Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is one of the most popular email and SMS marketing platforms globally, and it has a strong presence in India. Beyond newsletters, Brevo powers transactional emails, OTPs (One-Time Passwords), and WhatsApp Business messaging — three critical channels for Indian startups, fintechs, and eCommerce brands. In this review, we’ll cover Brevo’s India-specific features, pricing, and why it stands out.
Brevo’s Core Offering in India
- Transactional Emails: Password resets, order confirmations, shipping alerts.
- OTPs (SMS & Email): High-speed delivery via Indian SMS routes.
- WhatsApp Messaging: Verified business API integration.
- Marketing Automation: Email sequences, drip campaigns, customer journeys.
- Local Support: INR billing options and 24×7 support via tickets.
Transactional Emails in India
- Brevo offers a dedicated SMTP relay + REST API for transactional use cases.
- Used widely by eCommerce sites, SaaS apps, and fintechs to deliver mission-critical updates.
- Average delivery time: under 2 seconds (SMTP relay via Indian routing).
- Supports SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication for compliance.
OTP Delivery via Brevo
- OTPs can be sent via SMS, email, or WhatsApp.
- Uses direct carrier routes in India for SMS OTPs, ensuring low latency.
- Email OTPs leverage Brevo’s dedicated IP pools for higher inboxing rates.
- Supports multi-channel fallback → e.g., if SMS fails, resend via email.
WhatsApp Business Pricing (India, 2025)
| Message Type | Cost (Approx) | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional | ₹0.35 – ₹0.45/msg | Order confirmations, OTPs |
| Promotional | ₹0.50 – ₹0.65/msg | Campaigns, offers |
| Two-Way Chat | ₹0.40 – ₹0.55/msg | Customer support |
- WhatsApp costs are billed per conversation/session under Meta’s pricing rules, but Brevo applies them transparently in INR.
- Volume discounts available for enterprises.
Brevo India Pricing (Transactional Emails & SMS)
- Transactional Email: Starts at ₹1,600/month for 20,000 emails.
- SMTP Relay: Free up to 300/day; scale via credit packs.
- SMS OTPs: Approx. ₹0.20–₹0.35 per SMS depending on volume.
- Dedicated IPs: Available for higher delivery and compliance.
Why Indian Businesses Choose Brevo
- Unified Messaging: Email, SMS, WhatsApp in one dashboard.
- Affordable INR Billing: Transparent pricing, no forex confusion.
- Reliability: Strong infrastructure for OTP delivery at scale.
- Integration Ready: APIs, plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Zoho, WordPress.
- Regulatory Fit: TRAI-compliant routes for SMS, GST-compliant invoices.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Multi-channel platform (email + SMS + WhatsApp).
- Cost-effective for startups compared to Twilio/AWS Pinpoint.
- Local SMS & WhatsApp pricing in INR.
- Regulatory compliance with Indian telecom rules.
Cons
- Advanced marketing automation locked behind higher plans.
- WhatsApp template approval can take time (Meta restriction).
- Some high-volume OTP users may prefer direct DLT connectivity.
Ready to Send OTPs & Transactional Emails in India?
Try Brevo (Sendinblue) for fast transactional emails, OTPs, and WhatsApp campaigns — with INR pricing and GST-compliant invoices.
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