Constant Contact vs Mailchimp vs Brevo: An Honest 2026 Comparison
Short answer: all three are capable email marketing platforms, and the "best" one genuinely depends on you. But for the buyer most people in this comparison actually are — a small business or nonprofit that wants email that's easy to run and backed by real support — Constant Contact is our pick. Choose Mailchimp instead if you want the deepest automation or a forever-free plan, and Brevo if you have a large list you email only occasionally and want to pay by send. Here's the honest breakdown.
Our top picks
Constant Contact
Best overall for small businesses and nonprofits that want simplicity and real phone support.
Non-technical teams, events, nonprofits
From $12/mo (no free plan)
30-day free trial
Pros: Live phone support on every paid plan, genuinely easy to use, built-in event/RSVP tools, strong deliverability, nonprofit discount.
Cons: Pricier as your list grows, automation is shallower than rivals, no permanent free plan.
Mailchimp
The best-known option, with deeper automation, a modern editor, and a free tier to start on.
Automation, e-commerce, free start
Free tier; paid from ~$13/mo
Free plan (limited sends/contacts)
Pros: Strong automation and segmentation, polished modern interface, solid e-commerce features, forever-free tier to test with.
Cons: Per-contact pricing climbs quickly as you grow, no phone support on lower tiers, more to learn.
We have no affiliate relationship with Mailchimp — it's here purely for an honest comparison.
Brevo
Pay-per-email pricing that can be dramatically cheaper if you have a big list you email occasionally.
Large lists, infrequent sends, SMS
Free tier; paid from ~$9/mo
Free plan (300 emails/day, unlimited contacts)
Pros: Charges by emails sent, not contacts stored — so a large, rarely-emailed list costs far less; generous free plan; built-in SMS and a light CRM.
Cons: Editor and templates feel less polished, deliverability can be less consistent, the interface is less intuitive for beginners.
We have no affiliate relationship with Brevo — it's here purely for an honest comparison.
Side-by-side comparison
| Tool | Best for | Pricing model | Starting price | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constant Contact | Simplicity + phone support | Per contact | $12/mo | 30-day trial |
| Mailchimp | Automation + free start | Per contact | ~$13/mo | Free tier (limited) |
| Brevo | Large/infrequent sends | Per email sent | ~$9/mo | 300 emails/day free |
Prices are current starting tiers as of mid-2026 and rise with usage; always check each provider's live pricing page for your exact list size before deciding. Not sure what you'd actually pay? Try our email marketing cost calculator.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Constant Contact if you're a non-technical small business or nonprofit, you run events, or being able to phone a human for help is worth a small premium. For most people reading this, it's the safe, low-stress pick.
- Choose Mailchimp if you want advanced, branching automation, you sell online, or you want to start completely free and grow into paid features.
- Choose Brevo if you have a large list you email only now and then — its pay-per-email model can cost a fraction of the per-contact platforms — or you want email and SMS in one place.
Constant Contact — our pick for most small businesses.
If you want email marketing that's easy to run and backed by real phone support, Constant Contact is the one we'd start with. Pick the plan that fits the list size you expect this year, and you'll have room to grow. (Want deeper automation or a free plan? Mailchimp. A big list you email occasionally? Brevo.)
See Constant Contact plans →Down to two? See our focused Constant Contact vs Mailchimp head-to-head, or read the full Constant Contact review.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheapest — Constant Contact, Mailchimp, or Brevo?
It depends on your list and how often you send. Brevo is usually cheapest if you have a large list you email occasionally, because it charges per email sent rather than per contact stored. For small lists, Mailchimp's free tier makes it the cheapest way to start, while Constant Contact has no free plan but starts at $12/month. The "cheapest" option flips as your list grows, so price each one against the list size you expect in a year.
Is Constant Contact better than Mailchimp?
For non-technical small businesses and nonprofits that value simplicity and phone support, yes — that's why it's our pick here. Mailchimp is better if you need deeper automation, sell online, or want a forever-free plan. Neither is universally "better"; they're built for slightly different buyers.
Which is best for a small business?
For a typical small business that wants to get email marketing running quickly with support on hand, Constant Contact is our recommendation. If your small business is automation-heavy or e-commerce-focused, Mailchimp may serve you better; if you send to a big list infrequently, Brevo will likely cost less.