep things simple.
Brevo vs Mailchimp: The Short Version
Mailchimp is one of the best-known email marketing platforms. It became popular because it made newsletters feel easy. Its templates, brand tools, and campaign builder are friendly for beginners.
Brevo is less flashy, but it often gives small businesses more room to grow without punishing them for every extra contact. The catch is that Brevo’s interface can feel more utilitarian. It works, but it is not always as smooth or pretty as Mailchimp.
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Growing lists, automation, email plus SMS | Newsletter design, templates, quick setup |
| Pricing style | Often based more on email volume | Often based on contacts and plan limits |
| Free plan | Useful for daily small-volume sending | Useful for testing basic campaigns |
| Automation | Strong for the price | Good, but advanced features may require higher plans |
| Ease of use | Good, but less polished | Very beginner-friendly |
Pricing Differences for Small Businesses
Pricing is where many small businesses start caring fast. Mailchimp can be attractive at first, especially for teams that want a familiar tool. Yet as contacts grow, costs can rise. Brevo is often seen as friendlier for lists that contain many contacts but do not need huge sending volume every day.
For example, a consulting firm may have 5,000 contacts but only send two newsletters each month. With Brevo, that business may care more about monthly email volume. With Mailchimp, the number of stored contacts can have a larger effect.
Honestly, it feels like paying rent on old contacts can get annoying. If 800 people have not opened an email in a year, they may still affect plan limits unless the business cleans the list often.
Campaign Creation and Templates
Mailchimp has the edge in visual design. Its templates look modern, and the email builder is easy for a first-time user. A restaurant can create a decent-looking weekend promo in under an hour, even without a designer.
Brevo’s builder is solid. It has blocks for text, buttons, images, columns, and product sections. It gets the job done. Still, some users may spend extra time adjusting spacing or preview layouts. Expect to waste time on little design tweaks if a campaign needs to look highly polished.
Automation and CRM Tools
Brevo is strong for automation. Small businesses can build flows for welcome emails, lead nurturing, abandoned carts, birthdays, and reactivation campaigns. The CRM features are also useful for sales teams that need a simple pipeline.
Mailchimp also offers automation, including customer journeys, product recommendations, and behavior-based emails. It connects well with ecommerce platforms and has strong reporting. According to Mailchimp, its platform supports integrations with many business tools and commerce apps [source: Mailchimp].
The difference is focus. Brevo feels built for communication across channels. Mailchimp feels built for marketing campaigns with strong creative controls.
Reporting and Analytics
Both platforms track key email metrics. These include open rate, click rate, bounce rate, unsubscribes, and campaign performance over time.
Brevo gives small teams the basics in a clear format. Campaign reports show who opened, clicked, bounced, or unsubscribed. That is enough for a business that wants to know whether a subject line worked or if a discount pulled traffic.
Mailchimp’s reporting can feel richer, especially for ecommerce users. It can show revenue tied to campaigns when connected to a store. That helps a shop see if a $50 email campaign created $900 in sales.
Deliverability and Compliance
Deliverability depends on the sender’s list quality, email content, domain setup, and sending behavior. Brevo and Mailchimp both support standard tools such as unsubscribe links, contact consent, and authentication guidance.
A small business should still clean its list. Dead contacts hurt performance. Spammy subject lines hurt too. A healthy campaign list may see open rates around 25% to 40%, depending on industry, list source, and audience quality. Cold or neglected lists often perform far worse.
Which Is Better for Small Business Campaigns?
Brevo is better for small businesses that want affordable contact management, email automation, SMS options, and practical CRM features. It is a smart fit for service firms, local stores, ecommerce startups, and nonprofits that expect their contact list to grow.
Mailchimp is better for businesses that want attractive templates, simple campaign creation, and a familiar brand name. It is ideal for teams that send newsletters, promotions, and product updates but do not need deep CRM features.
A small business with a tight budget should compare costs at three list sizes: 500 contacts, 2,500 contacts, and 10,000 contacts. That simple exercise often makes the choice clear.
Final Verdict
Brevo wins on value, automation, and multi-channel communication. Mailchimp wins on design polish, ease of use, and brand familiarity. Neither tool is perfect. Brevo can feel plain. Mailchimp can become pricey as the list grows.
For most small business campaigns, Brevo is the stronger long-term pick if price control matters. Mailchimp is the smoother choice when visual presentation and quick setup matter more than cost structure.
FAQ
What is Brevo used for?
Brevo is used for email marketing, SMS campaigns, automation, contact management, transactional emails, and basic CRM tasks.
Is Brevo better than Mailchimp?
Brevo is often better for growing contact lists and automation on a budget. Mailchimp is often better for polished templates and beginner-friendly newsletter creation.
Is Brevo good for small businesses?
Yes. Brevo is well suited for small businesses because it combines email, SMS, automation, and contact tools in one platform.
Does Brevo have a free plan?
Yes. Brevo offers a free plan with daily sending limits, which is useful for testing and small campaigns.
Why do businesses choose Mailchimp?
Businesses choose Mailchimp for its easy editor, strong templates, ecommerce reporting, and wide range of integrations.
Which platform is cheaper?
It depends on contact count and sending volume. Brevo can be cheaper for businesses with larger lists and moderate email sending. Mailchimp may work well for smaller lists that need strong design tools.
