That Marketing Buddy

Alternatives

EmailOctopus alternatives for when you need more than sending

By Joonas Rotko, ex-agency co-owner, 11+ years spending real marketing budgets

Prices verified · How I choose, and how I earn from this page

If EmailOctopus now feels too bare for your business, I'd start with MailerLite. It keeps the clean, simple feel but adds dozens of automations, landing pages, a website builder and a native Shopify app on its cheapest paid plan. Sender is the pick if you want those extras and still pay nothing. Prices checked 30 Sep 2026.

Every price below is for one small business list of a few thousand contacts. EmailOctopus itself isn't priced here, because this list fits its free plan:

  • 1 business
  • about 2,500 contacts
  • a few sends a month
  • 1 person running it

Who this is for. Small business owners on EmailOctopus who like how easy it is but keep running into what it leaves out: short sequences on the free plan, no SMS, no built-in cart emails and no native store connection.

My picks for different needs

Find the line that sounds like you. Each pick links to the full reasoning below.

  1. I want more features but the same easy feel

    Automations, landing pages and a Shopify app on Comfort.

    Why this one
    MailerLite logo

    MailerLite

    My default

    $29.70/moannual

    See MailerLite plansAffiliate link

  2. I want more features and still pay nothing

    Unlimited workflows, cart emails and a Shopify app on the free plan.

    Why this one
    Sender logo

    Sender

    $0

    See Sender plansAffiliate link

  3. I want SMS and email in one place

    SMS campaigns on every plan, plus cart recovery on the free plan.

    Why this one
    Brevo logo

    Brevo

    $0

    See Brevo plansAffiliate link

  4. I want a stronger workflow builder for a small bill

    Multi-step workflows, cart tracking and unlimited sends on Pro.

    Why this one
    Moosend logo

    Moosend

    $26/moannual

    See Moosend plansAffiliate link

  5. I sell digital products to my list

    Automations, paid subscriptions and checkout recovery on Creator.

    Why this one
    Kit logo

    Kit

    $50/moannual

    See Kit plansAffiliate link

  6. I want the deepest automation and can pay for it

    Behaviour-based automation, with no limit on actions from Plus.

    Why this one
    ActiveCampaign logo

    ActiveCampaign

    $39/moannual

    See ActiveCampaign plansAffiliate link

What you gain and give up by leaving EmailOctopus

EmailOctopus describes itself as email marketing and nothing else, and it keeps that promise: a tidy editor, a free plan for 2,500 subscribers and low Pro prices. People leave when the business needs more around the email, such as longer automations, store events, text messages or more pages to collect sign-ups.

What you gain

  • Longer, smarter automations: Sender's free plan already includes unlimited workflows, and MailerLite Comfort holds 50 automations. EmailOctopus Starter keeps sequences short (Up to 3 advanced sequences, up to 5 steps per sequence, no multiple triggers).
  • Store connections that send cart emails: Sender, MailerLite and Brevo all list abandoned-cart flows and native Shopify apps, while EmailOctopus relies on Zapier, Make or a third-party app.
  • SMS from the same account. Brevo includes SMS campaigns on every plan, and Sender and Kit add them on paid plans. EmailOctopus is email only.

What you give up

  • Some of the simplicity. Every pick has more menus than EmailOctopus, and ActiveCampaign has many more.
  • Low paid prices. EmailOctopus Pro is among the cheapest paid plans for this list size, and most picks cost more once you pay.
  • Unlimited users on the paid plan. EmailOctopus Pro includes unlimited users; several picks charge by the seat or cap them.

When to stay. If you send a newsletter and a short welcome series, EmailOctopus is still a good home. Starter covers 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month for free, and Pro lifts the sequence limit cheaply. Move when you need store events, SMS or a bigger set of tools.

The tools side by side

Each row is the plan I priced for this list, with its users, its automation and how you can start.

Kit: I priced Creator. Creator is priced here because Kit's free plan has no automations.

one small business list, one person: plan priced, monthly and annual cost, Users, Automation on this plan, Free start
Tool and planCost per monthUsersAutomation on this planFree start
MailerLiteComfort

$29.70annual

$33 monthly

350Free plan and a 14-day trial
SenderFree ForeverFree1Email automation included: unlimited workflows, triggers and automation steps (no SMS automation, no auto-resend to non-openers)Free plan and a 14-day trial
BrevoFreeFree1Limited to 2,000 contactsFree plan
MoosendPro

$26annual

$32 monthly

5Yes30-day trial
KitCreator

$50annual

$59 monthly

2YesFree plan and a 14-day trial
ActiveCampaignStarter

$39annual

$49 monthly

15 actions per automation14-day trial

Six picks, in the order I'd consider them

Each one says who it is for, what it costs for a small business list, and what you give up.

MailerLite logo

MailerLite

Best next step from EmailOctopus

Desk research

Choose it if

You like EmailOctopus's clean editor but need more automations, more sign-up pages and a store connection.

Consider Sender instead if

You want similar extras without paying, and Sender's branding in your emails is fine.

Why it fits a small business list

MailerLite feels close to EmailOctopus to use, then gives you more around the email. Comfort holds 50 automations, 10 websites and landing pages, ecommerce triggers and a native Shopify app, against 1 landing page on EmailOctopus Starter. For this list it is $29.70/month billed annually.

The plan I priced

Comfort for this list is $33/month billed monthly, or $29.70/month billed annually, after a 14-day trial with no card.

Closest alternative

Sender becomes the better choice when keeping the bill at zero matters more than MailerLite's website builder.
MailerLite homepageSee MailerLite plans
MailerLite homepage, captured

A small business list: Comfort

Billed annually

$29.70/mo

Billed monthly

$33/mo

Above 200,000 subscribers: no bigger plan is published.

The trade-off

You start paying sooner: MailerLite's free plan stops at 250 subscribers, far below EmailOctopus Starter, and paid plans move up a band on their own as the list grows.
What my review says

Best for: An EmailOctopus user who wants a fuller toolkit without a harder tool.

Skip it if a free plan for a few thousand subscribers is the reason you chose EmailOctopus.

Strengths

  • Dozens of automations and several landing pages on the cheapest paid plan.
  • A native Shopify app and ecommerce triggers, which EmailOctopus lacks.

Limits

  • A free plan far smaller than EmailOctopus Starter.
  • Costs more than EmailOctopus Pro for the same list.
See MailerLite plansMy MailerLite reviewMailerLite pricingAffiliate link
EmailOctopus alternatives for when you need more than sending
Sender logo

Sender

Best free upgrade in features

Desk research

Choose it if

You want to stay on a free plan but need longer automations and a store connection.

Consider MailerLite instead if

You want landing pages and a website builder too, and a small bill is fine.

Why it fits a small business list

Sender's Free Forever plan matches EmailOctopus Starter on list size, 2,500 subscribers, and sends up to 15,000 emails a month. Its automation has no workflow cap, abandoned-cart flows run from a native Shopify app, and Standard adds SMS campaigns when you want them.

The plan I priced

Free Forever covers this list at no cost. Standard starts at $9/month billed monthly for the smallest band and removes the branding.

Closest alternative

Brevo becomes the better choice when you want SMS on the free plan and only send to part of the list each day.
Sender homepageSee Sender plans
Sender homepage, captured

A small business list: Free Forever

Free plan

$0

Above 2,500 subscribers: Standard (+$39/mo billed annually).

The trade-off

The free plan puts Sender branding in your emails and has 1 user, and Sender publishes no refund policy. This list sits right at the free ceiling, so growth means paying.
What my review says

Best for: An EmailOctopus user who wants more automation and store features without a bill.

Skip it if you need several people in the account and don't want to pay.

Strengths

  • Unlimited automation workflows on the free plan.
  • A native Shopify app with abandoned-cart flows.

Limits

  • Sender branding on free emails.
  • One user on the free plan.
See Sender plansMy Sender reviewAffiliate link
EmailOctopus alternatives for when you need more than sending
Brevo logo

Brevo

Best for adding SMS to your email

Hands-on

Choose it if

You want to text customers as well as email them, and you send to your list a few times a month.

Consider Sender instead if

You want to email the whole list in one go on a free plan.

Why it fits a small business list

Brevo covers the channels EmailOctopus leaves out. SMS campaigns are on every plan, abandoned-cart recovery runs even on Free, and a native Shopify app syncs orders. The free plan stores up to 100,000 contacts.

The plan I priced

The free plan stores this list but caps daily sending. Starter lifts the cap from $9/month billed monthly for its smallest sending band.

Closest alternative

Kit becomes the better choice when you sell digital products and want SMS inside your workflows.
Brevo homepageSee Brevo plans
Brevo homepage, captured

A small business list: Free

Free plan

$0

Above 100,000 subscribers: Starter (+$28.75/mo billed annually).

The trade-off

Free sends only 300 emails a day, so one campaign to this list takes days, and automation on Free and Starter is capped by contact count (Limited to 2,000 contacts). SMS credits cost extra.
What my review says

Best for: An EmailOctopus user who wants SMS and store features beside email.

Skip it if you want to send one campaign to your whole list on the same day without paying.

Strengths

  • SMS campaigns on every plan, which EmailOctopus doesn't offer at all.
  • Abandoned-cart recovery and a Shopify app, even on Free.

Limits

  • A daily sending cap on the free plan.
  • Automation limited by contact count below Standard.
See Brevo plansMy Brevo reviewBrevo pricingAffiliate link
EmailOctopus alternatives for when you need more than sending
Moosend logo

Moosend

Best workflow builder for a small bill

Desk research

Choose it if

Automation is the main gap and you want a visual workflow builder without moving to an expensive tool.

Consider ActiveCampaign instead if

You need the deepest branching and a CRM, and a much higher bill is fine.

Why it fits a small business list

Moosend is the cheapest way here to get a full workflow builder. Pro tracks product views, carts and purchases for its flows, sends without a cap and includes 5 users. For this list it is $26/month billed annually.

The plan I priced

Pro for this list is $32/month billed monthly, or $26/month billed annually.

Closest alternative

MailerLite becomes the better choice when you want landing pages and a Shopify app more than a deeper builder.
Moosend homepageSee Moosend plans
Moosend homepage, captured

A small business list: Pro

Billed annually

$26/mo

Billed monthly

$32/mo

Above 1,000,000 subscribers: no bigger plan is published.

The trade-off

There is no free plan, only a 30-day trial, and Moosend has no native Shopify app listed. It costs more than EmailOctopus Pro for the same list.
What my review says

Best for: An EmailOctopus user whose real need is a stronger automation builder.

Skip it if you are on EmailOctopus mainly because it is free.

Strengths

  • Visual multi-step workflows with cart and purchase tracking.
  • Unlimited sends, priced only by list size.

Limits

  • No free plan to fall back on.
  • No native Shopify app.
See Moosend plansMy Moosend reviewMoosend pricingAffiliate link
EmailOctopus alternatives for when you need more than sending
Kit logo

Kit

Best if you sell to your subscribers

Desk research

Choose it if

You are a coach, writer or creator and want to sell digital products or subscriptions to the same list you email.

Consider MailerLite instead if

You sell services locally and want landing pages more than product sales.

Why it fits a small business list

Kit, formerly ConvertKit, goes further than EmailOctopus where creators need it. Creator includes visual automations and sequences, paid subscriptions, SMS and abandoned-checkout recovery for Shopify, Fourthwall and Wix. Kit has no sending limits on any plan.

The plan I priced

Creator: the card shows its price for this list. It starts at $39/month billed monthly for the smallest list, after a 14-day trial without a card.

Closest alternative

Brevo becomes the better choice when you want SMS and cart emails for a store, not a creator business.
Kit homepageSee Kit plans
Kit homepage, captured

A small business list: Creator

Billed annually

$50/mo

Billed monthly

$59/mo

The trade-off

Kit's free plan has no automations, so the features that matter here need Creator, the costliest plan on this page for this list. Creator includes 2 users, fewer than EmailOctopus Pro.
What my review says

Best for: A creator on EmailOctopus who wants to sell to the list as well as email it.

Skip it if you run a local or service business with nothing to sell online.

Strengths

  • Paid subscriptions and digital product sales on Creator.
  • No sending limits on any plan.

Limits

  • No automations on the free plan.
  • Fewer users than EmailOctopus Pro.
See Kit plansMy Kit reviewKit pricingAffiliate link
EmailOctopus alternatives for when you need more than sending
ActiveCampaign logo

ActiveCampaign

Most automation, at the highest price

Desk research

Choose it if

You want follow-ups that branch on clicks, purchases and form answers, and a CRM may follow.

Consider Moosend instead if

You want a capable workflow builder for a fraction of the price.

Why it fits a small business list

ActiveCampaign is the far end of the automation scale from EmailOctopus. Starter for this list is $39/month billed annually, with abandoned-cart flows, a Shopify connection and automations capped at 5 actions per automation. Plus removes that cap and opens the CRM add-on.

The plan I priced

Starter for this list is $49/month billed monthly, or $39/month billed annually. ActiveCampaign refunds within 30 days.

Closest alternative

Moosend becomes the better choice when a visual builder is enough and the bill matters.
ActiveCampaign homepageSee ActiveCampaign plans
ActiveCampaign homepage, captured

A small business list: Starter

Billed annually

$39/mo

Billed monthly

$49/mo

Above 25,000 subscribers: Plus (+$410/mo billed annually).

The trade-off

ActiveCampaign has no free plan, and Starter includes 1 user, against unlimited users on EmailOctopus Pro. Only Kit Creator costs more on this page.
What my review says

Best for: An EmailOctopus user ready to pay for serious automation.

Skip it if you only need longer sequences, which EmailOctopus Pro already gives you cheaply.

Strengths

  • Automation that branches on behaviour, with cart flows on every plan.
  • A route to a CRM add-on from Plus.

Limits

  • A high bill for a list this size.
  • One user on Starter, and no free plan.
See ActiveCampaign plansMy ActiveCampaign reviewActiveCampaign pricingAffiliate link
EmailOctopus alternatives for when you need more than sending

What a small business list really costs

Bars show the monthly cost on yearly billing. Sender's bar is empty because the list fits its free plan, and Brevo has none because its free plan caps daily sending.

Kit: priced on Creator. Creator is priced here because Kit's free plan has no automations.

Dollar prices, per month (billed annually where sold)

Pay monthly or yearly?

What yearly billing saves on the same plan.

  • MailerLite$33 monthly, $29.70 yearly: 10% less
  • Moosend$32 monthly, $26 yearly: 19% less
  • Kit$59 monthly, $50 yearly: 15% less
  • ActiveCampaign$49 monthly, $39 yearly: 20% less

When you'll outgrow the plan

The first limit you hit, and the next plan up.

  • MailerLite: above 200,000 subscribers, no bigger plan is published
  • Sender: above 2,500 subscribers, Standard (+$39/mo)
  • Brevo: above 100,000 subscribers, Starter (+$28.75/mo)
  • Moosend: above 1,000,000 subscribers, no bigger plan is published
  • ActiveCampaign: above 25,000 subscribers, Plus (+$410/mo)
How I calculated this

Workload: 1 business, about 2,500 contacts, a few sends a month, 1 person running it.

Each tool is priced on the cheapest plan that holds a list of a few thousand contacts. Kit is the exception: its free plan holds the list but has no automations, so Creator is priced.

    Other options, and why they missed the list

    I kept the list to tools that add what EmailOctopus leaves out (longer automations, store events, SMS or selling tools) and publish prices for a list of a few thousand. Pure newsletter platforms sit in their own guide.

    • Mailchimp logo

      Mailchimp

      More features than EmailOctopus and a familiar name, but it costs more than MailerLite or Sender for this list and its free plan is small.

    • Klaviyo logo

      Klaviyo

      Deep store automation and SMS, but priced for online shops with real order volume, not a small business list.

    How I chose, and how I earn from this page

    Joonas Rotko

    Who is behind this guide

    Joonas Rotko

    I co-ran a marketing agency in Finland and spent more than ten years buying SEO and marketing software with real client budgets. I write these guides for the person who has to pay for the tool and use it.

    More about me and how I review

    Affiliate disclosure

    Some of these links are affiliate links, and I earn a commission if you buy through them, at no cost to you. EmailOctopus and every pick here are affiliate partners, so commission doesn't decide the order. Order follows fit for someone who needs more than EmailOctopus offers.

    How this guide was prepared

    What I did

    • I priced one small business with a list of a few thousand contacts, a few sends a month and one person running it, from each vendor's pricing page on the date beside its source link.
    • Each tool is priced on the cheapest plan that covers the list, except Kit, which is priced on Creator because its free plan has no automations.
    • Brevo's free plan stores this list but caps daily sending, so its card has no bar in the cost chart.
    • Every pick is desk research from published plans and help pages.

    What to keep in mind

    • Contact-priced ladders change often, so check your own list size before buying.
    • Automation depth is described from plan tables, not scored.
    • EmailOctopus offers no trial, only its free plan, so it is compared on that plan.
    Sources and verification dates

    Prices and limits checked on 11 vendor pages. Oldest check: 30 Sep 2026.

    • : Rebuilt for small business owners who need more than EmailOctopus's sending tools, with every pick priced for one list from October 2026 vendor prices.
    Spot something out of date?Vendors and readers, send me the correct fact.

    Software sites change almost every week, and I want every claim on this page to be factually correct. If you are a vendor or a reader, send me the correct fact and a link to the official page. I will check it and update the page. The opinions and rankings stay mine.

    I only change a fact when the official page shows it.

    Free. I use your details only to follow up. Privacy

    Questions people ask

    What is the best EmailOctopus alternative?

    MailerLite for most small businesses. Comfort adds 50 automations, landing pages and a Shopify app for $29.70/month billed annually on this list. If you want to stay free, Sender is the closer match.

    Is there a cheaper alternative to EmailOctopus?

    Sender costs the same, nothing, for this list: Free Forever covers 2,500 subscribers with unlimited workflows. Kit's free plan holds even more subscribers but has no automations.

    Why do people leave EmailOctopus?

    Mostly for features around the email. The free plan keeps automation short (Up to 3 advanced sequences, up to 5 steps per sequence, no multiple triggers), and EmailOctopus offers no SMS, no native abandoned-cart flow and no native Shopify app.

    Does EmailOctopus do SMS or abandoned cart emails?

    No SMS: EmailOctopus is email only. For carts it documents only a Zapier-based Shopify connection that updates contacts, not a built-in cart flow. Sender, MailerLite and Brevo all run cart emails from native Shopify apps.

    Which alternative has the best free plan?

    Sender, for a small business: 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails a month and unlimited workflows. Brevo stores more contacts free but sends 300 a day, and Kit holds 10,000 subscribers without automations.

    Which email tool is easiest to move to from EmailOctopus?

    MailerLite and Sender feel the most familiar, with a similar drag-and-drop editor and short setup. Export your EmailOctopus list as a file, import it, then rebuild your forms and sequences.

    Compare two of them head to head

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