Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) vs Refrens: Which is Better in 2026?
By StackPicker editorial · · email-marketing
Side-by-side comparison with INR pricing, GST and UPI considerations, integrations, pros and cons — written for Indian founders, marketers, and operators.
Quick verdict
Choose Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) if
- Indian SMBs and SaaS wanting low-cost transactional + marketing email
- Teams sending to large lists with low send frequency
- Businesses needing email + SMS + WhatsApp from one tool
Choose Refrens if
- Indian freelancers and consultants
- Solo agencies and small service businesses
- Side hustlers needing GST invoices
At a glance
| Attribute | Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) | Refrens |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2018 |
| HQ | Paris | Bengaluru |
| Target market | Global | India |
| Pricing model | subscription | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Starts at | Free 300 emails/day; Starter from $9/mo (~₹750) for 5K emails | Free for unlimited invoices; Premium ₹1,500/year |
| Currency | USD | INR |
| INR billing | No | Yes |
| UPI support | No | Yes |
| IST support | Email/chat overlapping IST hours | Mon-Sat 10am-7pm IST |
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) pricing
USDModel: subscription
Free tier: Yes
Starts at: Free 300 emails/day; Starter from $9/mo (~₹750) for 5K emails
Free 300/day, Starter $9, Business $18, Enterprise custom. Pricing by send volume — unlimited contacts.
Refrens pricing
INRModel: subscription
Free tier: Yes
Starts at: Free for unlimited invoices; Premium ₹1,500/year
Free plan covers most freelancers. Premium adds team, advanced reports, custom branding.
Pros & cons
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) — Pros
- +Pricing by sends — unlimited contacts is a huge win
- +Genuinely cheap relative to peers
- +Transactional API is reliable and developer-friendly
- +All-in-one (email, SMS, WhatsApp, CRM)
- +Generous free tier
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) — Cons
- −UI/UX feels less polished than Mailchimp
- −Daily send caps on lower paid tiers
- −Automation builder less intuitive than Klaviyo/ConvertKit
- −Deliverability good but not best-in-class
- −Customer support spotty on free/Starter
Refrens — Pros
- +Genuinely free for invoicing — no surprise gates
- +Clean, modern UI
- +Quick setup, no training needed
- +Built-in payment collection
- +Business directory drives inbound leads
Refrens — Cons
- −Not full-stack accounting (no balance sheet automation)
- −Limited reporting and analytics
- −Multi-currency basic vs. Zoho Books
- −Premium feature unlocks behind paid plan
- −Less suited as you scale past freelancer/solo
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) — Best for
- Indian SMBs and SaaS wanting low-cost transactional + marketing email
- Teams sending to large lists with low send frequency
- Businesses needing email + SMS + WhatsApp from one tool
- Founders who want a CRM bundled in
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) — Not ideal for
- Creators (ConvertKit fits better)
- Large e-commerce wanting deep behavioral segmentation (Klaviyo wins)
- Teams needing a polished, opinionated UX (it can feel cluttered)
Refrens — Best for
- Indian freelancers and consultants
- Solo agencies and small service businesses
- Side hustlers needing GST invoices
- Anyone wanting free unlimited invoicing
Refrens — Not ideal for
- Mid-size businesses needing full accounting (Zoho Books fits)
- Inventory-heavy product businesses
- Teams needing multi-branch or warehouse features
- Companies needing audit-grade ledgers
Indian context
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
- INR billing: No
- UPI support: No
- GST: GST applied via India entity
- IST support: Email/chat overlapping IST hours
Refrens
- INR billing: Yes
- UPI support: Yes
- GST: GST invoicing built in; e-invoicing on Premium
- IST support: Mon-Sat 10am-7pm IST
Final recommendation
For most Indian buyers, the choice between Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and Refrens comes down to pricing model, INR/GST support, and how it fits the rest of your stack. Use the verdict cards above to map your situation to the right pick — and try both free tiers before committing.