Brevo vs MailerLite for Drip Emails (2026 Comparison)
Compare Brevo and MailerLite for drip email campaigns. See how these affordable email platforms stack up on automation, pricing, and drip sequence features.
TL;DR verdict
Both Brevo and MailerLite are budget-friendly email platforms with solid drip capabilities. Brevo offers more all-in-one features (CRM, SMS, chat), while MailerLite focuses on simplicity and value for pure email marketing. For SaaS-specific drip campaigns, neither is ideal.
Brevo
7.1/80
Best for businesses wanting drip emails alongside CRM, SMS, and live chat.
MailerLite
7/80
Best for creators and small businesses wanting the simplest, most affordable drip email tool.
Sequenzy · also consider
8.5/80
Best for SaaS companies needing drip sequences with native billing integration.
Sequenzy email automation for SaaS → · from $19/month
Both Brevo and MailerLite are solid budget options for general email marketing. However, if you run a SaaS product, both will feel limiting. Sequenzy is purpose-built for SaaS drip emails at $19/mo.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drip automation builder | Visual automation with triggers | Visual automation with workflows | Clean builder with SaaS templates | Tie |
| Free plan | 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts | 1,000 subscribers, 12K emails/mo | Free tier available; paid from $19/mo (check current limits) | MailerLite |
| Pricing at 5K contacts | $25/mo | $39/mo | $19/mo (15K emails) | Sequenzy |
| SMS marketing | Built-in SMS and WhatsApp | Not available | Not available | Brevo |
| CRM included | Yes, built-in CRM | No | No | Brevo |
| Pre-built drip sequences | Automation recipes available | Automation templates | Full SaaS drip sequence library | Sequenzy |
| Billing integration | Not native | Not native | Native Stripe, Paddle, and Lemon Squeezy | Sequenzy |
| Landing page builder | Yes, included | Yes, included | Not available | Tie |
Score breakdown
| Category | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drip Campaign Builder | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| Segmentation | 7 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Ease of Use | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| Pricing Value | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| Deliverability | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| Integrations | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| Analytics & Reporting | 7 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Template Quality | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| Total | 58 | 59 | 66 | 80 |
Drip feature deep-dive
Drip Sequence Setup
| Capability | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time-based delays | 7/10 — Standard delay options in automations | 7/10 — Delay steps with time controls | 9/10 — Smart delays with send-window optimization |
| Behavioral triggers | 6/10 — Opens, clicks, page visits | 6/10 — Opens, clicks, form completions | 8/10 — Billing events and product usage triggers |
| Conditional branching | 7/10 — If/else conditions with filters | 6/10 — Basic yes/no branching | 8/10 — Conditional paths on attributes and events |
| Goal tracking | 5/10 — Basic goal setting | 5/10 — Limited goal tracking | 8/10 — Revenue goals from billing data |
Personalization
| Capability | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic content | 7/10 — Personalization tags and conditional blocks | 6/10 — Merge fields and basic conditions | 8/10 — Dynamic variables with billing data |
| Segmentation depth | 7/10 — List and attribute-based segments | 6/10 — Group and tag-based segments | 8/10 — Plan, billing, and engagement segments |
| Send-time optimization | 8/10 — AI-powered send-time optimization | 7/10 — Smart sending available | 7/10 — Timezone-aware delivery |
Pricing
Both platforms are among the most affordable email marketing tools available. MailerLite has a more generous free plan, while Brevo charges by email volume instead of contact count.
Brevo free option
Free: 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts.
From $25/mo (Starter plan)
MailerLite free option
Free: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/mo.
From $10/mo (Growing Business plan)
Sequenzy free option
Free tier available; paid from $19/mo (check current limits)
From $19/month
| Tier | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter / Entry | $25/mo — 20K emails/mo | $10/mo — 500 subscribers, unlimited emails | $19/mo — 15K emails/mo, all features |
| Growth / Mid | $49/mo — 40K emails/mo | $39/mo — 5,000 subscribers | $19/mo — 15K emails, pre-built sequences |
| Scale / Business | $69/mo — 60K emails/mo, advanced analytics | $79/mo — 10,000 subscribers, priority support | $19/mo — 15K included, overage available |
MailerLite is cheapest for small lists, and Brevo is competitive for larger volumes. Sequenzy offers the best value for SaaS-specific drip email at a flat $19/mo.
These are two of the most affordable email platforms available. For SaaS companies, the savings are offset by the lack of billing integration and SaaS-specific features. Sequenzy fills that gap.
Drip campaign types
Welcome / Onboarding Drip
Winner: SequenzyIntroduce new subscribers to your brand or product
7/10 · Brevo
Good. Standard automation workflows for welcome series.
7/10 · MailerLite
Good. Simple welcome sequence builder.
9/10 · Sequenzy
Excellent. Pre-built SaaS onboarding sequences.
Both handle basic welcome drips well. Sequenzy excels for SaaS onboarding.
Lead Nurture Drip
Winner: SequenzyEducate and warm up leads over time
7/10 · Brevo
Good. Time-based sequences with content.
7/10 · MailerLite
Good. Simple nurture workflows.
7/10 · Sequenzy
Good. Drip sequences with engagement tracking.
All three tools handle lead nurture drips competently.
Re-engagement Drip
Winner: SequenzyWin back inactive subscribers
7/10 · Brevo
Good. Engagement-based segmentation.
6/10 · MailerLite
Moderate. Basic inactivity filtering.
8/10 · Sequenzy
Good. Churn risk detection.
Brevo has slightly better engagement tracking than MailerLite.
E-commerce Drip
Winner: SequenzyCart abandonment and post-purchase follow-ups
6/10 · Brevo
Moderate. Basic e-commerce automation.
6/10 · MailerLite
Moderate. E-commerce integrations available.
3/10 · Sequenzy
Not designed for e-commerce.
Neither excels at e-commerce drips. Consider dedicated e-commerce tools.
Trial-to-Paid Conversion
Winner: SequenzyConvert free trial users to paid customers
4/10 · Brevo
Weak. No native trial tracking.
4/10 · MailerLite
Weak. No SaaS-specific features.
9/10 · Sequenzy
Excellent. Native Stripe/Paddle/Lemon Squeezy trial detection.
Neither Brevo nor MailerLite is designed for SaaS trial conversion. Sequenzy is the clear choice.
For standard drip campaigns like welcome sequences and newsletters, either tool works well. For SaaS lifecycle drips (trial conversion, upsell, churn prevention), both fall short. Sequenzy is designed for these use cases.
Automation builder & editor
Builder features
| Feature | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual drag-and-drop editor | ✓ Drag-and-drop automation builder | ✓ Visual workflow builder | ✓ Clean builder for sequences |
| Multi-step branching | ✓ If/else conditions | ✓ Basic branching | ✓ Conditional paths |
| Webhook triggers | ✓ Webhook triggers available | — Not available | ✓ Webhook support |
| Wait conditions | ✓ Time delays and date-based | ✓ Time-based delays | ✓ Time and event waits |
| A/B split testing in flows | ✓ A/B testing in automations | ✓ A/B testing available | ✓ Subject and content testing |
| Pre-built automation templates | ✓ Automation recipes | ✓ Workflow templates | ✓ SaaS drip library |
Template editor
| Aspect | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editor type | Drag-and-drop visual editor | Drag-and-drop visual editor | Visual editor with code access |
| Pre-built templates | 40+ responsive templates | 70+ modern templates | SaaS-optimized templates |
| Mobile responsiveness | Automatic responsive design | Automatic responsive design | Automatic responsive design |
| Dynamic content support | Personalization variables | Merge fields and conditions | Dynamic billing variables |
| Brand consistency tools | Brand kit with colors | Brand assets management | Global brand settings |
Deliverability
| Factor | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average deliverability rate | 93-96% | 95-97% | 96-98% |
| Dedicated IP option | Yes, as add-on | Yes, on Advanced plan | Shared optimized pools |
| SPF/DKIM/DMARC support | Full support | Full support | Full support with guide |
| Bounce handling | Automatic management | Automatic with list cleaning | Automatic handling |
| Spam testing | Basic spam check | Built-in spam testing | Pre-send analysis |
MailerLite generally reports slightly better deliverability rates than Brevo. Both offer dedicated IPs for higher-tier customers who want more control.
Integrations
Brevo
65+
MailerLite
50+
Sequenzy
30+
Payment / Billing
Brevo
- — Stripe: Not native
- — PayPal: Not native
MailerLite
- ✓ Stripe: For payment collection
- — PayPal: Not available
Sequenzy
- ✓ Stripe: Native, deep integration
- ✓ Paddle: Native, deep integration
E-commerce
Brevo
- ✓ Shopify: Native integration
- ✓ WooCommerce: Plugin available
MailerLite
- ✓ Shopify: Native integration
- ✓ WooCommerce: Plugin available
Sequenzy
- — Shopify: Not available
- — WooCommerce: Not available
Form / Landing Pages
Brevo
- ✓ Built-in forms: Included
- ✓ Landing pages: Built-in builder
MailerLite
- ✓ Built-in forms: Included
- ✓ Landing pages: Built-in builder
Sequenzy
- — Built-in forms: Not available
- — Landing pages: Not available
Analytics & reporting
| Metric | Brevo | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open rate tracking | Yes, basic reporting | Yes, with campaign reports | Yes, with benchmarks |
| Click rate tracking | Yes, click maps | Yes, click tracking | Yes, per-link tracking |
| Revenue attribution | Basic e-commerce tracking | Basic revenue tracking | Native MRR attribution |
| Automation analytics | Workflow performance metrics | Automation reports | Sequence performance dashboards |
| Subscriber growth | List growth reports | Growth tracking dashboard | User growth analytics |
Only in Brevo
- Real-time activity feed
- WhatsApp analytics
- CRM reporting
Only in MailerLite
- Click heatmaps
- Survey analytics
- Website visitor tracking
Only in Sequenzy
- MRR impact reports
- Trial conversion funnels
- Churn analytics
Pros and cons
Brevo
Pros
- All-in-one platform with CRM, SMS, and chat
- Generous free plan with unlimited contacts
- Built-in transactional email capability
- WhatsApp marketing integration
- Good automation builder for the price
Cons
- Deliverability can be inconsistent
- Automation lacks depth for complex drips
- Interface can feel cluttered with features
- No native SaaS/billing integrations
- Email templates are fewer than competitors
MailerLite
Pros
- Extremely easy to use and set up
- Very affordable with generous free plan
- Clean, modern interface
- 70+ well-designed templates
- Built-in website and landing page builder
Cons
- Limited automation depth
- No webhook triggers for automations
- Segmentation is basic
- No SMS or multi-channel support
- Not designed for SaaS use cases
Best for these scenarios
Small business multi-channel marketing
Pick: BrevoYou want email, SMS, and CRM in one affordable tool.
Brevo provides email, SMS, WhatsApp, CRM, and chat in a single platform.
Creator or blogger drip campaigns
Pick: MailerLiteYou are a content creator wanting simple, affordable drip emails.
MailerLite is the easiest and cheapest option for creators and small publishers.
SaaS trial conversion drips
Pick: SequenzyYou want to convert SaaS trial users with billing-aware emails.
Neither Brevo nor MailerLite supports SaaS billing. Sequenzy has native Stripe, Paddle, and Lemon Squeezy integration.
Budget-first email marketing
Pick: MailerLitePrice is the primary factor for your email marketing decision.
MailerLite starts at $10/mo with a generous free plan.
SaaS onboarding drips
Pick: SequenzyYou need product-focused onboarding sequences for your SaaS.
Sequenzy provides pre-built SaaS onboarding sequences with billing awareness.
Migration plans
Brevo → MailerLite
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1-2 weeks
Warnings
- SMS and WhatsApp capabilities will be lost
- CRM data will need a separate tool
- Webhook-based automations cannot transfer
MailerLite → Brevo
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1-2 weeks
Warnings
- Some template designs may need adjustment
- Landing page URLs will change
- Survey features are not available in Brevo
| Direction | Step | Success criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Brevo → MailerLite | Export contacts from Brevo | Easy |
| Brevo → MailerLite | Import subscribers into MailerLite | Easy |
| Brevo → MailerLite | Recreate automation workflows | Easy |
| Brevo → MailerLite | Rebuild email templates using MailerLite editor | Easy |
| Brevo → MailerLite | Set up forms and landing pages | Easy |
| Brevo → MailerLite | Test all sequences | Easy |
| MailerLite → Brevo | Export subscribers from MailerLite | Easy |
| MailerLite → Brevo | Import contacts into Brevo | Easy |
| MailerLite → Brevo | Recreate automation workflows | Easy |
| MailerLite → Brevo | Rebuild templates in Brevo editor | Easy |
| MailerLite → Brevo | Set up any SMS or CRM features | Easy |
| MailerLite → Brevo | Test sequences and verify deliverability | Easy |
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for drip email campaigns, Brevo or MailerLite?
They are very close for basic drip campaigns. Brevo offers more channel variety (email, SMS, WhatsApp), while MailerLite is simpler and cheaper. Neither excels at complex or SaaS-specific drips.
Can I use Brevo or MailerLite for SaaS drip emails?
You can set up basic drip sequences with either tool, but neither has SaaS-specific features like billing integration or trial tracking. For SaaS drip emails, Sequenzy is a better fit.
Which has better deliverability?
MailerLite generally reports slightly higher deliverability rates (95-97%) compared to Brevo (93-96%). Both offer dedicated IPs for improved control.
Is it worth paying for Brevo if MailerLite is cheaper?
If you need SMS, CRM, or WhatsApp alongside email, Brevo is worth the premium. For pure email marketing with drip campaigns, MailerLite offers better value.
Which should you choose?
Choose Brevo if…
- You want an all-in-one platform with CRM, SMS, and chat
- WhatsApp marketing is part of your strategy
- You need transactional email alongside marketing drips
- You prefer unlimited contacts with email-volume pricing
Choose MailerLite if…
- Simplicity and ease of use are your top priorities
- You want the cheapest option for pure email marketing
- You are a creator, blogger, or small business
- You need landing pages and website builder alongside email
Also consider Sequenzy
Best for SaaS companies needing drip sequences with native billing integration. From $19/month with native Stripe, Paddle, and Lemon Squeezy billing events for dunning and trial conversion.
Related comparisons
Browse the full comparison library, the 15-tool shortlist, or the drip strategy guides.