DisclosureMailFit compares email marketing tools using their official pricing and feature data, updated automatically. We may earn a commission from links on this page, which doesn't affect how tools are ranked.
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MailFit/ SaaS startups

Best email marketing software for SaaS startups2026

Last updated

SaaS startups need both sides of email: lifecycle and onboarding automation for product users, plus transactional email that actually lands. We compared platforms on automation, transactional/SMTP support, and how price scales as your user base grows.

Top of the list

Brevo

from $9/mo · free tier

Stands out for volume-based pricing (charged by emails sent, not contacts). Best for small-business, ecommerce, large-lists-low-volume.

Read the full review →

The shortlist

  1. 01Brevofrom $9/mo
  2. 02ActiveCampaignfrom $19/mo
  3. 03MailerLitefrom $12/mo
  4. 04GetResponsefrom $19/mo

Side-by-side comparison

ToolStarting priceFree tierKey featuresBest for
Brevo$9/moYes
  • Volume-based pricing (charged by emails sent, not contacts)
  • Email + SMS + WhatsApp campaigns
  • Marketing automation (Business plan)
small-business, ecommerce, large-lists-low-volumeVisit
ActiveCampaign$19/moNo
  • Marketing automation with unlimited actions (Plus+)
  • Active Intelligence AI
  • Drag-and-drop email designer
small-business, ecommerce, agenciesVisit
MailerLite$12/moYes
  • Drag-and-drop & visual automation builder
  • Website and landing page builder
  • Digital product sales
creators, small-business, ecommerceVisit
GetResponse$19/moYes
  • Email marketing with unlimited monthly sends
  • Marketing automation workflows
  • Website & landing page builder
small-business, course-sellers, ecommerceVisit

Scroll the table sideways on small screens. Prices are starting list prices and scale with list size.

How each tool fits saas startups

Brevo

Full review →
Best for
SaaS startups with large contact lists but modest sending volume, since Brevo charges by emails sent rather than contacts stored, and includes transactional email, SMTP, and a built-in CRM.
Not ideal for
Startups that need advanced marketing automation from day one, as that feature is locked behind the Business plan, which has no publicly listed price.

ActiveCampaign

Full review →
Best for
SaaS startups that need deep automation and a large integration library, given its 1,000+ integrations and unlimited automation actions on the Plus plan and above.
Not ideal for
Early-stage startups with no budget to spend immediately, as there is no free tier and pricing for plans above Starter is not publicly listed.

MailerLite

Full review →
Best for
Early-stage SaaS startups with small lists who want to start for free, since the free plan supports up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails per month with access to a visual automation builder.
Not ideal for
Teams that need more than 2 seats without upgrading, as the free plan is capped at 2 seats and the next tier starts at $12 per month.

GetResponse

Full review →
Best for
SaaS startups that also sell online courses or digital products alongside email marketing, as the Creator plan at $69 per month includes a course builder supporting up to 500 students.
Not ideal for
Startups that need more than one automation workflow on a budget, since the Starter plan at $19 per month limits users to a single automation workflow.

Data sources

methodology →

Pricing for each tool is taken from its official pricing page and refreshed automatically. Always confirm the current price on the vendor's site before signing up — pricing changes often.