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EmailOctopus vs Sender

We give EmailOctopus and Sender the same GPA: 2.8 out of 4.0. They get the same grade on all five counts.

Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.

EmailOctopus

Simple, low-cost email marketing with a free plan for 2,500

Free plan · from $9/mo

Sender

Email and SMS marketing with a free plan for 2,500 subscribers

Free plan · from $9/mo

How we grade them

2.8GPAEmailOctopusGood2.8GPASenderGood
Value for money
BPro is $9 a month for 500 subscribers on yearly billing, or $10 monthly, inside the cheaper quarter of email tools. It stays cheap as you grow, at $44.50 a month billed monthly for 10,000 subscribers, and nonprofits get 20% off for life.
BStandard is $9 a month for 500 subscribers, inside the cheaper quarter of email tools, and $69 a month at 10,000. Yearly billing costs the same, but new customers get 30% off the first year: $75.60 instead of $108.
Free plan and trial
BStarter is free for 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month, with no card and no time limit. One person could really run a club newsletter on it. You get 1 user, 1 form and 1 landing page, branding on emails and 30 days of reports.
BFree Forever covers 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, with automation, pop-ups, forms, 10 landing pages and transactional email. One person could really live on that. It's 1 seat, and everything carries Sender's branding.
Features
BA drag-and-drop editor with over 100 templates, your own HTML, automated sequences, fields, tags and segments, pop-up forms, landing pages and live reports. That covers the email marketing job, kept plain, with no SMS or store flows on record.
BDrag-and-drop and HTML editors, workflows with splits on every plan, over 40 pop-up and form templates, landing pages, SMS from Standard, transactional email over SMTP and an API, and shop segments. That's the whole job.
Ease of use
CNo App Store rating on record and no phone app. It's a simple web app, but you'll still import a list and set up a form and templates before the first send.
CNo App Store rating on record and no phone app. It's a web app where you import a list, build templates and set up workflows yourself.
Platforms and integrations
BWeb only, with WordPress, Shopify and Zapier and an API. It's a short list, and with no desktop or phone app, a B is the ceiling.
BWeb only, with Shopify, WordPress, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Jumpseller and Zapier, and an API. No desktop or phone app keeps it at a B.
Best forcheap, plain newsletters for small groupsa free plan with automation for small shops

The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: EmailOctopus and Sender. How we grade

Price against what you get

EmailOctopus starts at $9 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Sender starts at $9 a month and scores 2.7.

On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other email marketing and newsletter tools on the chart, none scores higher than EmailOctopus for less, and none scores higher than Sender for less.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

C2.0B3.0A4.0$2$5$10$20$50$100More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessEmailOctopusSender

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart of email marketing and newsletter tools, and the best at every price

Where they differ

  • EmailOctopus starts at $9 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed yearly. Sender starts at $9 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly.
  • Sender also covers business texting.
In commonFree planWebPublic APIMarketing automationFormsEmail campaigns

At a glance

EmailOctopusSender
PricingFree planFree plan
Starts at$9 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed yearly$9 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly
Free planStarter plan: up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month, 1 user, 1 landing page and 1 form, reports kept 30 days and EmailOctopus branding on emails.Free Forever plan: up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, 1 seat, automation, pop-ups, forms, 10 landing pages and transactional email, with Sender branding.
Free trialNone listed14-day trial of Professional features when you open a free account
Web
Made byThree Hearts Digital LtdUAB Sender.lt
Price read fromemailoctopus.comsender.net
CheckedOct 17, 2026Oct 17, 2026

Who each one suits

EmailOctopus

  • Small organizations and clubs that need a free list of up to 2,500
  • Authors and bloggers who want plain, cheap newsletters
  • Nonprofits, which get 20% off for life

Sender

  • Small online stores that want a free plan with automation
  • Senders adding text messages to email campaigns
  • Occasional senders who would rather buy credits than subscribe

Worth knowing

EmailOctopus

  • There is no free trial of Pro; EmailOctopus suggests starting on the free Starter plan.
  • Starter emails carry EmailOctopus branding and reports disappear after 30 days.
  • Lists above 500,000 subscribers need a quoted plan.
  • EmailOctopus Connect, its Amazon SES product, is a separate service with its own pricing.

Sender

  • The 30% yearly discount covers a new customer's first year only; the yearly list price is the same as twelve monthly payments.
  • Free plan emails, forms and landing pages carry Sender branding.
  • SMS credits are bought separately on Standard and priced by destination country.
  • Pay-as-you-go credits are sold instead of a plan, from $29 for 5,000 emails with no Sender logo.

Key features

EmailOctopus

Drag-and-drop editor and templates
Over 100 mobile-friendly templates that adapt to your brand's colors, a drag-and-drop editor, and the option to write or import your own HTML.
Automated sequences
Build sequences that send emails to subscribers automatically after they join or take an action.
Fields, tags and segments
Collect custom fields, tag subscribers and target emails by data and behavior, then schedule sends for later.
Forms and landing pages
Pop-up forms and landing pages to collect subscribers. Starter allows one of each; Pro has no limit.
Reports
Opens, clicks and other campaign stats in real time. Starter keeps reports for 30 days; Pro keeps them indefinitely.

Sender

Email builder
Drag-and-drop, HTML and plain-text editors with over 100 templates, product and abandoned-cart blocks, and a countdown timer on Professional.
Automation workflows
Pre-built and custom workflows with splits and custom triggers on every plan, Free included. SMS steps in workflows need Professional.
Pop-ups, forms and landing pages
Over 40 pop-up and form templates with exit-intent and spin-to-win options. Free allows 10 landing pages; paid plans have no cap and allow a custom domain.
SMS campaigns
Text campaigns from Standard, paid with credits priced by destination country. Professional includes free credits equal to its monthly fee.
Transactional email
Order and account emails over SMTP and an API on every plan, with event webhooks and email logs kept 1 to 30 days by plan.
Segments and reports
Behavioral and ecommerce segments, click heatmaps and audience growth reports; sales reports start at Standard.

Plans

EmailOctopus

  • Starter$0

    2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails a month, 1 user, 1 landing page and 1 form, with EmailOctopus branding and 30-day reports.

  • Pro$9

    per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed yearly ($10 monthly)

    10,000 emails a month, unlimited users, forms and landing pages, no branding, reports kept for good. $44.50 a month billed monthly at 10,000 subscribers.

  • CustomCustom

    Quoted plans for lists of more than 500,000 subscribers.

Sender

  • Free Forever$0

    2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails a month, 1 seat and 10 landing pages, with Sender branding on emails, forms and pages.

  • Standard$9

    per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly

    Emails up to 12 times the list, 3 seats, no branding, SMS and A/B tests. $108 billed yearly, or $75.60 for a first year. $69 a month at 10,000 subscribers.

  • Professional$15

    per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly

    24 times the list in emails, 10 seats, SMS credits worth the fee, advanced automation and reports. $180 yearly, $126 for a first year. $127 a month at 10,000.

  • EnterpriseCustom

    Unlimited emails and users, a success manager, phone support, SSO, activity logs and a service level agreement.

Ways to pay less

EmailOctopus

  • Annual discount

    Save 10% with yearly billing

    EmailOctopus's pricing page shows Pro at 500 subscribers for $9 a month billed yearly instead of $10 billed monthly, a $12 saving.

  • Nonprofit

    20% lifetime discount for nonprofits

    All nonprofits using EmailOctopus get a 20% lifetime discount.

Sender

  • Annual discount

    30% off the first year with yearly billing

    First-time users who pay yearly get 30% off the first year: Standard at 500 subscribers is $75.60 instead of $108.

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