Most sending platforms let you start for free. What differs is where free stops: some count subscribers, some count emails sent, and one takes a share of revenue instead.
This table lists the free plans in our directory by the limit where each one stops. A free plan usually keeps the company's branding on your emails, so check that row on the tool's page too.
At a glance
| Free plan | Starting price | |
|---|---|---|
| Kit | Yes. Free for up to 10,000 subscribers, with unlimited landing pages, forms and email broadcasts. It has 1 user, no visual automations, and Kit branding stays on. | Creator is $33 a month for 1,000 email subscribers, shown as $390 billed yearly. No monthly billing option is shown. |
| beehiiv | Yes. Free for up to 2,500 subscribers, with 1 publication, 1 team seat and a 30-day analytics lookback. beehiiv branding stays on the newsletter. | Lite is $49 a month, billed yearly. |
| EmailOctopus | Yes. Starter is free for up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month, with 1 landing page, 1 form and EmailOctopus branding on emails. | Pro is $9 a month billed yearly. |
| Curated | Yes. Free for up to 1,500 subscribers, with every feature including sending. | $39 a month for 1,501 to 2,500 subscribers. |
| AWeber | Yes. Up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails a month, with one landing page and one automation. Emails carry AWeber branding. | Lite starts at $12.49 a month billed yearly for 0 to 500 subscribers. Lite is also shown from $15 a month. |
| MailerLite | Yes. Free for up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, with 2 seats. If active subscribers go over 250, sending is locked until you upgrade or remove subscribers. | Comfort starts at $12 a month. It can be billed yearly, which saves 10%, or monthly. |
| Mailchimp | Yes. Free for up to 250 contacts with a maximum of 500 sends a month or 250 a day, 1 seat and 1 audience. Mailchimp branding stays on and generative AI is not included. | Not published. |
| Buttondown | Yes. Free for the first 100 subscribers, with a rich text or markdown editor, a custom sending domain and hosted archives. | No base paid plan price is published. The lowest price is $9 a month per add-on, billed monthly. |
| Substack | Yes. It is free to start. Charges apply only when a writer takes payments. | Not published. |
Prices and plans change. We checked these figures on October 10, 2026, so confirm them before you buy.
What each one is
Kit
An email platform for creators, formerly called ConvertKit, with forms, automations and paid newsletters. Sending a creator newsletter and growing and selling to the audience.
beehiiv
An all-in-one platform for publishing, growing and earning from newsletters, podcasts, digital products, communities and websites. Publishing a newsletter and growing and earning from it in one place.
EmailOctopus
EmailOctopus is a simple email platform with a free plan and low-cost paid plans for people who send newsletters to subscribers. Sending newsletters and managing a subscriber list.
Curated
Curated is a newsletter platform built around collecting links and writing commentary, for people who publish curated issues. Publishing a link-based newsletter with the publisher's own commentary.
AWeber
Email marketing for small businesses, creators and entrepreneurs, with a free plan, landing pages and automation. Sending newsletters and growing a subscriber list.
MailerLite
An email marketing platform with a drag-and-drop editor, automations, landing pages, websites and a free plan for up to 250 subscribers. Sending newsletters and campaigns and building an audience with forms and landing pages.
Mailchimp
An email and SMS marketing platform for small businesses and other organizations, with a free plan for up to 250 contacts. Sending email campaigns and automations to a contact list.
Buttondown
A newsletter platform for creators and businesses, free for the first 100 subscribers, with paid add-ons and no fees on paid subscribers. Writing and sending a newsletter with simple pricing that grows with the list.
Substack
A publishing platform where writers and creators post, build a subscriber base and charge for paid content, keeping 90% of revenue after card fees. Publishing a writer-led newsletter and charging readers for paid posts.
What to do when you outgrow free
Look at the first paid plan before you choose a free one, because that is the bill you will meet when the list grows. A large free plan followed by a steep first step can cost more over a year than a small free plan followed by a cheap one.
Moving a list between platforms is possible but takes work, so it is worth picking with the paid price in mind from the start.
Is Kit the same as ConvertKit?
Yes. ConvertKit is now Kit.
Does beehiiv have a free plan?
Yes. The free plan costs $0 and supports up to 2,500 subscribers, 1 publication and 1 team seat. It includes unlimited email sends, landing pages and templates, and beehiiv branding stays on the newsletter.
Is EmailOctopus free?
There is a free Starter plan for up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month. It includes 1 landing page and 1 form, and emails carry EmailOctopus branding.
Is Curated free?
It is free for up to 1,500 subscribers, and every feature including sending is included. Above that the price is $39 a month at 1,501 to 2,500 subscribers and rises in tiers.
Does AWeber have a free plan?
Yes. The free plan has no time limit and no credit card is needed. It covers up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails a month.