Brevo Free Plan: Complete Guide to Getting Started (2026)
Everything you need to know about Brevo's free plan. Learn features, limits, and how to maximize the free tier for email marketing.
Brevo offers one of the most generous free plans in email marketing. This guide covers everything included, how to maximize it, and when to upgrade.
What’s Included in Brevo Free?
Email Marketing
| Feature | Free Plan Limit |
|---|---|
| Contacts | Unlimited |
| Emails/day | 300 |
| Email templates | Full library |
| Drag-drop editor | Yes |
| Segmentation | Basic |
| A/B testing | No |
| Send time optimization | No |
CRM (100% Free)
- Unlimited contacts
- Deal pipeline
- Task management
- Contact profiles
- Basic automation
- Notes and activity tracking
Other Features
- Transactional emails - 300/day included
- SMS - Pay-as-you-go (no monthly minimum)
- WhatsApp - Pay-as-you-go
- Landing pages - 1 page
- Signup forms - Unlimited
- Automation - Limited workflows
Free Plan Limits Explained
300 Emails Per Day
This means:
- 9,000 emails per month (30 days)
- Resets daily at midnight UTC
- Includes all email types
Who it works for:
- Businesses with under 9K monthly sends
- Small lists (300 contacts or less for daily sends)
- Getting started with email marketing
Who needs more:
- Lists over 1,000 contacts
- Weekly newsletter senders
- E-commerce with automation
Unlimited Contacts
Unlike Mailchimp or other platforms, Brevo doesn’t charge by contact count. Store as many contacts as you want.
Strategic advantage:
- Import entire database
- Never delete inactive contacts
- Segment without penalty
Brevo Branding
Free plan emails include “Sent with Brevo” in footer. Remove with paid plans.
Getting Started with Free Plan
Step 1: Create Account
- Visit brevo.com
- Click “Sign up free”
- Enter email and password
- Verify email address
- Complete profile setup
Step 2: Configure Sender
- Go to Settings → Senders
- Add your sender email
- Verify domain (recommended)
- Set default sender
Step 3: Import Contacts
- Navigate to Contacts
- Click Import
- Upload CSV or connect integration
- Map fields
- Confirm import
Step 4: Create First Campaign
- Go to Campaigns → Email
- Choose template or start blank
- Design your email
- Select recipients
- Schedule or send
Maximizing the Free Plan
Strategy 1: Prioritize Sends
With 300/day limit:
- Focus on engaged subscribers
- Send to active segments first
- Batch larger campaigns over days
Strategy 2: Use Automation Wisely
Limited automations mean:
- Set up essential flows only
- Welcome series (priority)
- Basic purchase follow-up
- Save complex flows for paid
Strategy 3: Leverage Free CRM
CRM has no limits:
- Track all customer interactions
- Manage sales pipeline
- Store unlimited notes
- Full contact history
Strategy 4: Smart Segmentation
Create segments to:
- Identify most engaged contacts
- Target best customers first
- Maximize limited sends
Free Plan vs Paid Plans
Starter Plan ($9/month)
| Feature | Free | Starter |
|---|---|---|
| Emails/month | 9K | 5K-100K |
| Daily limit | 300 | None |
| Brevo branding | Yes | Removable |
| Basic reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Email support | No | Yes |
Business Plan ($18/month)
| Feature | Free | Business |
|---|---|---|
| A/B testing | No | Yes |
| Send time optimization | No | Yes |
| Advanced stats | No | Yes |
| Marketing automation | Limited | Advanced |
| Landing pages | 1 | 5+ |
When to Upgrade
Signs You Need Starter
- Hitting 300/day limit regularly
- Want to remove Brevo branding
- Need email support
- List growing past 1,000
Signs You Need Business
- Require A/B testing
- Want advanced automation
- Need multi-user access
- Require detailed analytics
Free Plan for E-commerce
What Works
- Welcome emails (within limit)
- Small cart abandonment flows
- Post-purchase thanks
- Monthly newsletters
What’s Limited
- Real-time triggers (may hit limit)
- Large sale announcements
- Automated series for big lists
- Multiple concurrent automations
Better with Tajo
For Shopify stores, Tajo enhances free Brevo:
- Deep Shopify sync
- Loyalty programs (builds engagement)
- Better customer profiles
- Prioritized automation triggers
Free Plan Comparison
vs Mailchimp Free
| Feature | Brevo Free | Mailchimp Free |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Unlimited | 500 |
| Monthly emails | 9K | 1K |
| CRM | Full | Basic |
| SMS | Pay-as-you-go | No |
| Automations | Limited | Very limited |
| Branding | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Brevo (more contacts, more emails)
vs MailerLite Free
| Feature | Brevo Free | MailerLite Free |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Unlimited | 1,000 |
| Monthly emails | 9K | 12K |
| Templates | Full library | Limited |
| Automation | Limited | Limited |
| Landing pages | 1 | 10 |
Winner: Tie (Brevo better contacts, MailerLite better landing pages)
vs HubSpot Free
| Feature | Brevo Free | HubSpot Free |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Unlimited | 1,000,000 |
| Monthly emails | 9K | 2K |
| CRM | Full | Full |
| Marketing tools | Good | Limited |
| Complexity | Simple | Complex |
Winner: Brevo for email, HubSpot for CRM
Tips for Free Plan Success
1. Clean Your List
Remove bounces and unengaged contacts to maximize your 300/day limit on engaged subscribers.
2. Schedule Strategically
Plan larger campaigns over multiple days:
- 1,000 contact newsletter = 4 days
- Send to most engaged first
3. Use Signup Forms
Free unlimited forms to:
- Grow your list
- Collect preferences
- Segment from start
4. Leverage Transactional
300 transactional emails/day included:
- Order confirmations
- Password resets
- Account notifications
5. Master the CRM
Full CRM is free:
- Track customer journey
- Manage deals
- Store all interactions
Common Free Plan Questions
Can I remove Brevo branding?
No, upgrade to Starter ($9/mo) to remove.
Does the limit reset?
Yes, daily at midnight UTC.
Can I send to all contacts at once?
No, maximum 300/day. Batch larger sends.
Is SMS included free?
Pay-as-you-go with no minimum. Buy credits as needed.
Can I use automation?
Yes, limited workflows included. Advanced automation requires Business plan.
How long can I stay on free?
Forever. No time limit on free plan.
Upgrading from Free
When Ready
- Go to Account → Plans
- Choose Starter or Business
- Select volume tier
- Enter payment info
- Confirm upgrade
What Changes
- Daily limit removed
- More automation options
- Remove branding (Starter+)
- Advanced features (Business)
Keep Free Benefits
All free features carry over plus new paid features.
Conclusion
Brevo’s free plan is genuinely useful:
- Unlimited contacts - Store everyone
- 9,000 emails/month - Decent for small businesses
- Full CRM - Complete sales management
- SMS/WhatsApp - Pay only when used
For small businesses starting with email marketing, it’s the best free option available.
For e-commerce stores, pair the free plan with Tajo for enhanced Shopify integration and loyalty programs.
Ready to start? Get started with Tajo + Brevo.
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