The 5 best tools to send newsletters to your customers in 2026
Nicolas,
In an era of social media and unpredictable algorithms, newsletters remain one of the most effective and profitable communication channels for building customer loyalty and growing your business. Unlike social media posts, your subscriber list belongs to you — no one can take it away.
Email marketing delivers an average return on investment of $36 for every $1 spent, making it one of the most powerful marketing levers available today. The key is choosing the right tool to create, send and analyse your campaigns.
Here is our selection of the 5 best tools to send newsletters to your customers in 2026.
The tools in this article were selected by our team and are not sponsored. Contact us to sponsor your tool
What criteria should you use to choose a newsletter tool?
Before getting started, here are the key criteria to consider when choosing the solution that best fits your needs:
- Ease of use: is the interface intuitive and accessible without technical skills?
- Available templates: does it offer professional and customisable email templates?
- Pricing: is the cost suited to your list size and sending volume?
- Automation: can you create automated email sequences?
- GDPR compliance: does the tool comply with European data protection regulations?
- Analytics: does it provide detailed reports on open rates and click rates?
The 5 best newsletter tools in 2026
1. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) — the best European choice
Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is a French solution that has established itself as one of the world's leading email marketing platforms. Hosted in Europe and fully GDPR compliant, it is particularly popular among European businesses that care about protecting their customers' data.
Brevo offers a comprehensive suite including email marketing, SMS campaigns, live chat and CRM management, all within a clear and very accessible interface, even for beginners.
- Free plan: up to 300 emails/day with unlimited contacts
- Price: from €19/month for 20,000 emails
- Strengths: GDPR compliant, European servers, unlimited contacts on free plan, complete suite
- Weaknesses: Brevo logo on emails in free version, daily sending limit
- Best for: European SMEs, e-commerce businesses, freelancers
2. Mailchimp — the most popular in the world
Mailchimp is undoubtedly the most well-known and widely used email marketing tool in the world, with over 11 million active users. Its intuitive interface, extensive template library and vast integration ecosystem make it a solid choice for all types of businesses.
Mailchimp has significantly expanded its platform in recent years by adding CRM, landing pages, social media and advanced automation features, becoming a true all-in-one marketing suite.
- Free plan: up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails/month
- Price: from $13/month
- Strengths: intuitive interface, extensive integrations, complete ecosystem
- Weaknesses: expensive beyond basic plans, US-based servers
- Best for: startups, e-commerce stores, businesses looking for a complete marketing suite
3. Mailerlite — unbeatable simplicity and value for money
Mailerlite is the ideal solution for those looking for a simple, effective and very affordable tool. Despite its accessible positioning, it offers advanced features: automation, landing pages, sign-up forms, A/B testing and detailed analytics.
Its drag-and-drop editor is particularly praised for its simplicity and the quality of its available templates. A perfect solution for freelancers, bloggers and small businesses.
- Free plan: up to 1,000 contacts and 12,000 emails/month
- Price: from $9/month for unlimited sending
- Strengths: very affordable, simple interface, generous free plan, automations included
- Weaknesses: limited CRM features, fewer integrations than Mailchimp
- Best for: bloggers, freelancers, small businesses on a tight budget
4. ActiveCampaign — the most powerful for automation
ActiveCampaign is the absolute reference for businesses that want to go deep into email marketing automation. Its platform offers automation workflows of unmatched complexity and flexibility, making it possible to create highly personalised customer journeys.
Combined with its built-in CRM, ActiveCampaign becomes a true full marketing automation tool, capable of triggering emails based on each contact's precise behaviour on your website.
- Free plan: 14-day free trial
- Price: from $15/month for 1,000 contacts
- Strengths: highly advanced automation, built-in CRM, powerful segmentation, deep personalisation
- Weaknesses: steep learning curve, price scales quickly with list size
- Best for: growing businesses, advanced e-commerce, experienced marketers
5. ConvertKit — the favourite of content creators
ConvertKit (recently rebranded as Kit) was designed specifically for content creators: bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, authors and course creators. Its philosophy is simple: focus on the essentials to create authentic and engaging newsletters without getting lost in unnecessary features.
ConvertKit stands out for its powerful tag and segment system that allows precise targeting of subscribers based on their interests and behaviours, as well as its particularly effective email capture pages.
- Free plan: up to 10,000 subscribers (limited features)
- Price: from $25/month for full features
- Strengths: ideal for creators, powerful tagging system, effective capture pages
- Weaknesses: fewer visual templates, minimalist interface
- Best for: bloggers, podcasters, course creators, authors, content creators
Comparison of the 5 best newsletter tools in 2026
| Tool | Free plan | Starting price | Automation | GDPR compliant | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | 300 emails/day | €19/month | Yes | Yes (Europe) | European SMEs |
| Mailchimp | 1,000 emails/month | $13/month | Yes | Partial | Startups, e-commerce |
| Mailerlite | 12,000 emails/month | $9/month | Yes | Yes | Freelancers, blogs |
| ActiveCampaign | 14-day trial | $15/month | Very advanced | Yes | Advanced businesses |
| ConvertKit | 10,000 subscribers | $25/month | Yes | Yes | Content creators |
Which newsletter tool should you choose?
| Your situation | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| I am a European SME | Brevo |
| I want the most popular tool | Mailchimp |
| I have a limited budget | Mailerlite |
| I want advanced automation | ActiveCampaign |
| I am a blogger or content creator | ConvertKit |
| I am just starting out with no budget | Brevo or Mailerlite |
Best practices for an effective newsletter
Choosing the right tool is one thing, but the effectiveness of your newsletter also depends on how you use it. Here are the golden rules to follow:
Craft a compelling subject line
The subject line is the first thing your subscriber sees. A compelling and personalised subject line can push your open rate from 15% to 40%. Be clear, concise and make people want to open without resorting to clickbait.
Send at the right time
Studies show that Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 9am and 11am are generally the best times to send a newsletter. Test different time slots and analyse your statistics to find the ideal moment for your specific audience.
Respect GDPR regulations
In Europe, you must obtain the explicit consent of your subscribers before sending them marketing emails. Make sure you have a double opt-in process and a clearly visible unsubscribe link in every email.
Analyse your statistics
Regularly monitor your open rates, click rates and unsubscribe rates to understand what works and continuously improve your campaigns.
Conclusion: invest in your email list
In an increasingly saturated digital world, your email subscriber list is one of your most valuable assets. Unlike social media followers, your email subscribers truly belong to you — no algorithm can take them away.
Whether you are starting out with a few hundred contacts or managing a list of tens of thousands of subscribers, among these 5 tools there is a solution perfectly suited to your situation and your budget.
Good to know: whichever newsletter solution you choose, make sure your sending domain is properly configured (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to maximise your email deliverability and avoid landing in spam folders. You can also check your public IP address directly from our free online tool — no sign-up or installation required.