That Marketing Buddy

EmailOctopus vs Sender: which is cheaper once your list outgrows the free plan?

Joonas Rotko
Joonas Rotko

SEO & GEO professional · Email marketing and CRM platforms · Verified

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EmailOctopus logo

EmailOctopus

Desk research

From Pro, billed annually

$9/mo

$10/mo billed monthly

EmailOctopus homepage
Sender logo

Sender

Desk research

From Standard, billed annually

$9/mo

$9/mo billed monthly

Sender homepage

Quick answer

EmailOctopus is cheaper once you pay. At 5,000 subscribers on monthly billing, EmailOctopus Pro costs $31.50/month billed monthly and Sender Standard costs $39/month billed monthly. Pro also includes unlimited seats, where Sender Standard includes 3. Sender wins on the free plan: both cover up to 2,500 subscribers, but Sender allows 15,000 emails a month and lists email automation, against 10,000 emails on EmailOctopus Starter. Sender's annual price is a first-year deal that renews at its monthly rate. Prices verified 19 Oct 2026.

Across the three setups below: EmailOctopus in 2 of 3 scenarios.

Which one fits you?

  1. Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier

    Sender logo

    Sender

    My pick

    $0/mo billed annually

    A 500-subscriber list fits the free plan on both, so EmailOctopus Starter costs $0/month billed monthly and Sender Free costs $0/month billed monthly on monthly billing. Sender's free plan allows 15,000 emails a month and lists email automation. EmailOctopus Starter allows 10,000 emails a month and publishes no automation limits.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    The price ties at zero, so I'd pick on what the free plan includes. Sender gives you a higher monthly send cap, email automation, landing pages and signup forms. EmailOctopus Starter limits you to 1 landing page and keeps reports for 30 days.

    Skip it if you want your own branding on a free plan, or a second login. EmailOctopus Starter and Sender Free both carry the vendor's branding and include 1 seat.

    See Sender plans

  2. Growing list, sending regularly

    EmailOctopus logo

    EmailOctopus

    My pick

    $28/mo billed annually

    At 5,000 subscribers, EmailOctopus Pro costs $31.50/month billed monthly and Sender Standard costs $39/month billed monthly. On annual billing EmailOctopus Pro costs $28/month billed annually and Sender Standard costs $39/month billed annually, which is its renewal rate from year two. EmailOctopus is the cheaper one on both bases.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    Skip it if you are a new Sender customer paying annually and plan to leave after year one. The 30% first-year discount puts Sender's first-year annual price slightly under EmailOctopus Pro at this size, and then it renews at the higher rate.

    See EmailOctopus plans

  3. Small team managing one list together

    EmailOctopus logo

    EmailOctopus

    My pick

    $12/mo billed annually

    For three people on a 1,000-subscriber list, EmailOctopus Pro costs $13.50/month billed monthly and includes unlimited seats. Sender Standard costs $15/month billed monthly and includes 3 seats, so three people fill it exactly. On annual billing EmailOctopus Pro costs $12/month billed annually and Sender renews at $15/month billed annually.

    Why this pick, and when to skip it

    Skip it if you are a new Sender customer paying annually and will stay only a year. The first-year discount puts Sender slightly under EmailOctopus at this size. A fourth login on Sender also means moving up to Professional, which EmailOctopus Pro doesn't require.

    See EmailOctopus plans

Neither fits? See the alternatives, or take the tool finder.

How are EmailOctopus and Sender really different?

  • Free plan

    Both cap the list at the same size. Sender's free plan has a higher send cap and lists more features, so it is the better place to start.

    EmailOctopus

    Starter: up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month, 1 seat, 1 landing page, reports kept 30 days, EmailOctopus branding on emails.

    Sender

    Free: up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, 1 seat, with email automation, landing pages and signup forms listed, and Sender branding.

  • Price once you pay

    Sender is cheaper only at the very smallest paid band on monthly billing. From 1,000 subscribers up, EmailOctopus Pro is the cheaper plan, and the gap widens as the list grows.

    EmailOctopus

    Pro starts at $10/month billed monthly at 500 subscribers, or $9/month billed annually, and rises through a long ladder of list-size bands up to 500,000 subscribers.

    Sender

    Standard starts at $9/month billed monthly at 500 subscribers, and rises with the list up to 200,000 subscribers on the main pricing page, with a separate high-volume page above that.

  • What annual billing saves

    Sender's discount is larger but lasts one year. EmailOctopus's annual rate is a standing rate rather than an intro offer, so EmailOctopus is the cheaper annual plan from year two.

    EmailOctopus

    A lower per-month rate than monthly billing on every band.

    Sender

    30% off the first year for new customers only. From year two, annual billing costs the same per month as monthly billing.

  • Seats

    A team of four or more fits EmailOctopus Pro at its base price. On Sender it means Professional.

    EmailOctopus

    1 on Starter, unlimited on Pro.

    Sender

    1 on Free, 3 on Standard, 10 on Professional.

  • Trying a paid plan

    Only Sender lets you test a paid plan before paying. On EmailOctopus you try the free plan, then commit to Pro.

    EmailOctopus

    No trial. The free Starter plan has no time limit and needs no card, and Pro can be cancelled before the next billing period.

    Sender

    A 14-day trial of Professional, started from the free plan with no card. The pricing page states no refund policy.

What will EmailOctopus or Sender cost for your setup?

The cheapest plan that covers each setup, add-ons included. Prices exclude VAT.

Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier

500 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 1 user

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

EmailOctopus

$0
$0

Starter

Above 2,500 subscribers: Pro (+$28/mo, billed annually).

Sender

My pick
$0
$0

Free Forever

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

See Sender plans
Usage, limits and billing

EmailOctopus

  • Uses 500 of 2,500 subscribers.
  • On monthly billing: $0 a year.
  • On annual billing: $0 a year.

Sender

  • Uses 500 of 2,500 subscribers.
  • On monthly billing: $0 a year.
  • On annual billing: $0 a year.

Growing list, sending regularly

5,000 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 1 user

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

EmailOctopus

My pick
$31.50
$28

Pro

Above 500,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

Sender

$39
$39

Standard

Above 200,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

See EmailOctopus plans
Usage, limits and billing

EmailOctopus

  • Uses 5,000 of 500,000 subscribers.
  • On monthly billing: $378 a year.
  • On annual billing: $336 a year.

Sender

  • Uses 5,000 of 200,000 subscribers.
  • On monthly billing: $468 a year.
  • On annual billing: $468 a year.

Small team managing one list together

1,000 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 3 users

ToolMonthlyYearly, per month

EmailOctopus

My pick
$13.50
$12

Pro

Above 500,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

Sender

$15
$15

Standard

Above 200,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

See EmailOctopus plans
Usage, limits and billing

EmailOctopus

  • Uses 1,000 of 500,000 subscribers.
  • On monthly billing: $162 a year.
  • On annual billing: $144 a year.

Sender

  • Uses 1,000 of 200,000 subscribers.
  • On monthly billing: $180 a year.
  • On annual billing: $180 a year.
How I calculated this

For each tool I price every current plan plus the add-ons a setup needs, from the vendor's published prices only, and take the cheapest. Monthly and annual billing are priced separately. When a limit or price isn't published, the tool shows as not fitting instead of a guess.

  • Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier: A list of about 500 contacts, just past the free tiers most vendors offer. One login. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.
  • Growing list, sending regularly: A list of 5,000 contacts, sending regularly. One login. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.
  • Small team managing one list together: Three people logging in to the same 1,000-contact list. Seats, not list size, are the deciding limit. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.

EmailOctopus vs Sender side by side

I compare email/CRM platforms on: Real cost per list size, both billing bases; Free-tier contact ceiling before you must pay anything; Team seats included, and the seat price past that; List segmentation depth; Automation workflow depth and any step/action limits; Deliverability and sending limits (emails per month, per day, or per rolling window); CRM and ecommerce integration depth; What happens past your plan's contact ceiling (overage pricing vs a forced upgrade).

EmailOctopus and Sender compared on the main buying criteria
Real cost per list size, both billing basesFree to 2,500 subscribers. Pro: $10/month billed monthly, or $9/month billed annually, at 500 subscribers. At 5,000: $31.50/month billed monthly, or $28/month billed annually.Free to 2,500 subscribers. Standard: $9/month billed monthly at 500 subscribers. At 5,000: $39/month billed monthly, or $39/month billed annually at the renewal rate after a 30% first-year discount.
Free-tier ceiling2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month on Starter.2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month on Free.
Team seats1 on Starter, unlimited on Pro.1 on Free, 3 on Standard, 10 on Professional.
List segmentationEmailOctopus doesn't publish a segmentation limit on its pricing page.Subscriber management and segmentation listed as a core feature. Sender doesn't publish a segmentation limit per plan.
Automation depthEmailOctopus lists automation as a feature, and doesn't publish a workflow count or step limit on its pricing page.Email automation on every plan, including Free, and advanced automation on Professional. Sender doesn't publish a workflow count.
All details, including automation and AI workflows
All compared details for EmailOctopus and Sender
Deliverability and sending limits10,000 emails a month on Starter. Pro's send allowance scales with the subscriber band.15,000 emails a month on Free, then 12x subscribers on Standard and 24x subscribers on Professional. Dedicated IPs are available on Professional.
Integration depthAn API and Zapier are listed on EmailOctopus's own profile but aren't confirmed on its pricing page. A Make integration isn't documented.A Sender API, an official MCP server that cannot send a campaign by design, SMS on paid plans, and advanced ecommerce reports on Standard.
Past your plan's ceilingPro prices up to 500,000 subscribers. Above that, you contact EmailOctopus for a quote. Plan upgrades happen automatically as the list grows.Free moves to Standard past 2,500 subscribers. A separate high-volume page prices larger lists, and Enterprise is Custom price, contact sales / get a demo.
Full plan ladderStarter is free. Pro is the only paid plan and is priced by subscriber band from $10/month billed monthly at 500 subscribers, up to 500,000 subscribers.Free, then Standard at $9/month billed monthly and Professional at $15/month billed monthly at 500 subscribers, both rising with the list. Enterprise is Custom price, contact sales / get a demo.
Annual billingPro at 500 subscribers is $9/month billed annually, a lower per-month rate than monthly billing.Annual billing carries a 30% first-year discount for new customers. Renewal is the same per month as monthly billing: $9/month billed annually for Standard and $15/month billed annually for Professional at 500 subscribers.
Contracts and discountsMonth-to-month and annual plans available, cancel anytime on Pro. Nonprofits get a 20% lifetime discount.Sender's pricing page says no contracts, obligations or setup fees, and states no refund policy.
Branding and reportsStarter carries EmailOctopus branding and keeps reports for 30 days. Pro removes the branding and keeps reports permanently.Sender branding is on the free plan and removed from Standard.
CurrencyPrices on this page are in USD. EmailOctopus's pricing page can show EUR by default in some regions, with USD selectable.Prices on this page are in USD.

Who should pick EmailOctopus, and who should pick Sender?

EmailOctopus logo

EmailOctopus

Desk research
  • Best for growing lists sending regularly
  • Best for small teams sharing one account

EmailOctopus is free to start with 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month, then scales into Pro, which starts at $10/month billed monthly at a 500-subscriber floor and climbs with subscriber count up to 500,000 subscribers. The free plan caps sending at 10,000 emails per month, while Pro's monthly sending allowance grows with your subscriber count, so it suits solo creators and small lists that want a free start and room to scale. There is no free trial; the free Starter plan is the trial substitute.

Best for: Solo creators and small business owners with lists under 2,500 subscribers who want a truly free entry tier and don't need advanced segmentation or high email volume. The free plan's 2,500 subscriber cap and 10,000-email limit fit weekend projects and side hustles more than established businesses.

Strengths

  • True free plan at $0/month billed monthly with 2,500 subscriber capacity and 10,000 emails per month; no credit card required to explore.
  • Pro tier starts at $10/month billed monthly at the 500-subscriber floor and unlocks unlimited team members and unlimited landing pages, full design control, and removes EmailOctopus branding.
  • Flexible contracts: choose Month-to-month and annual plans available, cancel anytime on Pro; no lock-in on Pro, and 20% lifetime discount for nonprofits.

Limits

  • Free tier caps at 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month, which is tight for established lists. There is no separate trial period; crossing the cap means moving straight to a paid Pro tier.
  • Free sending is capped at 10,000 emails per month, so a weekly digest plus occasional promo already uses most of it. On Pro the sending allowance grows with the subscriber tier.
  • Pro's price rises with subscriber count; the entry price ($10/month billed monthly) only holds up to 500 subscribers, and published prices stop at 500,000 subscribers.

Skip it if you need more than 10,000 emails per month in the free tier, unlimited automations, or multiple team members collaborating from day one.

EmailOctopus reviewEmailOctopus pricingEmailOctopus alternatives

Sender logo

Sender

Desk research
  • Best for solo marketers and small businesses

Sender's Free Forever plan covers 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month with no credit card, a generous free tier for a list-priced ESP. Paid plans start at $9/month billed monthly at 500 subscribers, with a published price at every list size up to 200,000 subscribers. Annual billing carries a first-year new-customer discount ($6.30/month billed annually at 500 subscribers), then renews at $9/month billed annually. Prices climb fast with list size.

Best for: Small stores and solo lists under 2,500 subscribers that want real automation for free, or a cheap paid plan while the list stays small. The free plan's automation and segmentation match what some competitors charge for.

Strengths

  • Free plan covers 2,500 subscribers with automation and segmentation included, not gated behind a paid tier.
  • Entry paid pricing is cheap at small list sizes: Standard is $9/month billed monthly at 500 subscribers, or $6.30/month billed annually in the first year on annual billing.
  • An official MCP server (mcp.sender.net) with 40+ tools for managing subscribers, segments, and campaign drafts, though by design it cannot send or activate a campaign.

Limits

  • The first-year annual price ($6.30/month billed annually for Standard, $10.50/month billed annually for Professional at 500 subscribers) includes a new-customer discount; renewal is $9/month billed annually for Standard and $15/month billed annually for Professional, the same as monthly billing, and that is the number to budget against past year one.
  • No published money-back guarantee, refund policy, or cancellation terms anywhere on the pricing page.
  • Pricing scales steeply with subscriber count: Standard goes from $9/month billed monthly at 500 subscribers to a much higher rate at 200,000 subscribers.

Skip it if you want a standing annual-billing discount: after the first year, annual billing costs the same per month as monthly billing.

Sender reviewSender alternatives

My pick: EmailOctopus in 2 of 3 scenarios.

See EmailOctopus plansSee Sender plans

Neither EmailOctopus nor Sender? Try these

  • MailerLite logo

    MailerLite

    From $10.80/mo billed annually

    Pick it if you want a free plan with a website builder and a well-documented automation builder, and can pay a little more than EmailOctopus.

    MailerLite reviewMailerLite alternatives

  • Brevo logo

    Brevo

    From $8.08/mo billed annually

    Pick it if you want marketing email, SMS and transactional email in one account, with a free plan to start.

    Brevo reviewBrevo alternatives

  • Moosend logo

    Moosend

    From $7/mo billed annually

    Pick it if you want a longer trial of the paid features than Sender's 14 days and a team plan with more seats than Sender Standard.

    Moosend reviewMoosend alternatives

Buying guides that rank EmailOctopus or Sender

Switching between EmailOctopus and Sender

Plan on exporting your contacts and rebuilding automations and templates by hand in either direction. Both vendors let you rehearse a move without paying: EmailOctopus through its free Starter plan, Sender through its free plan, each up to 2,500 subscribers.

What would change my pick?

  • Sender adding a standing annual discount past the first year would remove EmailOctopus's renewal-price edge.
  • EmailOctopus raising the Starter send cap or adding published automation limits would close Sender's free-plan advantage.
  • Sender raising the seat count on Standard would narrow the gap for small teams.
  • A price change on either side. The scenario picks recalculate from the published numbers.

EmailOctopus vs Sender: questions people ask

Which is cheaper, EmailOctopus or Sender?

EmailOctopus, once you pay. At 5,000 subscribers Pro costs $31.50/month billed monthly and Sender Standard costs $39/month billed monthly. Both are free for a small list.

Which has the better free plan?

Both cover up to 2,500 subscribers with one seat. Sender's is the bigger plan: it allows 15,000 emails a month and lists email automation, while EmailOctopus Starter allows 10,000 emails a month.

Is Sender's annual price a lasting discount?

No. The 30% off applies to the first year for new customers. After that, Sender Standard renews at $9/month billed annually at 500 subscribers, the same as monthly billing. EmailOctopus's annual rate is lower than its monthly rate.

How many people can log in on each?

EmailOctopus includes 1 seat on Starter and unlimited seats on Pro. Sender includes 1 on Free, 3 on Standard and 10 on Professional.

Does either offer a free trial of its paid plan?

Sender does: a 14-day trial of Professional, started from its free plan with no card. EmailOctopus has no free trial and points you to its free Starter plan. Sender states no refund policy on its pricing page.

Which should I pick for a team?

EmailOctopus. Pro costs $13.50/month billed monthly at 1,000 subscribers and includes unlimited seats. Sender Standard costs $15/month billed monthly and includes 3 seats.
Joonas Rotko

Joonas Rotko

SEO & GEO professional, founder of That Marketing Buddy

I'm a Finnish SEO and GEO professional with 11+ years in digital marketing, including years as a co-owner of a digital marketing agency. On That Marketing Buddy I test and compare SEO and AI-visibility software for entrepreneurs, marketing professionals and agencies.

About meHow I reviewLinkedIn

How I verified this

Every price and limit here comes from the vendors' own pages, last checked . EmailOctopus: desk research. Sender: desk research.

Sources and changelog

37 facts from 5 source pages, oldest checked 1 Oct 2026.

  • : Sender now offers a 14-day trial of its Professional plan, started from the free plan with no card. The trial rows and FAQ now say so; Sender still states no refund policy. The picks stay the same.
  • : New page. Sender is the pick for the small-list scenario because its free plan allows more emails and lists automation. EmailOctopus is the pick for the growing-list and team scenarios: lower monthly and annual cost, and unlimited seats on Pro.
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