Most "free email marketing tool" lists include tools with 14-day trials and call them free. This list is different. Every tool here has a real, permanent free plan - no credit card required, no expiration date, no "free trial" fine print.

I've tested 30 email marketing tools with legitimate free plans, ranked by what you actually get for free - subscriber limits, email limits, automation access, and how aggressively they push you to upgrade.

Quick Comparison Table

Tool	Free Subscribers	Free Emails/Month	Automation	Branding	Key Strength
Sequenzy	Unlimited	2,500	Yes	No	No branding on free plan
Sender	2,500	15,000	Yes	Yes	Most generous limits
MailerLite	1,000	12,000	Yes	Yes	Best feature set
Brevo	Unlimited	9,000 (300/day)	Yes	Yes	Unlimited contacts
Mailchimp	500	1,000	Basic	Yes	Most integrations
HubSpot	Unlimited (CRM)	2,000	No	Yes	Free CRM included
Omnisend	250	500	Yes	Yes	E-commerce focused
ConvertKit	300	Unlimited	No	Yes	Creator features
AWeber	500	3,000	Basic	Yes	Beginner friendly
GetResponse	500	2,500	No	Yes	Newsletter + forms
Benchmark Email	500	3,500	Basic	Yes	Multilingual
Zoho Campaigns	2,000	6,000	No	Yes	Zoho ecosystem
Buttondown	100	Unlimited	No	Yes	Minimalist
Beehiiv	2,500	Unlimited	No	Yes	Newsletter growth
Systeme.io	2,000	Unlimited	Yes	Yes	All-in-one
Mailtrap	N/A	1,000	N/A	No	Email testing
Resend	N/A	3,000	N/A	No	Developer API
MailerSend	N/A	3,000	N/A	No	Transactional
SendPulse	500	15,000	Yes	Yes	Multi-channel
Mailjet	Unlimited	6,000 (200/day)	No	Yes	Team collaboration
Moosend	N/A (30-day trial)	N/A	N/A	N/A	Trial only
EmailOctopus	2,500	10,000	Yes	Yes	Simple & cheap
Loops	Limited	Limited	Basic	Yes	Modern SaaS
MailPoet	1,000	5,000	Basic	Yes	WordPress native
Plunk	N/A	1,000	N/A	No	Simple transactional
Novu	N/A	10,000 notif	N/A	No	Open source
Courier	N/A	10,000 notif	N/A	No	Notifications
MagicBell	100 users	Unlimited	N/A	No	In-app + email
OneSignal	Limited	Limited	No	Yes	Push + email
Elastic Email	N/A	3,000 (100/day)	N/A	Yes	Pay-per-email

Detailed Reviews - Top 15 Free Plans

1. Sender - Most Generous Free Plan

Free plan: 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/mo, automation included

Sender has the most generous free plan in the market by a wide margin. 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/mo means you can send six emails to your entire list every month - more than enough for most small businesses just getting started.

What you get for free:

2,500 subscribers
15,000 emails/mo
Marketing automation
Segmentation
Pop-ups and forms
Email + SMS (limited credits)
Analytics and reporting
All email templates

What's locked behind paid:

Sender branding removed ($8/mo)
More subscribers and emails
Priority support
Advanced analytics

The catch: Sender branding appears on all emails sent from the free plan. This is the trade-off for such generous limits.

Upgrade pricing: Standard plan starts at $8/mo for the same 2,500 subscribers but removes branding and adds features.

Best for: Small businesses with up to 2,500 subscribers who want full-featured email marketing (including automation) for free and don't mind the Sender branding.

2. MailerLite - Best Free Feature Set

Free plan: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/mo, automation included

MailerLite offers the best combination of features on a free plan. You get automation, landing pages, a website builder, signup forms, and 12,000 emails/mo. The interface is clean and modern, and the editor is genuinely enjoyable to use.

What you get for free:

1,000 subscribers
12,000 emails/mo
Marketing automation
10 landing pages
Website builder
Signup forms and pop-ups
Email templates
A/B testing (subject line only)
Basic analytics

What's locked behind paid:

MailerLite branding removed ($10/mo)
More subscribers
Advanced automation
Dynamic content
Auto-resend campaigns
Custom HTML editor
Multiple automation triggers

The catch: MailerLite branding on free plan. The approval process can take 24-48 hours (they verify your business).

Upgrade pricing: Growing Business plan starts at $10/mo for 500 subscribers.

Best for: Solo entrepreneurs and micro-businesses who want the most feature-rich free plan with automation, landing pages, and a website builder included.

3. Sequenzy - No Branding on Free Plan

Free plan: 2,500 emails/mo, unlimited subscribers, no branding

Sequenzy takes a different approach - instead of limiting subscribers, the free plan limits emails. You can have unlimited subscribers and send up to 2,500 emails/mo. The big differentiator: no Sequenzy branding on your emails, even on the free plan.

What you get for free:

Unlimited subscribers
2,500 emails/mo
Marketing + transactional email
Automation sequences
Subscriber segmentation
Visual email editor
Analytics dashboard
API access
Stripe integration
No branding

What's locked behind paid:

More email volume ($19/mo)
Priority support
Advanced features

The catch: 2,500 emails/mo limits how frequently you can email large lists. If you have 1,000 subscribers, that's roughly 2-3 sends per month.

Upgrade pricing: Paid plans start at $19/mo for higher email volumes.

Best for: SaaS companies and online businesses that want professional emails (no branding) on a free plan, with Stripe integration and event-based automation included. Especially good if you also need transactional email in the same platform.

4. Brevo - Unlimited Contacts for Free

Free plan: Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day (9,000/mo)

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is the only major platform that offers unlimited contacts on the free plan. You can import your entire list - 1,000 or 100,000 contacts - and you'll only be limited by the 300 emails/day sending cap.

What you get for free:

Unlimited contacts
300 emails/day (approx. 9,000/mo)
Marketing automation
CRM
Transactional email
SMS marketing (pay per SMS)
Chat widget
Signup forms
Template editor

What's locked behind paid:

Brevo branding removed ($9/mo)
Higher daily sending limit
Landing pages
A/B testing
Phone support
Advanced analytics

The catch: 300 emails/day means you can't blast your entire list at once. If you have 5,000 subscribers, a single campaign takes 17 days to deliver. This works for daily sending but not for one-time blasts.

Upgrade pricing: Starter plan at $9/mo for 5,000 emails/mo (unlimited contacts still included).

Best for: Businesses with large contact lists that send daily or very frequent emails (daily newsletter, daily deal, etc.) rather than occasional batch campaigns.

5. Mailchimp - Most Integrations

Free plan: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo

Mailchimp has significantly reduced their free plan over the years (it used to be 2,000 subscribers). At 500 contacts and 1,000 emails/mo, it's one of the stingiest free plans. But Mailchimp's 300+ integrations mean it connects to everything - and that's worth something.

What you get for free:

500 contacts
1,000 emails/mo
Basic email templates
Basic reporting
Signup forms
300+ integrations
Content studio
Creative assistant

What's locked behind paid:

Mailchimp branding removed ($13/mo)
More contacts and emails
Automation (beyond single welcome email)
A/B testing
Segmentation
Custom branding
Email scheduling

The catch: 500 contacts and 1,000 emails/mo is very limiting. You'll hit the paid tier fast. Automation is essentially locked to paid plans (only a single welcome email is free). Mailchimp also charges for unsubscribed contacts on some plans.

Upgrade pricing: Essentials plan starts at $13/mo for 500 contacts.

Best for: Very small businesses just starting out who need their email tool to integrate with many other platforms. The free plan is really just a starting point - expect to pay soon.

6. HubSpot - Best Free CRM

Free plan: Unlimited contacts (CRM), 2,000 emails/mo

HubSpot Free isn't really an email marketing tool - it's a free CRM that includes basic email marketing. But if you need CRM and email together, HubSpot gives you both for free. The CRM is genuinely good - contact management, deals, and basic reporting.

What you get for free:

Unlimited contacts in CRM
2,000 emails/mo
Email templates
Deal tracking
Forms and pop-ups
Live chat
Basic reporting
Meeting scheduler
Contact management

What's locked behind paid:

HubSpot branding removed ($20/mo)
Marketing automation
A/B testing
Smart content
Custom reports
Multiple pipelines
Advanced analytics

The catch: The email features are basic - no automation, limited templates, and HubSpot branding. The real value is the CRM. If you don't need CRM, other free plans are better for email.

Upgrade pricing: Starter plan at $20/mo for marketing features. CRM suite starts at $20/mo.

Best for: Small businesses that need a free CRM first and email marketing second. If you're using spreadsheets to track customers and want to centralize everything, HubSpot Free is a great starting point.

7. Omnisend - Best Free E-Commerce Plan

Free plan: 250 contacts, 500 emails/mo, automation included

Omnisend is the best free option for e-commerce stores. The free plan includes pre-built automation workflows (welcome series, abandoned cart) that would cost money on other platforms. Plus, you get email, SMS (60 free credits), and push notifications.

What you get for free:

250 contacts
500 emails/mo
60 SMS credits/mo
500 web push notifications
Pre-built e-commerce automations
Product picker for emails
Signup forms and pop-ups
Basic segmentation
Revenue reporting

What's locked behind paid:

More contacts and emails ($16/mo)
Unlimited SMS
Advanced segmentation
Campaign booster
Advanced reporting

The catch: 250 contacts and 500 emails/mo is very small. You'll outgrow this fast if your store has any traffic. But the automation quality on the free plan is unmatched.

Upgrade pricing: Standard plan starts at $16/mo for 500 contacts.

Best for: Brand new Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce stores that want to set up professional e-commerce automations for free before investing in a paid plan. Read more in our e-commerce email marketing guide.

8. ConvertKit (Kit) - Best Free Creator Plan

Free plan: 300 subscribers, unlimited emails, no automation

ConvertKit (now Kit) gives creators unlimited sends to up to 300 subscribers. No send limit means you can email daily without worrying. The free plan includes landing pages, signup forms, and digital product sales.

What you get for free:

300 subscribers
Unlimited emails
Landing pages
Signup forms
Digital product sales
Tagging
Creator network
Newsletter referral program

What's locked behind paid:

Automation ($15/mo)
More subscribers
Visual automation builder
Newsletter subscriptions
Advanced reporting
Integrations
Priority support

The catch: No automation on the free plan - you can only send broadcasts. For creators just starting a newsletter, this is fine. But if you want welcome sequences or drip campaigns, you need to pay.

Upgrade pricing: Creator plan starts at $15/mo for 300 subscribers.

Best for: Bloggers, podcasters, and YouTubers just starting their email list who want to send unlimited newsletters to their first 300 subscribers while also selling digital products.

9. AWeber - Most Beginner-Friendly Free Plan

Free plan: 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/mo

AWeber is the easiest email marketing platform for absolute beginners. Their free plan includes 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails/mo, plus a library of 600+ templates. If you've never done email marketing before, AWeber's guided setup and tutorials make it painless.

What you get for free:

500 subscribers
3,000 emails/mo
600+ email templates
Landing pages
Signup forms
Basic automation
Web push notifications
Canva integration
Stock photo library

What's locked behind paid:

AWeber branding removed ($15/mo)
More subscribers
Advanced automation
A/B testing
Behavioral automation
Advanced analytics

The catch: AWeber branding on free plan emails. Basic automation means simple autoresponders, not visual workflow builders.

Upgrade pricing: Pro plan starts at $15/mo for 500 subscribers.

Best for: First-time email marketers who want tons of templates, tutorials, and hand-holding to get started without spending anything.

10. Beehiiv - Best Free Newsletter Platform

Free plan: 2,500 subscribers, unlimited emails

Beehiiv is a newsletter platform (not general email marketing) with one of the best free plans for newsletter creators. 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, plus a built-in referral program and monetization tools.

What you get for free:

2,500 subscribers
Unlimited sends
Custom website/blog
Referral program
Newsletter analytics
Audience polls
SEO-optimized web archive
Custom domains

What's locked behind paid:

Beehiiv branding removed ($49/mo)
More subscribers
Ad monetization
Premium subscriptions
Custom CSS
API access
Advanced analytics

The catch: This is a newsletter platform, not a full email marketing tool. No automation, no segmentation (beyond basic), no e-commerce features. If you want to run automated sequences or sell products, look elsewhere.

Upgrade pricing: Scale plan starts at $49/mo for up to 1,000 subscribers (yes, the paid plan has fewer subscribers than free - it's about features).

Best for: Newsletter creators and media companies that want to grow a subscriber base with referral programs and monetization, not businesses that need marketing automation.

11-15. More Great Free Plans

11. Zoho Campaigns - 2,000 subscribers and 6,000 emails/mo for free. Perfect if you already use Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, or other Zoho products. Seamless integration with the Zoho ecosystem. No automation on free plan.

12. EmailOctopus - 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails/mo for free. Simple, straightforward email marketing without the bloat. Landing pages and forms included. Good for people who find Mailchimp overwhelming.

13. SendPulse - 500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/mo for free. Multi-channel platform with email + chatbots + SMS. The chatbot builder (Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp) is unique on a free plan.

14. Systeme.io - 2,000 contacts, unlimited emails, and it includes sales funnels, online courses, and a website builder for free. The most all-in-one free plan. Best for solopreneurs selling courses or digital products.

15. Mailjet - Unlimited contacts and 6,000 emails/mo (200/day) for free. Real-time template collaboration makes it great for teams. European company with strong GDPR compliance.

Free Plan Comparison Tables

Subscriber & Email Limits

Tool	Free Subscribers	Free Emails/Mo	Sends per Sub	Automation
Sender	2,500	15,000	6	Yes
MailerLite	1,000	12,000	12	Yes
Beehiiv	2,500	Unlimited	Unlimited	No
EmailOctopus	2,500	10,000	4	Yes
Brevo	Unlimited	9,000	Varies	Yes
Zoho Campaigns	2,000	6,000	3	No
Mailjet	Unlimited	6,000	Varies	No
Systeme.io	2,000	Unlimited	Unlimited	Yes
AWeber	500	3,000	6	Basic
Benchmark Email	500	3,500	7	Basic
Sequenzy	Unlimited	2,500	Varies	Yes
GetResponse	500	2,500	5	No
HubSpot	Unlimited (CRM)	2,000	Varies	No
Mailchimp	500	1,000	2	Basic
ConvertKit	300	Unlimited	Unlimited	No
Omnisend	250	500	2	Yes

Features Available on Free Plans

Tool	Landing Pages	Forms/Pop-ups	A/B Testing	Templates	Segmentation
MailerLite	Yes (10)	Yes	Basic	Yes	Basic
Sender	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Sequenzy	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Brevo	No	Yes	No	Yes	Basic
Mailchimp	Yes (1)	Yes	No	Basic	No
ConvertKit	Yes	Yes	No	Minimal	Basic
AWeber	Yes	Yes	No	Yes (600+)	Basic
HubSpot	Yes	Yes	No	Basic	No
Beehiiv	Yes (website)	Yes	No	Yes	Basic
Systeme.io	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Basic
GetResponse	Yes	Yes	No	Basic	No
Omnisend	No	Yes	No	Yes	Basic

Branding & Restrictions

Tool	Branding on Free?	Credit Card Required?	Approval Process?	Support Level
Sequenzy	No	No	No	Email
Resend	No	No	No	Email
MailerSend	No	No	No	Email
MailerLite	Yes	No	Yes (24-48h)	Email
Sender	Yes	No	No	Email
Brevo	Yes	No	No	Email
Mailchimp	Yes	No	No	30 days email
HubSpot	Yes	No	No	Community
AWeber	Yes	No	No	Email + chat
ConvertKit	Yes	No	No	Email
Omnisend	Yes	No	No	Email + chat
Beehiiv	Yes	No	No	Email

How to Choose the Right Free Email Marketing Tool

By your top priority

Most subscribers allowed: Brevo and Sequenzy allow unlimited contacts. Sender, Beehiiv, and EmailOctopus allow 2,500.

Most emails allowed: Sender allows 15,000/mo. SendPulse allows 15,000/mo. MailerLite allows 12,000/mo. ConvertKit and Beehiiv allow unlimited.

No branding: Sequenzy, Resend, and MailerSend don't add branding on free plans.

Best automation: Sender, MailerLite, and Omnisend include real automation on free plans.

E-commerce: Omnisend includes e-commerce automation. Shopify Email gives 10,000 free emails/mo for Shopify stores.

Newsletter/creator: Beehiiv or ConvertKit for newsletter-specific features.

Developer/transactional: Resend or MailerSend for API-first transactional email.

When to upgrade from free

You should upgrade when:

You hit subscriber limits and can't grow your list
You hit email limits and can't send to your full list
You need automation that isn't available on your free plan
Branding hurts your credibility with your audience
You need advanced segmentation to send targeted campaigns
Email is driving revenue and you need A/B testing to optimize
You need support beyond community/email

Most businesses outgrow free plans between 500-2,500 subscribers, which typically takes 3-12 months of active list building. See our how to grow your email list guide for growth strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best free email marketing tool overall?

Sender for the most generous limits (2,500 subs, 15,000 emails, automation included). MailerLite for the best feature set (automation, landing pages, website builder). Sequenzy if you want no branding and Stripe integration.

Are free email marketing tools really free?

Yes, the tools on this list have permanent free plans with no credit card required. The trade-offs are subscriber/email limits, branding on your emails, and fewer features compared to paid plans. But you can genuinely run email marketing at no cost.

What's the catch with free email marketing tools?

Common catches: forced branding on your emails, limited subscribers or sends, no automation or only basic automation, limited support (email only, no phone), and fewer template options. The biggest one is branding - having "Sent via Mailchimp" at the bottom of your emails.

Can I run a real business on a free email marketing plan?

Yes, up to a point. If you have under 1,000 subscribers and send 2-4 times per month, a free plan from MailerLite, Sender, or Sequenzy handles this well. Once email becomes a serious revenue driver, invest in a paid plan - the ROI on email marketing ($36-$42 per $1 spent) easily justifies the cost.

How do free plans compare to paid plans?

Free plans typically include: basic email editor, templates, signup forms, and basic analytics. Paid plans add: advanced automation, A/B testing, advanced segmentation, removed branding, priority support, and higher limits. The gap varies by platform - MailerLite and Sender include more features for free than Mailchimp.

Which free email tool is best for beginners?

AWeber for the easiest learning curve with 600+ templates. MailerLite for a modern, clean interface. Mailchimp if you want the most tutorials and community resources. Check our how to start email marketing guide for step-by-step instructions.

Can I switch from one free tool to another?

Yes. Export your subscriber list as a CSV from your current tool, then import it into the new one. Most platforms make this straightforward. The hardest part is rebuilding automations and email templates, not transferring contacts.

Do free email marketing tools have good deliverability?

Generally yes. Major platforms like Mailchimp, MailerLite, Brevo, and Sequenzy maintain good sender reputations across all plans, including free. Deliverability depends more on your email content, list quality, and authentication setup than your plan tier.

What about Gmail or Outlook for email marketing?

Don't use Gmail or Outlook for bulk email marketing. They have strict sending limits (500/day for Gmail), no tracking, no automation, and sending bulk from a personal email account can get your account suspended. Even the smallest free plan from a dedicated tool is better.

How much does it cost when I outgrow the free plan?

Most platforms start at $8-$20/mo for their entry-level paid plans. Brevo starts at $9/mo, MailerLite at $10/mo, Mailchimp at $13/mo, Sequenzy at $19/mo. See our email marketing tools for small businesses guide for detailed pricing comparisons.

Related Resources

Best Email Marketing Tools - Complete 35-tool comparison
Best Email Marketing Platforms for Small Business - Small business focused
Best Newsletter Platforms - Newsletter-specific tools
How to Start Email Marketing - Beginner's guide
What Is Email Marketing? - Email marketing fundamentals
How to Grow Your Email List - List growth tactics
Email Marketing Strategy Guide - Complete strategy playbook
Best Email Automation Tools - Automation comparison