In this guide
Quick answer
Braze does not publish prices: its Go, Select, Pro and Enterprise packages are quoted annually by monthly active users and a shared pool of action credits. Vendr reports a median contract of $89,332 per year. For 100,000 MAU, expect a custom quote driven by package and channel mix.
Key takeaways
- Cheapest paid option: Braze Go, quoted by MAU; no list price is published.
- Most scaling consumer brands need Pro for predictive AI and personalization.
- Biggest hidden cost: MAU growth and SMS-heavy action credit burn.
- Best way to save: size MAU and credits to real usage and bring competing quotes.
Braze prices on two meters: monthly active users and action credits, a cross-channel pool that covers email, SMS, in-app, WhatsApp and some AI features. The package you choose decides which capabilities sit on top.
This guide explains the four packages, what drives a Braze quote and where the bill grows.
How much does Braze cost?
Braze Go
Custom
Customer data activation, personalized cross-channel messaging, BrazeAI, journey orchestration
Braze Select
Custom
Everything in Go plus increased orchestration capabilities and enhanced security
Braze Pro
Custom
Everything in Select plus predictive AI and AI personalization recommendations
Braze Enterprise
Custom
Enterprise-grade orchestration, infrastructure and governance, advanced experimentation
Braze (Go, Select, Pro, Enterprise). Source: www.braze.com, Quote-only vendor, no list prices
What each Braze plan includes
| Feature | Go | Select | Pro | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BrazeAI, data platform and cross-channel messaging | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Journey orchestration | Included | Increased | Increased | Enterprise-grade |
| Enhanced security features | Not included | Included | Included | Included |
| Predictive AI | Not included | Not included | Included | Included |
| AI personalization recommendations | Not included | Not included | Included | Included |
| Advanced experimentation and governance | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
Braze cost calculator
What drives the quote
Braze does not publish prices. Contracts are annual and scale with monthly active users, meaning customers who actively interact with your digital experiences, plus action credits: a shared cross-channel pool that covers email, SMS, in-app messaging, WhatsApp and certain AI products. Your package (Go, Select, Pro or Enterprise) sets which capabilities you get on top of that usage.
- MAU growth. Price scales with monthly active users, so product growth or reactivation campaigns raise the bill.
- Action credits. Email, SMS, in-app, WhatsApp and some AI products draw from one credit pool; heavy SMS use drains it fastest.
- Package upgrades. Predictive AI is Pro and above, and governance plus advanced experimentation are Enterprise only.
- Channel pass-through costs. SMS and WhatsApp carry carrier and channel costs that scale with message volume.
- Implementation and data work. Getting clean event data into Braze takes engineering time or partner services outside the license.
Braze does not publish list prices for these plans, so there is no calculator here. Use the checklist above to shape the quote you ask for.
Hidden costs to budget for
| Scenario | Annual cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Braze Pro (100,000 monthly active users) | Custom | Quoted by MAU and action credits |
| SMS and WhatsApp volume draws down action credits (100,000 MAU) | Custom | Extra credits quoted separately |
| MAU grows past the contracted tier | Custom | True-up or higher tier at renewal |
Which Braze plan should you choose?
- Braze Go. Choose if you are early stage and need cross-channel messaging with core orchestration.
- Braze Select. Choose if you need more orchestration depth and stronger security controls.
- Braze Pro. Choose if predictive AI and AI personalization are central to your lifecycle strategy.
- Braze Enterprise. Choose if you need enterprise governance, infrastructure and advanced experimentation.
Is Braze worth the price?
Braze is worth its price for consumer brands with large, active user bases and a lifecycle team that runs cross-channel journeys daily. Smaller apps or teams that mostly send email usually get better value from lighter tools.
You are likely overpaying if: Your contracted MAU is well above actual active users, most action credits go unused at term end, or you pay for Pro but do not use predictive features.
How to pay less for Braze
- Right-size MAU. Compare contracted MAU with real monthly active users over the last two quarters before renewal.
- Model action credit burn. Estimate credits by channel, especially SMS, and buy the pool you will actually use.
- Match the package to use. If predictive AI is not in live journeys, Select may cover what Pro is billing you for.
- Bring competing quotes. Price Iterable, and check Customer.io from $100 a month or OneSignal from $19 a month for lighter needs.
- Negotiate multi-year caps. Trade term length for capped MAU tier pricing and renewal increases.
Copy-ready renewal email
Hi [Braze account manager], Our Braze contract renews on [renewal date]. Over the last six months we averaged [actual MAU] monthly active users against [contracted MAU] contracted, and used [credits used] of [credits purchased] action credits. For renewal we would like MAU and credits sized to actual use, package at [target package] and increases capped at [cap]. We are also evaluating Iterable and Customer.io. Please send a proposal by [date].
Braze alternatives and what they cost
| Tool | Entry price | Cheaper when |
|---|---|---|
| Customer.io | From $100 per month (Essentials) | You have a smaller user base and mostly email and push journeys |
| OneSignal | From $19 per month plus usage (Growth) | You mainly need push and simple messaging |
| Iterable | Custom (quote-based) | You want a comparable enterprise platform as leverage |
The bigger picture: why Braze bills drift
Braze bills drift because both meters follow the business. Growth adds MAU, a new SMS program burns credits faster, and the lifecycle team, finance and engineering each see a different slice until the renewal quote arrives.
Annual contracts renew with uplift
Braze renewals arrive with a higher price and little time to push back.
Contract management with renewal alerts
Renewal dates, notice periods and owners tracked with early alerts.
Paid seats and credits go unused
Licenses bought for a campaign or hire plan are never reclaimed.
Seat counts and owners per vendor, reviewed before every renewal.
Every team buys its own data tool
Sales, marketing and RevOps each sign a separate contract.
Purchase requests with approvals
New tools route through one request and approval flow; Z1 "Prompt to buy" keeps it quick.
Data vendors skip security review
DPAs and privacy terms are not checked before contact data flows in.
Vendor onboarding and compliance
Onboarding templates collect DPAs, security documents and tax details once.
Go-to-market spend is invisible
Tool spend sits across cards, invoices and cost centers.
Spend by vendor and category, synced two ways with your ERP.
The bottom line
Braze is strong value for high-engagement consumer brands that use its orchestration and AI every day, and expensive for teams that do not. Track MAU and credit burn monthly and walk into renewal with the numbers. Zapro is built to keep that record for every contract you manage.
Braze pricing FAQs
How much does Braze cost?
Braze does not publish prices. Each package is quoted annually based on monthly active users and action credits. Vendr reports a median Braze contract of $89,332 per year, with deals ranging from $19,622 to $478,364.
Is there a free version of Braze?
No. Braze has no free plan or self-serve trial. All four packages, Go, Select, Pro and Enterprise, are sold through the sales team with a custom quote based on your monthly active users and expected messaging volume.
How much is Braze Enterprise?
Braze Enterprise is custom priced and adds enterprise-grade orchestration, infrastructure, governance and advanced experimentation. Large Enterprise deals sit toward the top of Vendr's reported range, which reaches $478,364 per year. The final price depends on your MAU, action credits and contract term.
Can you get a discount on Braze?
Yes, through negotiation. Buyers right-size MAU and action credits, trade multi-year terms for price caps and bring competing quotes from Iterable or Customer.io. Vendr reports average savings of about 14% on the Braze deals it handled.
Is Braze billed annually or monthly?
Braze is sold on annual contracts, commonly with multi-year terms. There is no published monthly plan, so MAU tiers, credit pools and renewal caps should all be fixed in the order form before signing. Negotiate MAU flexibility up front.
What is the cheapest alternative to Braze?
OneSignal's Growth plan starts at $19 per month plus usage for push and simple messaging. Customer.io Essentials starts at $100 per month with 5,000 profiles and 1 million emails, a common step down for smaller teams.
