The Short Answer
For a small business doing email itself, the main cost is the email platform, which is often free for small lists and then rises with your subscriber count. At 500 subscribers, paid plans on many platforms start around $9 to $33 a month; at 10,000 subscribers, expect roughly $100 to $135 a month on a tool like AWeber.
The other cost is time: writing, designing and managing your emails. Hiring help adds cost, with freelance and agency rates varying widely.
How Email Platforms Charge
Most platforms use one of three pricing models. Knowing which one a tool uses tells you how your bill will grow.
You pay by how many people you store. AWeber, Kit and many others use this. Predictable if your list grows steadily.
You pay by volume. Brevo's Starter plan begins at $9 a month for 5,000 emails. Cheaper for big lists you email rarely.
Klaviyo bills on active profiles; HubSpot's Starter is priced per seat. Check what counts toward your total.
What Platforms Cost at Different List Sizes
AWeber publishes every tier, which makes it a useful benchmark. These are monthly-billing prices:
| Subscribers | Free plan | Lite | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 500 | $0 (3,000 sends a month) | $15 | $30 |
| 1,000 | Paid plan needed | $25 | $45 |
| 2,500 | Paid plan needed | $35 | $55 |
| 5,000 | Paid plan needed | $60 | $90 |
| 10,000 | Paid plan needed | $100 | $135 |
| 25,000 | Paid plan needed | $210 | $250 |
Annual billing lowers these by about 17%, or by a third on Plus at 500 subscribers. Other platforms' starting prices, from their own pricing pages, include MailerLite Comfort from $12 a month, Mailchimp Essentials from $13 a month and GetResponse Starter from $19 a month. See AWeber pricing for every tier.
Free Plans: What $0 Gets You
Free plans let you start without spending anything, but they differ a lot. AWeber's covers 500 subscribers and 3,000 sends a month with one automation. Mailchimp's covers 250 contacts and 500 sends a month without automation flows. Kit's covers up to 10,000 subscribers without sequences.
For a new list, a free plan with automation is often all you need for months. See best free email marketing software.
The Costs People Miss
Pricing pages don't show everything. Watch for:
- Send caps. Plans often limit monthly sends. Exceeding them can move you up a tier.
- Feature tiers. Automations, segments or branding removal may need a higher plan.
- Transaction fees. Some platforms charge on sales through their tools; AWeber's are 1.0% on Lite and 0.6% on Plus, plus your payment processor's fees.
- Inactive subscribers. On subscriber-based plans, people who never open still cost money.
- Add-ons. Dedicated IPs, extra seats or premium support may cost extra on some tools.
- Your time. Writing and designing emails is the biggest cost for most small businesses.
Doing It Yourself vs Hiring Help
Most small businesses run email themselves, especially at first. The costs are the platform plus a few hours a week. Tools with AI writing assistants, templates and good support reduce that time.
Hiring a freelancer or agency adds strategy, copywriting and design, at rates that vary widely by experience and scope. A middle option is a setup service: AWeber's Done For You is listed at $20 a month billed annually for up to 500 subscribers plus a one-time setup fee, and includes a branded template, landing page, form and newsletter drafts. See AWeber Done For You.
A Budget for Each Stage
| Stage | Typical setup | Platform cost |
|---|---|---|
| Just starting (0-500) | Free plan, welcome sequence, weekly newsletter | $0 |
| Growing (500-2,500) | Paid plan with several automations | About $20-$55 a month on AWeber Plus |
| Established (2,500-10,000) | Segments, launches, split testing | About $55-$135 a month on AWeber Plus |
| Large (25,000+) | Advanced reporting, multiple brands | $250+ a month on AWeber Plus |
Ranges use AWeber's published Plus prices. The first paid band starts at the annual-billing price for 500 subscribers; the others use monthly billing.
How to Keep Costs Down
- Stay on a free plan while it fits. There's no penalty for starting free.
- Clean your list regularly so you don't pay for people who never open.
- Choose annual billing once you're sure of your tier.
- Match your plan to your real needs, not features you might use someday.
- Send fewer, better emails if you're near a send cap.
Is It Worth the Cost?
Email is one of the more affordable marketing channels because the same subscriber can be reached again and again for a small monthly cost. Whether it pays off depends on what each subscriber is worth to your business, which you can estimate. See email marketing ROI.
AWeber's free plan covers 500 subscribers and 3,000 sends a month, with a welcome automation included.
Email Marketing Cost FAQs
How much does email marketing cost per month?
Many platforms are free for small lists. Paid plans for a small list often start between about $9 and $33 a month, rising with list size.
What affects email marketing cost the most?
List size, the pricing model, the features you need and whether you hire help.
Is it cheaper to pay annually?
Usually. On AWeber, annual billing saves about 17%, or a third on Plus at 500 subscribers.
Can I do email marketing for free?
Yes, on a free plan while your list is small.