Compare Email Marketing in Australia

Email marketing costs depend on your subscriber count and the features you need. Entry-level plans start from around $13 to $25 AUD per month for up to 500 to 1,000 contacts. At 5,000 contacts, expect $60 to $150 AUD per month depending on the platform. Brevo charges by email volume rather than contacts, which can be cheaper for large lists with infrequent sends. Free plans are available from several providers but typically limit you to 250 to 500 contacts.

Klaviyo is the most deeply integrated with Shopify, offering native product data sync, browse abandonment tracking, and predictive purchase analytics. Omnisend is a strong alternative with built-in SMS marketing at a lower price point. ActiveCampaign offers excellent automation but requires more setup for e-commerce workflows. Mailchimp and MailerLite also integrate with Shopify but with less depth.

For most Australian businesses, email alone is sufficient to start. SMS adds value for e-commerce (abandoned cart recovery via text), time-sensitive promotions, and appointment reminders. If you want SMS capability, look for platforms with native AU SMS support. Not all platforms that advertise SMS actually support Australian mobile numbers. ActiveCampaign, Brevo, Klaviyo, and Omnisend offer AU SMS.

Mailchimp increased prices by approximately 40% across three rounds of increases between 2022 and 2024, following its acquisition by Intuit. The free plan was also reduced from 2,000 to 250 contacts. Many businesses have switched to alternatives like MailerLite (cheaper at every tier), Brevo (volume-based pricing), or Kit (free up to 10,000 subscribers for basic use).

Yes. This is one of the most common hidden costs in email marketing. Mailchimp charges for all contacts including unsubscribed ones until you manually remove them. Omnisend charges for non-subscribers who interacted with your store. Klaviyo only charges for active profiles, and Brevo charges by email volume regardless of list size. Check the Contact billing row in our comparison table to understand what each provider counts.

Australia Spam Act 2003 requires businesses to obtain consent before sending commercial emails, include an unsubscribe mechanism in every email, and accurately identify the sender. All major email marketing platforms provide tools to help comply (unsubscribe links, consent tracking, sender identification). Compliance is ultimately the business owner responsibility. The platform provides the tools, not legal advice.

Switching is possible but can be disruptive. You can export your contact list from most platforms and import it into a new one. However, automation workflows, email templates, and historical engagement data typically do not transfer. Plan the migration carefully, especially if you have complex automations. Some platforms (like ActiveCampaign) offer free migration assistance.

Free plans are great for testing a platform and getting started with a small list. Most free plans have significant limitations including reduced automation, capped sends, or fewer features. If you have more than 500 contacts or need automation workflows, you will likely outgrow the free plan quickly. Compare what you get on the entry-level paid plan, not just the free plan, when evaluating long-term value.