Affiliate disclosure: Creator Systems Hub may earn a commission if you sign up to EmailOctopus through links in this guide, at no extra cost to you. Prices and limits were checked against EmailOctopus’s official website in September 2026 and can change.
Also comparing platforms? See our EmailOctopus vs MailerLite UK comparison for a side-by-side look at allowances, paid plans and functionality.
EmailOctopus has an unusually generous free plan, but the headline contact allowance does not tell you everything. Report history, branding, forms, users, automation limits and the way contacts are counted can determine whether Starter remains practical or Pro becomes worthwhile.
This guide explains the current EmailOctopus pricing structure for UK creators, including the costs that are easy to miss as a list grows.
EmailOctopus pricing at a glance
EmailOctopus currently offers two main plans:
- Starter: free, with up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month
- Pro: paid pricing that scales with subscriber and sending limits, advertised from $9 per month when billed yearly
The pricing page displays US dollars. A UK buyer’s final sterling cost depends on the exchange rate, card-provider currency charges and any tax applied at checkout.
EmailOctopus says annual Pro billing receives a 10% discount compared with monthly billing. Annual subscriptions are paid for 12 months upfront, while monthly plans renew each month.
What the free Starter plan includes
Starter is free forever rather than a time-limited trial. At the time of checking it includes:
- Up to 2,500 subscribed contacts
- Up to 10,000 emails per month
- One account user
- One landing page and one form
- Reports retained for 30 days
- Up to 10 fields and 10 tags per list
- Up to three automations
- Up to five steps in each automation, excluding the trigger
- Live-chat support during the first 30 days
Emails sent on Starter must include EmailOctopus branding. That is reasonable for testing a platform, but it may not suit a business that wants complete control over every element of its email design.
How far can 10,000 emails per month go?
Your monthly send requirement depends on list size and frequency. A simple estimate is:
Subscribed contacts × campaigns per month = approximate monthly sends
- 500 subscribers receiving four newsletters: about 2,000 sends
- 1,500 subscribers receiving four newsletters: about 6,000 sends
- 2,500 subscribers receiving four newsletters: about 10,000 sends
Automated welcome emails, reminders and follow-ups also use the sending allowance. A list can therefore remain below 2,500 contacts while exceeding 10,000 emails.
When does Pro become worthwhile?
Pro is not only for lists above 2,500 subscribers. It can become useful earlier when the free-plan limitations affect normal work.
Consider Pro when you need:
- Removal of EmailOctopus branding
- Reports retained beyond 30 days
- Unlimited landing pages and forms
- More than one user
- More automations or longer automated sequences
- Higher subscriber or monthly sending limits
- Ongoing priority support and live chat
A small professional newsletter might upgrade for design control and reporting even before approaching the contact limit. A solo side project may remain on Starter much longer.
How EmailOctopus counts subscribers
EmailOctopus bases pricing on subscribed contacts stored across your account, provided you remain within the email-sending allowance. Unsubscribed contacts and contacts removed because of a bounce or complaint do not count towards the subscriber total.
Lists are independent. If the same person appears as subscribed on two separate lists, EmailOctopus says that contact is counted twice for billing. Its guidance recommends keeping contacts on one main list and using tags, fields and segments to organise them.
That structure can reduce duplicate billing and makes it easier to maintain consistent consent and suppression information.
Automatic upgrades as your list grows
If your subscribed-contact count moves above the current tier, EmailOctopus can automatically move the account to the next tier and charge the difference. On an annual subscription, upgrade costs are prorated for the remaining months in the term.
You can also upgrade manually when you need a larger sending allowance, even if the list itself has not reached the subscriber limit.
EmailOctopus documents an “Optimise plan pricing” setting for automatic downgrades. Monthly accounts can move down at the next billing period when eligible; annual accounts generally wait until the annual term renews.
Monthly versus annual billing
Annual billing offers the lower equivalent monthly price but requires a larger payment upfront. Monthly billing costs more over a full year but preserves flexibility if your project is still experimental.
Annual billing may suit you when:
- You have already tested EmailOctopus
- Your list and sending pattern are stable
- You expect to use the platform for at least a year
- The 10% saving outweighs the value of monthly flexibility
Monthly billing may suit you when:
- You are migrating and want to validate the workflow first
- Your list size is changing quickly
- You may switch tools during the next few months
- You prefer smaller recurring payments
EmailOctopus and UK data-protection considerations
EmailOctopus describes itself as a UK-based, GDPR-compliant platform. That does not remove your own responsibilities as the organisation collecting and using subscriber data.
Before sending, make sure you have an appropriate lawful basis, explain your use of subscriber data, keep consent records where required and provide a working unsubscribe route. Review the platform’s current data-processing terms and obtain professional advice for your own circumstances when necessary.
EmailOctopus versus EmailOctopus Connect
The standard EmailOctopus product handles email delivery for you. EmailOctopus Connect is a separate product that connects to Amazon SES and has a different pricing model.
Connect may appeal to more technical users looking for SES-based sending costs, but it introduces an AWS account and separate Amazon charges. Do not compare a standard EmailOctopus plan with Connect without including those extra setup and delivery considerations.
Which plan should a new creator choose?
Start with Starter when you are building your first list, sending a straightforward newsletter and can accept platform branding, shorter report history and limited forms and automations.
Choose Pro when the newsletter is part of a serious business, brand control matters, several people need access or automations and reporting are central to your sales process.
The sensible route for many new creators is to start free, set up one clean list, verify the sending domain and test a real campaign workflow. Upgrade when a specific Starter limitation costs more time or credibility than the Pro subscription.
A quick cost check before upgrading
- Count subscribed contacts across every list, including duplicates.
- Estimate newsletters and automated sends per month.
- Decide whether 30-day reporting is sufficient.
- List the forms, landing pages, users and automations you need.
- Compare monthly flexibility with the 10% annual discount.
- Check the live pricing calculator for your exact contact and send limits.
For a broader look at the editor, automations, advantages and drawbacks, read our EmailOctopus Review UK.
For the practical setup sequence, use our guide to starting an email newsletter with EmailOctopus.
Check the latest EmailOctopus plans or start free →
Official sources checked September 2026: EmailOctopus pricing, Starter-plan limits, how pricing works and subscriber and sending limits. Prices and product terms may change.