Brevo vs MailerLite
Brevo and MailerLite are both EU email platforms with free plans, and the real difference is the pricing meter. Brevo, from Paris, charges per email sent with unlimited contacts and adds SMS, WhatsApp and a CRM. MailerLite, from Vilnius, charges per subscriber and offers the better-designed editor with landing pages. Large or multi-channel lists suit Brevo; small creators suit MailerLite.
Choose Brevo if
you hold a large list you mail selectively, want SMS and WhatsApp in the same workflows as email, or need a CRM and transactional email from the same platform.
Read the Brevo reviewChoose MailerLite if
you are a creator or small business with a modest list, want a polished drag-and-drop editor, landing pages and basic automation on a free plan, and send often.
Read the MailerLite reviewBrevo and MailerLite side by side
| Brevo | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) | MailerLite |
| Headquarters | Paris, France | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| Founded | 2012 | 2010 |
| Jurisdiction | EU (France) | EU (Lithuania) |
| Where the data sits | EU | EU |
| Pricing | Free (300 emails/day, unlimited contacts) / from about €8/month | Free (500 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month) / from about €10/month |
| Free tier or trial | Free tier | Free tier |
| Certifications and checks | GDPR | GDPR |
| Source code | Closed source | Closed source |
| Usually replaces | Mailchimp, HubSpot | Mailchimp, ConvertKit |
| Position in our Email Marketing guide | #1 of 8 | #2 of 8 |
Both are listed in our European Email Marketing guide. The table is built from the same directory data as those entries; how we check it is described in the editorial process.
Where Brevo and MailerLite differ
Across the four points below, Brevo has the edge on 1 point, MailerLite on 1 point and 2 are a tie. A count like that is a summary, not a verdict: the point that matters to you may be the one the other product wins.
The pricing meter
Brevo charges by emails sent, with unlimited contacts even on the free plan, so a dormant list costs nothing to keep. MailerLite prices by subscriber count, so stored contacts cost money whether or not you mail them. The reverse also holds: per-email pricing is worse for a small list mailed very frequently. The winner depends on list size and sending rhythm.
No clear winner on this point.
Channels and platform breadth
Brevo orchestrates SMS and WhatsApp campaigns in the same workflows as email and bundles a CRM with sales pipeline plus transactional email and SMTP. MailerLite has no SMS or WhatsApp channel, and transactional volume needs a separate provider; its extras are landing pages, simple websites and e-commerce integrations. For anything beyond email marketing, Brevo covers more.
Edge: Brevo
Editor and ease of getting started
MailerLite's drag-and-drop editor is described as noticeably better designed than competing free tiers, and Brevo's own review rates its email builder as less refined than MailerLite's. Brevo's breadth also means more configuration before it becomes useful. For someone who wants a good-looking newsletter out quickly, MailerLite is the easier tool.
Edge: MailerLite
Free plans and automation
Brevo's free plan allows 300 emails a day to unlimited contacts; MailerLite's covers 500 subscribers and 12,000 emails a month and includes basic automation and landing pages. On Brevo, automation and A/B testing start on the Business tier at about €18, while MailerLite's advanced automation starts from about €10 but is rated less deep. Cheaper access or more depth: it depends.
No clear winner on this point.
When neither Brevo nor MailerLite fits
If webinars are part of your funnel, neither has them: GetResponse is the only platform in the category with a native webinar tool. And teams where several people build one campaign together are better matched by Mailjet's real-time collaborative editing with approval.
Brevo vs MailerLite: questions
It depends on the list. Brevo's paid plans start around €8 a month and are priced by emails sent, with unlimited contacts. MailerLite starts around €10 a month and scales by subscriber count. A large list mailed occasionally is cheaper on Brevo; a small list mailed very often can be cheaper on MailerLite.
They limit different things. Brevo's free plan has no contact limit and allows 300 emails per day. MailerLite's covers 500 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month, with the drag-and-drop editor, landing pages, signup forms and basic automation included. MailerLite's branding is removed only on a paid plan.
Yes. Brevo is based in Paris and MailerLite in Vilnius; both are EU-established and process data inside the EU, so processing is intra-EEA and there is no international transfer to assess. That removes the obligation of verifying a US platform's Data Privacy Framework certification.