COSHUMABuyer guides
Email marketing comparison

Benchmark Email vs EmailOctopus

Both let a small business start email marketing without paying first. The practical difference is free-tier scale: Benchmark Email currently caps the free list at 500 contacts, while EmailOctopus lists up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month on Starter.

Benchmark Email

Free: $0, up to 500 contacts, one user, no card required.

Paid: current US Pro pricing starts at $19/month on monthly billing.

Watch: its current English homepage and Jan 2026 KB disagree on the free monthly send cap, so verify the live account limit.

Check Benchmark Email →

EmailOctopus

Free: Starter $0, up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails/month, no card required.

Paid: Pro pricing scales with subscriber and send volume.

Watch: the free tier carries EmailOctopus branding and has shorter report retention than Pro.

Affiliate disclosure: COSHUMA may earn a commission from some links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

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Which one is the lower-risk starting point?

Choose Benchmark Email first if…
  • Your list is small enough for the 500-contact free ceiling.
  • You want its editor, forms, reporting and lightweight automation in one starter workflow.
  • You are willing to verify the live send cap shown in your account.
Choose EmailOctopus first if…
  • You need materially more free subscriber capacity.
  • 10,000 free monthly sends are useful to your early-stage list.
  • You accept free-tier branding while validating the workflow.
Benchmark Email buyer guide · EmailOctopus buyer guide

Evidence and method

This comparison uses the cited public/vendor information available when reviewed. Product terms can change. See how COSHUMA checks evidence and commercial labels.