Quick answer: most Canadian small businesses pay between $35 and $300 CAD a month for email marketing software. What you pay depends mainly on how many contacts you have. A list of 2,500 contacts can cost as little as $35 CAD a month, and 50,000 contacts usually costs somewhere between $280 and $1,000 CAD, depending on the platform. The rest of this guide explains what drives the price, what to watch out for, and how to keep your costs predictable.
How email marketing pricing works
Almost every email platform charges by the number of contacts on your list. Some also cap how many emails you can send each month, and a few charge by emails sent instead of contacts stored.
That means two businesses with the same list can pay very different amounts depending on:
- List size. The biggest factor by far. Every tier you move up raises the bill.
- Sending volume. If you email your list several times a week, check the monthly sending limit, not only the contact limit.
- Features. Automation, segmentation and reporting are often locked behind higher plans.
- Currency. Most major platforms bill in US dollars, so Canadian businesses pay more when the exchange rate moves against them.
- Add-ons. Dedicated IPs, extra users, removing branding and extra brands or workspaces can all add to the monthly total.
What email marketing costs at each list size
Here is what Public Circles costs at each plan, billed monthly in Canadian dollars:
| Plan | Price (CAD/month) | Contacts | Emails per month | Projects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start-Up | $35 | 2,500 | 37,500 | 1 |
| Entrepreneur | $70 | 5,000 | 75,000 | 1 |
| Small Business | $140 | 25,000 | 375,000 | 1 |
| Mid-Size | $280 | 50,000 | 750,000 | 2 |
| Large-Size | $560 | 100,000 | 1,500,000 | 3 |
| Corporate | $1,120 | 200,000 | 3,000,000 | 3 |
| Enterprise | $2,800 | 500,000 | 7,500,000 | 5 |
Every plan includes the Campaign Builder, Template Builder, Event Triggering, Data Integration and API access, and Analytics and Reporting. Each plan lets you send up to 15 emails per contact per month, which is plenty for weekly newsletters plus automated messages.
See the full breakdown on our pricing page.
How that compares with the big names
The table below compares Public Circles with the published prices of three well-known platforms at the same list sizes. Competitor prices are listed in US dollars, so we have converted them at about 1.42 CAD per USD.
| Contacts | Public Circles | Mailchimp Standard | Constant Contact Standard | Klaviyo Email |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,500 | $35 | not listed | not listed | ~$85 |
| 5,000 | $70 | ~$142 | ~$156 | ~$142 |
| 25,000 | $140 | ~$440 | ~$440 | ~$568 |
| 50,000 | $280 | ~$639 | not listed | ~$1,022 |
| 100,000 | $560 | ~$1,136 | not listed | ~$1,960 |
All prices in CAD per month, monthly billing. Competitor prices are based on published US-dollar rates as of October 2026 and change often, so check each provider’s website for current pricing.
At 25,000 contacts, Public Circles costs roughly a third of what the larger platforms charge. Over a year, that difference can be several thousand dollars that stays in your business.
Hidden costs to watch for
The headline price is rarely the whole story. Before you sign up anywhere, check for:
- Exchange-rate swings. A $100 USD plan can cost more in Canadian dollars one month than the next. Public Circles bills Canadian customers in CAD, so your invoice is the same every month.
- Automatic upgrades. Some platforms move you to the next tier as soon as your list crosses a limit. Public Circles notifies you when you are approaching your limits and does not charge overages without your consent.
- Features locked to higher tiers. Automation is often the first thing held back. On Public Circles, Event Triggering and the API are included on every plan, including Start-Up.
- Unsubscribed and inactive contacts. Some platforms count contacts who never open your emails. Cleaning your list regularly keeps you on the right tier.
- Paid add-ons. Know what extras cost up front. On Public Circles they are flat-rate:
- Dedicated IP address: $35 CAD per month
- Remove Public Circles branding: $14 CAD per month
- Additional projects: $14 CAD per month each
The cost of getting compliance wrong
For Canadian senders, price is not the only cost to consider. Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) requires consent before you send commercial email, clear identification of who is sending, and a working unsubscribe link in every message. Penalties for businesses can reach up to $10 million per violation.
A platform that makes consent and unsubscribes easy to manage is part of keeping your total cost down. This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, check the CRTC’s CASL guidance.
How to choose the right plan
A simple way to pick:
- Just starting out or under 2,500 contacts: Start-Up ($35 CAD) covers you with room to grow.
- Growing list, up to 5,000 contacts: Entrepreneur ($70 CAD).
- Established small business, up to 25,000 contacts: Small Business ($140 CAD) adds priority support.
- Several brands or clients: Mid-Size ($280 CAD) includes 2 projects and custom onboarding. Agencies can add more projects for $14 CAD each.
- High volume or enterprise needs: Large-Size and above add an SLA guarantee.
You can upgrade or downgrade at any time, and changes are billed pro-rata. Paying annually saves up to 20%.
Frequently asked questions
How much does email marketing cost per month?
For most small businesses, between $35 and $300 CAD per month. On Public Circles, plans start at $35 CAD for 2,500 contacts and 37,500 emails a month.
Is there a free email marketing platform?
Some platforms offer free plans with tight limits on contacts or sends. These can work for testing, but most growing businesses outgrow them quickly. Public Circles has no free plan. It is built to be affordable from the first paid tier.
How much does email marketing cost per contact?
On Public Circles, the cost works out to about 1.4 cents per contact on the Start-Up and Entrepreneur plans, and about half a cent per contact from Small Business upward. The more contacts you have, the less each one costs.
Why do Canadian businesses pay more for email marketing?
Mostly because the large platforms bill in US dollars. Exchange rates add to the cost and make it harder to predict. Choosing a provider that bills in CAD removes that problem.
Do I pay for emails I don’t send?
Not on Public Circles. Your plan is based on contacts and a monthly sending allowance. You will not be charged overages without your consent.
See exactly what you would pay. Compare every plan on our pricing page, or get started with Public Circles today.
