For a small list, Brevo is the better value for most businesses, mainly because it prices by emails sent rather than by contacts, includes a capable free plan, and bundles SMS, transactional email and a basic CRM in the same account. Zoho Campaigns wins when your business already runs on Zoho apps or when you want contact-based pricing for a list you email only occasionally. Both are documented as low-cost, so the real question is which pricing model matches how you send.
This Zoho Campaigns vs Brevo comparison covers pricing models, free plans, automation, deliverability patterns and who each tool fits. Prices below come from vendor pages and third-party summaries and change often, so verify current numbers on each pricing page before you commit.
How We Compared Zoho Campaigns and Brevo
We compared the two tools from documented evidence: each vendor's public pricing and feature pages, published comparison write-ups, and patterns across verified user reviews on sites such as G2 and Capterra. We did not run campaigns through either account. We applied one yardstick to both: what a business with roughly 2,500 to 10,000 contacts pays, how much automation is included at each tier, how easy the editor is to use, and what happens when you outgrow the plan. Where sources conflict, which happens with free-plan limits, we say so rather than pick a number.
The pricing models are the real difference
Zoho Campaigns has historically priced by subscriber count, with plans that scale as your list grows and a separate email-credit option for lists that send rarely. Brevo prices mainly by the number of emails you send per month, so a large list you only email once a month can cost far less than it would on a per-contact plan.
That distinction matters more than any headline price. A business with 8,000 contacts that sends one newsletter a month sends roughly 8,000 emails, which fits a low Brevo tier. A business with the same list that emails weekly sends about 32,000, and the Brevo price climbs. Third-party comparisons at around 10,000 contacts have shown Brevo cheaper for infrequent senders and the two close for frequent ones, though Zoho's own marketing pages claim the opposite in some scenarios. Treat any single comparison as vendor-influenced and price your own sending schedule on both calculators.
Free plans: both exist, but the limits differ
Both vendors have documented free plans, and the exact caps have shifted over time, with third-party sources disagreeing on the details. Brevo's free tier has long been described as capped by daily sending, historically around 300 emails per day, and it adds Brevo branding to emails. Zoho Campaigns' free plan is documented with a subscriber cap and daily or monthly sending limits, and some comparisons describe it as generous for very small lists.
For a business starting from zero, the free plan is a way to learn the editor and send a first few campaigns, not a permanent home. Automation, A/B testing and branding removal are the usual reasons to upgrade, so check which of those you need on day one. Our free email marketing tools roundup compares the wider field if you want other starting points.
Automation and features compared
Brevo documents a visual automation builder, a built-in CRM, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns, transactional email and a landing page builder, which is a wide bundle for the price. Zoho Campaigns documents autoresponders, workflow automation, segmentation, and tight integration with Zoho CRM, Zoho Forms and the rest of the Zoho suite. Reviewers consistently describe Zoho Campaigns as functional but less polished than the best-known competitors, and Brevo as quick to get going but with some features gated to higher tiers.
| Factor | Zoho Campaigns | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Main pricing basis | Documented as subscriber count, with an email-credit option | Documented as emails sent per month |
| Free plan | Documented, with subscriber and sending caps (verify current) | Documented, with a daily send cap and Brevo branding (verify current) |
| Automation | Workflows and autoresponders, strongest with Zoho CRM | Visual builder, with some depth gated to higher tiers |
| SMS and WhatsApp | Available, with SMS handled through Zoho's add-on | Built into the same platform, billed by credits |
| CRM | Via Zoho CRM, a separate product | Basic CRM included |
| Best fit | Businesses already on Zoho apps | Small businesses sending infrequently to larger lists |
Deliverability and support: what reviewers report
Deliverability depends heavily on your list quality and sending habits, so no vendor can promise inbox placement. One third-party report cited in comparison articles put Brevo's inbox rate slightly ahead of Zoho's, around two points apart, but the source is a competitor and the gap is small enough that list hygiene will matter more. Both vendors document authentication through SPF and DKIM and offer dedicated IP options at higher tiers.
On support, reviewers on Capterra and G2 commonly report that Brevo's free users rely on email and help articles, with faster channels on paid plans, and that Zoho's support quality varies by plan and region. Neither is a clear winner here, and evidence is thin, so read recent reviews before you rely on support for a launch deadline.
Which one fits which business
Choose Brevo if you send occasionally to a growing list, want SMS or transactional email under one login, or want the lowest realistic starting cost. The email-volume pricing rewards infrequent senders, and the bundled CRM covers simple contact tracking without another subscription.
Choose Zoho Campaigns if your team already uses Zoho CRM, Zoho Books or Zoho Forms and wants contacts to flow between them without third-party connectors. If you are weighing it for the first time, our Zoho Campaigns review goes deeper on its strengths and gaps, and the Brevo review does the same for its rival.
If neither feels right, the best email marketing software roundup places both tools alongside the bigger names so you can see where a more specialised option might fit better.
Switching costs and what to check before you sign up
Moving a list is easy at the small end. Both tools import CSV files with consent flags, and you can export your subscribers at any time. The harder part is rebuilding automations, since workflows do not transfer between platforms. Before committing to either, list the three automations you need first, such as a welcome series, an abandoned follow-up and a re-engagement email, and confirm each is available on the plan you can afford. Also confirm who owns the sending domain authentication, because setting up SPF and DKIM properly is what protects deliverability in the first month.
A simple way to decide in ten minutes
Write down three numbers: your current list size, how many campaigns you send each month, and how many automated emails fire on average. Multiply the first two to estimate monthly sends, then enter that figure into Brevo's pricing calculator and your list size into Zoho's. If Brevo comes out lower and you do not use other Zoho products, the decision is made. If the prices are close, let the surrounding tools decide, since a CRM and forms that already sit in the same ecosystem save more time than a few dollars a month.
The bottom line: Pick Brevo for the best value on a small list that you email occasionally, and pick Zoho Campaigns only if your business already lives inside the Zoho suite.
