EmailOctopus has two main plans: Starter at $0 and Pro, which starts at $9 per month when billed annually at the entry tier. Starter is unusually usable for a free plan, with up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 monthly emails. Pro mainly removes operational limits rather than turning EmailOctopus into a completely different product.
The number on the pricing card is only the beginning. Your real cost depends on subscribed contacts, sending volume, billing cadence and how you organize contacts across lists.
EmailOctopus plans at a glance
| Plan or rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Starter | $0. 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 monthly emails, one user, one landing page, one form, three automations, five steps per automation excluding the trigger, and 30-day report history. |
| Pro | From $9/month billed annually at the entry tier. Unlimited users, landing pages and forms, unlimited automation count, permanent report history and no EmailOctopus branding. |
| Annual billing | 10% cheaper than monthly billing and charged for 12 months upfront. |
| Custom plans | Available for more than 500,000 subscribers. |
| Nonprofit discount | 20% lifetime discount for eligible charities and nonprofits. |
How the EmailOctopus plans differ
Starter is a real free plan, not a short trial
EmailOctopus does not offer a separate timed free trial. Instead, Starter is free indefinitely for up to 2,500 contacts and 10,000 emails per month.
- One user
- One landing page and one form
- Up to three automations
- Up to five steps per automation, excluding the trigger
- Campaign reports available for 30 days
- EmailOctopus branding remains in campaigns
Pro removes the limits that start to hurt as you grow
Pro starts at $9/month when billed annually at the displayed entry tier. The upgrade removes EmailOctopus branding and the Starter caps on user count, forms, landing pages and automation count, while keeping campaign reports indefinitely.
Pro also unlocks multiple automation triggers. A single workflow can use up to three triggers, which is useful when the same sequence should start from several subscriber actions.
Monthly vs annual billing
EmailOctopus offers monthly and annual billing. The annual option is 10% cheaper than the monthly equivalent and charges 12 months upfront. Monthly billing renews each month.
Choose annual billing when you are already confident the platform fits. Choose monthly billing when flexibility matters more than the discount.
What can make EmailOctopus cost more than the headline price?
1. Duplicate subscribers across lists count more than once
Each EmailOctopus list is independent. If the same address exists in three lists, it counts as three subscribers toward your billing total. EmailOctopus recommends keeping overlapping audiences in one main list and using tags or segmentation where possible.
2. Sending volume can push you into a higher tier
Your plan is based on subscribed contacts as long as you stay within the sending allowance. If you need to send more emails than your current tier includes, you need a tier that covers that sending requirement.
3. Upgrades happen automatically as your list grows
EmailOctopus says paid accounts are upgraded automatically when list size moves beyond the current tier. That reduces the risk of campaigns suddenly stopping, but it also means list growth can change the bill without you manually selecting a new tier first.
What EmailOctopus pricing means for your budget
- Small newsletter under 2,500 subscribers: Starter can keep software cost at $0 if 10,000 monthly sends and the free-plan limits are enough.
- Small team needing several logins: Pro becomes attractive because unlimited users removes a common per-seat pressure.
- Multiple overlapping lists: consolidate where possible before assuming your subscriber count equals your unique audience size.
- Nonprofit: the 20% lifetime discount can materially lower the paid cost over time.
What users say about EmailOctopus pricing
Pricing and value are among the recurring positive themes in public reviews. EmailOctopus is rated 4.2/5 on G2 from 46 reviews and 4.8/5 on Capterra from 655 reviews.
- Lower cost is a common reason for choosing it.
- Free-plan capacity is repeatedly praised by small users.
- The value tradeoff is feature depth: some users accept fewer advanced tools in exchange for a simpler, cheaper platform.
“The initial setup was VERY easy.”
Brandon also points to the large free subscriber allowance and lower-cost tiers as reasons the platform works for beginners and startups.
“Great solution to get the maximum value for money.”
Nonprofits get a 20% lifetime discount
EmailOctopus offers eligible registered charities and nonprofits a 20% lifetime discount. If you qualify, apply the discount before comparing the final cost with other providers because it can change the result materially.
EmailOctopus Connect has separate pricing
EmailOctopus Connect is the Amazon SES-based product. Its pricing is separate from standard EmailOctopus, so do not use the Connect calculator unless you specifically want to manage sending through your own SES account.
| Connect plan | Pricing context |
|---|---|
| Connect Starter | Free for up to 2,500 subscribers, with sending handled through your own Amazon SES account. |
| Connect Pro | Starts from $8/month when billed annually at the displayed entry tier, plus your separate AWS sending costs. |
Which EmailOctopus plan should you choose?
- Choose Starter if you are below 2,500 subscribers and can live with the branding, report-history and automation limits.
- Choose Pro when you need multiple users, more forms and landing pages, more automations, permanent reports or brand removal.
- Choose Connect only if Amazon SES is part of the architecture you actually want to manage.
EmailOctopus Pricing FAQs
How much is EmailOctopus Pro?
Pro starts at $9 per month when billed annually at the entry tier. The actual price rises with subscriber and sending requirements.
Does EmailOctopus have a free plan?
Yes. Starter is free with up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month.
Does EmailOctopus charge for unsubscribed contacts?
No. Unsubscribed contacts, hard bounces and complaints do not count toward the subscriber total. Subscribed duplicates across separate lists do count multiple times.
Is annual billing cheaper?
Yes. EmailOctopus says annual billing is 10% cheaper than the monthly equivalent and is paid for 12 months upfront.
