Why Startups Need Brevo
Starting a business is like launching a ship into uncharted waters. You need reliable navigation tools, and when it comes to customer communication, you need something that won’t drain your limited budget.
That’s where Brevo comes in. As a startup founder, you’re probably wearing multiple hats, juggling countless responsibilities, and watching every dollar. You need marketing tools that work as hard as you do without breaking the bank.
Brevo has become the go-to solution for thousands of startups worldwide because it combines affordability, powerful features, and simplicity into one platform.
| Key Reason | Benefit |
| Cost-Effective | Save thousands on marketing tools without compromising features |
| Easy to Use | No technical skills required to launch campaigns |
| All-in-One Solution | Email, SMS, and CRM in a single platform |
| Scalable | Grows with your business at no extra setup cost |
| Trusted | Used by over 500,000+ businesses globally |
In this review, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about Brevo to determine if it’s the right fit for your growing business.
What is Brevo, and How Did It Start?
Brevo is an all-in-one customer communication platform designed to help businesses of all sizes reach their audience through email, SMS, and other channels. The platform operates on a freemium model, which means you can get started without spending a single penny. Whether you’re sending your first email campaign or managing thousands of customers, Brevo has the tools to support your journey.
Here’s what you need to know about Brevo at a glance:
- Founded in 2012 – Originally called Sendinblue, now Brevo
- Headquarters – Based in Paris, France
- Users – Trusted by 500,000+ businesses worldwide
- Platform Type – Cloud-based marketing and CRM solution
- Pricing Model – Freemium with flexible paid plans
- Free Tier – 300 emails/day to unlimited contacts
- Support Languages – Available in 14+ languages
The Evolution from Sendinblue to Brevo
If you’ve heard of Sendinblue, you might be wondering what happened. In 2022, Sendinblue underwent a major rebrand, transforming into Brevo. This wasn’t just a name change; it represented a significant evolution in the company’s vision and offerings.
| Aspect | Before (Sendinblue) | After (Brevo) |
| Focus | Email marketing platform | Comprehensive customer engagement |
| Features | Email + SMS basics | Email, SMS, CRM, Automation, Chat |
| Vision | Single-channel tool | Multi-channel unified hub |
| User Base | Primarily small businesses | Startups to enterprise |
| Brand Identity | Technical, functional | Modern, innovative |
The new name, Brevo, is a play on “brief” and “evolution,” perfectly capturing the platform’s focus on concise, evolved communication strategies.
Why the Rebrand Matters
The rebrand to Brevo signals the company’s commitment to becoming more than just an email marketing tool. It reflects their investment in new features, improved infrastructure, and a broader vision for customer communication.
Here’s why this matters for your startup:
- Not locked into email-only – Access SMS marketing, transactional emails, CRM capabilities, and marketing automation
- Future-proof investment – You’re adopting a platform that’s evolving with modern business needs
- Better branding – The modern name attracts cutting-edge startups and innovative businesses
- Enhanced functionality – New features are continuously added based on market demand
- Competitive positioning – Brevo now competes directly with enterprise-level platforms
Core Features
When you’re running a startup on a shoestring budget, every feature matters. Let me break down what makes Brevo special and why it’s worth your attention.
Email Marketing Made Simple
Email is still one of the most effective marketing channels, and Brevo makes it ridiculously easy. You don’t need to be a technical wizard to create professional-looking emails.
Quick email marketing stats:
- Average ROI – $42 for every $1 spent
- Open Rate – Average of 21% across industries
- Click-through Rate – Approximately 2.5%
- Frequency – Best results with 1-2 emails per week
- Timing – Tuesday-Thursday mornings perform best
Templates and Drag-and-Drop Editor
Brevo offers hundreds of pre-designed templates that look modern and professional. Whether you’re sending a promotional campaign, newsletter, or welcome series, there’s a template ready to go.
| Template Type | Use Case | Best For |
| Promotional | Flash sales, special offers | E-commerce stores |
| Newsletter | Regular updates, insights | Content creators |
| Welcome Series | New subscriber onboarding | SaaS products |
| Abandoned Cart | Cart recovery | Online retailers |
| Re-engagement | Inactive subscribers | Any business |
| Feedback | Customer surveys | Service businesses |
The drag-and-drop editor is intuitive, allowing you to customize:
- Colors and brand palettes
- Fonts and typography
- Images and media
- Content blocks
- Call-to-action buttons
- Links and tracking
It’s like having a professional designer in your pocket without the price tag.
Automation Workflows
Here’s where Brevo really shines. You can create sophisticated automation workflows that do the heavy lifting for you.
How automation workflows work:
- Trigger – Customer takes an action (e.g., signs up for list)
- Delay – Wait a set amount of time (e.g., 2 days)
- Action – Send an email or SMS automatically
- Condition – If/then logic based on customer behavior
- Loop – Repeat based on engagement patterns
- End – Campaign concludes or moves to another workflow
Example workflow for e-commerce:
- Customer purchases product → Send thank you email (immediate)
- Wait 3 days → Send product tips email
- Wait 7 days → Send upsell recommendation
- If no click → Send win-back offer
- If clicked → Send related products
This is called marketing automation, and it’s a game-changer for startups trying to scale without scaling their team.
SMS Marketing Capabilities
Email is great, but sometimes you need to reach customers where they’re most likely to respond. Brevo includes SMS marketing, allowing you to send text messages directly to your customers’ phones.
Why SMS marketing matters:
| Metric | SMS | |
| Open Rate | 21% | 98% |
| Click Rate | 2.5% | 19% |
| Response Time | Hours/Days | Minutes |
| Opt-out Rate | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Best Use | Long-form content | Urgent messages |
SMS marketing features in Brevo:
- Direct messaging – Send to customers via phone
- Personalization – Include customer names and details
- Scheduling – Send at optimal times
- Two-way messaging – Customers can reply
- Compliance tools – GDPR and regulatory compliance built in
- Analytics – Track delivery and response rates
This feature is perfect for:
- Time-sensitive announcements
- Flash sales and limited offers
- Appointment reminders
- Delivery updates
- Customer service notifications
- Account alerts
CRM System Integration
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is essentially your digital rolodex on steroids. Brevo includes a built-in CRM that lets you track every interaction with your customers.
What Brevo’s CRM includes:
| Feature | What It Does |
| Contact Management | Store all customer information in one place |
| Interaction History | View all emails, clicks, and opens |
| Deal Tracking | Monitor sales pipeline and opportunities |
| Task Management | Assign and track follow-ups |
| Company Profiles | Store B2B customer details |
| Custom Fields | Add industry-specific information |
| Lead Scoring | Identify hot prospects automatically |
Benefits for your startup:
- Better understand customer preferences and behavior
- Personalize communication at scale
- Identify your most valuable customers
- Track sales opportunities through the funnel
- Avoid duplicate efforts or miscommunication
- Create data-driven strategies
Brevo Pricing
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: cost. Brevo’s pricing model is one of its biggest selling points for startups.
Free Plan
Yes, you read that right. Brevo offers a genuinely useful free plan. You can send up to 300 emails per day (that’s about 9,000 per month) to unlimited contacts.
Here’s what’s included in the Free Plan:
| Feature | Free Plan | Paid Plans |
| Monthly Emails | 9,000 | 20,000+ |
| Contacts | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Email Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automation | Basic | Advanced |
| CRM | ✓ | ✓ |
| SMS | Limited | ✓ |
| Support | Email + Chat | |
| Branding | Brevo footer | No footer |
Perfect for:
- Bootstrapped startups validating business models
- Testing email marketing strategy
- Small newsletters (under 9,000 emails/month)
- Startups with limited budgets
- Beginners learning email marketing
You can validate your email marketing strategy without spending a dime. The free plan also includes Brevo’s marketing templates and basic segmentation features.
Paid Plans
When you’re ready to scale, Brevo’s paid plans are incredibly affordable compared to competitors. The pricing is based on the number of emails you send per month, not the number of contacts. This is a crucial distinction.
Here’s how Brevo pricing works:
- You pay per email sent – Not per subscriber
- Unlimited contacts – Store 1,000 or 1,000,000 contacts at the same price
- Includes SMS credits – Depending on plan
- No setup fees – Start anytime, cancel anytime
- Volume discounts – Save more when you commit monthly
Typical pricing tiers:
| Plan | Monthly Emails | Estimated Cost | Best For |
| Free | 9,000 | $0 | Startups testing |
| Starter | 20,000 | $20-30/mo | Bootstrapped founders |
| Business | 100,000 | $60-100/mo | Growing companies |
| Premium | 1,000,000+ | Custom | Enterprise clients |
SMS pricing:
- Pay-as-you-go model
- Volume discounts available
- Typically $0.05-0.15 per message
- No monthly minimums
Brevo for Startup Success
Why are thousands of startups choosing Brevo? It comes down to startup-specific benefits that directly address the challenges of early-stage businesses.
Scalability as Your Business Grows
Startups are unpredictable. One month you’re sending 5,000 emails, the next month you’re sending 50,000. Brevo scales with you seamlessly.
Scalability advantages:
- No fixed annual contracts – Pay monthly, upgrade/downgrade anytime
- Usage-based pricing – Only pay for what you use
- Unlimited contacts – Add as many subscribers as you want
- Automatic scaling – Infrastructure handles traffic spikes
- No migration needed – Stays on one platform as you grow
- Historical data preserved – Never lose past campaign data
Real scaling scenarios:
- Month 1: Send 2,000 emails (Free plan)
- Month 3: Send 15,000 emails (Free plan)
- Month 6: Send 50,000 emails (Starter plan)
- Month 12: Send 200,000 emails (Business plan)
- Year 2: Send 1,000,000+ emails (Premium plan)
This flexibility is crucial when you’re in growth mode and your needs might change monthly.
Integration with Popular Tools
Brevo doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It integrates with the tools you’re already using, like Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Zapier, and countless others.
Popular integrations:
| Category | Tools |
| E-commerce | Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce |
| CMS | WordPress, Drupal, Joomla |
| CRM | HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive |
| Analytics | Google Analytics, Mixpanel |
| Payment | Stripe, PayPal, Square |
| Communication | Slack, WhatsApp, Telegram |
| Automation | Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat) |
| Forms | Typeform, SurveyMonkey, Gravity Forms |
Integration benefits:
- Connect without coding knowledge
- Sync data automatically
- Eliminate manual data entry
- Keep tools in sync in real-time
- Reduce errors and duplicates
- Save hours each week on data management
These integrations mean you can connect Brevo to your e-commerce store, website, or other business applications without any technical headaches. This saves startup teams time and eliminates data silos.
User Interface: Is It Easy to Navigate?
A powerful tool is only useful if you can actually use it. Brevo’s dashboard is intuitive and well-organized.
Dashboard navigation features:
| Area | Function |
| Left Sidebar | Main menu for all features |
| Top Navigation | Quick access to key tools |
| Main Content Area | Primary workspace |
| Performance Cards | Dashboard summary metrics |
| Quick Actions | One-click shortcuts |
| Search Bar | Find features quickly |
What users appreciate:
- Clean, modern design without clutter
- Logical menu organization
- Helpful tooltips for new features
- Contextual help throughout the platform
- Mobile-responsive interface
- Dark mode option available
- Customizable dashboard widgets
When you log in, you’re greeted with a clean interface that doesn’t feel overwhelming. The main navigation is clear, and finding what you need doesn’t require a treasure map. Even if you’ve never used marketing automation before, you’ll find yourself comfortable within a few minutes. The platform provides helpful tooltips and guides, so you’re never truly lost.
Customer Support and Resources
Startups don’t have time to waste on troubleshooting technical issues. Brevo offers multiple support channels:
Support options by plan:
| Support Type | Free | Paid |
| Email Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✗ | ✓ |
| Phone Support | ✗ | Limited |
| Knowledge Base | ✓ | ✓ |
| Community Forum | ✓ | ✓ |
| Video Tutorials | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webinars | ✓ | ✓ |
Resources available:
- Knowledge base – 1000+ articles covering everything
- Video tutorials – Learn at your own pace
- Community forum – Ask questions, get peer support
- Email support – Detailed responses from team
- Live chat – Quick answers for paid users
- Webinars – Live training sessions monthly
- Documentation – Complete API reference
Email support is responsive, and the knowledge base is extensive, filled with tutorials and guides. The community forum is active, with users sharing tips and solutions. While the free plan doesn’t include phone support, it’s not a deal-breaker for most startups.
Pros and Cons
Let me give you the honest assessment of what works and what doesn’t with Brevo.
Pros of Brevo
First, the affordability is unmatched. You can launch professional email campaigns for free or at incredibly low costs.
- Freemium model – Start for free, no credit card required
- Affordable pricing – Costs 30-50% less than competitors
- Comprehensive features – Email, SMS, CRM all included
- User-friendly interface – Easy for beginners
- Powerful automation – Rival tools costing 3x more
- SMS included – Competitors charge extra
- Unlimited contacts – Store millions at the same price
- Scalable infrastructure – Grows with your business
- Strong integrations – Works with tools you already use
- Good support – Responsive, helpful team
The feature set is comprehensive—you’re not paying extra for email, SMS, and CRM; they’re all included. The interface is user-friendly, making it accessible to non-technical founders. Plus, Brevo’s automation capabilities rival tools that cost three times as much. And let’s not forget the scalability; your tool grows with your business.
Cons of Brevo
Brevo isn’t perfect. Here are the honest limitations:
| Issue | Severity | Workaround |
| Advanced reporting | Medium | Export data to Excel/BI tools |
| Limited free automation | Low | Upgrade to a paid plan |
| Slower support sometimes | Low | Use the knowledge base for quick answers |
| Feature limitations by region | Medium | Check local availability |
| Not as polished as Klaviyo | Low | Focus on functionality over design |
| Learning curve for advanced features | Low | Follow tutorials and webinars |
Specific limitations:
- Advanced reporting features are less detailed than premium competitors
- Free plan limited to basic automation workflows
- Customer support can feel slow during peak times
- Some features have regional limitations
- Interface is not quite as polished as some enterprise tools
- SMS is not available in all countries
- API has occasional rate limits
- No built-in affiliate program
Brevo vs. Competitors
How does Brevo stack up against the big names in email marketing?
How It Compares to Mailchimp
Mailchimp is well-known, but it’s also more expensive once you start scaling. Let’s compare:
Brevo vs. Mailchimp comparison:
| Factor | Brevo | Mailchimp |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| Free Contacts | Unlimited | 500 |
| SMS Included | Yes | Extra cost |
| Automation | Excellent | Good |
| Ease of Use | Easy | Easy |
| Pricing at Scale | Better | More expensive |
| CRM Built-in | Yes | Limited |
| Customer Support | Good | Good |
| Advanced Features | Good | Excellent |
When to choose each:
Choose Brevo if:
- You need SMS marketing
- You’re sending high volumes of emails
- You want better value for money
- You prefer simplicity over advanced features
- You need a built-in CRM
Choose Mailchimp if:
- You need advanced segmentation
- Detailed analytics are critical
- You want white-label options
- You prefer a more recognizable brand
- You’re managing huge contact lists (100k+)
Brevo beats Mailchimp on price for high-volume senders. The free plan is more generous and includes SMS marketing. However, Mailchimp has better reporting for some use cases. For startups on a budget, Brevo wins. For those prioritizing advanced analytics, Mailchimp might edge ahead.
Brevo vs. ConvertKit
ConvertKit is built specifically for creators and writers, while Brevo is more general-purpose.
| Aspect | Brevo | ConvertKit |
| Best For | All businesses | Creators/Writers |
| Email Marketing | Excellent | Excellent |
| Automation | Advanced | Creator-focused |
| Pricing | Budget-friendly | Premium |
| Free Plan | Generous | Limited trial |
| Analytics | Standard | Creator-centric |
| Integrations | Extensive | Creator tools |
| Learning Curve | Low | Low |
| Community | General | Creator community |
Pricing comparison:
- Brevo Free plan: Unlimited contacts, no credit card
- Brevo Starter: $20/month for 20,000 emails
- ConvertKit Starter: $25/month (100 free subscribers, then paid)
- ConvertKit Creator: $79/month or more
When to choose each:
- Brevo: For businesses needing email, SMS, and CRM
- ConvertKit: For indie creators monetizing audiences
If you’re a content creator building a community, ConvertKit might be more tailored to your needs. But if you need SMS, CRM, and more diverse marketing channels, Brevo is more versatile. Plus, Brevo is significantly cheaper.
Real-World Success Stories
Here’s how real businesses are using Brevo successfully:
Success story breakdown:
| Business Type | Use Case | Results |
| E-commerce | Abandoned cart recovery | 25-30% revenue recovery |
| SaaS | Lead nurturing workflows | 40% higher conversion |
| Service Business | Appointment reminders | 40% fewer no-shows |
| Creator | Newsletter engagement | 5x email revenue |
| Membership | Retention campaigns | 20% higher retention |
| Retail | Seasonal campaigns | 3x ROI vs. paid ads |
Detailed examples:
- E-commerce shop: Uses abandoned cart email → recovers $5,000+ monthly in lost sales
- SaaS startup: Leverages CRM + automation → nurtures leads through 90-day sales funnel
- Service business: Sends SMS reminders → reduces no-shows by 40%
- Content creator: Builds engaged list → monetizes with sponsored products
- Membership site: Automates member onboarding → improves retention by 20%
- B2B company: Segments leads by industry → personalizes outreach for 3x opens
These aren’t hypothetical benefits; they’re real results from real businesses using Brevo every day.
Conclusion
So, should you use Brevo for your startup? Here’s the bottom line:
Brevo is ideal for you if:
- You’re launching a startup on a tight budget
- You want email, SMS, and CRM in one place
- You prefer simplicity and ease of use
- You’re growing and need scalability
- You want to avoid annual contracts
- You need a quick setup and learning
Brevo might not be right if:
- You need white-glove enterprise support
- You require highly specialized features
- You operate in unsupported regions
- You need advanced statistical reporting
- You prefer premium UI polish
If you’re looking for an affordable, feature-rich platform that won’t require a steep learning curve, Brevo is an excellent choice. It’s particularly ideal if you want email marketing, SMS, and CRM all in one place without spending a fortune.
You can start free, test the platform with zero financial risk, and upgrade as you grow. For most startups, Brevo represents exceptional value.
The platform isn’t perfect for everyone—if you need highly specialized features or white-glove support, you might look elsewhere.
But for the vast majority of startups trying to do more with less, Brevo delivers. It’s helped thousands of businesses launch, grow, and scale their customer communication. There’s no reason it can’t do the same for you.
FAQs
Q1: Can I really use Brevo for free, or is it just a limited trial?
A: Yes, Brevo’s free plan is 100% free forever. You can send up to 300 emails daily with core features like email campaigns and contact management. No credit card or trial limit — ideal for beginners and startups.
Q2: How does Brevo’s SMS feature work, and is it expensive?
A: Brevo’s SMS marketing works on a pay-as-you-go system. You buy credits and pay only for the messages you send. Prices range from $0.05 to $0.15 per SMS, depending on country and volume. It’s cost-effective and available on all paid plans.
Q3: Is my data safe with Brevo, and what about GDPR compliance?
A: Yes, your data is safe. Brevo uses advanced encryption, regular audits, and is fully GDPR-compliant. It also offers two-factor authentication for extra security and detailed compliance documentation for EU users.
Q4: Can I migrate my existing email list to Brevo from another platform?
A: Yes. You can easily import contacts from tools like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or others. Upload a CSV file or connect via integration for automatic syncing. The process is quick, simple, and supported by Brevo’s migration help.
Q5: What’s the learning curve like for someone with no marketing experience?
A: Brevo is beginner-friendly with a clean dashboard and guided setup. It offers tutorials, templates, and drag-and-drop tools — no tech skills needed. Even if you’re new, you can launch your first campaign in minutes.