Best Email Marketing Platforms for AI Businesses 2026: 10 Tools Ranked and Compared
Here's an uncomfortable truth: most AI companies are running some of the most sophisticated technology on the planet, then sending emails like it's 2015. Finding the right email marketing platform for your AI business in 2026 isn't just about newsletters anymore — and honestly, if that's all you're using it for, you're leaving serious money on the table.
AI companies, SaaS startups, and machine learning consultancies have specific needs: automated nurture sequences, behavioral triggers, deep CRM integrations, and increasingly, native AI writing or optimization features baked right in. The wrong platform wastes your team's time and your budget. The right one becomes a genuine growth engine.
I've run every tool on this list through a systematic evaluation framework covering automation depth, AI-native features, deliverability rates, pricing tiers, integration ecosystems, and how much hand-holding the platform requires. Whether you're a solo AI founder running a newsletter or a 50-person MLOps company managing complex drip campaigns, this breakdown has a data-driven recommendation for you.
How We Evaluated These Platforms
No gut feelings here. Each platform was scored across six weighted dimensions:
- Automation depth (25%) — conditional logic, behavioral triggers, multi-branch workflows
- AI/smart features (20%) — subject line optimization, send-time AI, content generation
- Deliverability (20%) — inbox placement rates, domain authentication support
- Pricing-to-value ratio (15%) — what you actually get per dollar at each tier
- Ease of use (10%) — onboarding time, UI complexity, learning curve
- Integrations (10%) — native connections to tools AI businesses actually use (Zapier, Slack, HubSpot, OpenAI-adjacent tools)
Pricing figures reflect February 2026 rates. Some platforms adjust pricing frequently, so always verify directly before buying.
Quick Comparison Table — All 10 Platforms at a Glance
| Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Free Plan | AI Features | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | Advanced automation | ~$15/mo | ❌ | ✅ Strong | 9.4/10 |
| ConvertKit | Creator-led AI brands | ~$25/mo | ✅ (up to 1k) | ✅ Moderate | 9.1/10 |
| GetResponse | All-in-one marketing | ~$19/mo | ✅ (limited) | ✅ Strong | 8.9/10 |
| Drip | E-commerce AI brands | ~$39/mo | ❌ | ✅ Moderate | 8.7/10 |
| Brevo | Budget-conscious teams | Free–$25/mo | ✅ (300/day) | ✅ Growing | 8.6/10 |
| Mailchimp | Beginners & SMBs | ~$13/mo | ✅ (500 contacts) | ✅ Moderate | 8.3/10 |
| MailerLite | Simplicity-first teams | ~$10/mo | ✅ (1k contacts) | ✅ Basic | 8.2/10 |
| Moosend | Value-seekers | ~$9/mo | ❌ (30-day trial) | ✅ Basic | 8.0/10 |
| AWeber | Legacy reliability | ~$15/mo | ✅ (500 contacts) | ✅ Basic | 7.8/10 |
| Constant Contact | Non-technical users | ~$12/mo | ❌ (60-day trial) | ✅ Basic | 7.5/10 |
8-chapter comprehensive budgeting guide with 3 interactive calculators. Stop living paycheck to paycheck.
Detailed Reviews of the Best Email Marketing Platforms for AI Businesses
#1. ActiveCampaign — Best for Complex AI Business Automation
ActiveCampaign is the tool I'd reach for first if an AI business asked me to build a sophisticated marketing machine. It's consistently the deepest automation platform in this category, and that gap has only widened in 2026 with its expanded AI-powered predictive sending and lead scoring. Honestly, calling it an "email marketing platform" almost undersells it at this point.
The platform lets you build multi-branch automation workflows with conditional logic that'd make most competitors sweat. You can trigger sequences based on website behavior, email engagement, CRM field changes, or custom events — which matters enormously if your AI product has complex user onboarding paths or usage-based signals. I've seen teams replace three separate tools just by going all-in on ActiveCampaign's ecosystem.
Key Features:
- Visual automation builder with unlimited branching logic
- Predictive sending (AI-optimized send times per contact)
- AI-generated email content suggestions
- Built-in CRM with contact scoring
- 900+ native integrations (including Zapier, Slack, Salesforce, Segment)
- Split testing on automations, not just individual emails
- Detailed reporting with engagement trend analysis
Pricing:
- Starter: ~$15/mo (1,000 contacts, basic automation)
- Plus: ~$49/mo (CRM, landing pages, advanced automation)
- Professional: ~$79/mo (predictive sending, AI features, split automation)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros:
- Deepest automation logic in the market — it's not particularly close
- CRM included, so no separate tool needed
- Excellent deliverability track record
- Scales from startup to enterprise without forcing a platform switch
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve than most alternatives
- No free plan (only a 14-day trial)
- Interface can feel dense for simple use cases
#2. ConvertKit — Best for AI Creators and Thought Leaders
ConvertKit (rebranded as Kit in some markets — a rebrand that, look, nobody asked for, but here we are) has carved out a very specific niche: creators who monetize knowledge. For AI researchers, ML educators, and thought-leader founders running newsletters and digital products, it's a near-perfect fit. It's not trying to be everything, and that focus is genuinely its superpower.
The tagging and segmentation system is elegantly simple without being limited. You tag subscribers based on interests, behaviors, or purchase history, then serve ultra-targeted content. The visual automation builder is approachable enough for a solo founder but capable enough to handle multi-stage nurture funnels. Fun fact: a surprising number of well-known AI newsletter writers I've spoken to use ConvertKit and swear they've never needed anything more.
Key Features:
- Creator-focused landing page and form builder
- Tag-based segmentation (way more intuitive than old-school list-based systems)
- Commerce tools (sell digital products directly from ConvertKit)
- AI email writing assistant
- Newsletter referral system built in
- Subscriber scoring and engagement metrics
- Integrations with Teachable, Gumroad, Shopify, and more
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 1,000 subscribers (limited automations)
- Creator: ~$25/mo (1,000 subscribers, full automations)
- Creator Pro: ~$50/mo (advanced reporting, referral system, priority support)
Pros:
- Best-in-class for newsletter monetization
- Genuinely clean, uncluttered interface
- Strong deliverability, especially for text-based emails
- Free plan is actually useful for early-stage founders — not just a teaser
Cons:
- Limited design flexibility (intentionally minimal templates)
- Not ideal for complex B2B sales funnels
- E-commerce features can't match dedicated platforms
#3. GetResponse — Best All-in-One Platform for AI Startups
GetResponse keeps expanding its feature set and it's honestly impressive how much you get under one roof. Beyond email, you're getting webinar hosting, landing pages, a website builder, and a full marketing automation suite. For AI startups that don't want to juggle five separate tools, this is a compelling consolidation play — and one that could save you $200+/month in separate subscriptions when you add it all up.
The AI email generator (powered by GPT-based technology) has matured significantly in 2026, producing reasonably strong first drafts for nurture sequences. Their automation workflows support e-commerce triggers, web event tracking, and contact scoring — more than enough for most AI business use cases.
Key Features:
- AI email content generator
- Webinar hosting (up to 1,000 attendees on higher tiers)
- Landing page and website builder
- Marketing automation with contact scoring
- Conversion funnels (multi-step campaign builder)
- Paid ads management (Google, Facebook, Instagram)
- 170+ integrations
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 500 contacts, limited features
- Email Marketing: ~$19/mo (1,000 contacts, autoresponders)
- Marketing Automation: ~$59/mo (full automation, webinars)
- E-Commerce Marketing: ~$119/mo (e-commerce-specific tools)
Pros:
- Exceptional feature-to-price ratio — genuinely hard to beat
- Webinar hosting saves a separate tool subscription
- Good AI content features for the price point
- Solid deliverability
Cons:
- Interface can feel cluttered with so many features crammed in
- Webinar quality doesn't match dedicated platforms like Zoom
- Customer support response times vary depending on your tier
#4. Drip — Best for AI-Powered E-Commerce Brands
Drip is laser-focused on e-commerce, and it doesn't apologize for that. If your AI business sells products — whether that's AI-generated art, ML model subscriptions, or physical goods — Drip's revenue attribution and behavioral segmentation are in a different league from generalist platforms.
The platform tracks individual customer journeys across your website, store, and email interactions, then lets you build highly personalized flows based on that data. Purchase behavior, browsing patterns, cart abandonment — all of it feeds into the automation engine. It's technically impressive, and the reporting actually shows you revenue generated per email, not just opens and clicks. That last part, honestly, is something more platforms should be doing by default.
Key Features:
- Revenue attribution per email and automation
- Deep Shopify and WooCommerce integration
- Behavioral segmentation built on purchase history and browsing data
- Multi-channel (email + SMS) workflows
- Onsite personalization features
- Pre-built e-commerce automation playbooks
Pricing:
- Starts at ~$39/mo for up to 2,500 contacts
- Scales by contact count (no feature gating by tier — all features included from day one)
- No free plan, but a 14-day trial is available
Pros:
- Revenue attribution is genuinely best-in-class
- All features included at every price tier — no nasty surprises
- Exceptional for product-based AI businesses
- SMS + email in one platform
Cons:
- Expensive for small lists
- Overkill for service businesses or pure newsletters
- Fewer integrations outside the e-commerce ecosystem
#5. Brevo — Best Budget Option for AI Business Email Marketing
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) made a genuinely smart pivot: instead of charging by contacts like most platforms, it charges by email volume. For AI businesses with large subscriber lists that email infrequently — think quarterly product updates or monthly AI research digests — this pricing model can be dramatically cheaper. Like, we're talking 60-70% cheaper in some scenarios. It's the metric most people completely miss when comparing platforms.
The platform covers email, SMS, WhatsApp, live chat, and CRM under one roof. The automation features are solid without being exceptional. Brevo's transactional email capabilities are particularly strong, making it a favorite for SaaS products that need both marketing AND system emails handled from one place.
Key Features:
- Volume-based pricing (not contact-based)
- Transactional email via API (excellent for SaaS products)
- SMS and WhatsApp marketing
- Built-in CRM
- Landing page builder
- A/B testing
- AI subject line suggestions
Pricing:
- Free: 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts
- Starter: ~$25/mo (20,000 emails/mo, no daily cap)
- Business: ~$65/mo (marketing automation, A/B testing, landing pages)
- Enterprise: Custom
Pros:
- Most cost-efficient option for large lists with low send frequency
- Transactional email quality rivals SendGrid
- GDPR compliance tools are excellent — a big deal for EU-focused AI businesses
- Free plan is genuinely useful, not just a stripped-down teaser
Cons:
- Automation depth doesn't match ActiveCampaign or GetResponse
- Template designs feel dated compared to competitors
- Support on lower tiers can be slow
#6. Mailchimp — Best for AI Businesses Just Getting Started
Look, Mailchimp's brand recognition makes it the default starting point for many founders — and honestly, that's not wrong for early-stage AI businesses. The onboarding is smooth, the interface is the most approachable on this list, and the free plan supports up to 500 contacts with basic automation included.
In 2026, Mailchimp has leaned hard into AI features — subject line optimizer, send time recommendations, content generation, and predictive demographics. None of these features are best-in-class individually, but having them bundled in a beginner-friendly interface is legitimately valuable. The jump from free to paid is steep (the pricing structure has frustrated more than a few users, myself included), but for testing and early growth, it's hard to argue with the entry point.
Key Features:
- AI content generator and subject line optimizer
- Predictive demographics (predict age, gender for better targeting)
- Customer Journey Builder (visual automation)
- Generative AI for email templates
- A/B and multivariate testing
- 300+ integrations including Shopify, Stripe, WordPress
- Surveys and landing pages
Pricing:
- Free: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo, basic templates
- Essentials: ~$13/mo (500 contacts, A/B testing, removes branding)
- Standard: ~$20/mo (500 contacts, full automation, AI features)
- Premium: ~$350/mo (150,000+ contacts, advanced segmentation)
Pros:
- Best onboarding experience on this entire list
- Strong brand recognition (useful for integrations and partnerships)
- Solid AI features for a general-purpose platform
- Massive template library
Cons:
- Pricing scales aggressively — gets expensive faster than you'd expect
- Automation logic is less flexible than ActiveCampaign
- Recent UI changes have genuinely frustrated long-time users
#7. MailerLite — Best for Simplicity-First AI Teams
MailerLite is what Mailchimp would be if it stayed humble. Clean, fast, and it doesn't bury you in features you'll never touch. For small AI teams that want email marketing to just work without hiring a dedicated marketing ops person, MailerLite is the pick — and I think it's genuinely underrated in most comparison articles.
The automation builder is surprisingly capable despite the simple aesthetic. You get conditional logic, behavioral triggers, and multi-step sequences without the steep learning curve. The website and landing page builder is polished. And the pricing — especially with 1,000 free contacts — makes it one of the best value propositions for bootstrapped AI startups. (Side note: the fact that Mailchimp only gives you 500 free contacts while MailerLite gives you 1,000 has never made sense to me, given Mailchimp's much higher name recognition.)
Key Features:
- Clean drag-and-drop email builder
- Visual automation with conditional logic
- AI writing assistant
- Landing page and website builder
- Newsletter subscription website with built-in blog
- Sell digital products directly via email
- Detailed click maps and engagement analytics
Pricing:
- Free: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/mo
- Growing Business: ~$10/mo (1,000 contacts, unlimited emails, auto-resend)
- Advanced: ~$20/mo (AI writing, advanced automation, Facebook integration)
- Enterprise: Custom
Pros:
- Best free plan for contacts — 1,000 vs. Mailchimp's 500
- Cleanest interface on the list, full stop
- Excellent price-to-feature ratio
- Good deliverability for transactional-style content
Cons:
- Fewer advanced automation options than the top-tier tools
- Approval process for new accounts can be frustratingly slow
- Reporting depth is limited compared to ActiveCampaign or Drip
#8. Moosend — Best Value for Budget-Conscious AI Teams
Moosend doesn't get talked about enough, and that's a shame. The automation features punch well above their price point, and the AI-powered product recommendation engine is genuinely useful for AI businesses with digital storefronts. At ~$9/mo to start, it's the most affordable full-automation platform on this list — and "affordable" doesn't mean "stripped down" here.
The platform delivers real-time analytics, behavioral automation, and a flexible segmentation system at a price that undercuts most competitors by a significant margin. It's not the flashiest tool on the market, but for a scrappy AI startup prioritizing budget efficiency, it consistently delivers solid results.
Key Features:
- AI product recommendation engine
- Behavioral automation triggers
- Real-time analytics dashboard
- Landing page builder
- List segmentation with custom fields
- SMTP service for transactional email
- Countdown timers and personalization blocks
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day trial (no credit card required)
- Pro: ~$9/mo (500 subscribers, unlimited emails, full automation)
- Enterprise: Custom (dedicated IP, SSO, custom reporting)
Pros:
- Most affordable full-automation platform on this list
- AI recommendation engine is a genuine standout feature
- No email sending limits on paid plans
- Responsive customer support — better than you'd expect for this price point
Cons:
- Smaller integration library than most competitors
- Template selection is limited
- Lower brand recognition, which can matter for internal team buy-in
#9. AWeber — Best for Reliability and Deliverability
AWeber has been around since 1998. That's not a flex — it's context. The platform has nearly 30 years of deliverability optimization baked into its infrastructure, and inbox placement rates consistently rank among the highest in independent tests. For AI businesses in regulated industries or high-stakes communication scenarios, that kind of reliability has real monetary value. When your emails actually land in inboxes instead of spam folders, everything else becomes easier.
The feature set hasn't kept pace with newer competitors, and the interface definitely looks like it knows it. But AWeber's AMP for email support (allowing interactive elements inside emails, which is honestly a feature more people should be using), smart designer, and solid autoresponder system still get the job done. It's not the exciting pick — it's the dependable one.
Key Features:
- Smart Designer (auto-generates branded templates from your website)
- AMP for email (interactive email elements — genuinely unique)
- AI-powered subject line recommendations
- Canva integration for in-platform design
- 750+ email templates
- E-commerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, PayPal)
- 24/7 customer support at every tier
Pricing:
- Free: 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/mo, basic features
- Lite: ~$15/mo (500 subscribers, split testing, custom segments)
- Plus: ~$30/mo (unlimited lists, advanced automation, analytics)
- Unlimited: ~$899/mo (flat-rate, unlimited everything)
Pros:
- Industry-leading deliverability reputation
- 24/7 support on every single plan — not just premium tiers
- AMP for email is a unique differentiator you won't find elsewhere
- Stable, reliable platform with a decades-long track record
Cons:
- Interface and UX feel noticeably dated
- Automation builder is less intuitive than modern alternatives
- Pricing isn't especially competitive given the feature depth
#10. Constant Contact — Best for Non-Technical AI Teams
Constant Contact sits at the intersection of "very easy" and "just enough features." It's the pick for AI businesses where the marketing team isn't particularly technical — think AI consulting firms where the founder is brilliant at ML but has zero interest in configuring email automation logic. No judgment there; not everyone needs to be a marketing ops expert.
The event marketing tools are genuinely unique on this list, making it a solid choice for AI businesses that run webinars, conferences, or workshops. The social media posting features add some multichannel value. But in terms of automation depth and AI features, it trails the field considerably — and honestly, the pricing doesn't quite justify the gap.
Key Features:
- Event marketing management (unique in this category)
- Social media scheduling and monitoring
- Survey and polling tools
- AI content generation (basic)
- Subject line A/B testing
- List-building tools with landing pages
- Google Ads integration
Pricing:
- Lite: ~$12/mo (500 contacts, 1GB storage, basic email)
- Standard: ~$35/mo (500 contacts, automations, A/B testing)
- Premium: ~$80/mo (advanced automation, custom branding, priority support)
- No free plan — 60-day trial available
Pros:
- Easiest onboarding for non-technical users
- Event marketing tools are genuinely best-in-class
- Good social media integration
- Strong customer support and resource library
Cons:
- Automation capabilities are genuinely limited compared to the rest of this list
- Gets expensive quickly as your contact list grows
- AI features lag competitors by a noticeable margin
Detailed Feature Comparison Matrix
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | ConvertKit | GetResponse | Drip | Brevo | Mailchimp | MailerLite | Moosend | AWeber | Constant Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| AI Content Gen | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ |
| Predictive Sending | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Built-in CRM | ✅ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ |
| SMS Marketing | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Transactional Email | ⚠️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Landing Pages | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Webinars | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| E-commerce | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| Automation Depth | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Deliverability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Starting Price | $15/mo | $25/mo | $19/mo | $39/mo | Free | $13/mo | $10/mo | $9/mo | $15/mo | $12/mo |
✅ = Full support, ⚠️ = Partial/limited, ❌ = Not available
How to Choose the Right Email Marketing Platform for Your AI Business
Here's the deal — run through this framework before you pull out a credit card.
Step 1: Define Your Business Model
You're a creator, educator, or researcher → ConvertKit wins. Its newsletter-native design, subscriber tagging, and digital product selling tools are purpose-built for this use case. Don't overcomplicate it.
You're a SaaS or AI product company → ActiveCampaign or GetResponse. You need behavioral triggers tied to product usage, CRM integration, and multi-step nurture sequences. Both handle that without breaking a sweat.
You're an AI e-commerce brand → Drip, and it's not particularly close. Revenue attribution and purchase-behavior automation are Drip's entire identity.
You're a consultancy or agency → ActiveCampaign for sophisticated ops; Brevo if budget is the primary constraint.
Step 2: Estimate Your List Size and Send Frequency
- Under 1,000 contacts → Start with ConvertKit (free), MailerLite (free), or Brevo (free). There's genuinely no reason to pay for email marketing yet.
- 1,000–10,000 contacts, high frequency → GetResponse or ActiveCampaign. The per-contact pricing becomes worthwhile at this scale.
- Large list, infrequent sends → Brevo's volume-based pricing saves significant money here. This is the metric that most people completely overlook when comparing platforms.
Step 3: Be Honest About Your Technical Resources
If you've got a marketing ops person, ActiveCampaign's complexity pays off. If it's just you between product launches, MailerLite or ConvertKit won't waste your cognitive bandwidth on features you'll never actually configure. Neither option is wrong — it just depends on your situation.
Step 4: Check Your Integration Stack
AI businesses often use tools like Segment, Mixpanel, Intercom, Stripe, or custom webhooks. Run your existing stack against each platform's integration list before committing. ActiveCampaign and GetResponse have the broadest native integrations; most platforms cover the gap with Zapier when they don't.
Step 5: Start With a Free Trial
Every platform on this list offers either a free plan or a free trial — there's genuinely no excuse for committing without testing first. Run a 2-week trial, send to a warm segment, and check inbox placement on your specific domain. Deliverability can vary more than you'd expect based on your industry and list quality.
Verdict — Best Email Marketing Platforms for AI Businesses by Use Case
| Use Case | Top Pick | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | ActiveCampaign | GetResponse |
| Best for creators/newsletters | ConvertKit | MailerLite |
| Best for e-commerce AI brands | Drip | GetResponse |
| Best free plan | MailerLite | Brevo |
| Best budget pick | Moosend | Brevo |
| Best all-in-one | GetResponse | ActiveCampaign |
| Best deliverability | AWeber | ActiveCampaign |
| Best for beginners | Mailchimp | Constant Contact |
| Best for large lists, low send | Brevo | Moosend |
My hot take: Most AI businesses are seriously underusing their email marketing platform's automation capabilities. They set up a welcome sequence, call it done, and then wonder why their conversion rates are flat. The teams I've seen genuinely crush email marketing ROI almost always have 15+ active automation workflows running simultaneously — and ActiveCampaign makes it easier than anything else to build that many without bringing in a specialist. The welcome sequence is table stakes, not a strategy.
FAQ — Email Marketing Platforms for AI Businesses 2026
Which email marketing platform has the best AI features in 2026?
ActiveCampaign and GetResponse lead here — predictive send-time optimization, AI content generation, and automated contact scoring are all mature features on both platforms. Mailchimp's predictive demographics are genuinely impressive for a general-purpose tool. ConvertKit's AI writing assistant is more basic but integrates cleanly into the creator workflow without getting in the way.
Can I use these platforms if my AI business targets other businesses (B2B)?
Absolutely. ActiveCampaign is the strongest B2B option thanks to its CRM integration, lead scoring, and multi-touch attribution. ConvertKit works well for thought-leadership-driven B2B outreach. Brevo's transactional email capabilities make it a solid pick for B2B SaaS products that need both marketing and system emails handled from one place.
What's the best free email marketing platform for a new AI startup?
MailerLite — 1,000 contacts, 12,000 emails per month, and automation that's surprisingly capable for a free tier. ConvertKit's free plan is excellent if you're running a creator-model business. Brevo is worth a look if you have a large list but send infrequently, since unlimited contacts with a daily send cap suits specific patterns really well.
How important is deliverability for AI business email marketing?
Critically important — and it's almost always the metric founders check last, which is backwards. A 10% drop in deliverability can cost you more revenue than any feature difference between platforms. AWeber and ActiveCampaign consistently rank highest in independent deliverability benchmarks. Whatever platform you choose, configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records on your domain from day one. Non-negotiable.
Should an AI business use a separate transactional email service?
If you're running a SaaS AI product, yes — or choose a platform that handles both well. Brevo and Mailchimp have strong transactional email APIs that hold up well in practice. For most AI businesses sending only marketing emails, pairing a dedicated transactional service (like SendGrid or Postmark) with your marketing platform gives you cleaner deliverability segmentation and better diagnostics when something goes wrong.
How often should AI businesses review their email marketing platform choice?
Every 12–18 months, or whenever your contact list crosses a major threshold — 1K, 10K, and 50K are the points where your pricing and feature needs tend to shift noticeably. AI features in particular are evolving fast in 2026, and the platform that served a 500-subscriber newsletter doesn't always scale gracefully to a 20,000-contact enterprise funnel. The switching cost is real but manageable — most platforms offer migration assistance, and the long-term gains from being on the right platform are almost always worth the short-term hassle.