Brevo Pricing Explained Free versus Paid Plan
Feb 07 2026
Choosing an email marketing platform is a bit like choosing a house. Some places look great from the outside but charge you extra for every "guest" (contact) you invite over. Others give you the space but charge you every time you open the front door.
In 2026, Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) remains one of the most popular choices for businesses because it flips the traditional pricing model on its head. While competitors like Mailchimp or HubSpot charge you more as your list grows, Brevo charges you based on the volume of emails you send.
If you have a massive list but only send a few updates a month, Brevo is likely your best friend. But which plan is actually right for you? In this 1,000-word deep dive, we break down every tier, hidden cost, and feature upgrade to help you decide.
The Brevo Philosophy: Contacts vs. Sends
Before looking at the numbers, it is important to understand how Brevo bills.
Most Platforms: You pay for the number of contacts in your database. If you have 10,000 subscribers, you pay the "10k rate," even if you never email half of them.
Brevo: You can store up to 100,000 contacts for free (and even more on paid plans). Your price is determined by how many emails you actually hit "send" on each month.
This makes Brevo incredibly budget-friendly for businesses with large "cold" lists or those who practice "lean" marketing.
The "Free Forever" Plan: More Than Just a Trial
Unlike many "free" trials that expire after 14 days, Brevo’s Free plan is genuinely forever. It is designed for solo entrepreneurs, small nonprofits, or hobbyists.
What You Get for $0:
Contacts: Up to 100,000 storage.
Daily Send Limit: 300 emails per day.
Core Features: Drag-and-drop editor, mobile-responsive templates, and basic reporting.
Automation: Access to workflow builders for up to 2,000 unique contacts.
Transactional Emails: Full access to SMTP and API for things like password resets.
The Limits to Watch Out For:
The 300-email daily cap is the biggest hurdle. If you have 1,000 subscribers and want to send a newsletter, you’d have to split it over four days. Additionally, your emails will feature the Brevo logo in the footer.
The Starter Plan: For Growing Newsletters
If you’ve outgrown the 300-per-day limit but don’t need high-level marketing tools yet, the Starter Plan is your next step.
Price: Starts at $9/month (for 5,000 emails).
Key Upgrade: No daily sending limit. You can send 5,000 emails all at once if you want.
Best For: Small businesses that need to send time-sensitive newsletters or promotional blasts.
Optional Add-ons:
On the Starter plan, you can pay a small monthly fee (around $12/month) to remove the Brevo branding. This is essential if you want to look professional to your clients.
The Business (Standard) Plan: The Automation Powerhouse
In 2026, this is Brevo’s most popular tier. It moves beyond simple "sending" and into "marketing."
Price: Starts at $18/month (for 5,000 emails).
Key Upgrade: Unlimited Automation. Unlike the Free/Starter plans capped at 2,000 contacts, the Business plan allows your workflows to handle your entire database.
Advanced Features:
A/B Testing: Test different subject lines to see what gets more opens.
AI Send-Time Optimization: Brevo’s AI analyzes when your specific subscribers are most active and sends the email at that exact time.
Landing Pages: Includes one landing page to help you build your list (you can buy more as add-ons).
Multi-User Access: Perfect for teams where different people handle different campaigns.
Brevo Professional & Enterprise: High-Volume Solutions
For large corporations or high-growth startups, the Professional Plan (starting around $499/month) and Enterprise (Custom pricing) offer white-glove service.
These plans include:
Dedicated Account Managers.
Priority Support (phone and chat).
Advanced Security (SSO/SAML).
Sub-account management for agencies managing multiple clients.
Brevo 2026 Pricing Comparison Table
Feature | Free Plan | Starter Plan | Business Plan |
Monthly Cost | $0 | From $9 | From $18 |
Daily Send Limit | 300 emails | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Brevo Branding | Always visible | Can remove (Paid) | None |
Automation Limit | 2,000 contacts | 2,000 contacts | Unlimited |
A/B Testing | No | No | Yes |
Landing Pages | No | No | 1 Included |
Best For | Testing/Small lists | Simple Newsletters | Active Marketers |
Click Here to check more plans.
The "Extras": SMS, WhatsApp, and Dedicated IPs
Brevo is more than just email. In 2026, multi-channel marketing is the standard. However, these features usually come with separate costs:
SMS Marketing: You buy credits in packs. For example, 100 SMS messages in the US cost about $1.09.
WhatsApp Campaigns: Similar to SMS, these are "pay-as-you-go" and great for high-engagement customer service.
Dedicated IP: For $251/year, you can get your own IP address. This is recommended if you send more than 100k emails monthly, as it protects your "sender reputation" from being affected by other users.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I have 20,000 contacts but only send 5,000 emails?
With Brevo, you only pay for the 5,000 sends. You can keep all 20,000 contacts in your CRM for free. This is the opposite of Mailchimp, which would charge you for the full 20,000 list.
Does Brevo offer a discount for yearly billing?
Yes! If you choose to pay annually, you typically get a 10% discount compared to the monthly rate.
Is the "Business" plan worth it for a small team?
If you want to use Abandoned Cart emails or Welcome Sequences for more than 2,000 people, the Business plan is a must. The "Send-Time Optimization" alone often pays for itself in higher conversion rates.
Can I use Brevo for transactional emails like receipt notifications?
Yes. All plans (including Free) give you access to the SMTP relay. Many developers use Brevo solely for this purpose because of its high deliverability rates.
Conclusion: Which Plan Is Right for You?
Brevo's pricing is designed to grow as you grow.
The Solopreneur: Start with the Free Plan. It lets you learn the ropes without spending a dime.
The Boutique Shop: Move to the Starter Plan so you can send your weekly sales blast to your whole list at once.
The E-commerce Brand: The Business Plan is the sweet spot. The automation and A/B testing tools are what turn "subscribers" into "repeat customers."
By focusing on email volume rather than list size, Brevo gives you the freedom to build your audience without fearing your next bill.