Top Email Marketing Software for Small Businesses in 2025: Features, Pricing, and GDPR Compliance

Small businesses increasingly recognize the power of email marketing to drive engagement, nurture customer relationships, and boost sales. With many email marketing software options, choosing the right tool depends on your specific needs and goals.

This article delves into the top email marketing software for small businesses, emphasizing their essential features, cost, and advantages to assist you in making a well-informed choice and enhancing your marketing approach for the upcoming year.

Here are our recommendations: 

• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

Brevo, known for its affordability, offers a versatile solution for small businesses. With its email, SMS, and WhatsApp marketing capabilities, along with advanced automation, segmentation, and A/B testing features, Brevo provides a comprehensive yet cost-effective tool for your business. 

• Mailchimp

A popular all-in-one marketing platform, Mailchimp stands out with its user-friendly interface and robust analytics. It's an excellent choice for small businesses, providing a comfortable and intuitive experience in creating email campaigns, landing pages, and managing comprehensive marketing efforts.

• Constant Contact

With its robust customer support and easy-to-use tools for email and social media marketing, Constant Contact is a reliable choice for small businesses. It provides a strong support system, ensuring you're never alone in your marketing efforts.

• MailerLite

Ideal for bulk email marketing,  MailerLite provides a user-friendly interface and powerful features at a competitive price. It encompasses automation, landing pages, and pop-ups, making it a versatile option for expanding businesses.

• Zoho Campaigns

Zoho Campaigns offers excellent free tools and is perfect for businesses already using other Zoho products. It provides a seamless integration experience and a range of features to elevate and optimize your email marketing efforts. 

• HubSpot Marketing Hub

HubSpot Marketing Hub is great for capturing and nurturing leads, offering extensive CRM and marketing automation features. It's ideal for businesses looking to integrate their marketing efforts with a powerful CRM system.

Each platform has unique strengths, so consider the features most important for your business, such as automation, integration with other tools, or customer support.

Pricing Options

• Brevo

- Free Plan: Up to 300 emails/day.

- Starter Plan: Starts at $9/month for 5,000 emails/month.

- Business Plan: Starts at $18/month for 5,000 emails/month, includes advanced features like marketing automation and A/B testing.

• Mailchimp

- Free Plan: Up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails/month.

- Essentials Plan: Starts at $13/month for 500 contacts.

- Standard Plan: Starts at $20/month for 500 contacts.

- Premium Plan: Starts at $350/month for 10,000 contacts.

• Constant Contact

- Lite Plan: Starts at $12/month.

- Standard Plan: Starts at $35/month.

Premium Plan: Starts at $80/month.

• MailerLite

- Free Plan: Up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails/month.

- Growing Business Plan: Starts at $9/month for 500 subscribers.

- Advanced Plan: Starts at $18/month for 500 subscribers.

• Zoho Campaigns

- Free Plan: Up to 6,000 emails/month for 2,000 contacts.

- Standard Plan: Starts at $4/month.

- Professional Plan: Starts at $6/month.

• HubSpot Marketing Hub 

- Free: $0/month

- Starter: $20/month per seat

- Professional: $890/month (3 seats included)

- Enterprise: $3,600/month (5 seats included)

Pros and Cons

These pros and cons should help you weigh the options and choose the best email marketing tool for your business needs.  

• Brevo

Pros:

- Affordable Pricing: Competitive pricing plans, including a free tier.

- Versatility: Offers email, SMS, and WhatsApp marketing.

- Advanced Features: Includes automation, segmentation, and A/B testing.

- Ease of Use: User-friendly interface.

Cons:

- Limited Free Plan: The free plan has a daily sending limit.

- Learning Curve: Advanced features may require some time to master.

• Mailchimp

Pros:

- All-in-One Platform: Comprehensive marketing tools, including email, landing pages, and social media.

- User-Friendly: Intuitive interface and robust analytics.

- Integration: Integrates with numerous third-party apps and services.

Cons:

- Pricing: Can be expensive as your contact list grows.

- Limited Automation: More advanced automation features are only available in higher-tier plans.

• Constant Contact

Pros:

- Customer Support: Excellent customer service and support.

- Ease of Use: Simple and straightforward tools for email and social media marketing.

- Event Management: Includes tools for managing events and registrations.

Cons:

- Pricing: Higher starting price compared to some competitors.

- Limited Automation: Basic automation features compared to other tools.

• MailerLite

Pros:

- Affordable: Competitive pricing with a generous free plan.

- User-Friendly: Easy to use with a clean interface.

- Features: Includes automation, landing pages, and pop-ups.

Cons:

- Limited Integrations: Fewer integrations compared to other platforms.

- Basic Templates: Limited template options for email design.

• Zoho Campaigns

Pros:

- Free Plan: Generous free plan for small businesses.

- Integration: Seamless integration with other Zoho products.

- Features: Includes automation, A/B testing, and detailed analytics.

Cons:

- Learning Curve: Learning and integrating with other Zoho tools may require time.

- Interface: Some users find the interface less intuitive.

• HubSpot Marketing Hub

Pros:

- Comprehensive CRM: Extensive CRM and marketing automation features.

- Integration: Integrates well with other HubSpot tools and third-party apps.

- Lead Management: Excellent for capturing and nurturing leads.

Cons:

- Pricing: Higher cost, especially for small businesses.

- Complexity: It can be overwhelming for beginners due to its extensive features. 

GDPR Compliance

Our recommended email marketing tools offer comprehensive features that assist businesses in adhering to GDPR, (the General Data Protection Regulation), guaranteeing the secure and transparent processing of personal data. 

• Brevo 

Brevo ensures GDPR compliance by providing tools to manage consent, data access, and data deletion. It offers GDPR-compliant subscription forms and records proof of consent. It allows users to manage their data rights, such as the right to be forgotten.

• Mailchimp

Mailchimp helps businesses stay GDPR-compliant with features like GDPR-friendly signup forms, double opt-in settings, and contact profiles that show when consent was given. It also allows for exporting and deleting contact information and includes additional security features to prevent unauthorized access.

• Constant Contact

Constant Contact provides GDPR-compliant tools, including consent management and data protection measures. It offers GDPR-friendly signup forms and ensures that personal data is processed in accordance with GDPR requirements. The platform also supports data access and deletion requests.

• MailerLite

MailerLite is fully GDPR-compliant, offering tools to manage subscriber consent, data access, and deletion. It includes GDPR-friendly signup forms, proof of consent, and features to handle data subject requests, such as the right to be forgotten and data portability.

• Zoho Campaigns

Zoho Campaigns supports GDPR compliance with features like double opt-in, consent management, and data access tools. It allows users to process personal data under the correct lawful basis and provides transparency with subscriber data. The platform also includes tools for data export and deletion.

• HubSpot Marketing Hub

HubSpot ensures GDPR compliance by offering tools for managing consent, data access, and data deletion. It provides GDPR-compliant forms, records proof of consent and includes features to handle data subject requests. HubSpot also integrates GDPR compliance into its broader CRM and marketing automation features.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right email marketing software is crucial for small businesses aiming to enhance their marketing strategies in 2025. With options like Brevo, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, MailerLite, Zoho Campaigns, and HubSpot Marketing Hub, businesses can find tools that offer a range of features, from advanced automation and CRM integration to GDPR compliance and robust customer support.

Each platform has unique strengths and pricing plans, making it essential to consider your specific needs and budget. By leveraging these powerful tools, small businesses can drive engagement, nurture customer relationships, and achieve their marketing goals effectively. Whether you're looking for affordability, versatility, or comprehensive marketing solutions, there's an email marketing tool that fits your business perfectly. 

By: Anne Albright

Anne is a seasoned virtual administrative expert with a focus on transcription. She flourishes as a night owl, drawing inspiration and reaching peak productivity during the tranquil hours after dark.

Photos:  Photo by Mailchimp on Unsplash, Windows on Unsplash, Unsplash+