Most email platforms can send a newsletter. The differences that matter to a small business are what happens as your list grows, whether you sell online, how much design help you need, and how quickly the monthly cost climbs. Here is a plain comparison of the main options.

How to choose

Answer these before you look at any platform:

• How big is your list, and how fast is it growing? Pricing is usually tied to the number of contacts

• Do you sell online? If so, integration with your shop matters more than anything else

• How much design help do you need? Some tools do the design for you, others expect you to

• What is your monthly budget? Be honest about what it will be at 2,000 and 5,000 contacts, not just today

• Which automations do you need? Welcome sequence at minimum, abandoned cart if you sell online

The platforms at a glance

Mailchimp

The name most people know. Fine to start with, and the free plan works for a small list. The issue is cost as you grow: the price climbs quickly past a few thousand contacts, and its contact counting has historically caught people out. Good if you value a familiar interface and a big library of guides.

MailerLite

Does the core job well for less money. Clean interface, a genuinely useful free tier, solid automation for newsletters and welcome sequences. The trade off is fewer deep features for online retail. For a service business or a local shop sending regular updates, it is often the sensible pick.

Brevo

Formerly Sendinblue. Priced on emails sent rather than contacts stored, which suits a large list you email occasionally. Includes SMS and a light CRM, so it is worth a look if you want more than email in one place. The interface takes more getting used to.

Klaviyo

Built for ecommerce. The integration with Shopify and other shop platforms is deep, and the segmentation and automation around purchase behaviour are the best here. If you run an online shop and email is a real revenue channel, this is usually worth the higher price. If you do not sell online, skip it.

Kit

Formerly ConvertKit. Aimed at people selling courses, memberships and digital products. Strong on tagging subscribers by behaviour and on simple, text style emails that feel personal. Less suited to a visual retail newsletter.

Flodesk

Flat monthly fee no matter how big your list gets, which is unusual and appealing once your list is large. The templates are attractive and easy. It is lighter on integrations and advanced automation, so it suits a business whose email is mostly a well designed regular newsletter.

What most small businesses should pick

• Local service business or shop, regular newsletter, tight budget: MailerLite

• Online shop where email drives sales: Klaviyo

• Large list emailed now and then, want SMS too: Brevo

• Design matters and your list is big: Flodesk

• Selling courses or memberships: Kit

• Want the most familiar option and will manage the cost: Mailchimp

A note on switching later

You are not locked in. You can export your contacts and move platforms. The cost is rebuilding your automations and warming up sending on the new platform for a couple of weeks. Pick something reasonable now and switch if you outgrow it. Our guide to Mailchimp alternatives covers the switch in detail.

The takeaway

There is no single best platform, only the best fit for your list size, whether you sell online, and your budget as you grow. For most local businesses starting out, a simple, affordable tool like MailerLite covers everything you need. Online shops should look hardest at Klaviyo.

Koprio sets up and runs email marketing for small businesses across East Sussex on whichever platform suits, from a fixed monthly fee. Get in touch or read more on the email marketing service page.