15+ Best Email Marketing Tools for Startups in 2026

Mailchimp is the default choice many startups make because it is the most well-known email marketing tool. The free tier is decent for getting started, and the interface is reasonably intuitive.

For startups, Mailchimp works fine for basic newsletters and simple automation. The template library is extensive, and integrations are everywhere. You will not struggle to connect Mailchimp to other tools.

Where Mailchimp falls short: Pricing gets expensive fast as you grow. The free tier dropped from 2,000 to 500 contacts. Advanced automation requires higher tiers. No native billing integrations for SaaS metrics. For startups serious about growth, Mailchimp often becomes a bottleneck.

Best for: Startups that want a familiar, widely-supported tool and do not need advanced SaaS-specific features. Consider Sequenzy or Mailerlite for better value.

ConvertKit was built specifically for creators, and it shows. If your startup is content-first (courses, newsletters, educational products), ConvertKit understands your workflow.

The visual automation builder is clean and powerful. Landing pages are included. The creator community around ConvertKit is strong, with lots of templates and best practices shared.

Where ConvertKit falls short: Pricing is higher than alternatives like Mailerlite. Not designed for SaaS product companies. Limited API compared to developer tools. No billing integrations. If you are building a traditional SaaS, ConvertKit is not the right fit.

Best for: Creator-founded startups, course businesses, and content-first companies. For SaaS startups, Sequenzy or Loops are better choices.

Mailerlite is the budget champion for startups. The free tier includes 1,000 subscribers with most features. Paid plans start at just $10/mo. For bootstrapped founders, this value is hard to beat.

Despite the low price, Mailerlite does not skimp on features. Automation workflows, landing pages, a website builder, and decent analytics are all included. The interface is clean and modern.

Where Mailerlite falls short: Advanced features like multivariate testing require higher tiers. No native SaaS billing integrations. Support can be slow on the free tier. For complex automation needs, you might outgrow it.

Best for: Bootstrapped startups that need solid email marketing without breaking the bank. Upgrade to Sequenzy when you need billing integration and revenue attribution.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) offers both transactional and marketing email in one platform. The pricing model is based on emails sent rather than contacts, which can be advantageous for startups with large but infrequent sends.

The free tier allows 300 emails per day. For early-stage startups just getting started, this might be enough. The platform also includes SMS, chat, and CRM features.

Where Brevo falls short: The interface can feel cluttered with all the features. Deliverability has had mixed reviews. No native billing integrations for SaaS. The daily sending limit on the free tier is restrictive for growth.

Best for: Startups that need both transactional and marketing email in one affordable platform. For pure SaaS, Sequenzy offers better billing integration.

Loops is what happens when you design email marketing for the modern era. The interface is beautiful and minimal. Setup is fast. If you value clean UX above all else, Loops delivers.

Loops combines transactional and marketing email, which simplifies your stack. The API is solid, and documentation is clear. For many startups, Loops is genuinely enough.

Where Loops falls short: More expensive than alternatives at similar volumes. Automation is basic compared to Sequenzy or ActiveCampaign. No Stripe integration for revenue tracking. Limited segmentation options.

Best for: Startups that want beautiful, simple email marketing and do not need advanced automation or billing integration. For more features at lower cost, consider Sequenzy.

ActiveCampaign is the power tool for email automation. If your startup needs complex multi-step workflows, conditional logic, and deep segmentation, ActiveCampaign can handle it.

The built-in CRM is useful for startups with sales-assisted motions. You can trigger automation based on deal stages, score leads, and manage pipelines alongside email campaigns.

Where ActiveCampaign falls short: The learning curve is steep. No free tier means you are paying from day one. Interface can feel overwhelming. Not specifically built for SaaS, so billing integration requires workarounds.

Best for: Startups with dedicated marketing resources who need enterprise-grade automation. For simpler needs, Sequenzy or Mailerlite are more accessible.

Drip was built for e-commerce, with deep Shopify and WooCommerce integrations. If your startup sells physical products, Drip understands your workflow with features like abandoned cart sequences and purchase behavior triggers.

The visual workflow builder is solid. Revenue attribution is built-in for e-commerce transactions. Pre-built automation templates help you get started quickly.

Where Drip falls short: E-commerce focus means SaaS features are limited. No free tier. Higher starting price than alternatives. If you are not selling physical products, Drip is overkill.

Best for: E-commerce startups and D2C brands. SaaS startups should look at Sequenzy instead for better billing integration.

HubSpot offers a complete marketing and sales platform. The free CRM is genuinely useful, and email marketing integrates seamlessly with contact management, forms, and landing pages.

For startups planning to scale with an enterprise-style tech stack, HubSpot grows with you. The ecosystem of integrations is massive. Learning resources are excellent.

Where HubSpot falls short: Gets expensive quickly as you need more features. Email features alone are not as strong as dedicated tools. Can be overkill for early-stage startups. No native support for modern billing providers.

Best for: Startups planning to build a full marketing and sales stack on one platform. For email-focused needs, Sequenzy or ConvertKit are simpler choices.

Buttondown is refreshingly simple. Write in Markdown, send newsletters, done. For developer-focused startups that want minimal overhead, Buttondown delivers exactly what it promises.

The paid archive and premium subscriber features make monetization possible. The API is clean. No bloat, no unnecessary features.

Where Buttondown falls short: Very limited automation. No advanced segmentation. Not suitable for complex marketing needs. The free tier only allows 100 subscribers.

Best for: Developer startups and technical founders who want a simple newsletter tool. For marketing automation, Sequenzy or Mailerlite are better choices.

Beehiiv is built by newsletter operators, for newsletter operators. The referral program, recommendation network, and growth tools are specifically designed to help newsletters scale.

The free tier is generous at 2,500 subscribers. Monetization features (premium subscriptions, ads) are built-in. For media startups and newsletter businesses, Beehiiv understands the game.

Where Beehiiv falls short: Newsletter-focused, so traditional marketing automation is limited. Not ideal for SaaS product marketing. Paid plans get expensive as you scale.

Best for: Newsletter-first startups and media companies. For SaaS product marketing, Sequenzy or ConvertKit are more appropriate.

Substack is free to use and takes 10% of paid subscription revenue. For writers and thought leaders launching a startup around content, this model reduces upfront risk.

The writing experience is excellent. The network effect of Substack recommendations can help discovery. No technical setup required.

Where Substack falls short: Very limited customization. No real automation. The 10% cut adds up at scale. Not suitable for traditional startup marketing. You do not own the platform.

Best for: Individual writers and content-first founders testing ideas. For serious startup marketing, migrate to Sequenzy or Beehiiv as you grow.

SendGrid (part of Twilio) is enterprise email infrastructure. If your startup needs to send millions of emails reliably, SendGrid has the infrastructure to handle it.

The API is solid. Deliverability is good. The free tier allows 100 emails per day forever. For pure transactional email, SendGrid is proven.

Where SendGrid falls short: Marketing automation is an afterthought. Interface feels dated. Not designed for startup marketing workflows. No billing integrations.

Best for: Startups with high transactional email volume. For marketing automation, pair with Sequenzy or use a dedicated marketing tool.

Moosend offers solid email marketing at competitive prices. The automation features punch above the price point. For startups that need more than basic newsletters but cannot afford ActiveCampaign, Moosend fills the gap.

The free tier includes 1,000 subscribers. Landing pages and forms are included. The interface is modern and easy to use.

Where Moosend falls short: Smaller ecosystem than major players. Limited integrations. No native billing support for SaaS. Less community content and resources.

Best for: Startups wanting affordable automation without major compromises. Upgrade to Sequenzy when you need billing integration.

GetResponse combines email marketing with webinar hosting. For startups using webinars as a key marketing channel, having both in one platform simplifies your stack.

Automation is solid. Landing pages and conversion funnels are included. The free tier allows 500 contacts with basic features.

Where GetResponse falls short: Webinar features require higher tiers. Interface can feel dated. Not specifically built for SaaS. No billing integrations.

Best for: Startups that rely heavily on webinars for lead generation and sales. For pure email marketing, Sequenzy or Mailerlite offer better value.

AWeber has been around since 1998, making it one of the most established email marketing tools. For startups that value stability and proven track record, AWeber delivers reliable email marketing.

The free tier includes 500 subscribers. Customer support is highly rated. The platform handles the basics well without unnecessary complexity.

Where AWeber falls short: Feels dated compared to modern tools. Automation is less sophisticated than competitors. No native billing integrations. Limited innovation in recent years.

Best for: Startups wanting a proven, stable platform for basic email marketing. For modern features and billing integration, Sequenzy is a better choice.