Verdict: For most small businesses, Brevo is the best value: generous free tier, unlimited contacts, built-in AI copy and send-time optimization, and pricing that scales by email volume rather than list size. If you sell online, Klaviyo is the strongest e-commerce pick. Need a true all-in-one CRM and marketing suite? HubSpot Marketing Hub Starter is hard to beat at $7/seat/month.
Last verified: 2026-06-15 · Best value: Brevo · Best for e-commerce: Klaviyo · Best all-in-one: HubSpot · Best free plan: Kit (up to 10,000 subscribers)
Pricing and sending limits change often. Verify current rates on each vendor's site before signing up.
What to look for in an AI email marketing tool
A good small-business email platform should do four things well:
- AI-assisted writing — generate subject lines, body copy, and CTAs from a prompt.
- Smart sending — optimize send time, resend to non-openers, and clean inactive contacts.
- Automation — welcome sequences, abandoned-cart flows, and behavior-based triggers without coding.
- Transparent pricing — free tier or low entry price, with clear limits on contacts, sends, and users.
Everything else — landing pages, SMS, CRM, ads — is a bonus. Pick the tool whose limits match your list size and sending habits.
The top AI email marketing tools compared
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free tier | AI highlights | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | All-around value | $9–$11.20/mo Starter | 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts | AI content generator, AI send-time optimization, AI segmentation | brevo.com/pricing |
| Mailchimp | Brand recognition + integrations | $13/mo Essentials (intro) | Up to 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo | Generative AI on Standard/Premium only; send-time optimization | mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing |
| ActiveCampaign | Deep automation | $19/mo Starter (1,000 contacts) | 14-day trial only | Predictive sending, conditional content, AI-powered segmentation | activecampaign.com/pricing |
| Klaviyo | E-commerce/Shopify | $20/mo Email (251–500 profiles) | Up to 250 active profiles, 500 sends/mo | AI subject-line generator, Marketing Agent for campaigns/flows, predictive analytics | klaviyo.com/pricing |
| HubSpot Marketing Hub | CRM + marketing in one | $7/mo/seat Starter | Full free CRM + marketing tools | AI content assistant, Breeze Agents, lead scoring, AEO included in Pro+ | hubspot.com/pricing/marketing |
| MailerLite | Simplicity + creators | $9/mo Growing Business | Up to 500 subscribers, 12,000 emails/mo | AI writing assistant, smart sending | mailerlite.com/pricing |
| Omnisend | E-commerce on a budget | $11.20/mo Standard | Up to 250 contacts, 500 emails/mo | Forms AI, dynamic content AI, personalized product recommender | omnisend.com/pricing |
| Kit (ConvertKit) | Creators + newsletters | $33/mo Creator (1,000 subs) | Up to 10,000 subscribers, 1 basic automation | Kit MCP for AI integrations; light native AI | kit.com/pricing |
Tool-by-tool breakdown
Brevo — best value for most small businesses
Brevo's pricing is built around emails sent, not contacts stored. That makes it ideal if you have a large list but send infrequently.
- Free: 300 emails/day (~9,000/mo), unlimited contacts, AI content generator.
- Starter: From 5,000 emails/mo; advanced segmentation, branded forms.
- Standard: From $18/mo on some third-party listings / $11.20–$25/mo depending on volume; adds marketing automation, A/B testing, AI send-time optimization, and one landing page.
- Professional: From 150,000 emails/mo; adds Aura AI segmentation, AI Data Analyst, WhatsApp/push, and 10 seats.
Why it wins: You get AI copy help, automation, and send-time optimization at a lower entry price than most competitors, and the free tier is genuinely usable.
Mailchimp — best if you already live in its ecosystem
Mailchimp is the most recognized name, but its free plan is small and AI features are paywalled.
- Free: 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo.
- Essentials: ~$13/mo intro; no generative AI, only 4 automation flow steps.
- Standard: ~$20/mo intro; unlocks generative AI, up to 200 automation flows, send-time optimization, and 5 seats.
- Premium: $350/mo for advanced segmentation and unlimited contacts.
The catch: Generative AI and advanced automation require Standard or above. If you only need a newsletter, the free plan may be enough; if you want AI, you are paying close to Brevo prices with stricter contact limits.
ActiveCampaign — best for complex automations
ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation and CRM platform first, an email builder second.
- Starter: $19/mo for 1,000 contacts; limited to 5 actions per automation.
- Plus: $59/mo for 1,000 contacts; landing pages, unlimited automation, standard segmentation.
- Pro: $99/mo; predictive/conditional content, attribution, 3 users.
- Enterprise: $179/mo; custom objects, SSO, dedicated account team.
AI features: Active Intelligence, predictive sending, conditional content, and AI-powered segmentation. The downside is price: it is the most expensive entry point on this list.
Klaviyo — best for Shopify/e-commerce stores
Klaviyo is built around unified customer profiles and integrates tightly with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix.
- Free: Up to 250 active profiles and 500 emails/mo; AI subject-line generator included.
- Email: Starts at $20/mo for 251–500 profiles.
- Email + SMS: Starts at $35/mo for 251–500 profiles.
AI features: Marketing Agent (campaign/flow creation), AI-generated subject lines and segments, predictive analytics, RFM, and funnel reporting. Every paid tier gets the same feature set; you pay only for active profiles.
Best for: Stores that want data-driven product recommendations and abandoned-cart flows backed by purchase behavior.
HubSpot Marketing Hub — best CRM + marketing combo
HubSpot combines marketing, sales, service, content, and operations in one platform. Its AI layer, Breeze, spans all hubs.
- Free: Full free CRM, email marketing, forms, landing pages, live chat, and basic automation.
- Starter: $7/mo/seat (promo) / $20/mo/seat regular; 1,000 marketing contacts, simple automation, ad management.
- Professional: $800/mo; 2,000 contacts, omni-channel automation, AEO, lead scoring, custom reporting.
- Enterprise: $3,600/mo; 10,000 contacts, journey automation, multi-touch attribution.
AI features: Breeze content assistant, AI agents (customer, prospecting, personalization, data, knowledge base), AI segment suggestions, and AEO (answer-engine optimization) on Pro+.
Best for: Small businesses that expect to add sales pipelines and customer service later and want one database for everything.
MailerLite — best for simple newsletters and creators
MailerLite keeps things simple while still offering automation, landing pages, and an AI writing assistant.
- Free: Up to 500 subscribers, 12,000 emails/mo, 1 seat, 10 landing pages, 1 digital product.
- Growing Business: $9/mo (500 subscribers); unlimited emails, 3 seats, unlimited websites/landing pages.
- Advanced: $18/mo; unlimited seats, dynamic emails, multivariate testing, promotion pop-ups.
AI features: AI writing assistant for email copy, smart sending, and campaign auto-resend. The free tier is generous enough to run a real newsletter for a year.
Omnisend — best budget e-commerce option
Omnisend is similar to Klaviyo but cheaper at entry-level tiers.
- Free: 250 contacts, 500 emails/mo, 500 web pushes.
- Standard: $11.20/mo; 500 contacts, 12x list email sends, unlimited web push.
- Pro: $41.30/mo; 2,500 contacts, unlimited emails, bonus SMS credits, priority support, advanced reporting.
AI features: Forms AI, dynamic content AI, personalized product recommender AI. SMS is available globally and starts at $0.007/SMS.
Best for: Shopify/WooCommerce stores that want Klaviyo-like features without Klaviyo-like pricing.
Kit (ConvertKit) — best for creator newsletters
Kit is built for creators, coaches, and newsletter writers who monetize digital products.
- Newsletter (Free): Up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited landing pages/forms, digital products, 1 basic automation.
- Creator: $33/mo (1,000 subscribers); unlimited automations, AI writing tools via Kit MCP, SMS, A/B testing.
- Pro: $66/mo; subscriber scoring, deliverability reporting, newsletter referral system, unlimited users.
AI features: Native AI is light, but Kit MCP lets you connect Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini directly to your Kit account for AI-driven analysis and actions.
Best for: Newsletter-first creators who may never need heavy e-commerce automation.
How we picked
We evaluated each platform on:
- Price at small-business scale (1,000 contacts or fewer).
- AI utility — not just a chatbot, but features that directly improve opens, clicks, and conversions.
- Automation depth — welcome flows, triggers, segmentation, and e-commerce integrations.
- Free-tier usefulness — can a real business get started without paying?
- Primary-source verification — every price and limit was pulled from the vendor's own pricing page on 2026-06-15.
What this means for you
- On a tight budget with a growing list: Start with Brevo or MailerLite.
- Running an online store: Use Klaviyo if budget allows; otherwise Omnisend.
- Need CRM, email, and support in one place: HubSpot Starter at $7/seat is unmatched.
- Newsletter creator: Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers.
Most small businesses do not need the most expensive tool; they need the one whose free limits match their current list and whose AI features they will actually use.
Related reading
FAQ
What is the best free AI email marketing tool?
Kit offers the most generous free plan (up to 10,000 subscribers). For businesses that need automation on the free tier, Brevo (300 emails/day, unlimited contacts) or MailerLite (12,000 emails/mo, 500 subscribers) are better fits.
Does AI really improve email open rates?
It can, when used on the right levers: AI-generated subject lines, send-time optimization, and list cleaning typically lift opens and clicks. The gains depend on list quality and content relevance.
Is Mailchimp still the best email tool?
Mailchimp remains popular and integrates everywhere, but its free plan is limited and its AI features require Standard or Premium. For pure value, Brevo and MailerLite usually win.
Which tool is best for e-commerce?
Klaviyo is the strongest for Shopify/e-commerce because of its deep purchase-data integrations, predictive analytics, and product recommendations. Omnisend is the best lower-cost alternative.
Can I switch email tools easily?
Most platforms offer free migrations, including Brevo, Kit, and Omnisend. Expect 1–5 business days depending on list size and template complexity.
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