Brevo is a widely used CRM suite that empowers businesses to nurture stronger customer connections. Previously recognized as Sendinblue, the platform has recently been rebranded with a rejuvenated user interface.
In this article, we’ll delve into the extensive capabilities of this enhanced platform.
Our exploration will encompass an in-depth examination of Brevo’s key features and functionalities. Also, you will learn a visual tour of the updated interface. and a discussion of the platform’s notable strengths and weaknesses.
Are you prepared for the Brevo Review (formerly Sendinblue) 2023? Let’s get started.
What is Brevo?
Brevo serves as a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution, facilitating businesses in conducting scalable customer communication across various channels.
While it has a history spanning over a decade, Brevo has undergone a significant transformation from its initial incarnation as Sendinblue.
Initially, Sendinblue primarily functioned as an email marketing platform specializing in newsletter creation and automated email campaigns.
Over time, it has significantly broadened its feature repertoire, incorporating SMS campaigns, transactional emails, automation capabilities, sales pipeline management, live chat, chatbot tools, WhatsApp campaigns, and even its landing page builder.
Brevo has evolved into an all-encompassing sales and marketing solution, offering a unified platform for managing customer relationships, marketing initiatives, and sales campaigns.
The platform rebranded to signify this remarkable evolution, adopting the name Brevo.
In the upcoming sections, we’ll explore Brevo’s extensive feature set more deeply.
Brevo Review (Formerly Sendinblue)
Brevo encompasses all the essential elements a contemporary online business requires to effectively connect and interact with its customer base.
Nevertheless, as we tested the tool, we unearthed a few drawbacks that warrant your attention before committing.
Considering these aspects, let’s now assess its strengths and areas where enhancements are warranted.
Pros
Ease of Use
Beginning with the pivotal aspect of our Brevo evaluation, we found the tool exceptionally user-friendly, boasting a sleek user interface (UI) that minimizes usability obstacles.
Brevo has already undergone a visual rebranding, evident in its updated colors and logos.
The platform welcomes users with a friendly and informative message, and newcomers can take a brief introductory tour or skip it.
All essential information is conveniently located on the left side of your dashboard, including your contacts, recent campaigns, and conversations.
We observed a slight delay when clicking on each element, and the transitions weren’t as seamless as those in other platforms we’ve tested, such as Mailchimp.
Overall, the interface maintains a clean and intuitive design. Addressing the loading time issue would enhance the user experience and increase user-friendliness.
Email Editor
Let’s explore the email campaign builder, a pivotal component of our Brevo/Sendinblue evaluation. When selecting the “create a campaign” option, we were given choices to pick a template, layout, or start from scratch.
The “Simple” layout offers a plain-text campaign for swiftly crafting an email marketing message.
For our test, we opted for one of the pre-made templates. The editor thoughtfully suggested saving our brand assets, ensuring consistent branding, and streamlining the process.
The drag-and-drop editor proved to be efficient and seamless when constructing campaigns, enabling the addition of various elements from the menu on the left.
Each element can be further customized by clicking on it. For instance, using the floating ribbon, you can incorporate text directly into your email design, adjust fonts, sizes, colors, insert links, and more.
Upon completion, you have the option to send a test email to yourself to verify everything functions as intended.
Our experience with Brevo’s drag-and-drop email builder was affirmative, and the new brand assets feature expedites email creation by automatically incorporating your brand’s colors, logo, and social media icons.
Finally, you can leverage A/B Testing campaigns to identify the most effective variations of your emails for improved conversion rates.
Email Template Library
In this segment of our Brevo evaluation, we’ll explore the collection of pre-designed email templates offered by the email marketing platform.
You’ll find a selection of 47 email templates, including 4 simple layouts. These templates are fully responsive and exquisitely crafted to streamline your email creation process.
Additionally, a Template Categories menu is available for effortless navigation, encompassing categories like sales, thank you, welcome, and re-engagement email campaigns.
We discovered that these templates cater well to new email marketing beginners and experienced marketers seeking quick email designs to save time and effort.
Furthermore, we observed a separate Templates tab in the menu, where you can create and save your designs for future reference.
Overall, the template creation and organization system is straightforward, enabling users to swiftly craft their desired email content in minutes, which is a significant advantage.
Sign-up Forms
Regarding Brevo’s form builder, we found it conveniently located under the contact management tab, which adds to the tool’s user-friendliness. A user-friendly interface is a crucial feature of modern software, and Brevo excels.
Regarding creating forms, Brevo prompted us to provide a name and enable GDPR fields, a necessary step for safeguarding customer data.
The actual form builder opened seamlessly in the subsequent step. Unlike other tools that redirect you to separate pages, we appreciated how the entire process flowed smoothly with Brevo’s unique step-by-step sequence.
This streamlined approach can save users significant time, as you can easily navigate the menu and switch to other tasks with a single click.
In summary, form creation in Brevo proved to be straightforward and refreshing. You can drag and drop elements from the menu on the left and customize them to your preferences.
One note is that there isn’t a designated save button. However, your design is automatically saved when you click “Next.”
While Brevo may offer a limited selection of additional form templates compared
to other form builders, we found the process straightforward, and the available options are sufficient to help you create unique forms.
Brevo’s online form structure impresses with its all-in-one approach, encompassing features like double opt-ins and success/failure messages in a single location.
Email Marketing Automation Tools
Now, let’s delve into Brevo’s email automation capabilities.
At first glance, the interface presents a clean layout that enables you to create your automation workflows or utilize one of the 8 prebuilt options, such as an abandoned cart, product purchase, welcome message, and transactional activities (such as password resets).
For this review, we chose the welcome message template. The editor prompted us to select our email list, waiting time, and the email to be sent. Subsequently, it generated our automation workflow based on the provided data.
From there, we had the flexibility to customize it by selecting different entry points and incorporating additional steps to create a more intricate sequence.
Brevo offers a sufficient range of actions and conditions to craft diverse paths for your audience, leveraging behavioral data and personalization to enhance their journey.
Our experience with Brevo’s automated workflows was positive. The editor proved user-friendly and efficient, providing statistics, examples, and the ability to test our creation before activation.
Brevo’s marketing automation effectively extends to SMS, email, and WhatsApp sequences, offering versatile communication options. Additionally, you can employ this feature for contact management, updating details, lead scoring, removing inactive subscribers, and more.
Note: While testing the email automation feature, we encountered occasional notifications stating that the platform was experiencing difficulties creating the database. This issue arose a few times when we clicked on “Create your first automation,” but the platform eventually allowed us to use the feature after a brief delay.
Segmentation & Personalization
Transitioning to two critical functionalities, Brevo’s segmentation and personalization capabilities exceeded our expectations.
We initiated a new email list to experiment with segments and imported contacts via an Excel spreadsheet to assess segmentation. It’s worth noting that, before grouping contacts, verifying whether you possess the attributes required for segmentation is essential.
Regarding segments, you can efficiently filter your contact list based on these attributes to create more focused groups. The process was swift and straightforward, requiring only selecting your preferred options from the menu.
In the case of personalization, Brevo permitted us to incorporate various attributes (e.g., name, location) and values through the customization ribbon after selecting our text.
Furthermore, the platform offers advanced conditions, empowering you to insert dynamic content into your email marketing campaigns to enhance engagement and conversions.
Similarly, personalizing your subject line and preview text is a breeze, with the option to click on the icons on the right while adding them.
SMS Marketing
Certainly, SMS marketing is a noteworthy inclusion in our assessment of Brevo. Only a few email service providers incorporate this feature, making it a valuable addition to enhancing engagement.
We swiftly initiated our inaugural SMS campaign thanks to the streamlined and rapid process.
The procedure is straightforward: you start by specifying the SMS sender, toggle the compliance button (if you’re sending SMS to recipients in the US), and compose your message.
Additionally, you can send a test SMS to preview how your campaign will appear. A word of caution, though: remember that the cost of sending a test SMS is deducted from your SMS credits.
Subsequently, you’ll select your contact list, and you’re all set to schedule your SMS campaign. Furthermore, your target audience resides in the US or Canada. In that case, the platform encourages you to complete a TNF (Toll-Free Number) form to acquire a toll-free number and comply with regulatory requirements.
Lastly, you can harness the SMTP server to dispatch transactional SMS with your email marketing endeavors.
In summary, Brevo is an excellent, user-friendly SMS marketing tool that addresses your requirements.
Cons
Having explored Brevo’s strengths, let’s now delve into areas with room for improvement.
Affordability
Brevo’s pricing structure diverges from that of many other email marketing platforms.
Instead of charging based on the number of contacts, paid plans are determined by the email volume.
While this pricing approach has its merits, we found that the features included in the plans and the additional add-ons necessary to leverage Brevo’s capabilities fully left us wanting.
For example, the Starter plan requires an add-on purchase to remove the Brevo logo. Additionally, landing pages are exclusively available in the Business subscription, and you receive only one by default.
Brevo offers the option to acquire five additional landing pages for an extra $24 per month if you desire more. Dedicated IPs also come at an additional cost.
This pricing structure may render the Business subscription expensive for small businesses with constrained budgets. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that unused credits do not carry over, which means they are forfeited if not utilized.
Lastly, while Brevo does offer a free email marketing plan, it comes with a notably limited daily sending limit of 300 email campaigns, which may need to be revised for growing businesses.
Landing Pages
As mentioned earlier, Brevo’s landing page builder is exclusively accessible within the Business plan, and additional pages come at an extra cost. It’s important to note that Brevo introduced a new landing page editor with different settings.
Concerning the actual landing page creation process, the tool allows you to construct a landing page from scratch or choose from a selection of pre-designed templates (60+). While the landing page builder is user-friendly, it can occasionally feel cumbersome, and third-party integrations lack variety.
Moreover, the onboarding process may be somewhat tedious for experienced users who want to dive into the editor and start creating without extensive guidance.
Reporting & Analytics
Turning our attention to Brevo’s reporting and analytics capabilities, we observed that users of lower-tiered plans only have access to a basic version of this feature.
The dashboard’s simplicity starkly contrasts with the rest of the platform. You’ll find a summary of your email metrics in the top right corner, which may appear outdated. These metrics include opens, clicks, and soft and hard bounces.
An upgrade to the Business plan is necessary to access more advanced reporting tools, such as heat maps, geolocation tracking, and in-depth open-and-click rates, which comes at a considerably higher cost than the Starter plan.
Brevo’s analytics can track the essentials required for monitoring and improving your email campaigns. However, other digital marketing tools like Moosend or Mailchimp offer similar advanced features at more affordable pricing.
Email Deliverability
Email deliverability plays a crucial role in every effective email marketing tool. Based on various tests, Brevo’s email deliverability score appears to fluctuate.
While it is decent, there is certainly room for improvement in this regard.
Integrations
To locate Brevo’s integrations, we had to navigate to the “Add more apps” button (+) on the left-side menu.
Here, you’ll find a range of plugins spanning e-commerce platforms, sales CRM tools, lead generation solutions, and developer tools.
Due to their limited number, we’ve included integrations in the “cons” section. Currently, Brevo offers only 63 plugins, including popular ones like Shopify, Woocommerce, WordPress, Google Analytics, Salesforce, and Facebook Messenger (as an add-on).
Given the platform’s rebranding aimed at enhancing the customer experience, we anticipate Brevo to expand its integration list, enabling businesses to seamlessly connect a wider array of their preferred tools and streamline their operations.
Customer Support
Brevo’s customer support structure presents some challenges. The absence of live chat support, limited email support availability in the Starter plan, and the necessity to upgrade to the Business plan for phone support have been points of contention among users.
User reviews indicate room for improvement in Brevo’s support team’s performance. The help center offers tutorials and articles to help resolve straightforward issues.
However, the absence of a live chat support channel, a more direct and immediate support option, has dissatisfied many users. Slow customer support response times can strain user/customer relationships and discourage users if it hampers their campaign performance.
Pricing
Brevo provides a range of plan options tailored to different needs. Importantly, it offers unlimited contacts for all plans, even the free version. You can select from the Marketing Platform, Conversations, Sales, and Transactional Email segments. Below, we outline the paid plans available to you:
Marketing Platform
| Feature/Plan | Free | Starter | Business | BrevoPlus (Enterprise) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0/month | Starting from $25/month | Starting from $65/month | Custom price |
| Email Campaigns | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Drag & Drop Editor | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Email Template Gallery | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| SMS & WhatsApp Campaigns | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Email & SMS Personalization | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Transactional Email Sending | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Core API Features | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Real-time Email Statistics | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Workflow Editor | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Page Tracking | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Marketing Automation | Limited to 2000 contacts | Limited to 2000 contacts | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Unlimited Contacts & Details | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Advanced Segmentation | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Customizable Signup Forms | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Push Notifications | 500 impressions | 500 impressions | 500 impressions (starting at 10k for 9€) | Customized |
| Geography & Device Reporting | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Free Phone Number | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Worldwide Calling | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Call Statistics | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Contacts Click-to-dial | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| 300 Credits for Outbound Calling | One-time | – | – | – |
| Customized Booking Pages | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| In-browser Video Calling | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Calendar Synchronization | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Meeting Reminders | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| Plugins | ✔️ | – | – | – |
| GDPR Compliance | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Email Support | – | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Phone Support | – | – | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Multi-user Access | – | Add-on | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Remove Brevo Branding | 9€/month add-on | Add-on | – | – |
| Dedicated IP | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
| Dedicated Account Manager | – | – | – | ✔️ |
| SSO & SAML | – | – | – | ✔️ |
| Service Level Agreement (SLA) | – | – | – | ✔️ |
| Advanced Integrations & Features | – | Basic Reporting & Analytics | A/B testing, Advanced statistics, Send time optimization | Enterprise-grade security, Sub-account management, Tailored onboarding, Personalized support, Flexible contract, and more |
Forever Free Plan:
Brevo’s free plan caters to those seeking up to 300 email campaigns daily. It encompasses:
- Customizable email templates
- A user-friendly drag-and-drop editor
- Transactional emails
- SMS & WhatsApp campaigns (at an additional cost)
This plan is ideal for individuals exploring the tool’s features and functionality.
Starter Plan:
Starting at $25 per month, the Starter plan grants you 20,000 monthly marketing emails. It includes all features from the Free plan and adds:
- No daily sending limits
- Option to remove the Brevo logo (add-on)
- Basic reporting & analytics
- Email support
Brevo recommends this plan for marketing managers, online stores, and eCommerce professionals.
Business Plan:
The Business plan, starting at $65 per month, provides you with 20,000 emails and builds upon the Starter plan with additional features such as:
- Email marketing automation
- A/B testing
- Advanced statistics
- Multi-user access
- Send time optimization
- Phone support
This plan suits those seeking to send email and SMS campaigns, access detailed reports, and create landing pages.
Brevo Plus Plan:
Designed for enterprises, the Brevo Plus Plan offers custom pricing and includes features like:
- Enterprise-grade security
- Advanced integrations
- Sub-account management
- Tailored onboarding
- Personalized support
- Flexible contract terms
Other Packages
In addition to the Marketing Platform, Brevo also provides three distinct packages:
- Conversations: Offers a chat widget tool with a free plan and a paid subscription starting at $15 per month, featuring Facebook Ad management, chatbot capabilities, and more.
- Sales Platform: Geared towards managing sales processes and incorporating Brevo’s free contact management system (CRM).
- Transactional Emails: For the SMTP server, offering 300 free emails per day. Beyond this, pricing starts at $15 monthly for 20,000 emails and scales accordingly.
FAQ
Brevo is particularly well-suited for creating and distributing automated email marketing campaigns. Additionally, it can craft and transmit SMS and WhatsApp messages, although automation is not available for these channels.
Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is a comprehensive all-in-one solution for email and SMS marketing. It facilitates managing and dispatching marketing campaigns to large subscriber or customer lists. Designed to empower businesses and organizations, Brevo aids in effectively reaching and engaging with their audience through email and SMS communication.
With a global user base exceeding 80,000 customers, Sendinblue has earned a favorable reputation for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive feature set. Users can effortlessly craft and distribute professional-looking newsletters, automate email sequences, and efficiently manage contact lists.
Conclusion
After thoroughly evaluating Brevo’s features, it’s evident that it is a formidable tool boasting robust email automation capabilities, user-friendly interfaces, and additional services such as WhatsApp and SMS campaigns.
One standout feature of Brevo’s email marketing platform is the commendable email and form builders, both of which are user-friendly and enjoyable to work with.
However, there is room for enhancement in certain areas, including refining basic reporting, revisiting the features included in each plan, and making strides toward maintaining a stable deliverability score and swifter customer support response times.
Furthermore, the absence of a more generous free plan may disappoint newcomers. For those seeking more budget-friendly options, exploring the offerings of Brevo’s competitors could be a worthwhile consideration.
As Sendinblue transitions into Brevo, we eagerly anticipate witnessing a host of improvements and innovations from the team. Our comprehensive Brevo review (formerly Sendinblue) 2023 aims to shed light on the advantages and drawbacks, assisting you in making an informed decision.