What is Brevo? Complete Guide to Brevo Email Marketing Platform
Learn what Brevo is, its features, pricing, and why it's a top choice for email, SMS, and WhatsApp marketing. Formerly Sendinblue.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a comprehensive marketing platform that helps businesses connect with customers through email, SMS, WhatsApp, and marketing automation. With over 500,000 customers worldwide, Brevo has become one of the most popular alternatives to expensive platforms like Mailchimp and Klaviyo.
Brevo Overview
| Key Facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 (as Sendinblue) |
| Rebranded | May 2023 (to Brevo) |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Customers | 500,000+ worldwide |
| Pricing Model | Per-email (not per-contact) |
| Free Plan | Yes (300 emails/day) |
What Does Brevo Do?
Brevo is an all-in-one marketing platform offering:
Email Marketing
- Campaign creation with drag-and-drop builder
- Responsive templates for any device
- Dynamic content for personalization
- A/B testing to optimize performance
- Send time optimization using AI
- Deliverability tracking and analytics
SMS Marketing
- Global coverage in 200+ countries
- Two-way conversations with customers
- Automated SMS based on triggers
- MMS support for rich media
- SMS/email orchestration in workflows
WhatsApp Marketing
- WhatsApp Business API integration
- Automated workflows with WhatsApp
- Interactive messages with buttons and lists
- Template messages for notifications
- Two-way customer conversations
Marketing Automation
- Visual workflow builder for complex sequences
- Multi-channel automation (Email + SMS + WhatsApp)
- Behavioral triggers based on actions
- Lead scoring to prioritize prospects
- A/B testing within automations
CRM
- Contact management with full history
- Deal pipelines for sales tracking
- Task management for teams
- Activity tracking across channels
- Sales automation workflows
Transactional Email
- API and SMTP options
- Real-time sending for order confirmations
- Template management for developers
- Webhook notifications
- Dedicated IP options
Why Brevo? Key Advantages
1. Per-Email Pricing
Unlike competitors that charge per contact, Brevo charges per email sent. This means:
- Unlimited contacts on all plans
- No penalty for list growth
- Pay for value delivered
- Significant savings at scale
Example savings: 25,000 contacts would cost ~$400/month on Klaviyo but only ~$65/month on Brevo.
2. True Multi-Channel Marketing
Most platforms offer email only. Brevo provides:
- Email marketing
- SMS marketing (200+ countries)
- WhatsApp Business API
- Live chat (Conversations)
- Push notifications
All integrated in one platform with unified automation.
3. Generous Free Plan
Brevo’s free plan includes:
- 300 emails per day (9,000/month)
- Unlimited contacts
- Basic automation
- CRM access
- Email support
No credit card required. Many businesses operate entirely on the free plan.
4. Global SMS Coverage
While competitors limit SMS to US/UK, Brevo supports 200+ countries with competitive per-message pricing.
5. Built-in CRM
CRM is included on all plans—even Free. Track deals, manage contacts, and automate sales without additional tools.
Brevo Pricing
| Plan | Cost | Emails/Month | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 300/day | Unlimited contacts, basic features |
| Starter | From $9 | 5,000+ | No daily limit, basic reporting |
| Business | From $18 | 5,000+ | Full automation, A/B testing |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Dedicated support, custom features |
SMS and WhatsApp are priced per message, separate from email plans.
Who Uses Brevo?
E-commerce Stores
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Order notifications
- Product recommendations
- Customer win-back campaigns
- Multi-channel marketing
Small Businesses
- Newsletter creation
- Customer communication
- Lead nurturing
- Sales follow-ups
- Event invitations
Marketing Agencies
- Client campaign management
- Multi-account handling
- White-label options
- API integrations
- Reporting and analytics
SaaS Companies
- Transactional emails
- User onboarding
- Product updates
- Usage notifications
- Customer success
Non-Profits
- Donor communication
- Event promotion
- Newsletter updates
- Fundraising campaigns
- Volunteer coordination
Brevo vs Competitors
Brevo vs Mailchimp
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Per-email | Per-contact |
| Free plan | 300/day unlimited | 500 contacts |
| SMS | Global | US only |
| Yes | No | |
| CRM | Included | Basic |
Brevo vs Klaviyo
| Feature | Brevo | Klaviyo |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Per-email | Per-profile |
| 10K contacts | ~$35/mo | ~$150/mo |
| SMS | 200+ countries | Limited |
| Yes | Limited | |
| Free plan | Yes | Very limited |
Brevo vs ActiveCampaign
| Feature | Brevo | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Per-email | Per-contact |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Yes | No | |
| SMS | Global | Limited |
| Automation | Advanced | Industry-leading |
The Sendinblue to Brevo Rebrand
In May 2023, Sendinblue rebranded to Brevo. Here’s what changed:
What Changed
- Company name and logo
- Website (sendinblue.com → brevo.com)
- Product naming
What Stayed the Same
- All features and functionality
- Pricing structure
- Customer accounts
- Integrations and API
The rebrand reflected the company’s evolution from “email in blue” to a comprehensive marketing platform.
Getting Started with Brevo
Step 1: Create Your Account
- Visit brevo.com
- Sign up with email
- Verify your account
- Complete profile setup
No credit card required for the free plan.
Step 2: Import Contacts
- Upload CSV file
- Connect from integrations
- Add signup forms to website
- Import from other platforms
Step 3: Create Your First Campaign
- Choose campaign type (email, SMS, WhatsApp)
- Select template or start from scratch
- Design your content
- Choose recipients
- Schedule or send immediately
Step 4: Set Up Automation
- Go to Automation section
- Choose pre-built template or create custom
- Define triggers and actions
- Activate workflow
Brevo + Tajo for Shopify
While Brevo is powerful, its native Shopify integration has limitations. Tajo bridges this gap:
What Tajo Adds
- Deep Shopify sync - Real-time customer and order data
- Built-in loyalty programs - Points, rewards, tiers
- Advanced e-commerce triggers - Browse abandonment, milestones
- Unified customer view - Complete purchase history in Brevo
Why It Matters
For Shopify stores, Brevo + Tajo provides:
- Multi-channel marketing (Email + SMS + WhatsApp)
- Loyalty programs without additional tools
- Cost-effective pricing at scale
- Complete e-commerce automation
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brevo free?
Yes. The free plan includes 300 emails/day with unlimited contacts. No credit card required.
Is Brevo the same as Sendinblue?
Yes. Sendinblue rebranded to Brevo in May 2023. Same company, same features, new name.
Why is Brevo so cheap compared to competitors?
Brevo uses per-email pricing instead of per-contact. This reflects actual usage rather than database size, resulting in lower costs for most users.
Is Brevo good for e-commerce?
Yes, especially with Tajo. Brevo offers email, SMS, WhatsApp, and automation. Tajo adds deep Shopify integration and loyalty programs.
Does Brevo have a CRM?
Yes. CRM is included on all plans, including Free. It includes contact management, deal pipelines, and sales automation.
How does Brevo deliverability compare?
Brevo has 99%+ deliverability rates with dedicated IP options for high-volume senders. It’s on par with industry leaders.
Can I send transactional emails with Brevo?
Yes. Brevo handles both marketing and transactional emails via API or SMTP.
Is there a limit on contacts?
No. All Brevo plans include unlimited contacts. You only pay based on emails sent.
Conclusion
Brevo is a comprehensive marketing platform offering:
- Email, SMS, and WhatsApp in one place
- Per-email pricing that saves money as you grow
- Powerful automation with multi-channel support
- Built-in CRM on all plans
- Generous free plan to get started
For businesses seeking an affordable alternative to expensive platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or HubSpot, Brevo delivers comparable features at a fraction of the cost.
For Shopify stores, combining Brevo with Tajo unlocks the platform’s full potential: deep e-commerce integration, multi-channel marketing, AND built-in loyalty programs.
Ready to get started? Try Brevo with Tajo and experience modern marketing automation.