MailerLite's free plan reduction to 500 subscribers in September 2025 has pushed thousands of B2B SaaS companies to explore alternatives with better value, stronger automation, and more predictable pricing. From all-in-one powerhouses like Brevo to automation leaders like ActiveCampaign, these seven alternatives address the limitations that growing companies encounter with MailerLite's basic workflows and constrained feature set. This analysis examines each platform's strengths, pricing models, and ideal use cases to help marketing leaders select the right email infrastructure for their go-to-market architecture.

Key Takeaways

• Pricing models determine scaling predictability: MailerLite charges per subscriber while Brevo charges per email sent—a critical distinction when your contact list grows faster than your sending frequency

• Free plan generosity varies dramatically: Sender offers 2,500 subscribers with unlimited automation versus MailerLite's reduced 500 contacts, making it the clear winner for bootstrapped teams

• Automation sophistication separates tiers: ActiveCampaign delivers 900+ pre-built automation workflows compared to MailerLite's basic sequences—essential for B2B SaaS lifecycle marketing

• Multi-channel capabilities reduce tool sprawl: Brevo integrates email, SMS, WhatsApp, and CRM in one platform, eliminating the need for separate transactional email services that MailerLite requires

• Deliverability rates impact campaign ROI directly: GetResponse maintains 99% deliverability while some alternatives struggle with inbox placement—test before committing

The email marketing landscape has shifted toward integrated platforms that combine automation, CRM, and multi-channel messaging. While MailerLite remains popular for its simplicity, B2B SaaS companies outgrow its capabilities quickly when implementing sophisticated demand generation strategies.

According to independent testing from EmailToolTester, "Brevo's free plan generally gives you more than MailerLite... you won't have access to newsletter or landing page templates on MailerLite's free plan, which is a pretty big limitation."

1. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) — Best Overall Value for Multi-Channel Marketing

Brevo emerges as the strongest MailerLite alternative in 2025, combining email marketing with SMS, WhatsApp, CRM, and transactional messaging at a fraction of competitor pricing.

Key Features:

• Email pricing based on sends, not subscribers—up to 100,000 contacts on free plan

• Built-in CRM, SMS, WhatsApp, and Live Chat included

• Transactional email integrated (MailerLite requires separate MailerSend)

• Free plan allows 300 emails/day

• Marketing automation workflows across all channels

• Landing page builder with conversion tracking

Pricing Structure:

• Free: $0/month (up to 300 emails per day; up to 100,000 stored contacts on the free plan)

• Starter: from $9/month (removes daily sending limits; entry tier around 5,000 emails/month with included contact storage)

• Standard: from $18/month (adds unlimited marketing automation, A/B testing, and advanced reports)

• Enterprise: Custom pricing (unlimited users, custom email volumes, enterprise-grade features and SLAs)

The platform's integrated approach proves invaluable for companies implementing lifecycle marketing programs, eliminating the multiple subscriptions that MailerLite requires for comparable functionality. Brevo earns a 4.5/5 G2 rating from 2,470+ reviews with users praising its value proposition.

For B2B SaaS companies, Brevo's email-based pricing model offers significant cost savings. A company with 10,000 contacts sending 20,000 emails monthly pays based on volume—not list size. EmailVendorSelection reports 99% deliverability rates, matching enterprise-grade alternatives at budget-friendly pricing.

2. ActiveCampaign — Most Powerful Automation for B2B SaaS

ActiveCampaign stands out as the automation leader for companies that have outgrown MailerLite's basic workflows, delivering CRM integration and AI-powered campaign optimization.

Standout Capabilities:

• 900+ pre-built workflows

• Integrated CRM with sales automation and deal tracking

• AI-powered predictive sending and content generation

• Advanced segmentation with behavioral triggers

• Lead scoring across marketing and sales activities

• Site tracking and event-based automation

Pricing Structure:

• Free: $0 (14-day trial with email sign-up)

• Starter: Starts at $15/month (10x contact limit)

• Plus: Starts at $49/month (10x contact limit)

• Pro: Starts at $79/month (12x contact limit)

• Enterprise: Starts at $145/month (15x contact limit)

According to Campaign Monitor's analysis, "ActiveCampaign stands out with its deeply customizable automation capabilities and integrated CRM, making it ideal for businesses that want to create sophisticated, personalized customer journeys beyond what MailerLite can offer."

Implementation requires 2-4 weeks versus MailerLite's simpler setup, but the investment pays dividends for teams implementing AI-powered GTM workflows. ActiveCampaign maintains a 4.5/5 G2 rating from 14,470+ reviews—the highest review count among alternatives.

3. Klaviyo — Purpose-Built for Ecommerce and Subscription SaaS

Klaviyo dominates the ecommerce email space with predictive analytics and revenue attribution that MailerLite simply cannot match.

Ecommerce Excellence:

• 183,000+ brands using the platform

• AI-powered product recommendations based on purchase behavior

• Deep integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento

• Predictive analytics for customer lifetime value and churn

• Revenue attribution tracking per campaign and flow

• Customer Hub for self-service and AI Customer Agent

Pricing Structure:

• Free: $0/month (up to 250 active contacts, 500 monthly email sends, plus a limited allotment of SMS/WhatsApp credits)

• Email: From $45/month (email-only plan with 15,000 monthly email sends; pricing scales by contact count)

• Email & SMS: From $60/month (with 15,000 monthly emails and starter messaging credits; pricing scales by contacts and messaging volume)

Campaign Monitor notes that "Klaviyo is purpose-built for e-commerce brands, offering deep integration with online stores and powerful data-driven marketing tools that far exceed MailerLite's e-commerce capabilities."

For SaaS companies with subscription models or online stores, Klaviyo's 4.6/5 G2 rating reflects exceptional satisfaction among ecommerce marketers. The platform's segmentation based on purchase history and browsing behavior supports product-led growth strategies that drive expansion revenue.