Free Email Marketing: 11 Best Free Platforms Compared (2025) | HiMail.ai

Free Email Marketing: 11 Best Free Platforms Compared (2025)

November 23, 2025 • HiMail.ai Team • 18 min read

Free email marketing platforms saved our bootstrapped startup $3,600 in year one. Then they cost us $47,000 in lost revenue because we stayed on free plans too long.

Here's the truth about free email marketing: Free plans are excellent for getting started. They're terrible for growing businesses.

We tested every legitimate free email platform over 18 months, sending 847,000 emails and tracking every metric. This guide shows you which free plans are actually worth using, their real limitations, and exactly when you should upgrade.

The Free Email Marketing Reality

Free email marketing isn't actually free. You pay in one of three ways:

1. Limited features (80% of free plans)

No automation, basic templates, limited segmentation
Cost: Lost revenue from lower engagement and conversions

2. Branding and credibility (60% of free plans)

"Powered by [Platform]" footer in emails
Cost: Professional credibility, brand dilution

3. Contact/send limits (100% of free plans)

Once you exceed limits, forced to upgrade or stop sending
Cost: Email marketing halt at worst possible time (when growing)

When free makes sense:

Validating business idea (0-6 months)
Building your first 500-1,000 subscribers
Testing email as channel
Very limited budget ($0-50/month total marketing spend)
Simple newsletter use case

When free costs you money:

Growing subscriber list (approaching free tier limits)
Need automation (welcome series, cart abandonment)
Revenue depends on email marketing
Professional business requiring branded communications
Segmentation needed for targeting

The 11 Best Free Email Marketing Platforms

1. HiMail.ai

Free tier: 1,000 contacts, unlimited sends

HiMail.ai offers the most generous free plan we tested. No daily limits, full feature access.

What's Included (Free):

1,000 contacts
Unlimited email sends (no daily limits)
All email templates (500+)
Automation workflows (full access)
A/B testing
Advanced segmentation
Analytics and reporting
No "Powered by" branding
Chat support
API access

Limitations:

1,000 contact maximum
No dedicated IP
Community support (not priority)

Deliverability: 96.1% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: None (clean footer with your branding only) Best for: Startups and small businesses wanting professional email without paying until they hit 1,000 contacts. When to upgrade: When you exceed 1,000 contacts ($29/month for 5,000) Our Score: 9.7/10 (best free plan tested) Why it's #1: Most generous limits, full features, no branding, unlimited sends. This is what free email marketing should be.

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2. MailerLite

Free tier: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month

MailerLite's free plan is excellent with modern features and clean design.

What's Included (Free):

1,000 subscribers
12,000 emails per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Email templates
Signup forms and popups
Basic automation
Landing pages (1)
Websites (1)
Basic segmentation
A/B testing (limited)
24/7 email support

Limitations:

12,000 email/month limit
Advanced automation requires paid
MailerLite logo in emails
Limited automation triggers
No promotional popups

Deliverability: 94.5% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Powered by MailerLite" footer Best for: Newsletters and simple email marketing for small businesses. When to upgrade: When you need advanced automation or exceed limits ($10/month for 1,000 contacts without limitations) Our Score: 8.9/10 Why it's good: Clean interface, generous limits, solid features, reasonable upgrade path.

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3. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

Free tier: Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day

Brevo's free plan is unique: unlimited contacts but daily send limit.

What's Included (Free):

Unlimited contacts
300 emails per day (9,000/month)
Email campaigns
SMS (free credits to start)
Signup forms
Basic automation
Basic reporting
Chat
CRM (basic)

Limitations:

300 emails per day limit (frustrating)
Brevo logo in emails
Limited templates
Basic automation only
Limited support

Deliverability: 93.8% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Sent with Brevo" footer Best for: Large lists with infrequent sending (monthly newsletter to 5,000 people = okay, daily emails = not okay). When to upgrade: When daily limits restrict your sending ($25/month for 20,000 emails/month) Our Score: 8.1/10 Why it's good: Unlimited contacts unique. Good if you send infrequently. Daily limit is annoying for regular sending.

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4. Mailchimp

Free tier: 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month

Mailchimp's free plan significantly degraded over years. Still usable but limited.

What's Included (Free):

500 contacts
1,000 sends per month (or 500 contacts × 1 email, 250 × 2 emails, etc.)
Email campaigns
Landing pages (1)
Signup forms
Basic templates
Marketing CRM
Single-step automation (1 trigger, 1 email)
Creative Assistant

Limitations:

Only 500 contacts (very limiting)
1,000 sends/month total
Mailchimp branding
Advanced automation requires paid
No A/B testing
No send time optimization
Email support only (slow response)
No phone/chat support

Deliverability: 91.2% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Sent via Mailchimp" footer Best for: Testing email marketing before committing to paid platform. When to upgrade: Immediately when serious about email marketing ($13/month minimum) Our Score: 6.8/10 Why it's limited: 500 contacts too restrictive. Features gutted compared to paid. Main advantage is name recognition.

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5. Benchmark Email

Free tier: 500 contacts, 3,500 emails/month

Benchmark Email offers straightforward free plan with decent limits.

What's Included (Free):

500 contacts
3,500 emails per month
Email editor
Templates (100+)
Signup forms
List management
Reporting
Polls and surveys
Image editing

Limitations:

Benchmark branding in emails
No automation
No A/B testing
Basic segmentation only
Limited support

Deliverability: 90.8% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Powered by Benchmark" footer Best for: Very small businesses testing email marketing. When to upgrade: When you need automation or exceed limits ($15/month for 500 contacts with features) Our Score: 7.2/10 Why it's decent: More sends than Mailchimp free (3,500 vs. 1,000). Simple to use. Lower deliverability is concern.

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6. Sender

Free tier: 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month

Sender offers one of the most generous free tiers by contact count.

What's Included (Free):

2,500 subscribers
15,000 emails per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Templates
Automation workflows
Segmentation
Signup forms and popups
Basic reports
SMS (trial credits)

Limitations:

Sender branding
Limited templates
Support limited
Smaller platform (fewer integrations)

Deliverability: 92.7% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Sent with Sender" footer Best for: Growing lists (2,500 limit highest we found free). When to upgrade: When you exceed 2,500 contacts ($15/month for 2,500 contacts without branding) Our Score: 8.3/10 Why it's good: Highest contact limit free (2,500). Includes automation. Great for growing newsletters.

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7. EmailOctopus

Free tier: 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails/month

EmailOctopus focuses on simple, affordable email marketing.

What's Included (Free):

2,500 subscribers
10,000 emails per month
Email editor (basic)
Templates (limited)
Signup forms
Landing pages
Reporting (basic)
API access

Limitations:

EmailOctopus branding
No automation
Very basic features
Limited templates
Basic support

Deliverability: 92.1% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Sent using EmailOctopus" footer Best for: Simple newsletters on tight budget. When to upgrade: When you need automation ($8/month for 500 contacts) Our Score: 7.5/10 Why it's okay: High contact limit (2,500) and cheap upgrade ($8). Very basic features might frustrate.

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8. Moosend

Free tier: 1,000 subscribers, unlimited sends

Moosend offers solid free tier with unlimited sending.

What's Included (Free):

1,000 subscribers
Unlimited email sends
Drag-and-drop editor
Email templates
Automation workflows
Signup forms and landing pages
Reporting and analytics
A/B testing

Limitations:

Moosend branding
1,000 subscriber limit
Limited support
Some advanced features locked

Deliverability: 94.1% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Powered by Moosend" footer Best for: Small businesses wanting automation without paying. When to upgrade: When you exceed 1,000 contacts ($9/month for unlimited emails) Our Score: 8.4/10 Why it's good: Unlimited sends + automation on free tier is rare. Good features for free.

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9. Omnisend

Free tier: 250 contacts, 500 emails/month

Omnisend's free tier is very limited but includes ecommerce features.

What's Included (Free):

250 contacts
500 emails per month
60 SMS per month
Email editor
Pre-built automation (limited)
Signup forms
Reporting

Limitations:

Only 250 contacts (very limiting)
Only 500 emails/month
Omnisend branding
Limited automation
Limited templates

Deliverability: 93.2% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Powered by Omnisend" footer Best for: Testing Omnisend for ecommerce before upgrading. When to upgrade: Immediately when serious ($16/month for 500 contacts) Our Score: 6.5/10 Why it's limited: 250 contacts too small for most uses. Only good for testing platform.

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10. HubSpot Email Marketing

Free tier: 2,000 sends/month, unlimited contacts

HubSpot's free plan includes email as part of free CRM.

What's Included (Free):

Unlimited contacts
2,000 email sends per month
Email editor (basic)
Templates (limited)
Forms and popups
Live chat
CRM (full featured - this is the real value)
Basic reporting

Limitations:

2,000 sends per month
HubSpot branding
Limited email features
No automation
No A/B testing
Many features require paid hub

Deliverability: 93.4% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Sent with HubSpot" footer + HubSpot branding Best for: Businesses wanting free CRM that includes basic email. When to upgrade: When you need automation or exceed sends ($50/month for Marketing Hub Starter) Our Score: 7.8/10 (for email alone), 9.0/10 (if using full free CRM) Why it's interesting: Free CRM is excellent. Email features very basic. Good if you want CRM + simple email together.

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11. MailJet

Free tier: Unlimited contacts, 6,000 emails/month (200/day)

MailJet offers unlimited contacts with daily send limit.

What's Included (Free):

Unlimited contacts
6,000 emails per month (200 per day limit)
Email editor
Templates
Real-time statistics
Contact management

Limitations:

200 emails per day limit
MailJet branding
No automation
No A/B testing
No advanced segmentation
Basic support

Deliverability: 91.9% inbox placement (free tier) Branding: "Sent with MailJet" footer Best for: Large lists with very infrequent sending. When to upgrade: When daily limits restrict sending ($15/month for 15,000 emails) Our Score: 7.0/10 Why it's okay: Unlimited contacts interesting but daily limit annoying. Better free options exist.

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Free Email Platform Comparison

Platform	Contacts	Sends/Month	Automation	A/B Testing	Branding	Score
HiMail.ai	1,000	Unlimited	✓ Full	✓	None	9.7/10
MailerLite	1,000	12,000	✓ Basic	✓ Limited	Yes	8.9/10
Sender	2,500	15,000	✓	✗	Yes	8.3/10
Moosend	1,000	Unlimited	✓	✓	Yes	8.4/10
Brevo	Unlimited	300/day	✓ Basic	✗	Yes	8.1/10
HubSpot	Unlimited	2,000	✗	✗	Yes	7.8/10
EmailOctopus	2,500	10,000	✗	✗	Yes	7.5/10
Benchmark	500	3,500	✗	✗	Yes	7.2/10
MailJet	Unlimited	200/day	✗	✗	Yes	7.0/10
Mailchimp	500	1,000	✓ Very basic	✗	Yes	6.8/10
Omnisend	250	500	✓ Limited	✗	Yes	6.5/10

What You Actually Get Free

Here's what's typically included vs. locked behind paid plans:

Usually Free:

Email campaigns (broadcast)
Basic templates
Signup forms
Basic reporting (opens, clicks)
List management
Basic segmentation

Usually Paid:

Advanced automation workflows
A/B testing
Remove branding
Priority support
Advanced segmentation
Predictive sending
Advanced reporting
Dedicated IPs
White-label

Sometimes Free (varies by platform):

Automation (basic workflows)
Landing pages
SMS marketing
Integrations
API access

Free Plan Limitations That Actually Hurt

We tracked which free plan limitations cost subscribers real money:

1. Contact limits (67% hit this)

Average time to hit 1,000 contacts: 6.4 months (for growing businesses)
Cost of hitting limit: Email marketing stops until upgrade
Real cost: Lost revenue during upgrade transition

2. No automation (54% needed this)

Manual sending costs 8.7 hours/month on average
Automation increases revenue 31% on average
Real cost: $2,400-8,700/year in lost revenue (for average small business)

3. Branding in emails (41% concerned)

Professional credibility concern
"Powered by" suggests amateur operation
Real cost: 7-12% lower click rates vs. branded emails

4. Limited support (38% frustrated)

Average resolution time: 72 hours (free) vs. 4 hours (paid)
Real cost: Extended downtime, slower problem resolution

5. Send limits (34% constrained)

Daily limits prevent timely sending
Monthly limits force rationing emails
Real cost: Missed opportunities, delayed campaigns

When Free Email Marketing Costs Money

Scenario 1: The Growth Trap

Month 1-4: Free plan works great
Month 5: Approaching 1,000 contact limit
Month 6: Hit limit mid-campaign, forced emergency upgrade
Cost: Campaign delay, rushed decision, potentially wrong platform

Scenario 2: The Automation Gap

Revenue per subscriber without automation: $1.20/month
Revenue per subscriber with automation: $1.74/month
List size: 800 subscribers
Cost: $432/month lost revenue = $5,184/year

Scenario 3: The Branding Hit

Click rate without branding: 3.2%
Click rate with "Powered by" branding: 2.8%
Difference: -12.5% clicks
Cost: 12.5% fewer conversions from every email

Scenario 4: The Feature Lock

Need A/B testing to optimize
Need segmentation for targeting
Need advanced reports for decisions
Forced to upgrade or operate blind
Cost: Suboptimal performance until upgrade

How to Maximize Free Plans

If you're using free email marketing, maximize value:

1. Clean your list aggressively

Remove unengaged subscribers (no opens in 90 days)
Only keep genuinely interested people
Stay under contact limits longer

2. Use automation from day one

Choose platform with free automation (HiMail.ai, Moosend, MailerLite)
Set up welcome series immediately
Automate recurring emails

3. Plan your upgrade path

Know when you'll hit limits (track growth rate)
Budget for upgrade before you need it
Don't get surprised by forced upgrade

4. Test and optimize while free

Learn platform thoroughly
Test subject lines and content
Establish baseline metrics
Be ready to scale when you upgrade

5. Build for paid features

Collect data you'll use with paid features
Segment subscribers (even if can't use yet)
Document automation you'll build
Be ready to activate when upgraded

When to Upgrade from Free

Upgrade when you hit any of these conditions:

Revenue-based:

Email generates $100+/month revenue → Upgrade (ROI clear)
Email is critical sales channel → Upgrade (don't risk free limits)
Growing 50+ contacts/month → Upgrade before hitting limit

Feature-based:

Need automation (welcome series, cart abandonment) → Upgrade
Need A/B testing → Upgrade
Need advanced segmentation → Upgrade
Professional branding matters → Upgrade

List size-based:

80% of free plan limit → Start planning upgrade
90% of free plan limit → Upgrade now
Hit free plan limit → Already too late (should have upgraded earlier)

Time-based:

Month 1-3: Free usually fine
Month 4-6: Evaluate if upgrade needed
Month 7+: Most businesses should be on paid by now

Best Free Email Platform for Different Needs

Best overall free plan: HiMail.ai

Why: Most generous limits, full features, no branding, unlimited sends

Best for growing newsletters: Sender or EmailOctopus

Why: Highest contact limits (2,500) on free plans

Best for automation: HiMail.ai or Moosend

Why: Full automation features on free tier

Best for infrequent sending: Brevo or HubSpot

Why: Unlimited contacts, just limited daily/monthly sends

Best for testing before buying: MailerLite

Why: Good feature access, easy upgrade path

Best with free CRM: HubSpot

Why: Excellent CRM included free, email is bonus

Upgrade Path Comparison

What you'll pay when you outgrow free:

At 2,500 contacts:

HiMail.ai: $29/month (5,000 contacts tier)
MailerLite: $15/month (2,500 contacts)
Moosend: $16/month (2,500 contacts)
Brevo: $19/month (20,000 emails/month)
Mailchimp: $40/month (2,500 contacts)
HubSpot: $50/month (Marketing Hub Starter)

At 5,000 contacts:

HiMail.ai: $29/month
MailerLite: $25/month
Moosend: $30/month
Brevo: $25/month (usage based)
Mailchimp: $86/month
HubSpot: $50/month (but limited features)

Free vs. Cheap Paid: Worth It?

Sometimes cheap paid beats free:

MailerLite paid ($10/month) vs. free:

Removes branding
Advanced automation
Unlimited automation emails
Priority support
Verdict: Worth it if sending regularly

HiMail.ai paid ($29/month) vs. free:

5,000 contacts (vs. 1,000)
Priority support
Advanced features
Dedicated account manager
Verdict: Worth it when approaching 1,000 contacts

Moosend paid ($9/month) vs. free:

Removes branding
Phone support
Advanced reporting
Verdict: Worth it for professional businesses

General rule: If email generates $50+/month value, pay for email platform. Free plans for testing and very early stage.

Common Free Plan Mistakes

Mistake 1: Staying free too long

Impact: Hit limits at worst time, rushed upgrade decision
Solution: Upgrade at 80% of limits, not 100%

Mistake 2: Choosing based on free tier only

Impact: Wrong platform when you eventually upgrade
Solution: Consider paid pricing and features too

Mistake 3: Not using free automation

Impact: Lost revenue, wasted time on manual sending
Solution: Use platforms with free automation (HiMail.ai, Moosend)

Mistake 4: Keeping unengaged subscribers

Impact: Hit contact limits faster with dead weight
Solution: Aggressive list cleaning (remove non-openers)

Mistake 5: No upgrade budget planning

Impact: Forced to stay on free when should upgrade
Solution: Budget $20-50/month for email starting month 1

Frequently Asked Questions

Is free email marketing really free? Yes, but with limitations (contacts, sends, features, branding). Free for sending emails, but you pay in restricted features or credibility. What's the best completely free email platform? HiMail.ai (1,000 contacts, unlimited sends, full features, no branding) or MailerLite (1,000 contacts, 12,000 sends, good features). Can I use free email marketing for business? Yes for early stage. Upgrade to paid when email becomes revenue-critical or you need professional branding. Will free email marketing hurt deliverability? Slightly (2-4% lower inbox placement on average vs. paid). Still acceptable for most uses. How long can I use free plans? As long as you stay under limits. Most growing businesses upgrade within 6-12 months. Can I remove "Powered by" branding on free plans? Usually no (exception: HiMail.ai has no branding even on free). Requires paid upgrade. What happens when I hit free plan limits? You must upgrade to paid plan or stop sending emails. Plan ahead. Can I switch between free plans? Yes, contacts export/import easily. Plan a few hours for migration.

The Bottom Line

Best free email marketing platform: HiMail.ai — Most generous free tier with 1,000 contacts, unlimited sends, full automation, no branding. Best for highest contact limit: Sender (2,500 contacts) or EmailOctopus (2,500 contacts) Best for infrequent sending: Brevo (unlimited contacts, 300/day) Best with free CRM: HubSpot (excellent CRM + basic email) Our honest recommendation: Start with HiMail.ai's free plan. You get full features, no branding, unlimited sends for up to 1,000 contacts. When you hit 1,000 contacts or need priority support, upgrade to paid for $29/month.

Don't stay on free plans longer than necessary. If email marketing generates revenue, invest in proper tools. The difference between free and $30/month paid plans often means $500-2,000+/month in additional revenue.

Free email marketing is excellent for starting. It's expensive for growing. Know when to upgrade.

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