Updated 2026-02-19

12 MailerLite Alternatives Worth Considering

MailerLite is solid for newsletters and small businesses. But if you need SaaS features, better automations, or transactional emails, here are 12 alternatives.

TL;DR

Quick answer: For SaaS founders, Sequenzy ($49/mo) offers Stripe sync and transactional + marketing in one. For creators, ConvertKit or Beehiiv are purpose-built. For budget, Brevo has unlimited contacts. For all-in-one with landing pages, ActiveCampaign is powerful but pricier.

12 Best MailerLite Alternatives

Our Pick for SaaS Companies
#1
Sequenzy

Marketing + transactional for SaaS with AI content generation. Native Stripe integration syncs customers, MRR, and churn signals.

Built specifically for SaaS founders. While MailerLite is built for small businesses and creators with landing pages and website building, Sequenzy focuses on what SaaS companies need: AI-generated email sequences from simple descriptions, automatic Stripe data syncing for subscription-aware automation, and unified transactional + marketing email in one platform. MailerLite requires a separate MailerSend subscription for transactional email; Sequenzy includes it. At $49/month for 10,000 subscribers versus MailerLite's $73, it's cheaper too. The trade-off is no landing page builder and no website builder — if those matter, MailerLite wins. But for SaaS founders, the focused toolset is a better fit.

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Best for
SaaS founders needing transactional + marketing
Pricing
$49/month for 10k subscribers

Pros

  • Marketing + transactional in one platform
  • Native Stripe integration for SaaS
  • AI generates entire email sequences
  • SaaS-specific automations (trial expiry, churn)
  • Direct founder support

Cons

  • No landing page builder (MailerLite has this)
  • No website builder
  • Smaller free tier (100 vs 500)
  • Newer platform
#2
ConvertKit

Purpose-built for creators with a focus on newsletter monetization. Clean interface, good automation, and landing pages included.

ConvertKit (now Kit) is designed specifically for creators building audience-based businesses — with features like digital product sales, paid newsletter subscriptions, a sponsor network for newsletter advertising, and a referral system to grow your list organically. The tag-based subscriber management is more intuitive for creators than MailerLite's list-based approach, and the automation builder handles creator-specific workflows like launch sequences and course drips well. At $79/month for 10,000 subscribers on the Creator plan, it's slightly more expensive than MailerLite's $73. The platform isn't useful for non-creators, and the email design options are intentionally minimal (text-focused). For creators who want to monetize their audience, ConvertKit's commerce and growth features go beyond what MailerLite offers.

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Best for
Creators, bloggers, and newsletter writers
Pricing
$79/month for 10,000 subscribers (Creator)

Pros

  • Built specifically for creators
  • Newsletter referral system
  • Clean, simple interface
  • Landing pages included
  • Commerce features for digital products

Cons

  • More expensive than MailerLite
  • Less powerful automation
  • No transactional emails
  • Creator-focused (not for SaaS)
#3
Brevo

Budget-friendly alternative with unlimited contacts. Pay per email sent. Includes SMS, transactional, and marketing in one.

Brevo's pricing model charges by email volume rather than contacts, so you can maintain your entire subscriber list without the per-contact escalation that makes both MailerLite and most competitors expensive at scale. Starting at $25/month for 20,000 emails with unlimited contacts, the entry price is dramatically lower than MailerLite's $73 for 10,000 subscribers. The platform includes transactional email (which MailerLite lacks) plus SMS marketing and a basic CRM. The interface feels dated compared to MailerLite's clean design, and the automation isn't as visually intuitive. But for teams where budget is the primary constraint and unlimited contacts matters, Brevo's all-in-one approach at a lower price point makes financial sense.

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Best for
Budget-conscious teams wanting unlimited contacts
Pricing
$25/mo for unlimited contacts (20k emails)

Pros

  • Unlimited contacts on all plans
  • Transactional + marketing included
  • SMS marketing
  • Very affordable
  • SMTP relay option

Cons

  • Pay-per-email adds up at volume
  • Interface feels dated
  • Support can be slow
  • Less creator-focused
#4
ActiveCampaign

Powerful marketing automation with CRM. More features than MailerLite but significantly more expensive.

Best for businesses needing advanced automation. ActiveCampaign's visual automation builder is in a different league from MailerLite's — complex conditional branching, lead scoring, site tracking, predictive sending, and CRM pipeline management all built into the same platform. For businesses with multi-step customer journeys involving both marketing and sales, ActiveCampaign handles both in one tool rather than requiring MailerLite plus a separate CRM. At $79/month for 10,000 contacts on the Plus plan, it's comparable to MailerLite's price while offering dramatically more automation depth. The trade-off is complexity: ActiveCampaign has a steep learning curve and can feel overwhelming for teams that just need to send newsletters. If automation sophistication is what you need, it's the clear upgrade from MailerLite.

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Best for
Businesses needing advanced automation + CRM
Pricing
$79/month for 10,000 contacts (Plus)

Pros

  • Most powerful automation builder
  • CRM included
  • Site tracking and lead scoring
  • Landing pages
  • Predictive sending

Cons

  • 2x+ MailerLite's price
  • Steeper learning curve
  • Overwhelming for simple needs
  • No transactional (separate product)
#5
Beehiiv

Newsletter platform built for growth. Recommendation network, monetization tools, and SEO-optimized web hosting.

Best for newsletter-first businesses. Beehiiv was built by former Morning Brew employees who understood what newsletter businesses actually need — a recommendation network to grow through cross-promotion, a built-in ad network to monetize without selling sponsorships manually, SEO-optimized web hosting for your newsletter archives, and detailed growth analytics. At $42/month for 10,000 subscribers on the Grow plan, it's cheaper than MailerLite while offering newsletter-specific features MailerLite doesn't have. The limitation is scope: Beehiiv is purely a newsletter platform with no general marketing automation, no e-commerce features, and no transactional email. For newsletter publishers focused on subscriber growth and monetization, Beehiiv is purpose-built in a way that MailerLite's general marketing approach can't match.

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Best for
Newsletter publishers focused on growth
Pricing
$42/month for 10,000 subscribers (Grow)

Pros

  • Built-in recommendation network
  • Newsletter monetization
  • Website hosting included
  • SEO-optimized
  • Ad network for revenue

Cons

  • Newsletter-focused only
  • No general marketing automation
  • Limited integrations
  • Not for SaaS or e-commerce
#6
Mailchimp

The original email marketing platform. More features than MailerLite but significantly more expensive.

Good for businesses wanting a recognized brand. Mailchimp offers a broader feature set than MailerLite — more templates, more integrations (300+), social media ad management, and a larger ecosystem of third-party tools and agencies. The brand recognition means freelancers and new team members are more likely to already know the platform. At $100+/month for 10,000 contacts on Standard, it's notably more expensive than MailerLite's $73, and they count unsubscribed contacts toward your limit (MailerLite doesn't). The value proposition over MailerLite comes down to ecosystem: if you need specific integrations or work with agencies that standardize on Mailchimp, the premium may be justified. For most small businesses, MailerLite delivers similar core features at a lower price.

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Best for
Small businesses wanting an established platform
Pricing
$100+/month for 10,000 contacts (Standard)

Pros

  • Well-known brand
  • Huge template library
  • Good integrations
  • Landing pages and forms
  • Website builder

Cons

  • Much more expensive than MailerLite
  • Charges for unsubscribed contacts
  • Feature-bloated
  • Support quality varies
#7
Loops

Modern SaaS email platform with transactional included. Clean interface, good deliverability.

Built specifically for software companies. Loops combines transactional and marketing email in one platform with a genuinely pleasant interface — every plan includes the same features without tiered upsells, which contrasts with MailerLite's Growing Business vs Advanced plan distinctions. The platform is designed around SaaS workflows: event-based triggers from your product, user property syncing, and in-app event tracking for behavioral automation. At roughly $99/month for 10,000 subscribers, it's more expensive than MailerLite. There's no AI content generation, no landing page builder, and pricing climbs steeply at higher subscriber counts. For SaaS teams that want a clean, modern email tool with transactional built in and no unnecessary features, Loops is a focused alternative to MailerLite's broader approach.

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Best for
SaaS teams wanting modern email
Pricing
$49/mo for 5k, ~$99/mo for 10k subscribers

Pros

  • Built for SaaS from day one
  • Transactional + marketing together
  • Clean, modern interface
  • Good deliverability
  • All features on all plans

Cons

  • Gets expensive past 10k
  • No AI content generation
  • Newer platform
  • No landing pages
#8
GetResponse

All-in-one marketing platform with webinars, landing pages, and automation. More features than MailerLite, comparable pricing at scale.

GetResponse packs webinar hosting, landing pages, conversion funnels, and SMS marketing alongside email — a feature breadth that MailerLite can't match, especially the built-in webinar tool which typically saves $50-100/month on a separate service. At $54/month for 10,000 contacts on the Email Marketing plan, it's actually cheaper than MailerLite while offering more. The AI tools help generate email content and subject lines. The interface can feel cluttered with so many features, some capabilities are locked to higher tiers, and the webinar feature is basic compared to dedicated platforms. For marketing teams that run webinars regularly and want everything in one dashboard, GetResponse offers more value than MailerLite at a similar or lower price point.

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Best for
Marketers needing webinars + email
Pricing
$54/month for 10,000 contacts (Email Marketing)

Pros

  • Webinars included
  • Landing pages and websites
  • Conversion funnels
  • SMS marketing
  • Decent automation

Cons

  • Interface can be overwhelming
  • Webinar feature is basic
  • No transactional emails
  • Some features locked to higher tiers
#9
Moosend

Budget-friendly alternative with good automation. Now owned by Sitecore but still affordable.

Similar feature set to MailerLite at lower prices. Moosend offers a similar feature set to MailerLite — drag-and-drop email editor, automation workflows, landing pages, and A/B testing — at $44/month for 10,000 subscribers, which is $29 less than MailerLite's Growing Business plan. Unlimited emails on paid plans and a surprisingly capable automation builder make it competitive at the budget end. Transactional email is available as an add-on, giving it an edge over MailerLite's complete lack of transactional capability. The Sitecore acquisition raises long-term questions about direction, and the interface isn't as polished as MailerLite's. For budget-focused teams that need MailerLite-like features at a lower price and don't mind a slightly less refined experience, Moosend delivers good value.

Visit
Best for
Budget-focused teams wanting automation
Pricing
$44/month for 10,000 subscribers

Pros

  • Cheaper than MailerLite at scale
  • Good automation features
  • Landing pages included
  • Transactional emails available
  • Unlimited emails

Cons

  • Now owned by enterprise company (Sitecore)
  • Less polished interface
  • Smaller integration ecosystem
  • Limited free plan
#10
Klaviyo

E-commerce focused platform with powerful Shopify/WooCommerce integrations. Overkill for non-e-commerce, but best in class for online stores.

Klaviyo's Shopify and WooCommerce integrations go far deeper than MailerLite's basic e-commerce connectors — real-time product catalog syncing, predictive customer lifetime value, abandoned cart flows with product images, and segmentation based on purchase behavior, browsing history, and predicted next purchase. SMS marketing is built in with unified automation. At $100+/month for 10,000 contacts, it's significantly more expensive than MailerLite and completely overkill for non-e-commerce businesses. But for online stores doing meaningful revenue, Klaviyo's specialized e-commerce features — particularly abandoned cart recovery and product recommendations — typically generate enough incremental revenue to justify the premium over MailerLite's general-purpose tools.

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Best for
E-commerce stores with Shopify/WooCommerce
Pricing
$100+/month for 10,000 contacts

Pros

  • Best e-commerce integrations
  • Powerful product recommendations
  • Abandoned cart flows
  • SMS included
  • Advanced segmentation

Cons

  • 2x+ MailerLite's price
  • E-commerce focused
  • Overkill for newsletters
  • Complex for simple needs
#11
Buttondown

Minimalist newsletter platform for writers. Markdown-first, simple pricing, no bloat.

Good for people who want simplicity over features. Buttondown takes the opposite approach to MailerLite — instead of building more features, it stays deliberately minimal with Markdown-first editing, RSS-to-email automation, and clean subscriber management. The import tools make it easy to switch from Substack, Mailchimp, or other platforms, and the pricing at $9/month for 1,000 subscribers (scaling to roughly $90 at 10,000) is comparable to MailerLite. There's no visual email builder, no landing page creator, no automation beyond basic sequences, and no marketing tools — by design. For technical writers, developers, and newsletter publishers who write in Markdown and want the simplest possible publishing workflow without any feature bloat, Buttondown is a refreshingly focused alternative.

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Best for
Writers wanting a minimalist newsletter tool
Pricing
$9/month for 1,000 subscribers (~$90/mo at 10k)

Pros

  • Dead simple interface
  • Markdown support
  • No feature bloat
  • Import from Substack/Mailchimp
  • Good for technical writers

Cons

  • Very limited features
  • No automation
  • No landing pages
  • Not for marketing teams
#12
Drip

E-commerce automation platform. Similar to Klaviyo but slightly more affordable. Good automation but focused entirely on e-commerce.

Drip specializes in e-commerce email with a visual workflow builder designed around shopping behavior — abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase follow-ups, win-back campaigns, and browse abandonment sequences that MailerLite's general-purpose automation handles less natively. Revenue attribution shows exactly which emails drive sales, and the tagging system enables detailed customer segmentation. At $39/month for 2,500 contacts (roughly $154 for 10,000), it's more expensive than MailerLite and lacks SMS. For e-commerce stores that find MailerLite's e-commerce integrations too basic but don't want Klaviyo's premium pricing, Drip sits in a useful middle ground with solid automation focused specifically on the online shopping workflow.

Visit
Best for
E-commerce stores wanting automation
Pricing
$39/month for 2,500 contacts (~$154 for 10k)

Pros

  • Good e-commerce automation
  • Visual workflow builder
  • Shopify/WooCommerce integrations
  • Forms and popups
  • Revenue attribution

Cons

  • Expensive at scale
  • E-commerce only focus
  • No SMS (unlike Klaviyo)
  • Limited for non-e-commerce

Why Consider Alternatives to MailerLite

No transactional emails included

MailerLite is marketing-only. For transactional emails (password resets, receipts), you need MailerSend—a separate product. Platforms like Sequenzy or Brevo include both in one.

Limited for SaaS businesses

MailerLite doesn't have native Stripe integration, SaaS-specific automations, or subscription lifecycle features. If you're running a SaaS, purpose-built tools like Sequenzy or Loops are better fits.

Automation is basic compared to competitors

MailerLite's automation works for simple workflows, but it's limited compared to ActiveCampaign or even ConvertKit. If you need complex conditional logic, you'll hit walls.

Free tier keeps shrinking

MailerLite reduced their free tier from 1,000 to 500 subscribers recently. If the free plan is important to you, alternatives like Brevo offer more generous options.

What Users Say About MailerLite

Based on 2,764 reviews
View all reviews on Trustpilot

Our company used MailerLite as a professional email tool for legitimate business communication. Then, without notice, the account was terminated. We received only a generic rejection with no meaningful explanation.

Alpine Sport2026-02

MailerLite is a powerful platform once everything is set up, especially for landing pages and email automation. The editor is flexible, and support was responsive and helpful when I hit a confusing publishing issue.

Joseph Berk2026-02

They suspended my account for what they called cold mailing. They claimed I was sending unsolicited mail to people who never subscribed. That is total bull. I have had these people on my list for years.

Victor Dedaj2026-02

Absolutely awful experience 9 months into using MailerLite. Today I receive an email saying they have terminated my account due to 'Policy Violation' and 'Spam' which is completely untrue. I only had 23 subscribers.

Oliver Narramore2026-02

I imported our member list from Memberful to help with emailing our subscribers. Instead of letting me know they had flagged our email list, they terminated my account and offered no refund despite the account being active for only 2 days.

Thomas2026-02

I am writing regarding the ongoing review and suspension of my email sending account. I provided the requested information and have received no response, update, or timeline since. Due to the continued disruption to my business, I am discontinuing.

Witham Digital2026-02

Feature Comparison

FeatureMailerLiteSequenzyBrevoConvertKitActiveCampaignBeehiiv
Price at 10k
$73/mo
$49/mo
$25/mo*
$79/mo
$79/mo
$42/mo
Free tier
500 subs
100 subs
Unlimited
1k subs
None
2.5k subs
Transactional
No (MailerSend)
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Landing pages
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Automation
Basic
SaaS-focused
Basic
Good
Best
Basic
Best for
Small biz
SaaS
Budget
Creators
Automation
Newsletters

When to Use Each Platform

Choose Sequenzy if...
  • You're building a SaaS and need Stripe sync
  • You want transactional + marketing in one
  • AI-generated sequences appeal to you
  • You need SaaS-specific automations
Choose Stay with MailerLite if...
  • You need landing pages and website builder
  • You're a blogger, creator, or small business
  • Budget is your top priority
  • The free tier is important to you
Choose ConvertKit if...
  • You're a creator or newsletter writer
  • Newsletter referrals matter to you
  • You want a simple, focused tool
  • You sell digital products
Choose Brevo if...
  • Unlimited contacts is crucial
  • Budget is your top priority
  • You need transactional + SMS
  • You want pay-per-email pricing
Choose ActiveCampaign if...
  • You need advanced automation
  • CRM integration is important
  • You want lead scoring
  • You can afford the premium price

Why people leave MailerLite

MailerLite built its reputation on being the affordable, easy-to-use alternative to Mailchimp. And it delivers on that promise. But as businesses grow, the cracks start showing. With nearly 2,800 Trustpilot reviews, the most common complaint is aggressive account termination — legitimate businesses report having accounts suspended without warning or adequate explanation, often losing access to subscriber data. The approval process for new accounts can also take days, and the recently reduced free tier (from 1,000 to 500 subscribers) suggests the platform is tightening rather than loosening its accessibility. To understand what modern email platforms offer, read our guide to best email marketing tools for SaaS.

The transactional email problem

MailerLite is marketing-only. Need password reset emails? Purchase receipts? Account notifications? You'll need MailerSend—their separate transactional email product. That means two dashboards, two bills, and two sets of analytics. Platforms like Sequenzy or Brevo combine both.

The SaaS gap

If you're running a SaaS business, MailerLite wasn't built for you. There's no native Stripe integration, no subscription lifecycle automations, no MRR tracking. You can make it work, but you'll be fighting the tool instead of using it. Check our MailerLite comparison page for details.

Automation limits

MailerLite's automation builder is fine for simple workflows—welcome sequences, basic drips. But when you need complex conditional logic, multiple triggers, or behavior-based branches, it hits a ceiling. ActiveCampaign and Customer.io are leagues ahead.

The shrinking free tier

MailerLite recently cut their free tier from 1,000 to 500 subscribers. Still generous, but the trend isn't encouraging. If you're planning for growth, factor in that costs will escalate.

The alternatives, honestly

If you're building SaaS: Sequenzy

Sequenzy combines transactional and marketing emails with AI-powered content generation. Describe what you want ("a 5-email trial expiry sequence for a project management SaaS") and it writes the emails. Stripe syncs automatically—MRR, churn signals, subscription status.

It's $49/month for 10,000 subscribers (120k emails) vs MailerLite's $73. The catch: no landing pages. If you need those, MailerLite wins. See our MailerLite comparison for details.

If you're a creator: ConvertKit

ConvertKit is purpose-built for newsletter writers and creators. The interface is cleaner than MailerLite, the automation is more robust for creator workflows, and they have monetization features MailerLite doesn't. More expensive at $79/mo, but worth it for creators. Check our ConvertKit comparison.

If budget is everything: Brevo

Brevo offers unlimited contacts on all plans—including free. Pay per email sent instead of per subscriber. At low volume, it's cheaper than anything. Plus transactional emails and SMS are included. The interface is dated, but the value is unbeatable. See our Brevo comparison.

If you want unlimited sends: SendX

SendX offers unlimited email sends on all plans at affordable pricing—$59.99/month for 10k subscribers. Like MailerLite, it includes landing pages and automation. Unlike MailerLite, there's no email cap. The catch: no free tier, and transactional requires their separate SendPost product. See our SendX alternatives for more in this category.

If you need serious automation: ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is the automation powerhouse. CRM included, lead scoring, site tracking, predictive sending. It costs roughly $79/mo at 10k—similar to MailerLite's Growing Business plan. If automation is your priority, ActiveCampaign justifies the price. Check our ActiveCampaign comparison.

If you run e-commerce: Klaviyo

MailerLite has basic e-commerce integrations. Klaviyo is purpose-built for Shopify and WooCommerce with abandoned cart flows, product recommendations, and customer lifetime value tracking. More expensive but dramatically better for online stores. See our Klaviyo comparison.

The pricing comparison

At 10,000 subscribers/contacts:

  • MailerLite Growing Business: $73/month

  • MailerLite Advanced: $110/month

  • Sequenzy: $49/mo (transactional + AI included)

  • Brevo: $25/month (pay per email, unlimited contacts)

  • SendX: $59.99/month (unlimited sends)

  • ConvertKit: $79/month (creator-focused)

  • ActiveCampaign: $79/month (best automation)

  • Moosend: $44/month (budget alternative)

Note: Some platforms charge per email (Brevo) while others charge per subscriber. Compare based on your actual usage patterns. See our pricing page for Sequenzy details.

When MailerLite is still the right choice

MailerLite wins if:

  • You need landing pages and website builder included

  • You're a blogger, creator, or small business

  • Budget is your primary concern

  • You want a proven, stable platform

  • The free tier (500 subscribers) is enough to start

Don't switch just to switch. If MailerLite handles your needs and the price is right, stick with it. But if you're hitting its limitations—especially around transactional emails, SaaS features, or automation—the alternatives are genuinely better for those use cases. Use our email warmup calculator to plan your transition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to try Sequenzy?

Start your free trial today. AI-generated sequences, Stripe integration, and direct founder support included.

Sequenzy vs MailerLite: Direct Comparison

See a detailed side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and when to choose each platform.

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More Alternatives

Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

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.

Free Plan Features (2,500 emails/month)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

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

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com