Mailjet vs Brevo: Which Email Platform Suits a Small Team?

Mailjet and Brevo are two French-born email platforms that both combine marketing campaigns with a transactional API, both host data in the EU, and both have free plans. They are often the shortlist for a European small team that wants one vendor for newsletters and app mail. The differences are in pricing shape, collaboration features and ecosystem.

Quick answer

Mailjet is the simpler pick for a team that mainly wants a reliable SMTP relay and API plus an occasional newsletter, with real-time collaboration in the editor. Brevo is the broader platform, adding CRM, SMS, WhatsApp, chat and automation. Both bill by email volume. Neither hosts inboxes; for staff addresses on your domain, OquMail is a free companion.

Feature comparison

• Mailboxes: neither; both are sending platforms
• Free plan: both offer free plans with daily sending caps and platform branding on campaign mail
• API: both provide REST APIs and SMTP relay for transactional mail on every plan
• DNS guidance: both require SPF and DKIM records on your sending domain and verify them in the dashboard
• IMAP/SMTP: SMTP for sending only; no IMAP on either
• Storage: both keep contacts and campaign statistics; log retention for individual messages is limited by plan

Where Mailjet wins

• Multi-user collaboration on templates with roles and approval flows
• Straightforward focus on email, which keeps the interface uncluttered
• Part of Sinch alongside Mailgun, with shared deliverability expertise
• Simple pricing tiers that are easy to predict

Where Brevo wins

• Sales CRM, meetings, SMS, WhatsApp and live chat in one account
• Marketing automation workflows on more plan levels
• Unlimited contact storage on free and entry plans
• Larger integration marketplace with e-commerce platforms

Total cost at 5 and 15 users

Both charge by monthly email volume, so a 5-person and a 15-person team pay the same for the same sends; Mailjet does charge for extra user seats on some tiers, which matters if everyone needs a login. For a few thousand messages a month both can be free or close to it. Add a mailbox provider for staff addresses in either case.

The free third option: OquMail

OquMail complements either platform by giving the team real inboxes on the same domain for free. Keep campaigns on a subdomain through Mailjet or Brevo, and use OquMail's webmail, IMAP and per-message delivery logs for the human conversations that follow. Low-volume transactional mail can go through OquMail's own send API.

• Free plan: up to 15 mailboxes, 3 domains, 5 GB per mailbox, no credit card
• Webmail included; IMAP/SMTP for Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird and phones
• IMAP mail.oqumail.com port 993 (SSL/TLS); SMTP mail.oqumail.com port 587 (STARTTLS)
• Guided SPF, DKIM and DMARC with live DNS verification; MX is mail.oqumail.com priority 10
• Transactional send API at https://api.oqumail.com/api/v1/emails with Bearer API keys (from, to, subject, html)
• Per-message delivery logs so you can see the exact response a receiving server gave

Verdict by scenario

• Team that needs a dependable SMTP relay and a shared template editor: Mailjet
• Team that wants CRM and multichannel marketing bundled: Brevo
• EU business with strict data residency needs: either; both host in the EU
• Small team still using free webmail for staff addresses: OquMail first, then pick a campaign tool

Common questions

Are Mailjet and Brevo the same company?

No. Mailjet belongs to Sinch, which also owns Mailgun. Brevo is independent and was formerly Sendinblue.

Can I use either for my support@ inbox?

No. They send and track mail but do not host mailboxes. Use an email host such as OquMail for support@ and route campaign replies to it.

Which is better for transactional email only?

Both work well. Mailjet is slightly simpler if you never intend to use marketing features; Brevo's transactional API is equally capable and included on the free plan.

Do the free plans show the provider's branding?

Yes, on both. Free-tier campaign mail carries a Mailjet or Brevo footer, and daily caps apply. Transactional mail sent through the API is usually unbranded, but check the current plan terms. Upgrading removes the footer and raises the daily limit, which is the usual trigger for moving to a paid tier.