The AWeber price hike situation
In late 2024, AWeber sent emails to grandfathered customers announcing price increases of 50-150%. Some users who had been paying $29/month for years suddenly saw bills jump to $70+. The Lite plan at 10,000 subscribers now costs $100/month. For a platform that hasn't fundamentally changed its feature set in years, asking longtime customers to pay 2x overnight without offering 2x the value was a difficult sell. The backlash was predictable — users who had been loyal for a decade started comparison shopping for the first time.
This isn't about whether AWeber is worth the money. It's about whether you're getting 2026 value for 2026 prices. For many longtime users, the answer is no.
What you're actually paying for
AWeber works. It sends emails, manages lists, handles basic automation. The deliverability is good. But the interface feels dated, the automation is limited, and the features haven't evolved much while prices doubled. Check our AWeber comparison page for a detailed breakdown, and see how AWeber stacks up in our best email marketing tools for SaaS guide.
The migration calculation
Switching email platforms is work. Export contacts, rebuild automations, update signup forms, reconnect integrations. It takes a week minimum for complex setups. The question is whether the ongoing savings justify that one-time effort.
At $100/month vs MailerLite's $73/month, you save $324/year. Versus Sequenzy's $49/month, you save $612/year. Versus Brevo's $25/month (unlimited contacts), potentially more. If you're staying for 2+ years, migration usually pays off. Use our email deliverability guide to make sure your setup is solid wherever you land.
The alternatives, honestly
If you want a direct replacement: MailerLite
MailerLite is what AWeber should be in 2026. Clean interface, solid automation, landing pages included, $73/month for 10,000 subscribers. The transition is straightforward since the feature set is similar. Review our guide on the best email marketing tools for SaaS for more context.
The catch: MailerLite has a strict approval process. They reject some accounts during signup (affiliate marketers, certain industries). Apply before canceling AWeber.
If you run a SaaS: Sequenzy
AWeber wasn't built for software companies. Sequenzy is. Describe your product to the AI, and it writes onboarding sequences. Stripe integration syncs billing data -upgrade emails go to free users, churn prevention to at-risk accounts.
At $49/month for 120k emails (unlimited subscribers), it's half AWeber's price with features AWeber doesn't have. Learn more about automated sequences and transactional email.
If budget is everything: Brevo
Brevo charges $25/month for unlimited contacts. You pay per email sent, which works great for large lists that don't send constantly. If AWeber's per-subscriber pricing hurt as your list grew, Brevo's model is refreshing. SMS is included too. Check our Brevo alternatives page for the full landscape.
If automation matters: ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign at $79/month for 10,000 subscribers costs less than AWeber and has dramatically better automation. Visual workflow builder, behavioral triggers, CRM integration, predictive sending. If AWeber's automation felt limiting, this is the upgrade.
If you want flat pricing: Flodesk
Flodesk charges $38/month flat forever, regardless of list size. After AWeber's surprise price hike, the pricing stability is attractive. Gorgeous templates too. The tradeoff is minimal automation and reporting.
If you sell online: Omnisend or Klaviyo
E-commerce store owners should look at purpose-built tools instead of AWeber's generic approach. Omnisend at $59/month and Klaviyo at $150/month both offer deep store integrations that AWeber can't match.
When AWeber still makes sense
Don't switch just because prices went up. Consider staying if:
- Your grandfathered plan wasn't affected
- Your automations are complex and migration-risky
- You rely on specific AWeber integrations
- It's working fine and switching cost isn't worth the savings
But if you're frustrated with paying more for a dated experience, the alternatives are genuinely better now. Use our SPF checker and DKIM checker to verify your setup wherever you land, and our email validator to clean your list before migration.


















