Brevo Automation: How to Build Workflows That Convert
Manual marketing doesn’t scale. You know this already. Every welcome email you send by hand. Every abandoned cart you try to recover manually. Every lead you forget to follow up with because life got busy. It adds up. And it costs you money.
Here’s a number that should wake you up. Businesses using marketing automation see up to 451% ROI according to recent research. That’s not a typo. For every dollar spent, automation returns nearly five dollars. The math is simple. The opportunity is massive. And most businesses are still doing things the hard way.
Brevo automation changes the game. You build workflows once, and they run forever. Someone signs up? They get a welcome series automatically. Someone abandons their cart? They get a reminder without you lifting a finger. Someone goes quiet for 60 days? A re-engagement campaign brings them back. All of this happens while you sleep.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how Brevo automation works. We’ll cover triggers, actions, and conditions. We’ll walk through building your first workflow step by step. And we’ll look at the AI features that make Brevo’s automation smarter than most competitors. By the end, you’ll know how to set up workflows that convert — without babysitting them.
What Is Brevo Automation?
Brevo automation is a system for building personalized customer journeys that run automatically. Instead of sending emails manually or remembering to follow up with leads, you create workflows that trigger based on user behavior. The platform handles everything from there.
Think of it as setting up dominoes. You define what starts the chain — a signup, a purchase, a page visit. Then you define what happens next — send an email, wait three days, check if they clicked, send an SMS. Once activated, the dominoes fall on their own. Every customer gets the right message at the right time.
Brevo evolved from Sendinblue, which many marketers already trusted for email. The rebrand in 2023 came with expanded capabilities. By 2026, automation became the core of the platform — not just email, but SMS, WhatsApp, push notifications, and CRM actions all in one builder.
Over 500,000 businesses use Brevo globally. Automation drives 40% of their engagement growth in 2026. Users report 30-50% higher open rates when using AI-optimized automation compared to manual campaigns. These aren’t theoretical benefits. Real businesses see real results.
The platform received €500M+ in funding in early December 2025. That investment accelerated AI development significantly. New features like Segment AI now support custom attributes, letting you auto-group contacts by purchase history or behavior patterns.
What makes Brevo automation different from competitors? A few things stand out.
Multichannel from the start. Most automation tools focus on email. Brevo includes SMS, WhatsApp, and push notifications in the same workflow builder. You’re not paying for separate tools or jumping between platforms.
Accessible pricing. Unlimited automation starts at the Standard plan — roughly $18 per month. Competitors charge significantly more for equivalent features. For SMBs watching budgets, this matters.
No-code builder. The visual workflow editor uses drag-and-drop. No programming required. Marketers without technical skills can build sophisticated customer journeys.
AI integration. Features like send-time optimization, AI segmentation, and contact scoring come built in at higher tiers. These tools turn data into decisions automatically.
The automation builder is where everything happens. You see your customer journey as a flowchart. Add triggers, connect actions, set conditions. Preview and test before going live. Monitor performance after launch.
For businesses still sending batch emails and hoping for the best, automation represents a fundamental shift. You stop reacting and start anticipating. You stop chasing and start attracting. The work happens upfront. The results compound forever.
How Brevo Automation Works
Understanding the mechanics helps you build better workflows. Brevo automation operates on a simple model: triggers start things, conditions direct things, and actions do things. Master these three concepts and you can automate almost anything.
The workflow editor visualizes this logic. You see your automation as a connected flowchart. Each step links to the next. Branches split based on conditions. The flow moves from entry point to exit based on rules you define.
Everything begins with an entry point — the trigger that starts the journey. From there, contacts move through your workflow based on their behavior and your rules. Some take one path. Some take another. The personalization happens automatically.
Brevo offers 20+ built-in triggers covering most use cases. Form submissions, purchases, page visits, email engagement, cart abandonment, custom API events — you have options for nearly any scenario. Actions are equally flexible. Send emails, send SMS, update contact data, add tags, trigger webhooks, wait specific durations.
Recent updates made automation even more powerful. In September 2025, Brevo released an automation testing tool. You can preview and simulate workflows before launch, catching errors before they affect real customers. In December 2025, they added the ability to reuse existing email messages across workflow steps — no more recreating the same template multiple times.
Let me break down the core components.
Triggers, Conditions, and Actions
Every automation workflow has three building blocks. Understanding each one gives you the foundation to build anything.
Triggers are entry points. They answer the question: “What starts this automation?” When the triggering event occurs, the contact enters your workflow.
Common triggers in Brevo include:
- Form submission — someone fills out a signup form
- Purchase completed — someone buys from your store
- Cart abandoned — someone adds products but doesn’t check out
- Page visited — someone views a specific URL on your site
- Email opened — someone opens a previous email
- Link clicked — someone clicks a specific link
- Contact added to list — someone joins a particular segment
- Custom event — your application sends an API event
- Date-based — birthdays, anniversaries, subscription renewals
You choose the trigger that matches your goal. Building a welcome series? Trigger on form submission. Recovering abandoned carts? Trigger on cart abandonment. Celebrating birthdays? Trigger on the date field.
Conditions direct traffic through your workflow. They answer: “Which path should this contact take?” Conditions evaluate data and split contacts accordingly.
If/else logic is the most common condition type. “If contact opened the email, do this. Else, do that.” You can check almost any attribute — email engagement, purchase history, location, custom fields, tags.
Time-based conditions add nuance. “Wait until the contact has been in the workflow for 3 days.” Or “Check if they’ve made a purchase within 24 hours.” These pauses let you respond to behavior changes.
Frequency controls prevent over-messaging. “Only send if contact hasn’t received an email in the last 48 hours.” Nobody likes getting five emails in one day.
Actions are what actually happens. They answer: “What do we do at this step?”
Available actions include:
- Send email — deliver an automated message
- Send SMS — text the contact
- Send WhatsApp — message via WhatsApp Business
- Update contact — change attribute values
- Add/remove tag — modify contact tags
- Add to list — move contact to a segment
- Trigger webhook — send data to external systems
- Wait — pause for a duration before continuing
- Exit workflow — remove contact from automation
You chain actions together to create journeys. Send welcome email → wait 2 days → check if opened → if yes, send next email → if no, try different subject line. The logic can get as complex as you need.
Building Your First Automation Workflow
Let’s walk through creating an actual workflow. We’ll build a simple welcome series for new subscribers — one of the highest-value automations for any business.
Step 1: Access the automation builder
Log into your Brevo account. Find “Automations” in the main menu. Click to enter the automation section. You’ll see any existing workflows plus the option to create new ones.
Click “Create a workflow.” Brevo offers templates for common scenarios. For learning purposes, select “Create from scratch” to understand each step. Later, templates save time.
Step 2: Choose your trigger
The first thing you add is the entry point. For a welcome series, select “Contact added to list” or “Form submitted” as your trigger.
Configure the trigger details. Which list? Which form? Be specific. You don’t want every signup entering this workflow — just the ones from your newsletter form.
Step 3: Add your first action
Click the plus sign below your trigger. Add an action: “Send an email.” Select or create the email you want to send. This is your welcome message — thank them for signing up, introduce your brand, set expectations.
Step 4: Add a delay
After the first email, add a wait step. Click plus, choose “Wait,” and set the duration. Two or three days works well. You don’t want to overwhelm new subscribers.
Step 5: Add a condition (optional)
Want to personalize the journey? Add a condition checking if they opened the first email. If yes, continue with the planned series. If no, maybe try a different approach or wait longer before the next message.
Step 6: Continue building
Add more steps as needed. A typical welcome series includes 3-5 emails over 1-2 weeks. Each step advances the relationship — share helpful content, introduce products, offer a first-purchase discount.
Step 7: Test your workflow
Use Brevo’s automation testing tool released in September 2025. Preview how contacts will move through the flow. Simulate different scenarios. Catch problems before real subscribers encounter them.
Step 8: Activate
When everything looks right, activate the workflow. It starts running immediately. New contacts entering through your trigger begin the journey automatically.
That’s it. Your first automation is live. New subscribers now receive personalized welcome messages without any manual effort from you.
Key Brevo Automation Features
Basic automation gets you started. Advanced features multiply your results. Brevo includes capabilities that most competitors charge extra for — multichannel messaging and AI-powered optimization built right into the platform.
The feature set expanded significantly through 2025. The AI Lab launched in February brought smart tools for content generation, timing optimization, and segmentation. Higher-tier plans added contact scoring, predictive analytics, and advanced personalization.
These aren’t just nice-to-haves. They directly impact performance. Users report 20-30% conversion lifts from AI features. Send-time optimization alone boosts open rates by 20%. The tools turn data into better decisions automatically.
Let me explain the two most impactful feature areas.
Multichannel Automation: Email, SMS, and WhatsApp
Most automation tools focus on email. That’s limiting. Your customers don’t live in one channel. They check email sometimes, ignore it other times. SMS gets immediate attention. WhatsApp feels personal. Different channels reach people differently.
Brevo automation includes email, SMS, and WhatsApp in the same workflow builder. You don’t need separate tools or complicated integrations. Build one workflow that spans multiple channels.
Here’s why this matters. Research shows multichannel automation — combining email with SMS or WhatsApp — increases response rates by 35% compared to email alone. You’re meeting customers where they actually pay attention.
A practical example. Someone abandons their cart. Your workflow sends an email reminder after one hour. If they don’t open it within 24 hours, the workflow sends an SMS instead. If they still don’t respond, try a WhatsApp message on day three. Each channel offers another chance to recover the sale.
Setting up multichannel flows works exactly like email-only automation. Add an action, but instead of “Send email,” choose “Send SMS” or “Send WhatsApp.” Configure the message. Continue building.
SMS and WhatsApp use Brevo’s credit system. You purchase credits separately — they’re not included in your email plan. But the integration convenience saves significant time compared to managing separate platforms.
WhatsApp automation expanded significantly in mid-2025. Brevo added support for automated replies, order updates, and promotional messages through WhatsApp Business. For businesses with international customers — especially in markets where WhatsApp dominates — this is essential.
Push notifications round out the multichannel options. Web and mobile push reach people even when they’re not checking email. Add push actions to workflows for time-sensitive alerts or reminders.
The unified inbox consolidates responses from all channels. When customers reply to your automated messages — via email, SMS, or WhatsApp — everything appears in one view. Your team doesn’t jump between tools to manage conversations.
For businesses serious about engagement, multichannel automation isn’t optional anymore. Single-channel strategies miss too many opportunities. Brevo makes multichannel accessible without the complexity of integrating multiple tools.
AI-Powered Automation Features
Automation handles the “when” and “what.” AI handles the “how well.” Brevo’s AI features optimize your automations in ways that would take humans hours of manual analysis.
AI segmentation groups contacts automatically based on behavior and attributes. Instead of manually creating segments, the system identifies patterns you might miss. High-value repeat buyers. Customers likely to churn. Leads ready for sales outreach. The AI spots these groups and lets you target them specifically.
The December 2025 update enhanced Segment AI with custom attribute support. Now you can auto-group based on any data you track — purchase history, product preferences, engagement scores, custom fields from your CRM. The segmentation becomes as specific as your data allows.
Send-time optimization delivers emails when each contact is most likely to open. Not everyone checks email at 9 AM. Some people read at lunch. Others scroll before bed. The AI analyzes individual engagement patterns and adjusts send times accordingly.
The impact is measurable. Users report 20% higher open rates with send-time optimization enabled. That’s significant for the same email content — just smarter delivery timing.
AI content generator helps create email copy within workflows. Describe what you want to say, and the AI drafts text. Refine it, personalize it, and drop it into your automation. Useful for quickly building variations or overcoming writer’s block.
Contact scoring assigns values to leads based on engagement and behavior. Opens, clicks, page visits, purchases — each action contributes to a score. High-scoring leads route to sales immediately. Low-scoring leads get more nurturing. You focus human attention where it matters most.
Predictive analytics forecast future behavior. Which contacts are likely to purchase? Which might churn? The AI models historical patterns to predict outcomes. You can build automations that respond to predictions, not just past actions.
These AI features are available on Professional plans and above — starting around $449 per month for higher volumes. That price point targets serious marketers with significant email programs. Smaller businesses can still benefit from Standard plan automation without AI, then upgrade as they scale.
The direction is clear. Marketing automation is becoming predictive, not just reactive. Brevo’s AI investments — accelerated by that €500M+ funding round — position the platform at the front of this shift. Analysts expect 70% of marketing tasks to be automated by 2027. Tools like Brevo are making that projection realistic.
Brevo Automation Use Cases and Examples
Theory is nice. Real applications are better. Let’s look at how businesses actually use Brevo automation to drive results. These aren’t hypothetical scenarios — they’re proven workflows that generate measurable ROI.
The beauty of automation is versatility. The same platform handles ecommerce cart recovery, B2B lead nurturing, customer onboarding, and retention campaigns. Different triggers, different actions, same powerful builder.
Some use cases work for nearly every business. Welcome series for new subscribers. Re-engagement for inactive contacts. Birthday or anniversary messages. These are foundational automations that everyone should have running.
Other use cases are industry-specific. Ecommerce stores need abandoned cart recovery and post-purchase flows. SaaS companies need onboarding sequences and churn prevention. Service businesses need appointment reminders and follow-ups.
The key is starting with high-impact workflows first. Don’t try to automate everything at once. Pick the automation that will generate the most value with the least complexity. Get it working. Then expand.
Brevo’s template library helps here. Pre-built workflows for common scenarios give you a starting point. Customize the messages, adjust the timing, activate. You’re not building from scratch unless you want to.
Real businesses report significant results. A clothing store saw 25% cart recovery rates using Brevo’s AI-optimized timing. A startup nurtured 500 leads to 100 conversions in a single quarter. A SaaS company boosted upsells by 40% using segmented automation. These numbers represent real revenue from set-and-forget workflows.
Let me walk through the two most impactful automation categories.
Abandoned Cart Recovery and Ecommerce Flows
Abandoned carts are money left on the table. Someone wanted your product enough to add it to their cart. They just didn’t finish. Getting them back is easier and cheaper than finding new customers.
The average cart abandonment rate hovers around 70%. That’s massive. If your store does $10,000 in monthly sales, you’re probably losing $23,000 to abandoned carts. Even recovering a fraction changes your numbers dramatically.
Brevo automation makes recovery systematic. Here’s a proven abandoned cart workflow:
Hour 1: Send reminder email
The first message goes out quickly while the purchase intent is fresh. Include the exact products they left behind — Brevo’s dynamic content pulls cart items automatically. Keep the copy simple: “You forgot something. Here’s what’s waiting for you.”
Day 1: Send SMS nudge
If they didn’t respond to email, try SMS. Text messages have near-100% open rates. A brief message works: “Your cart is still waiting! Complete your order: [link]”
Day 3: Send WhatsApp with incentive
Still no response? Escalate with a small discount. “We noticed you left items in your cart. Here’s 10% off to help you decide.” WhatsApp feels more personal than email, which can make the difference.
A clothing store using this exact multichannel approach saw 25% recovery rates. One in four abandoned carts came back as completed purchases. The workflow ran automatically — no manual follow-ups, no forgotten customers.
Timing matters significantly. Brevo’s AI send-time optimization adjusts delivery based on individual engagement patterns. Some customers respond better in the morning. Others engage at night. The AI learns and adapts.
Beyond cart recovery, ecommerce automation includes:
Order confirmation flows — Immediate confirmation with order details, followed by shipping updates and delivery notifications.
Post-purchase sequences — Thank-you messages, product care tips, review requests, and cross-sell recommendations based on what they bought.
Browse abandonment — Someone viewed products but didn’t add to cart. Send an email showcasing what they browsed with similar recommendations.
Replenishment reminders — For consumable products, remind customers when they’re likely running low based on typical usage.
Each flow connects to the same customer profile in Brevo’s CRM. You see the complete picture — what they browsed, what they bought, how they engaged with your messages. That data powers better personalization over time.
For ecommerce stores, automation isn’t optional. Manual follow-ups don’t scale. Brevo automation runs 24/7, recovering revenue while you focus on other parts of your business.
Lead Nurturing and Welcome Series
Not everyone is ready to buy immediately. Some prospects need time. They’re researching, comparing, thinking it over. Lead nurturing keeps your brand present during this consideration period without requiring constant manual outreach.
The concept is simple. When someone shows interest — downloads an ebook, signs up for a newsletter, requests information — you don’t just let them sit. You guide them toward a decision through a series of helpful, relevant messages.
A well-designed nurturing sequence does several things:
Builds relationship — Share valuable content that helps them solve problems. Establish yourself as a trusted resource, not just a salesperson.
Educates about solutions — Explain how your product or service addresses their challenges. Case studies, testimonials, and comparisons work well here.
Qualifies leads — Track engagement to identify who’s genuinely interested. Opened every email and clicked multiple links? They’re warm. Never opened anything? They’re cold.
Routes to sales — When engagement signals buying intent, move them to your sales team or a more direct conversion path.
Here’s a lead nurturing workflow structure:
Day 0: Welcome email
Immediate acknowledgment. Thank them for signing up. Deliver whatever they requested — the ebook, the guide, the discount code. Set expectations for what’s coming.
Day 2: Educational content
Share something genuinely helpful related to their interest. Not a sales pitch. Real value that makes them glad they subscribed.
Day 5: Social proof
Customer stories, case studies, testimonials. Show how others benefited from your solution. Build credibility through results.
Day 8: Problem-solution content
Address common objections or challenges. Position your offering as the answer without being pushy.
Day 12: Direct offer
Now you’ve earned the right to sell. Make a clear offer with a reason to act. Limited-time discount, bonus inclusion, or simply an invitation to take the next step.
Throughout this sequence, Brevo’s contact scoring tracks engagement. Every open adds points. Every click adds more. By day 12, you know who’s engaged and who’s not.
A startup using this approach nurtured 500 leads to 100 conversions in Q4 2025. That’s a 20% conversion rate from leads who might otherwise have gone cold. The automation ran without daily management — just periodic optimization based on performance data.
Brevo’s CRM integration routes hot leads directly to sales teams. When a contact’s score crosses a threshold, trigger a notification or add them to a sales pipeline. Your team focuses on prospects most likely to convert.
Welcome series are a specific type of nurturing focused on new subscribers. First impressions matter. A strong welcome sequence sets the tone for the entire relationship.
Businesses report 3x higher engagement from subscribers who complete a welcome series compared to those who don’t. The investment in those first few emails pays dividends throughout the customer lifecycle.
Brevo Automation Pricing and Plan Limits
Automation features vary by plan. Understanding what’s included helps you choose the right tier — and avoid paying for capabilities you don’t need yet.
Free plan includes basic automation with significant limits:
- Workflows limited to 2,000 contacts
- 300 emails per day sending cap
- No A/B testing
- No send-time optimization
- Basic triggers and actions only
Free works for testing the platform or businesses with very small lists. You can build simple workflows and see how automation functions. But you’ll hit limits quickly if you’re serious about growth.
Starter plan at roughly $8-9 per month offers:
- Basic automation capabilities
- Higher email limits (5,000+ per month)
- Still no unlimited workflows
- No advanced AI features
Starter is a step up but doesn’t unlock automation’s full potential. Consider it a bridge tier rather than a long-term home.
Standard plan at approximately $16-18 per month is where automation shines:
- Unlimited automation workflows
- A/B testing for emails
- Send-time optimization
- Advanced analytics
- No contact caps on workflows
For most growing businesses, Standard hits the sweet spot. You get unlimited automation — build as many workflows as you need without restrictions. The A/B testing and optimization features improve performance over time.
An analyst from a major review site noted: “Brevo’s pricing for unlimited automation at $18/month blows away competitors. It’s ideal for SMBs scaling fast.”
Professional plan starts around $449 per month for higher volumes:
- AI segmentation with custom attributes
- Contact scoring
- Data Analyst features
- Multichannel advanced features
- WhatsApp automation included
Professional targets serious marketers with substantial email programs. The AI features justify the price for businesses sending hundreds of thousands of emails monthly.
Enterprise offers custom pricing:
- Custom objects in automation
- Multi-account workflows
- Dedicated support
- Advanced security and compliance
Enterprise suits large organizations with complex requirements.
Additional costs to consider:
SMS and WhatsApp credits are separate. You purchase credits based on volume and pay per message. This is outside your email plan.
Logo removal costs approximately $10 per month as an add-on.
Annual billing saves 10% compared to monthly. If you’re committed to the platform, yearly plans reduce costs.
How this compares to competitors:
Mailchimp charges more for equivalent automation features and limits contacts at lower tiers. ActiveCampaign offers strong automation but at higher price points. HubSpot’s marketing automation requires expensive tiers.
Brevo’s value proposition is clear. Unlimited automation at $18/month undercuts most alternatives while delivering comparable — and in multichannel cases, superior — capabilities.
The recommendation for most businesses: start with Standard if you’re ready to use automation seriously. The unlimited workflows remove any ceiling on what you can build. Upgrade to Professional when AI features become worth the investment.
