Pick / avoid summary (fast)
Skim these triggers to pick a default, then validate with the quick checks and constraints below.
- ✓ Your contact list is 25,000+ and send frequency is moderate—send-based pricing saves 3-5x
- ✓ You need multi-channel (email + SMS + WhatsApp + chat) in one platform
- ✓ GDPR compliance with EU data hosting is important for your business
- ✓ You need pre-built e-commerce automation flows that work out-of-the-box
- ✓ Web push notifications are part of your marketing strategy
- ✓ You're on Shopify/WooCommerce and need native product catalog sync
- × Automation depth is shallower than ActiveCampaign—fewer conditional triggers and branching options
- × Email template design quality behind Mailchimp—functional but less visually refined
- × Predictive analytics and advanced segmentation less sophisticated than Klaviyo's—basic audience insights only
- × Revenue attribution exists but is simpler than Klaviyo's per-email granularity and CLV predictions
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At 50,000 contactsBrevo $65/mo (Business) vs Omnisend $330/mo—$265/mo savings with Brevo
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The trade-offmassive cost savings on large lists vs purpose-built e-commerce automation depth
At-a-glance comparison
Brevo
Multi-channel marketing platform (formerly Sendinblue) with send-based pricing, unlimited contacts, and email + SMS + WhatsApp + chat. Free tier: 300 emails/day; Starter at $25/mo for 20,000 emails.
- ✓ Send-based pricing: unlimited contacts on all plans—pay only for emails sent, not contacts stored
- ✓ Free tier: 300 emails/day with unlimited contacts—most generous for large dormant lists
- ✓ Starter at $25/mo for 20,000 emails/mo; Business at $65/mo for marketing automation and A/B testing
Omnisend
E-commerce marketing automation with pre-built Shopify/WooCommerce workflows, email + SMS + push notifications in one plan. Free for 250 contacts; Standard at $16/mo for 500 contacts.
- ✓ Pre-built e-commerce automation workflows: cart abandonment, welcome, post-purchase, browse abandonment—ready to activate
- ✓ Email + SMS + web push notifications included in one plan (Standard+)—no separate channel fees
- ✓ Standard at $16/mo for 500 contacts is 30–40% cheaper than Klaviyo's equivalent tier
What breaks first (decision checks)
These checks reflect the common constraints that decide between Brevo and Omnisend in this category.
If you only read one section, read this — these are the checks that force redesigns or budget surprises.
- Real trade-off: Send-based pricing with unlimited contacts versus contact-based pricing with deeper e-commerce automation flows.
- Email Simplicity vs Automation Depth: Map your current automation needs: simple drip sequences vs multi-branch conditional flows
- Contact-Based vs Send-Based Pricing: Calculate total contacts vs average monthly sends to model cost on both pricing models
- E-commerce Native vs General Purpose: Determine if revenue-per-email and order-level attribution are must-have metrics
Implementation gotchas
These are the practical downsides teams tend to discover during setup, rollout, or scaling.
Where Brevo surprises teams
- Automation depth is shallower than ActiveCampaign—fewer conditional triggers and branching options
- Email template design quality behind Mailchimp—functional but less visually refined
- Deliverability has historically lagged Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign in third-party tests
Where Omnisend surprises teams
- Predictive analytics and advanced segmentation less sophisticated than Klaviyo's—basic audience insights only
- Revenue attribution exists but is simpler than Klaviyo's per-email granularity and CLV predictions
- Contact-based pricing: 25,000 contacts on Standard is $180/mo; 50,000 contacts is $330/mo
Where each product pulls ahead
These are the distinctive advantages that matter most in this comparison.
Brevo advantages
- ✓ Send-based pricing: unlimited contacts from free—pay only for what you send
- ✓ Multi-channel: email + SMS + WhatsApp + live chat in one platform
- ✓ GDPR-first with EU data hosting option for European businesses
Omnisend advantages
- ✓ Pre-built e-commerce automation workflows (cart, browse, post-purchase) ready to activate
- ✓ Email + SMS + web push notifications in one plan—triple channel coverage
- ✓ Deeper Shopify/WooCommerce integration with product catalog and order data sync
Pros and cons
Brevo
Pros
- + Your contact list is 25,000+ and send frequency is moderate—send-based pricing saves 3-5x
- + You need multi-channel (email + SMS + WhatsApp + chat) in one platform
- + GDPR compliance with EU data hosting is important for your business
- + Budget is the primary constraint and you need maximum value per dollar
- + Your e-commerce automation needs are moderate—basic flows suffice
Cons
- − Automation depth is shallower than ActiveCampaign—fewer conditional triggers and branching options
- − Email template design quality behind Mailchimp—functional but less visually refined
- − Deliverability has historically lagged Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign in third-party tests
- − No native e-commerce revenue attribution—Klaviyo and Omnisend are better for Shopify ROI tracking
- − Advanced segmentation and reporting require Business tier ($65/mo)—limited on Starter
- − No built-in CRM for sales pipelines; basic contact management only (Sales platform is separate product)
- − SMS and WhatsApp credits are usage-based and purchased separately from email pricing
Omnisend
Pros
- + You need pre-built e-commerce automation flows that work out-of-the-box
- + Web push notifications are part of your marketing strategy
- + You're on Shopify/WooCommerce and need native product catalog sync
- + E-commerce revenue tracking per campaign matters for optimization
- + You want email + SMS + push unified in one e-commerce-focused platform
Cons
- − Predictive analytics and advanced segmentation less sophisticated than Klaviyo's—basic audience insights only
- − Revenue attribution exists but is simpler than Klaviyo's per-email granularity and CLV predictions
- − Contact-based pricing: 25,000 contacts on Standard is $180/mo; 50,000 contacts is $330/mo
- − No B2B features—no lead scoring, no CRM, no ABM; purely e-commerce focused
- − Template design quality is functional but less polished than Mailchimp's premium templates
- − SMS credits on Standard are limited (60/mo included); additional SMS purchased separately
- − Smaller integration ecosystem than Mailchimp or HubSpot—focused on e-commerce platforms only
Keep exploring this category
If you’re close to a decision, the fastest next step is to read 1–2 more head-to-head briefs, then confirm pricing limits in the product detail pages.
FAQ
How do you choose between Brevo and Omnisend?
Brevo wins on cost at scale: send-based pricing with unlimited contacts is unbeatable for large lists. Omnisend wins on e-commerce depth: pre-built Shopify flows, push notifications, and integrated SMS are more purpose-built. The decision hinges on list size and e-commerce feature requirements.
When should you pick Brevo?
Pick Brevo when: Your contact list is 25,000+ and send frequency is moderate—send-based pricing saves 3-5x; You need multi-channel (email + SMS + WhatsApp + chat) in one platform; GDPR compliance with EU data hosting is important for your business; Budget is the primary constraint and you need maximum value per dollar.
When should you pick Omnisend?
Pick Omnisend when: You need pre-built e-commerce automation flows that work out-of-the-box; Web push notifications are part of your marketing strategy; You're on Shopify/WooCommerce and need native product catalog sync; E-commerce revenue tracking per campaign matters for optimization.
What’s the real trade-off between Brevo and Omnisend?
Send-based pricing with unlimited contacts versus contact-based pricing with deeper e-commerce automation flows.
What’s the most common mistake buyers make in this comparison?
Choosing Omnisend's e-commerce features when your list is 50,000+ and send frequency is low—Brevo's pricing model saves 3-5x.
What’s the fastest elimination rule?
Pick Brevo if your list is large (25,000+) and send-based pricing saves you 3-5x over contact-based alternatives
What breaks first with Brevo?
Automation ceiling: teams needing conditional branching hit Brevo's limits within 6 months. Deliverability on shared IPs: high-volume senders may need to upgrade to dedicated IP (Enterprise). Reporting depth: teams wanting attribution beyond basic campaign metrics need Business tier or external tools.
What are the hidden constraints of Brevo?
Daily sending limit on Free tier (300/day) means you can't batch-send to a large list in one day. SMS and WhatsApp credits purchased separately—per-message pricing varies by country. Shared IP deliverability on lower tiers can be affected by other senders on the same pool.
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Sources & verification
We prefer to link primary references (official pricing, documentation, and public product pages). If links are missing, treat this as a seeded brief until verification is completed.