Overview
EmailOctopus and Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) are both affordable email marketing options, but with fundamentally different pricing models. EmailOctopus charges by contacts with unlimited emails. Brevo charges by email volume with unlimited contacts.
Pricing Model Comparison
This is the key decision point. EmailOctopus costs $36/month for 10k contacts with unlimited sends. Brevo costs $9/month for 5k emails, $25 for 20k, $66 for 100k. If you email your list frequently, EmailOctopus is cheaper. If you send sporadically, Brevo might win.
Feature Breadth
Brevo is more than email marketing. It includes basic CRM, SMS marketing, live chat, and transactional email. EmailOctopus focuses purely on email marketing. If you want an all-in-one platform, Brevo offers more. If you just need email, EmailOctopus is cleaner.
Transactional Email
Brevo handles both marketing and transactional email. Password resets, order confirmations, and marketing campaigns can all go through one platform. EmailOctopus is marketing-only. You'd need a separate service for transactional email.
Automation Capabilities
Brevo has more sophisticated automation with more triggers and conditions. EmailOctopus automation is basic but works for simple drip campaigns. For complex multi-step workflows, Brevo is more capable.
Free Plans
EmailOctopus offers 2,500 contacts with 10,000 emails/month free. Brevo offers unlimited contacts but only 300 emails/day (about 9,000/month). Choose EmailOctopus for list size, Brevo for contact flexibility.
For SaaS Companies
Neither platform is built for SaaS. Both lack native Stripe integration and behavioral event tracking. For SaaS companies, consider Sequenzy which offers SaaS-specific features at a competitive price.
Making the Choice
Choose EmailOctopus for simple, high-frequency email marketing at a predictable price. Choose Brevo for an all-in-one platform with SMS and CRM, or if you send emails infrequently. For SaaS, consider Sequenzy.