Brevo Review 2026: Still the Value King or Just Cheap?
If you have a massive contact list but don’t email them every day, Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is the biggest cheat code in marketing. While Mailchimp charges you for storing contacts, Brevo charges only for what you send.
In this 2026 review, we strip away the marketing hype to analyze if Brevo’s “Unlimited Contacts” promise holds up for scaling businesses, or if their automation limits will force you to migrate.
The Pricing Table (2026 Reality)
Brevo’s pricing model is unique: Pay per Email, not per Contact. This makes it 4-5x cheaper than competitors for “contact hoarders.”
| Plan | Cost (Monthly) | The “Gotchas” & Limits | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 300 emails / day limit Brevo Logo on footer | Testing / Tiny Newsletters |
| Starter | From $25 / mo | 20,000 emails / mo No Landing Page Builder Basic Reporting | Small Biz / Side Projects |
| Business | From $65 / mo | Includes “No Logo” Unlimited Automation Facebook Ads integration | E-commerce & Agencies |
| Enterprise | Custom | Priority Support SSO & Sub-accounts | High Volume Senders |
The “Hidden Costs” & Limitations
Brevo is affordable, but they make their margins elsewhere. Here is what you need to budget for in 2026:
- The “Lite” Branding Tax: On the Starter plan (even if you pay $40/mo), your emails will still say “Sent by Brevo” at the bottom. To remove this logo, you must pay an extra add-on fee or upgrade to the Business plan ($65/mo).
- SMS & WhatsApp are Pre-paid: These are not included in the monthly plans. You buy “credits” separately.
- Example: Sending 1,000 SMS in the US costs ~$10-15 extra. Do not assume your $25 subscription covers this.
- Marketing Automation Limits: On Free and Starter plans, you are limited to 2,000 contacts entering an automated workflow. If you want to run a “Welcome Sequence” for 5,000 people, you get forced into the Business tier.
- Strict Compliance: Brevo is based in Europe (GDPR heavy). They are aggressive about banning accounts with low open rates or spam complaints. You cannot buy a list and upload it here; you will be banned instantly.
💰 The Maths: Brevo vs. Mailchimp
Let’s calculate the cost for a list of 10,000 contacts sending 2 newsletters a month (20k emails total).
- Mailchimp (Standard): Charges for 10k contacts = ~$135 / month.
- Brevo (Starter): Charges for 20k emails = ~$25 / month.
Verdict: Brevo saves you $1,320 per year simply because they don’t tax you for having a large database.
Key Features: What Actually Works?
- Email Builder: It’s functional but rigid. Not as fluid as Canva-style editors, but reliable.
- Transactional Emails (SMTP): This is Brevo’s secret weapon. You can use their API to send password resets and invoices with excellent deliverability (97%+).
- CRM (Free): It’s very basic. Good for storing notes, bad for managing complex B2B sales pipelines. Do not replace Salesforce with this.
- Conversations: The chat widget is surprisingly good and connects to Instagram/Facebook DM, creating a unified inbox for support.
Verdict: Who Should Buy It?
- ✅ YES, if: You have a large email list but send infrequent campaigns (e.g., monthly newsletters). The “Unlimited Contacts” model will save you a fortune. Also excellent for developers needing a cheap SMTP relay.
- ❌ NO, if: You need complex visual automation funnels (use ActiveCampaign) or if you are a non-techie who needs 24/7 phone support (Brevo support can be slow on lower tiers).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Does the Free plan expire?
No, it’s free forever. But the 300 emails/day limit makes it useless for launching a campaign to a list of 500 people. It’s strictly for testing or tiny drip campaigns.
2. Can I remove the Brevo logo?
Only if you buy the “Lite+ Add-on” (extra monthly cost) or upgrade to the Business plan. The base Starter plan includes the branding.
3. How is the deliverability in 2026?
Solid for Europe and US. Since they are strict on spam, their IP reputation is generally high. However, if you are on a shared IP (Starter plan), you are at the mercy of other users. High-volume senders should buy a Dedicated IP.
