MailerSend vs Brevo (ex.Sendinblue): Which email marketing tool is right for you?

Choosing the right email communication platform is crucial for optimizing your business's email strategy, whether for transactional messaging or marketing automation. These platforms help ensure high deliverability, enable personalized communication, and provide insights through analytics, all of which are essential for engaging with your audience effectively. Additionally, the right platform can streamline your workflows, integrate seamlessly with other tools, and support your overall business goals.

With various email platforms available, how do you choose the best one for your business? In this article, we guide you by providing a detailed comparison of two popular email platforms, MailerSend vs Brevo. By examining their key features and fundamental differences, you’ll feel more confident in making the right decision for your email communication needs.

MailerSend and Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) are two prominent platforms in email communication and marketing automation software, each offering unique advantages tailored to meet specific business needs.

MailerSend is widely recognized for its developer-friendly approach, offering robust transactional email services that are particularly well-suited for businesses focused on integrating email functionalities into their applications. On the other hand, Brevo offers a comprehensive suite of marketing automation tools designed for a wide range of marketing activities beyond just transactional emails.

To make an informed decision between MailerSend and Brevo, it's crucial to consider your specific business needs and communication goals. MailerSend may be the ideal choice for developers and businesses seeking a specialized, high-performance transactional email solution, whereas Brevo offers a broader array of marketing and automation tools, making it suitable for businesses looking to execute multi-channel marketing campaigns and manage customer interactions comprehensively.

MailerSend and Brevo are two versatile email communication platforms offering unique approaches to email marketing and transactional messaging. Understanding the differences between them can help guide you toward the most suitable tool for your business needs.

MailerSend is designed with developers and technical teams in mind, focusing primarily on transactional email services. It provides a powerful API that allows seamless integration with applications, making it ideal for businesses that need to send large volumes of transactional emails, such as order confirmations, password resets, and notifications. MailerSend emphasizes speed, reliability, and deliverability, ensuring that critical emails reach their recipients promptly. Its straightforward, no-frills interface is easy to navigate, making it a strong choice for companies that require efficient and reliable transactional email delivery without the need for extensive marketing automation features.

In contrast, Brevo offers a more comprehensive suite of tools that extend beyond transactional emails to encompass a wide range of marketing automation capabilities. Brevo is well-suited for businesses looking to manage both marketing campaigns and transactional emails from a single platform. It provides features such as SMS marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), and sophisticated automation workflows. These tools enable businesses to engage with their audience across multiple channels, create personalized marketing campaigns, and manage customer interactions more effectively. Brevo’s interface is user-friendly, making it accessible to marketers who may not have a technical background.

One key difference between MailerSend and Brevo lies in their target audience and feature sets. MailerSend is ideal for businesses focused on high-performance transactional email delivery, while Brevo caters to those seeking a more comprehensive marketing solution that integrates multiple communication channels. Additionally, Brevo's broader feature set makes it suitable for businesses looking to grow and scale their marketing efforts, whereas MailerSend’s streamlined focus is perfect for companies needing a specialized tool for transactional messaging.

• Developer-friendly API: MailerSend offers a robust and easy-to-use API, making it an excellent choice for developers looking to integrate email functionalities directly into their applications. This allows for seamless sending of transactional emails like order confirmations and password resets.
• High deliverability: MailerSend focuses on ensuring that emails reach recipients' inboxes reliably. Its infrastructure is optimized for high deliverability, which is crucial for transactional emails that need to be delivered promptly.
• Simple and clean interface: The user interface of MailerSend is intuitive and uncluttered, making it easy to navigate even for users who are not tech-savvy. This simplicity helps in quickly setting up and managing email campaigns.
• Scalability: MailerSend is designed to handle large volumes of emails, making it a good choice for businesses that need to send thousands or even millions of emails per day. It scales efficiently as your email needs grow.
• Affordability: MailerSend offers competitive pricing, particularly for businesses focused on transactional emails. It provides a cost-effective solution without compromising on essential features like deliverability and API access.

• Limited marketing automation: Unlike some competitors, MailerSend is primarily focused on transactional emails and lacks the advanced marketing automation features found in platforms like Brevo. This might be a drawback for businesses looking for a more comprehensive email marketing solution.
• Basic reporting: The reporting and analytics features in MailerSend are relatively basic compared to other email marketing platforms. This can be limiting for users who require detailed insights and advanced reporting capabilities.
• Fewer templates: MailerSend offers a limited selection of email templates, which might not be sufficient for businesses looking for a wide variety of pre-designed options for different campaign types.
• No built-in CRM: MailerSend does not include a built-in CRM, which could be a disadvantage for businesses that need to manage customer relationships and interactions directly within their email platform.
• Limited integration options: While MailerSend offers some integrations, it may not support as many third-party applications and services as other platforms. This could be a limitation for businesses relying on specific tools for their workflows.

• Comprehensive marketing suite: Brevo offers a wide range of marketing tools beyond email, including SMS marketing, CRM, and marketing automation. This makes it a versatile platform for managing multi-channel marketing campaigns and customer interactions from a single interface.
• User-friendly interface: The platform is designed with ease of use in mind, making it accessible to users with varying levels of technical expertise. The intuitive dashboard allows marketers to create, manage, and analyze campaigns with minimal effort.
• Advanced automation features: Brevo provides robust automation tools, allowing users to set up complex workflows for email campaigns, lead nurturing, and customer engagement. These automation features help streamline marketing processes and improve efficiency.
• Affordable pricing plans: Brevo offers competitive pricing with a variety of plans, including a free tier that is generous compared to other platforms. This makes it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes, especially small to medium-sized enterprises.
• Multi-channel communication: In addition to email, Brevo supports SMS marketing, which allows businesses to engage with their audience through multiple channels. This flexibility is beneficial for reaching customers in the way that suits them best.

• Limited transactional email capabilities: While Brevo offers transactional email services, its primary focus is on marketing automation. Businesses with a heavy reliance on transactional emails may find that Brevo’s capabilities in this area are not as advanced as dedicated transactional email platforms like MailerSend.
• Learning curve for advanced features: Although the platform is user-friendly, some of Brevo’s more advanced features, such as automation workflows and CRM integration, may require a learning curve for users who are new to these tools.
• Basic reporting on lower plans: The reporting and analytics features on Brevo’s lower-tier plans are somewhat limited. Users who require in-depth analytics may need to upgrade to a higher plan to access more detailed reporting capabilities.
• Email template variety: While Brevo offers a selection of email templates, some users may find the variety limited compared to other email marketing platforms. This could be a drawback for businesses looking for a wide range of customizable templates.
• Occasional deliverability issues: Some users have reported occasional issues with email deliverability, especially when sending large volumes of emails. This can be a concern for businesses that rely heavily on high deliverability rates for their campaigns.

MailerSend and Brevo cater to different needs within the email communication space. MailerSend is ideal for businesses focused on transactional emails, offering a developer-friendly API, high deliverability, and simplicity in setup. It excels in providing a streamlined, reliable solution for integrating email functionalities into applications. 

In contrast, Brevo offers a more comprehensive marketing platform, including advanced automation, multi-channel communication (email and SMS), and CRM capabilities. While Brevo is well-suited for businesses seeking to manage both marketing and transactional emails from one platform, MailerSend's focused approach makes it the better choice for high-performance transactional messaging.

Whether MailerSend is better than Brevo depends on your specific business needs. If your primary focus is on sending high-volume transactional emails with a simple, developer-friendly interface and high deliverability, MailerSend is likely the better choice. It’s tailored for businesses that require reliable, efficient email delivery without the added complexity of marketing tools. 

However, if you need a more comprehensive solution that includes not just transactional emails but also robust marketing automation, CRM integration, and multi-channel communication, Brevo might be the superior option.

MailerSend is best used for businesses that need to efficiently manage and send large volumes of transactional emails, such as order confirmations, password resets, and account notifications. It is particularly well-suited for developers and technical teams due to its robust, developer-friendly API that allows seamless integration into applications. 

With a focus on reliability, speed, and high deliverability, MailerSend ensures that critical emails reach recipients promptly. Its simplicity and ease of use make it an excellent choice for companies seeking a specialized solution for transactional email delivery without the complexity of broader marketing automation features.

MailerSend and Brevo serve different purposes, so whether MailerSend can replace Brevo depends on your specific needs. MailerSend excels in transactional email delivery with a focus on high deliverability and a developer-friendly API, making it ideal for businesses that prioritize seamless integration and reliable messaging. 

However, Brevo offers a comprehensive suite of marketing tools, including email marketing, SMS campaigns, automation, and CRM, which MailerSend lacks. If your primary need is managing and sending transactional emails, MailerSend could suffice. However, if you require broader marketing capabilities, Brevo remains the more suitable option.

MailerSend’s pricing is generally more cost-effective than Brevo, especially for businesses focused on transactional emails. MailerSend offers competitive pricing tailored to companies that need reliable, high-volume email delivery without the added features of a full marketing suite. 

Brevo, while also offering affordable plans, includes a broader range of services such as marketing automation, SMS campaigns, and CRM tools, which can increase the overall cost depending on the plan and features required. If your needs are centered around simple, high-performance transactional emails, MailerSend is typically the more economical choice compared to Brevo's more comprehensive offerings.

While MailerSend offers a powerful platform for transactional email delivery, it's essential to explore alternative software options to ensure you find the best fit for your specific email communication needs.

Several notable alternatives to MailerSend in the email and marketing automation space include Brevo, GetResponse, MailerLite, and Mailjet.

Choosing the ideal email platform depends on your organization’s unique requirements, such as the need for transactional emails, marketing automation, or multi-channel communication. If you prioritize a developer-friendly API, high deliverability, and simplicity, MailerSend may be a strong choice.

Brevo offers a more comprehensive platform compared to MailerSend, catering to businesses that require both marketing automation and transactional email services. While MailerSend excels in providing a streamlined, developer-friendly solution focused on high-performance transactional emails, Brevo goes further by integrating multi-channel marketing tools, including email campaigns, SMS marketing, CRM, and advanced automation features. 

Brevo is better suited for businesses looking to manage all aspects of customer engagement from a single platform, whereas MailerSend is ideal for those who need a specialized, reliable service for transactional email delivery without additional marketing functionalities.

Whether Brevo is better than MailerSend depends on the scope of your business's email and marketing needs. Brevo excels in providing an all-in-one solution, making it ideal for businesses that require comprehensive tools for managing customer engagement across multiple channels, including email, SMS, and CRM. Its robust marketing automation and multi-channel capabilities offer significant advantages for businesses seeking to streamline their marketing efforts within a single platform. 

However, if your primary need is a focused, high-performance tool for transactional emails, MailerSend might be the better choice. Brevo is better suited for those needing extensive marketing functionalities alongside email services.

Brevo is best used for businesses that require a comprehensive platform to manage multi-channel marketing and customer engagement. It excels in providing tools for email marketing, SMS campaigns, marketing automation, and customer relationship management (CRM), making it ideal for companies that want to streamline their communication and marketing efforts. 

Brevo is particularly effective for businesses looking to nurture leads, engage customers across various channels, and automate complex marketing workflows. Its user-friendly interface and versatile features make it suitable for businesses of all sizes seeking to enhance their marketing strategies and manage customer interactions more effectively.

Brevo can replace MailerSend if your business needs extend beyond transactional email delivery to include comprehensive marketing automation. While MailerSend specializes in high-performance transactional emails with a developer-friendly API, Brevo offers a broader suite of tools that include email and SMS marketing, CRM, and advanced automation. 

If you require a platform that handles both transactional emails and marketing campaigns, Brevo can serve as an all-in-one solution. However, for businesses focused solely on transactional messaging with a need for simplicity and high deliverability, MailerSend may still be the preferred option over Brevo.

Brevo is not necessarily cheaper than MailerSend, especially when considering the broader range of features it offers. While Brevo provides a comprehensive suite including email marketing, SMS campaigns, CRM, and automation tools, these added functionalities can increase the overall cost depending on the plan chosen. 

MailerSend, on the other hand, focuses primarily on transactional email services, offering a more streamlined and cost-effective solution for businesses with simpler needs. If your primary requirement is high-performance transactional email delivery, MailerSend tends to be the more affordable option, whereas Brevo's pricing reflects its more extensive capabilities.

While Brevo offers a comprehensive platform for email marketing, SMS campaigns, and customer relationship management, it's important to explore alternative software options to ensure you find the best fit for your specific needs.

Several noteworthy alternatives to Brevo in the email marketing and automation space include Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, MailerLite, and HubSpot.

The ideal email marketing software depends on your organization's unique requirements, such as the need for multi-channel communication, automation capabilities, and CRM integration. If you value an all-in-one solution with a focus on multi-channel marketing, Brevo may be the right choice.

MailerSend edges out ahead when it comes to ease-of-use, offering a streamlined experience that users consistently praise for its simplicity. The visually appealing and intuitive user interface (UI) is designed to be straightforward, catering to both tech-savvy users and non-technical individuals alike. Navigating through the software is smooth, with well-organized toolbars and menus that minimize the time and effort required to get started. For example, setting up transactional emails or managing API keys in MailerSend can be done with just a few clicks, making it ideal for businesses needing quick deployment. 

In contrast, Brevo, while offering a comprehensive suite of features, including advanced marketing automation and CRM tools, may require a steeper learning curve. Its interface, though powerful, is densely packed with options, which can be overwhelming for users new to the email marketing realm or those who prefer a simpler, more focused tool.

On the integration front, Brevo has a slight advantage due to its wide array of third-party application support, making it a versatile choice for businesses needing comprehensive connectivity. Brevo's integrations cover a broader spectrum of applications, including popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, project management tools like Trello and Asana, and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. This extensive range makes data synchronization efficient and automation seamless across various business functions. Moreover, Brevo's API documentation is highly detailed and developer-friendly, enabling customization of workflows with ease. For example, businesses can set up complex marketing automations that pull data from multiple sources without needing extensive coding expertise. 

On the other hand, while MailerSend does offer reliable integrations with major platforms like Zapier and Shopify, its selection is somewhat narrower compared to Brevo. Therefore, businesses requiring extensive, multi-channel integrations might find Brevo a more fitting solution, particularly if they rely on a wide array of tools for their operations.

MailerSend stands out when it comes to email deliverability, a critical factor for businesses that depend on timely and reliable email communication. It employs an optimized design and a robust sending system, which ensures high deliverability rates. For instance, it can handle the simultaneous sending of millions of emails using the reliable and secure SMTP protocol, a feature essential for companies with large mailing lists. This system minimizes bounce rates and maximizes inbox placement, making it ideal for transactional emails like password resets or order confirmations. 

Although Brevo also offers transactional email services, MailerSend's focused approach and continual improvements in deliverability technology set it apart, ensuring that emails reach recipients as intended. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses that heavily rely on email to communicate with customers and need assurance that their messages are not only sent but also delivered promptly and efficiently.

Brevo excels in automating marketing campaigns and workflows, offering a comprehensive suite of tools that allow businesses to create highly personalized communication based on customer behavior. This level of automation not only saves time but also enhances customer engagement by delivering the right message at the right time. For example, Brevo enables users to set up complex workflows that trigger emails, SMS messages, or other actions based on customer interactions, such as website visits or email opens. 

While MailerSend does offer drip campaign automation, which is useful for sending a series of emails over time, Brevo goes further by providing advanced features like lead scoring, segmentation, and multi-channel automation. This broader range of capabilities makes Brevo a more powerful choice for businesses looking to create sophisticated, behavior-driven marketing strategies that can adapt to the needs and actions of their audience, ensuring a more targeted and effective approach to customer communication.

Brevo has the distinct advantage of allowing users to create customized landing pages using a variety of easy-to-use templates, making it a powerful tool for lead capture, promoting special offers, and driving conversions. This feature is particularly valuable for businesses looking to enhance their online marketing efforts by creating dedicated pages tailored to specific campaigns or audiences. 

For example, with Brevo, a business can quickly design a landing page to support a seasonal promotion or to collect email sign-ups, complete with personalized branding and call-to-action buttons. The drag-and-drop editor simplifies the process, even for those without design experience, enabling the creation of professional-looking landing pages in minutes. This is a feature that MailerSend does not offer, giving Brevo a significant edge in providing a more comprehensive solution for businesses that need not only email marketing but also powerful tools for creating and optimizing landing pages to maximize their marketing efforts.

Both MailerSend and Brevo provide excellent features for segmenting contacts, enabling businesses to deliver highly targeted and personalized content. MailerSend allows users to segment email lists based on various factors such as customer behavior, preferences, purchase history, and engagement levels. This ensures that each segment receives content tailored to their specific interests, enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of campaigns. For instance, a business could create a segment for frequent buyers and send them exclusive offers or loyalty rewards. 

Similarly, Brevo offers robust contact management tools, enabling segmentation based on criteria such as demographics, behavioral triggers, and past interactions. Brevo’s segmentation can also integrate with its advanced automation workflows, allowing businesses to send personalized messages across multiple channels, including email and SMS. This level of segmentation ensures that communication is not only personalized but also timely, based on the customer’s journey, making both MailerSend and Brevo powerful tools for businesses looking to optimize their marketing strategies through precise and effective audience targeting.

MailerSend comes equipped with comprehensive analytics tools that offer detailed insights into your email campaigns, including key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and conversion rates. These analytics are not just surface-level; they provide granular data that can help businesses deeply understand how their emails are performing across different segments and audiences. For example, MailerSend’s reporting can break down performance by individual recipient behaviors, time of day, or device used, allowing marketers to identify precise areas for improvement. 

While Brevo also offers analytics and reporting features, MailerSend takes it a step further by delivering more detailed and actionable data. This enables businesses to fine-tune their email strategies with greater precision, optimizing content, timing, and targeting for better results in future campaigns. By offering such in-depth insights, MailerSend empowers users to continually refine their email marketing efforts, making it a superior choice for those who prioritize data-driven decision-making in their communication strategies.