Brevo alternatives: 5 open-source picks
Brevo costs $9/mo — $108 a year. These 5 alternatives replace it for $0, led by listmonk, Plunk and Notifuse. All 5 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Fast campaigns plus a transactional API and explicit subscriber states; the visual polish is utilitarian.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
installDocker Compose or a single release binary plus PostgreSQL
dataSubscribers, campaigns, templates, and analytics live in a PostgreSQL database on your server.
the catch vs Brevolistmonk is fast and explicit about subscriber states, but it lacks Brevo's managed deliverability, broad automation suite, CRM-style contact tools, and polished visual workflow builder.
setupYou still need a PostgreSQL database and a trustworthy SMTP/API sender with authenticated DNS.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Transactional and campaign email with workflows; self-hosting is free, sending is not magic.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup or Docker Compose
dataSelf-hosted data lives in PostgreSQL, queues in Redis, and uploads in bundled MinIO or another S3-compatible store.
the catch vs BrevoPlunk handles both transactional and campaign email, but self-hosting its multi-service stack and configuring SES is much less turnkey than Brevo's managed sending and compliance workflow.
setupThe self-host path needs Docker, several subdomains, DNS/TLS, and an AWS SES account with credentials and domain verification.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Campaigns, transactional API and subscription records in one compose stack; delivery still needs an SMTP provider.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installNotifuse Cloud signup or self-host with Docker
dataSelf-hosted contact, campaign, event, and analytics data lives in PostgreSQL; uploaded assets use S3-compatible storage.
the catch vs BrevoNotifuse can hold contacts, campaigns, and transactional events, but you must supply and operate the hosting, object storage, and actual mail-delivery provider that Brevo bundles.
setupSelf-hosting needs Docker, PostgreSQL, object storage, a public domain, and a separately configured SMTP or email API provider.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Publishing platform with memberships and paid newsletters built in. The self-hosted answer to Substack taking 10% of your revenue.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Lean newsletter tool in Elixir — campaigns, segments, signup forms. Bring your own SES/SMTP and sending is nearly free.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: listmonk · Ghost · Keila
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Brevo alternative
Most proven
Ghost, with 49,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 5, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
what you give up by leaving Brevo
- deliverability infrastructure, multichannel messaging, CRM, automation, and support
- inbox-placement expertise
- advanced automations
- commerce integrations
- recommendation and ad networks
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Brevo alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| listmonk | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 22,600 | 2026-07 |
| Plunk | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 5,300 | 2026-08 |
| Notifuse | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 2,038 | 2026-08 |
| Ghost | MIT | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 49,000 | 2026-08 |
| Keila | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 2,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Brevo
People still pay for Brevo because newsletter operators pay for inbox placement, growth mechanics, and operational confidence on publication day. The recurring cost buys DNS authentication, reputation, bounces, complaints, unsubscribe compliance, templates, queues, analytics, backups, and support, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $108 a year.
questions about switching from Brevo
Is there an open-source alternative to Brevo?
Yes: listmonk, Plunk, Notifuse and 2 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Brevo?
Our verdict is YES. Ghost (49k stars), listmonk (23k stars), Plunk (5k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Brevo — self-host with docker and stop paying $9/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/brevo.
What is the most popular open-source Brevo alternative?
By GitHub stars, Ghost (49,000). listmonk is next with 22,600.
