Email Analytics: What You Actually See at Each Price Tier
Every email platform shows you open rates and click rates. But revenue attribution, A/B testing, comparative benchmarks, and subscriber-level analytics are gated behind paid tiers. This guide maps exactly which analytics features you get at each price point across Mailchimp, Kit, beehiiv, ActiveCampaign, and Brevo.
What “Analytics” Actually Means at Each Level
Basic Metrics (Free on All Platforms)
Open rate, click rate, unsubscribe rate, bounce rate. Every platform in this comparison provides these on free tiers. Keep in mind that Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates open rates by 15–30% since 2021 — click rate is the more reliable metric.
Advanced Reporting ($13–$49/mo)
Click maps, device/location breakdowns, comparative campaign performance, subscriber engagement scoring. This is where analytics start actually informing decisions beyond vanity metrics.
Revenue Attribution ($20–$79/mo)
Tracking actual revenue generated per email, per automation, per segment. Only meaningful for e-commerce and SaaS businesses. Mailchimp Standard ($20/mo), ActiveCampaign Plus ($49/mo), and Kit Creator Pro ($79/mo) offer this.
Analytics Features by Platform and Tier
| Feature | Mailchimp | Kit | beehiiv | ActiveCampaign | Brevo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opens/clicks/bounces | Free ($0) | Free ($0) | Launch ($0) | Starter ($15/mo) | Free ($0) |
| Click maps | Essentials ($13/mo) | Not available | Not available | Starter ($15/mo) | Starter ($9/mo) |
| A/B testing | Essentials ($13/mo) | Creator ($39/mo, subject only) | Scale ($49/mo) | Starter ($15/mo) | Standard ($18/mo) |
| Comparative reports | Standard ($20/mo) | Not available | Scale ($49/mo) | Plus ($49/mo) | Standard ($18/mo) |
| Revenue attribution | Standard ($20/mo) | Creator Pro ($79/mo) | Scale ($49/mo, basic) | Plus ($49/mo) | Not available |
| 3D / advanced analytics | Premium ($350/mo) | Not available | Max ($109/mo) | Pro ($79/mo) | Not available |
| Subscriber scoring | Standard ($20/mo, basic) | Creator Pro ($79/mo) | Not available | Plus ($49/mo) | Not available |
A/B Testing: Varies More Than You Think
A/B testing sounds simple, but each platform offers different levels of sophistication.
- Mailchimp Essentials ($13/mo): Subject line, from name, content, and send time testing. Auto-sends winner to remaining list.
- ActiveCampaign Starter ($15/mo): Subject line and content testing. Split automations available on Pro ($79/mo) for testing entire automation paths.
- Brevo Standard ($18/mo): Subject line and content A/B testing with automatic winner selection.
- Kit Creator ($39/mo): Subject line testing only. No content or send time variants.
- beehiiv Scale ($49/mo): Subject line, content, and send time testing with built-in analytics on each variant.
Revenue Attribution: Who Offers It and at What Price
Revenue attribution connects email campaigns to actual purchases. If you run an e-commerce store or sell products through your email list, this is the metric that matters most.
| Platform | Tier required | Monthly price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | Standard | $20/mo (500 contacts) | Shopify/WooCommerce integration required |
| ActiveCampaign | Plus | $49/mo (1,000 contacts) | Deep e-commerce integrations, goal tracking |
| Kit | Creator Pro | $79/mo (1,000 subscribers) | Primarily for digital product sales via Kit Commerce |
| beehiiv | Scale | $49/mo (unlimited) | Boost revenue and paid subscription tracking |
| Brevo | — | — | No native revenue attribution |
The Opinionated Verdict
Best analytics for e-commerce: Mailchimp Standard ($20/mo) offers the best revenue attribution at the lowest price point when connected to Shopify or WooCommerce. ActiveCampaign Plus ($49/mo) goes deeper with goal tracking and CRM-integrated revenue reporting.
Best analytics for newsletters: beehiiv Scale ($49/mo) provides 3D analytics, subscriber engagement scoring, and revenue tracking from Boosts and paid subscriptions. Max ($109/mo) adds advanced analytics and API access.
Best A/B testing on a budget: Mailchimp Essentials ($13/mo) gives you multi-variable A/B testing with automatic winner selection. ActiveCampaign Starter ($15/mo) is close behind.
If you just need basic metrics:Every platform's free tier shows opens, clicks, and bounces. Don't pay for analytics you won't act on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are email open rates still reliable?
Less than they used to be. Apple Mail Privacy Protection (since iOS 15 in 2021) pre-fetches email pixels, inflating open rates by 15–30%. Click-through rate and conversion rate are now the more reliable engagement metrics.
Which platform has the best A/B testing?
Mailchimp Essentials ($13/mo) offers the most complete A/B testing at the lowest price: subject line, content, from name, and send time. ActiveCampaign is best for split-testing entire automation paths on Pro ($79/mo).
Do I need revenue attribution?
If you sell products or services through email, yes. It is the only metric that directly ties email activity to business outcomes. If you run a free newsletter without monetization, basic engagement metrics are sufficient.
Why does Brevo lack revenue attribution?
Brevo focuses on email delivery volume rather than e-commerce integration. It is built for businesses sending high-volume transactional and marketing emails, not for tracking product-level revenue per campaign. For revenue tracking, pair Brevo with a dedicated analytics tool.