Client-ready automation and deliverability without surprise contact bills: ActiveCampaign for automation depth, Brevo for send-based economics, MailerLite/GetResponse for simpler retainers.
| # | Tool | Free contacts | At 1k | At 10k | Note | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  ActiveCampaign | — | See vendor | See vendor | Deep marketing automation + CRM; no free plan | Visit |
| 2 |  Brevo | unlimited | $0 | $0 | Multi-channel (email/SMS); free plan is send-capped not contact-capped | Visit |
| 3 |  MailerLite | 250 | $19 | $89 | Full-featured email + sites; Comfort is the value paid plan | Visit |
| 4 |  GetResponse | — | $19 | $79 | Email + funnels + webinars | Visit |
| 5 |  Mailchimp | 250 | $26.50 | $110 | Well-known ESP; free plan now very limited | Visit |
| 6 |  Moosend | — | $16 | $88 | Budget automation ESP; trial not free forever | Visit |
No free plan. 14-day trial (no card). Starter max 25,000 contacts.
Full ActiveCampaign pricing → · Alternatives · Pricing history
Free: upload contacts free; send up to 300 emails/day after approval. Starter adds volume from ~5,000 emails/mo. Pricing is primarily email-volume based.
Free: 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/mo, 3 automations (5 steps), branding stays. Sending locks if you exceed 250.
No free forever; 14-day trial. Starter from ~$13–$19/mo depending on billing (page shows $13/$19).
Free: 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo, 250/day. Sending paused if contact limit exceeded. Essentials from ~$13/mo (500 contacts); Standard from ~$20/mo.
No free forever plan; 30-day free trial. Pro from ~$9/mo at 500 contacts (cited comparison pages; confirm slider).
ListCost’s research shortlist leads with ActiveCampaign, Brevo, MailerLite. Order reflects free headroom and verified price ladders — not lab tests or star ratings.
Commission never fills an unknown cell or changes order. beehiiv CTAs are plain official links (affiliate dropped). Other outbound CTAs use /go redirects when applicable.