Startups today face increasing pressure to build personalized, multi-channel customer engagement with lean teams and limited budgets. Navigating tools that combine email marketing, CRM, automation, and real-time messaging without breaking the bank is no small feat. Enter Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), a platform positioning itself as an all-in-one CRM and marketing suite for growing businesses. Competing with names like Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, and HubSpot, Brevo promises affordability and integration. 🌟🚀 In this review, we evaluate whether Brevo truly meets the needs of early-stage startups.
Overview
Brevo is a cloud-based marketing and CRM platform designed to unify communication channels such as email, SMS, WhatsApp, live chat, and automation into one user-friendly system. Originally known as Sendinblue, it rebranded in 2023 to reflect a broader mission: to become the most approachable CRM suite for small businesses and non-profits. 📉📢 With over 500,000 customers globally, Brevo caters primarily to SMBs and startups, offering a scalable toolkit to help lean teams manage growth, marketing, and sales from a single dashboard.
Brevo Key Features
📧 Email Marketing
Drag-and-drop email builder, 50+ templates, real-time performance tracking, and AI-assisted content creation make campaign management beginner-friendly.
⚙️ Marketing Automation
Visual workflow builder, behavior-triggered sequences, lead scoring, and automation across email, SMS, and WhatsApp.
🪟 CRM and Sales Pipeline
Built-in CRM with visual pipelines, task tracking, call logging, and meeting scheduling. Great for basic sales tracking.
📢 Transactional Messaging
SMTP relay and API-based email/SMS delivery with a 99% delivery rate for password resets, order confirmations, etc.
💬 Conversations (Live Chat & Chatbot)
Live chat widget, chatbot builder, and a universal inbox that centralizes messages from email, chat, WhatsApp, and social.
📲 SMS & WhatsApp Campaigns
Multi-channel messaging capabilities to reach customers directly and integrate with automation workflows.
📄Landing Pages & Forms
Drag-and-drop page builder and embeddable forms for lead capture (landing pages available on Business plan only).
🧠 AI-Powered Enhancements
Content assistant, send-time optimization, and predictive analytics available on premium plans.
Pros and Cons
👍 Pros
- Free plan with unlimited contacts
- Affordable email-based pricing model
- All-in-one tool with CRM, chat, email, and automation
- Easy-to-use email and automation builders
- Strong startup discounts available
- Reliable transactional email features
👎 Cons
- Key features gated behind Business tier (e.g. A/B testing, landing pages)
- Starter automation limited to 2,000 contacts lifetime
- CRM is too basic for complex sales pipelines
- Inconsistent email deliverability history
- Limited native integrations vs. HubSpot or ActiveCampaign
- Support limited on Free and Starter plans
Considering Brevo for Startups
📌 What’s your primary need? Are you looking for a fully integrated system with CRM and automation, or just a solid email marketing tool?
💰 Budget-conscious? The Free and Starter plans offer good entry points, but critical features like A/B testing and landing pages require higher tiers.
🔗 Do you need integrations? Brevo covers basics like Shopify and WordPress, but complex stacks may require Zapier or custom API work.
👥 Team size & skills? Great for small teams without developers thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop editors and visual workflows.
📈 Scalability? Brevo supports growth, but be prepared for pricing jumps and feature limitations that may require early upgrades.
Brevo Plans and Pricing
Brevo uses an email volume-based pricing model, not contact count. Most advanced features require upgrading to the Business plan or above.
| Plan | Monthly Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts, basic automation, Brevo branding |
| Starter | $9+ | 5,000+ emails/month, basic analytics, 2k automation contact cap |
| Business | $18+ | Unlimited automation, A/B testing, landing pages, phone support |
| BrevoPlus | Custom ($10k+/yr) | Dedicated IP, advanced integrations, sub-accounts, account manager |
Brevo Promo Code / Startup Discount Info
While Brevo doesn’t advertise a dedicated startup program, generous discounts (up to 75%) 🎁📉 are available via select partner programs. These offers typically apply to new customers, often for the first 6–12 months, and may significantly reduce the cost of the Business tier for eligible startups. 🚀
Comparing Brevo with Alternatives
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | No |
| Sales pipeline strength | Moderate | Basic | Advanced |
| Built-in marketing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Support tools | Limited (tiered) | Moderate | Strong |
| Price (starting) | $9/month | $13+/month | $19+/month |
FAQs
❓ Is Brevo easy to set up for small teams?
Yes. Its intuitive drag-and-drop tools and simple onboarding make it accessible for non-technical users.
❓ Does Brevo integrate with my tools?
It offers key integrations (Shopify, WordPress, Zapier), but the list is shorter than HubSpot’s. Zapier fills the gap.
❓ Are there hidden upgrade costs?
Yes. Many features (branding removal, landing pages) require add-ons or plan upgrades.
❓ Can I use Brevo for transactional emails?
Absolutely. It’s reliable and supports API/SMTP with a 99% delivery rate.
Startup Perks AI Assistant
Have questions about credits? Let's chat instantly.
❓ Is support available on the free plan?
No. Direct support is limited to paid tiers; free users must use the knowledge base.
Final Thoughts
Brevo is a feature-rich, startup-friendly platform that covers the basics of marketing, sales, and customer communication in one place. 🏠🔄 With a generous free plan and deep startup discounts, it’s a powerful entry point for lean teams looking to centralize workflows and avoid tool sprawl.
However, founders should watch out for upgrade traps and delivery consistency issues. ⚡ If you value breadth and affordability over best-in-class depth, Brevo could be the right launchpad for your growth journey.
