MailerLite is an email marketing platform with a drag-and-drop editor, automations and landing pages. Its free plan covers up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, and sending is locked if active subscribers go over 250.
People who outgrow that limit often look at other platforms. These are other sending platforms in our directory, with the facts on free plans and prices.
At a glance
| Free plan | Starting price | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Substack | Yes. It is free to start. Charges apply only when a writer takes payments. | Not published. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Sender | Yes. Free Forever allows up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, with 1 seat, 10 landing pages and Sender branding on forms, popups and newsletters. | Not published. |
Prices and plans change. We checked these figures on October 10, 2026, so confirm them before you buy.
What each one is
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
AWeber
Email marketing for small businesses, creators and entrepreneurs, with a free plan, landing pages and automation. Sending newsletters and growing a subscriber list.
Sender
Sender is an email marketing platform with a free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers, aimed at growing businesses and newsletter senders. Sending newsletters and automated email to a list.
How to choose
Start with the free plan limit, because that is where MailerLite's lock on sending kicks in. Compare it with your list today and with where you expect it to be in a year.
Then look at how each one charges. Some charge by subscribers, some by plan, and Substack keeps a share of paid revenue. Open the full page for any tool here to see what it does, what it works with and when we last checked.
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 Kit the same as ConvertKit?
Yes. ConvertKit is now Kit.
How much does Substack take?
Writers keep 90% of their revenue minus credit card fees. That makes Substack's share 10%, with card fees taken on top.
Does Mailchimp have a free plan?
Yes. It allows up to 250 contacts, 500 sends a month or 250 a day, 1 seat and 1 audience. Sending pauses if a limit is exceeded.
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.