In-depth two-product comparison
Brevo vs MailerLite
In-depth comparison of Brevo and MailerLite for B2B SaaS companies. We analyze features, pricing, deliverability, API quality, automation, and real-world use cases to help you choose the right email platform.
Last updated: 2026-03-15. Verify current features, pricing, limits, and integrations on official vendor pages.
Short answer
Brevo wins for teams that need multi-channel marketing (email, SMS, WhatsApp, chat) and built-in transactional email at a competitive price. MailerLite wins for small teams that want the most beautiful, simple email editor with a website builder and digital product selling. Neither is purpose-built for SaaS lifecycle email. Sequenzy is the strongest choice for B2B SaaS teams needing billing-aware automation.
Brevo
Affordable multi-channel marketing with built-in transactional email
MailerLite
Beautiful, simple email marketing for small teams
Quick comparison
| Decision area | Brevo | MailerLite | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Multi-channel marketing at low cost | Simple, beautiful email marketing | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Starting Price | Free (300 emails/day) | Free (1K subs, 12K emails) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Email Editor | Good drag-and-drop with brand kit | Beautiful, intuitive drag-and-drop | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Transactional Email | Built-in SMTP relay (strong) | Via MailerSend (separate) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Automation | Visual builder with multi-channel | Simple builder for basics | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Multi-channel | Email + SMS + WhatsApp + push + chat | Email only | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Segmentation | Demographics, behavior, engagement | Groups, engagement, basic data | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Payment Integration | Stripe via plugins/Zapier | Stripe for digital products | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Trial Conversion | Build your own | Not designed for this | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Dunning Emails | Manual webhook setup | Not applicable | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Website Builder | Landing pages only | Full website and blog builder | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| SDK Support | Official SDKs in 7 languages | PHP SDK | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Brevo | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop editor | 8/10 Good editor with brand kit | 9/10 Beautiful, intuitive editor |
| Campaign scheduling | 8/10 Send time optimization on paid | 8/10 Smart delivery on paid |
| A/B testing | 7/10 Subject and content testing | 7/10 Subject and content testing |
| Template library | 7/10 40+ templates | 8/10 90+ modern templates |
| Newsletter support | 8/10 With forms and landing pages | 9/10 With blog and paid subscriptions |
| Visual workflow builder | 7/10 Builder with multi-channel steps | 6/10 Simple builder |
| Event-based triggers | 7/10 Website events, contact changes | 5/10 Group join, form, link click |
| Drip sequences | 7/10 Time-based with basic branching | 7/10 Time-based drip |
| Conditional logic | 7/10 By contact attributes | 5/10 Basic by subscriber data |
| Multi-channel steps | 8/10 Email, SMS, WhatsApp in workflows | 2/10 Email only |
| Contact management | 8/10 With CRM on Business plan | 7/10 Groups and custom fields |
| Segmentation | 7/10 Demographics, behavior, engagement | 7/10 Groups, engagement, data |
| Event tracking | 7/10 Website tracking | 4/10 Basic website tracking |
| Unlimited contacts | 10/10 Unlimited on all plans | 5/10 Priced by subscriber count |
| Import/export | 8/10 CSV, API, integrations | 8/10 CSV, copy-paste, API |
| API design | 8/10 Well-designed REST API | 6/10 Simple REST API |
| SDK support | 8/10 Official SDKs in 7 languages | 5/10 PHP SDK |
| SMTP relay | 9/10 Built-in dedicated SMTP | 3/10 Needs MailerSend |
| Webhook reliability | 7/10 Delivery event webhooks | 6/10 Basic webhooks |
| Documentation | 8/10 Multi-language code examples | 7/10 Simple, clear docs |
| Shared IP reputation | 8/10 Large infrastructure | 8/10 Strict approval process |
| Dedicated IP | 8/10 $12/mo add-on (cheapest) | 7/10 On Advanced plan |
| Domain authentication | 8/10 SPF, DKIM, DMARC | 8/10 SPF, DKIM, DMARC |
| Bounce handling | 8/10 With classification | 8/10 Automatic cleaning |
| Sending speed | 8/10 Good with SMTP | 7/10 Good for small/mid |
Pricing and operating cost
Brevo
Free plan: 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts
Free plan has Brevo branding Automation requires Business plan ($65/mo) SMS/WhatsApp have per-message costs Not designed for SaaS lifecycle
MailerLite
Free plan: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
Free plan has limited automation No transactional email Not designed for SaaS Priced by subscribers, not emails
| Tier or usage case | Brevo | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| Starter / Growing | $25/mo 20,000 emails/month, unlimited contacts, no logo | $10/mo 1,000 subscribers, unlimited emails, digital products |
| Business / Advanced | $65/mo Automation, A/B testing, advanced stats | $18/mo All features, promotions, Facebook integration |
| Enterprise | $1,000+/mo Sub-accounts, priority support | Custom Dedicated IP, success manager |
Pros and cons
Brevo
Pros
- Affordable with unlimited contacts
- Built-in transactional email with SMTP
- Multi-channel (email, SMS, WhatsApp, push, chat)
- SDKs in 7 languages
- Cheapest dedicated IP ($12/mo)
- EU data hosting
- Landing pages included
- Salesforce integration
Cons
- Not built for SaaS lifecycle email
- Automation requires Business plan ($65/mo)
- No native billing integration
- Free plan has Brevo branding
- No product event tracking
- SMS/WhatsApp have per-message costs
- CRM is basic
- No SaaS-specific features
MailerLite
Pros
- Cheapest email marketing option
- Beautiful, intuitive email editor
- Built-in website and blog
- Digital product selling
- Easiest to learn
- Bootstrapped and profitable
- Good deliverability
- Unlimited emails on paid plans
Cons
- Not built for SaaS
- No transactional email
- Basic automation only
- No product event tracking
- No billing integration
- No multi-channel (email only)
- Limited conditional logic
- No Segment integration
Who should choose what?
Trial conversion, dunning, churn prevention.
Recommendation: MailerLite
Need email + SMS + WhatsApp affordably.
Recommendation: Brevo
Small team wanting the easiest platform.
Recommendation: MailerLite
One platform for both marketing and transactional.
Recommendation: Brevo
Need lifecycle email affordably.
Recommendation: MailerLite
Want email marketing and a simple website.
Recommendation: MailerLite
Need GDPR compliance with EU hosting.
Recommendation: Brevo
Using Stripe + Paddle.
Recommendation: MailerLite
Final verdict
[object Object]
FAQ
Is Brevo or MailerLite better for SaaS?
Neither is designed for SaaS lifecycle email. Brevo is slightly better if you need transactional email alongside marketing. For SaaS-specific features (trial conversion, dunning, churn prevention, billing integration), use Sequenzy instead.
Which is cheaper?
MailerLite is generally cheaper for small lists. Brevo is better value if you have large contact lists (unlimited contacts on all plans). For B2B SaaS, Sequenzy at $19/mo provides the most relevant value.
Can Brevo handle transactional email?
Yes, with built-in SMTP relay. This is one of Brevo's strongest features. MailerLite requires the separate MailerSend product for transactional email.
Which has the better email editor?
MailerLite has the more beautiful, intuitive editor. Brevo has a good editor but MailerLite is more visually polished.
Does Brevo support WhatsApp marketing?
Yes. Brevo includes WhatsApp, SMS, push notifications, and live chat alongside email. MailerLite is email-only.
Which has better deliverability?
Both have strong deliverability. Brevo offers the cheapest dedicated IP ($12/mo). MailerLite has strict sender approval that helps pool quality. Sequenzy benefits from SaaS-only IP pools.
Can I build a website with Brevo?
Brevo offers landing pages but not a full website builder. MailerLite includes a website and blog builder.
Is MailerLite or Brevo easier to learn?
MailerLite is slightly easier due to its minimalist design. Both are user-friendly compared to more complex platforms like ActiveCampaign.
Can I migrate between them easily?
Yes. Both migrations are easy (3-7 days). Contact data transfers via CSV. Main challenges are recreating automations and templates.
Do both support GDPR?
Yes. Brevo has stronger EU positioning with Paris headquarters and EU data hosting. Both provide DPAs and compliance features.
Related reading: B2B email marketing guide, alternatives hub, and B2B SaaS tool stack.