12 Best EmailOctopus Alternatives

Our Pick for SaaS Companies

Sequenzy

AI-powered email for SaaS. If you're running a software business and need Stripe integration, transactional emails, and behavior-based automation, Sequenzy is built for your use case.

EmailOctopus is great for newsletters but lacks transactional email, billing integration, and product-event triggers — the exact features SaaS businesses need. Sequenzy fills those gaps with native Stripe sync (automatically tags subscribers based on billing status), AI-generated email sequences (onboarding, trial conversion, churn prevention), and unified transactional + marketing sending. At $49/month for 10,000 subscribers compared to EmailOctopus's $44.50, the price difference is minimal while the feature difference is substantial for software companies.

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Best for

SaaS founders who need more than newsletters

Pricing

$49/month for 10,000 subscribers

Pros

AI generates email sequences
Native Stripe integration
Transactional + marketing together
Built for SaaS specifically
Direct founder support

Cons

Slightly more expensive
Much smaller free tier
No Amazon SES option
Newer platform

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MailerLite

Similar budget-friendly positioning with more features. Landing pages, website builder, and better automation than EmailOctopus at comparable prices.

MailerLite is the most natural upgrade from EmailOctopus — it occupies the same budget-friendly, ease-of-use niche but adds landing page builder, website builder, and significantly better automation with conditional workflows. The free tier covers 1,000 subscribers (vs EmailOctopus's 2,500), so EmailOctopus wins on free tier generosity, but MailerLite's paid plans at $50/month for 10,000 subscribers include features that would require separate tools with EmailOctopus. If you've hit EmailOctopus's automation ceiling but don't want to jump to enterprise pricing, MailerLite is the logical next step.

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Best for

People who want EmailOctopus features plus more

Pricing

$50/month for 10,000 subscribers

Pros

Similar affordable pricing
Landing pages included
Website builder included
Better automation
Generous free tier (1,000 subs)

Cons

No Amazon SES option
Slightly more expensive
Support slow on lower tiers
Less simple interface

Mailchimp

The market leader everyone knows. More expensive and complex than EmailOctopus, but unmatched integrations and a massive ecosystem.

Mailchimp integrates with virtually every tool in existence — CRMs, e-commerce platforms, social media, payment processors — which is its biggest advantage over EmailOctopus's limited integration library. The template gallery is massive, A/B testing covers subject lines, content, and send times, and the analytics are more detailed. But at $110-135/month for 10,000 contacts (2.5x EmailOctopus's price), you're paying a significant premium. Mailchimp also counts unsubscribed contacts toward your limit, which inflates costs. For simple newsletter sending, EmailOctopus is genuinely better value; Mailchimp makes sense when you need its ecosystem.

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Best for

People who need maximum integrations

Pricing

$110-135/month for 10,000 contacts

Pros

Integrates with everything
Massive template library
Landing pages included
Been around forever
Strong brand recognition

Cons

Much more expensive
Counts unsubscribed contacts
Interface is bloated
Overkill for simple needs

SendGrid

Twilio's email platform with strong transactional focus. If you need transactional emails alongside marketing, SendGrid handles both at scale.

The biggest gap in EmailOctopus is transactional email — you can't send password resets, order confirmations, or notifications through it. SendGrid solves this with a robust transactional API used by companies like Uber and Spotify, plus a marketing campaign builder for newsletters. The developer experience is solid with SDKs for every major language and comprehensive documentation. At $60/month for 50,000 emails, it's priced differently than EmailOctopus (per email vs per subscriber), which can be cheaper or more expensive depending on your sending frequency. Best for teams that need both transactional and marketing in one platform.

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Best for

Developers who need transactional + marketing

Pricing

$60/month for 50,000 emails

Pros

Strong transactional email
Developer-friendly API
Scales well
Good deliverability
Twilio ecosystem

Cons

More expensive for pure marketing
Marketing features less polished
Complex for simple newsletters
Enterprise-focused

Brevo

Budget-friendly all-in-one marketing. Formerly Sendinblue, offers email, SMS, and CRM at low prices.

Transactional emails included. Brevo offers something EmailOctopus can't: transactional email, SMS marketing, and a built-in CRM in one platform. The unlimited-contacts pricing model means you pay based on emails sent ($25/month for 20,000 emails) rather than list size, which can be cheaper than EmailOctopus if you have a large list but send infrequently. The automation builder is more capable than EmailOctopus's basic drip sequences, with conditional branching and multi-channel workflows. The interface isn't as clean as EmailOctopus's, and daily sending limits on the free tier can be frustrating, but for teams that need transactional email alongside marketing without jumping to premium pricing, Brevo is a practical choice.

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Best for

Budget-conscious teams who need transactional too

Pricing

$25/month for 20,000 emails

Pros

Very affordable
Transactional email included
SMS marketing available
CRM included
Pay by emails, not contacts

Cons

No Amazon SES option
Interface less polished
Support can be slow
Daily sending limits on lower tiers

Moosend

Budget email marketing platform. Clean interface, good automation, affordable pricing.

Direct competitor to EmailOctopus. Moosend competes directly with EmailOctopus on price while offering more sophisticated automation — conditional workflows, website tracking triggers, and product recommendation blocks that EmailOctopus doesn't have. The interface is clean and modern, and landing pages are included on all plans. Moosend was acquired by Sitecore in 2021, which brought enterprise backing but also some concerns about pricing changes. At roughly $32/month for 5,000 subscribers, it's slightly more expensive than EmailOctopus at that tier, but the automation capabilities justify the difference for businesses that have outgrown basic drip sequences.

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Best for

Budget-conscious marketers who want more automation

Pricing

$32/month for 5,000 subscribers

Pros

Very affordable pricing
Clean interface
Good automation
Landing pages included
No daily send limits

Cons

No Amazon SES option
Smaller company
Fewer integrations
No free tier

Sendy

Self-hosted email platform that connects to Amazon SES. One-time purchase, no monthly fees.

Ultimate budget option for technical users. Sendy is the most cost-effective long-term option if you're willing to handle the technical overhead — a one-time $69 purchase plus Amazon SES costs of $0.10/1,000 emails means sending 100,000 emails costs about $10 with no recurring platform fee. EmailOctopus actually uses SES under the hood too, so Sendy lets you cut out the middleman. The catch is that you're responsible for everything: server hosting, updates, security patches, deliverability monitoring, and bounce handling. If you're a developer comfortable managing a VPS and don't need hand-holding, Sendy is unbeatable on price. For everyone else, the operational burden usually isn't worth the savings.

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Best for

Technical users who want to own their infrastructure

Pricing

$69 one-time + Amazon SES costs

Pros

One-time purchase, no subscription
Uses Amazon SES (cheap)
Full control of your data
No monthly fees
Unlimited subscribers

Cons

Requires server management
No support included
You handle deliverability
Setup is technical

ConvertKit

Creator-focused platform with digital product sales and community features. More expensive than EmailOctopus but much more feature-rich for serious creators.

ConvertKit (now Kit) was built for professional creators who monetize their audience — digital product sales, paid newsletter subscriptions, and a creator network for cross-promotion are all built in. The subscriber tagging system is intuitive, and the automation visual builder is more capable than EmailOctopus's basic sequences. At $119/month for 10,000 subscribers (nearly 3x EmailOctopus's price), it's a significant investment, but for creators earning from their email list through digital products or paid subscriptions, the built-in commerce features can eliminate the need for separate sales tools like Gumroad or Payhip.

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Best for

Creators who need monetization tools

Pricing

$119/month for 10,000 subscribers (Creator plan)

Pros

Digital product sales built-in
Creator network for growth
Landing page builder
Strong creator community
Newsletter recommendations

Cons

Much more expensive
Overkill for simple newsletters
Steeper learning curve
Design intentionally minimal

Buttondown

Minimalist newsletter platform for writers. Simple, clean, developer-friendly. Similar philosophy to EmailOctopus but more focused on the writing experience.

Buttondown shares EmailOctopus's commitment to simplicity but takes it further with a Markdown-first editing experience, paid subscription support, and a clean, distraction-free interface. It's built by a solo developer who's responsive and transparent about the product roadmap. At $29/month for 5,000 subscribers, it's in a similar price range to EmailOctopus. The trade-offs are fewer features (no landing page builder, limited templates) and a smaller team behind it, but for writers who value a clean writing experience and don't need marketing bells and whistles, Buttondown is a charming alternative.

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Best for

Writers who want a simple, clean experience

Pricing

$29/month for 5,000 subscribers

Pros

Clean, minimal interface
Markdown support
Developer-friendly
Good for writers
Paid subscriptions support

Cons

Limited features
No landing page builder
Small team
Newsletter-focused only

#10

Loops

Modern email platform for SaaS. Similar positioning to Sequenzy but with a different design philosophy.

Good for product-led growth companies. Loops was built from scratch for software companies, combining transactional email, marketing campaigns, and event-triggered automations in a clean, modern interface. Unlike EmailOctopus, Loops lets you send password resets and product notifications alongside marketing campaigns from one platform. The event-based automation system triggers emails based on actions users take in your product, which is a fundamentally different approach than EmailOctopus's time-based drip sequences. At $99/month for 5,000 contacts, it's priced for SaaS businesses that value having everything in one purpose-built tool rather than stitching together cheaper generic options.

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Best for

SaaS companies focused on product-led growth

Pricing

$99/month for 5,000 contacts

Pros

Modern, clean interface
SaaS-focused features
Transactional included
Good design
Growing fast

Cons

More expensive
Newer platform
Smaller team
Less proven at scale

#11

Mailjet

Email platform with strong deliverability focus. Good for teams who need collaborative email editing and high-volume sending.

Mailjet's standout feature is real-time email collaboration — multiple team members can edit the same template simultaneously, which makes it ideal for agencies and marketing teams with approval workflows. The platform handles both transactional API and marketing campaigns, filling the transactional gap that EmailOctopus has. EU-based infrastructure makes it a strong choice for GDPR-conscious European businesses. At $27/month for 15,000 emails, pricing is competitive. The interface feels more dated than EmailOctopus's, but if your team needs collaboration features or transactional sending alongside marketing, Mailjet covers both.

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Best for

Teams who need collaboration and volume

Pricing

$27/month for 15,000 emails

Pros

Real-time collaboration
Good deliverability
Transactional + marketing
Affordable pricing
EU-based (GDPR)

Cons

Interface dated
Less intuitive
Support varies
Marketing features basic

#12

Amazon SES

Raw email infrastructure from AWS. The lowest possible cost but requires technical setup.

EmailOctopus actually uses SES under the hood. Going directly to Amazon SES means cutting out the middleman that EmailOctopus built their business on — you get the same sending infrastructure at $0.10/1,000 emails without the platform fee. But SES gives you zero marketing tools: no template editor, no subscriber management, no analytics, no automation. You'd need to build or buy all of that separately. For high-volume senders with engineering resources who only need raw sending power, SES is the cheapest option available. For everyone else, the convenience of a managed platform like EmailOctopus is well worth the modest markup.

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Best for

Technical teams who want maximum control

Pricing

$0.10 per 1,000 emails

Pros

Cheapest at scale
Rock-solid infrastructure
AWS ecosystem
Full control
Unlimited scalability

Cons

No marketing features
Requires development work
You manage deliverability
No visual tools

Why Consider Alternatives to EmailOctopus

You need transactional emails

EmailOctopus is marketing-only. For password resets, order confirmations, and notifications, you need a separate service. Platforms like Sequenzy, SendGrid, or Brevo handle both in one place.

You need more powerful automation

EmailOctopus has basic drip sequences but lacks behavior-based triggers and complex conditional logic. If you need automation that responds to product events, consider Sequenzy, Customer.io, or ActiveCampaign.

You're outgrowing the simplicity

EmailOctopus is intentionally simple. If you need advanced segmentation, A/B testing, or sophisticated analytics, you might want a more feature-rich platform like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign.

You want to own your infrastructure

EmailOctopus uses Amazon SES under the hood. If you want direct control, consider Sendy (self-hosted) or connecting directly to Amazon SES yourself.

What Users Say About EmailOctopus

Trustpilot

EmailOctopus is very likely your best and most affordable option because it is designed specifically to be cheaper and simpler for beginners and small businesses.

Ali2026-02

Trustpilot

The email layout tool is powerful, flexible and convenient. The sign-up form is unobtrusive and easily customizable. Free automation on the free tier is exactly what I need.

Konstantin Kitmanov2026-02

Trustpilot

It is a very intuitive platform, the support team is very responsive. I have been a subscriber for over a year, and it works great.

Valentina Agudelo2026-02

Trustpilot

I had a very negative experience with EmailOctopus due to excessive compliance reviews combined with serious privacy overreach.

Intecsu Agency2026-02

Trustpilot

I'm just new to this site and it is extremely easy to use and navigate. The help from customer support is first class.

Stephen McConkey2026-02

Trustpilot

EmailOctopus is easy to use and works amazing! We've never had trouble with the service and would highly recommend it!

WISE-RP2026-02

Feature

EmailOctopus

MailerLite

Mailchimp

SendGrid

Brevo

Sequenzy

Price at 10k subs

$44.50

$50

$110+

$60 (50k emails)

$25 (20k emails)

$49

Free tier

2,500 subs

1,000 subs

500 subs

100/day

300/day

100 subs

Transactional

Paid add-on

Automation

Basic

Good

Basic

Good

Advanced

Landing pages

API

Basic

Good

Excellent

Good

Excellent

When to Use Each Platform

Choose MailerLite if...

You want similar pricing with more features
Landing pages are important
You need better automation
Website builder would be useful

Choose Stay with EmailOctopus if...

Budget is your absolute top priority
You just need simple newsletter sending
Amazon SES integration matters
You love the simplicity

Choose Mailchimp if...

You need maximum integrations
Brand recognition matters
You're already in the ecosystem
Enterprise features are needed

Choose Brevo if...

You need transactional emails too
SMS marketing is valuable
You want CRM included
Budget is still important

Choose Sequenzy if...

You're running a SaaS business
Stripe integration is valuable
You need transactional emails
AI-powered content helps

Should you switch from EmailOctopus?

EmailOctopus is one of the most affordable email platforms available. Their generous free tier and low prices make them excellent for simple newsletters. To understand different approaches, see our email marketing guide. Founded in 2014 as a way to put a user-friendly interface on top of Amazon SES, EmailOctopus has carved out a loyal following among budget-conscious senders who don't need enterprise features. At $44.50/month for 10,000 subscribers with a free tier covering 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails/month, it's hard to argue with the value. The trade-offs become clear as you grow: no transactional email support, basic automation limited to time-based drip sequences, and a narrower integration library than competitors like Mailchimp or MailerLite.

But it has limitations. Here's when switching makes sense:

If you need transactional emails: Sequenzy, SendGrid, or Brevo

EmailOctopus is marketing-only. For password resets, order confirmations, and notifications, you need a separate service. Platforms like Sequenzy, SendGrid, or Brevo handle both transactional and marketing in one place. Check our transactional email guide.

If you need more powerful automation: ActiveCampaign or Customer.io

EmailOctopus has basic drip sequences. If you need behavior-based triggers, complex conditional logic, or advanced segmentation, platforms like ActiveCampaign or Customer.io offer significantly more power. See our automation guide.

If you want similar features at the same price: MailerLite

MailerLite offers landing pages, website builder, and better automation at $50/month for 10k subscribers—just $5.50 more than EmailOctopus. Good for people who want more features without a big price jump. Use our email validator to ensure list quality.

If you're running a SaaS: Sequenzy

If you're building software and need Stripe integration, behavior-based automation, and transactional emails, EmailOctopus isn't the right fit. Sequenzy is built for SaaS with AI content generation, Stripe integration, and transactional emails.

The pricing comparison

At 10,000 subscribers:

EmailOctopus: $44.50/month
MailerLite: $50/month
Moosend: $64/month (pricing for 10k, estimated)
Sequenzy: $49/month
Mailchimp: $110+/month
ConvertKit: $119/month

See our full pricing comparison page for more platforms.

When EmailOctopus is still the right choice

Stick with EmailOctopus if:

Budget is your absolute top priority
You just need simple newsletter sending
Amazon SES integration is valuable to you
You appreciate the intentional simplicity

EmailOctopus does one thing well: affordable email marketing. If that's all you need, it's an excellent choice. Read our guide to email marketing tools and use our A/B test calculator to optimize your current setup before deciding to switch.

Frequently Asked Questions

All Pricing Tiers

0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 3k emails/month

101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month

1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month

5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month

10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month

25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month

50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month

100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

12 EmailOctopus Alternatives for Every Use Case

TL;DR

12 Best EmailOctopus Alternatives

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Why Consider Alternatives to EmailOctopus

What Users Say About EmailOctopus

Feature Comparison

When to Use Each Platform

Should you switch from EmailOctopus?

If you need transactional emails: Sequenzy, SendGrid, or Brevo

If you need more powerful automation: ActiveCampaign or Customer.io

If you want similar features at the same price: MailerLite

If you're running a SaaS: Sequenzy

The pricing comparison

When EmailOctopus is still the right choice

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best EmailOctopus alternative for the same price?

Why would I switch from EmailOctopus?

Is EmailOctopus good enough for most people?

EmailOctopus vs MailerLite: Which is better?

What's the cheapest EmailOctopus alternative?

Does MailerLite have Amazon SES integration?

Is Mailchimp worth the extra cost over EmailOctopus?

What EmailOctopus alternative works for SaaS?

Can I migrate from EmailOctopus easily?

Is Brevo better than EmailOctopus?

What is Amazon SES and why does it matter?

How do I cancel my EmailOctopus subscription?

EmailOctopus vs SendGrid: Which should I choose?

Does EmailOctopus offer a free trial?

What is EmailOctopus's refund policy?

Ready to try Sequenzy?

Sequenzy vs EmailOctopus: Direct Comparison

More Alternatives

MailerLite Alternatives

SendGrid Alternatives

Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

All Pricing Tiers

Free Plan Features (2,500 emails/month)

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

Important Pricing Notes

Contact