Kit
Free for up to 10,000 subscribers, with strong tagging and automations on paid plans.
- Free to 10,000
- Creator-focused
- Automations
Marketing
The best email marketing software
Best email marketing software: Kit. Why it wins: Free for up to 10,000 subscribers, with strong tagging and automations on paid plans. Also see best for small business: MailerLite; best for newsletters: beehiiv.
For most creators Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is the best email platform, with a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers. beehiiv is the pick for newsletter publishers, free up to 2,500 subscribers with growth tools built in. Small businesses that want drag-and-drop campaigns and simple automations should look at MailerLite.
Based on FTC · Kit pricing · beehiiv pricing +1 more
Which one should you buy?
MailerLite
Easy drag-and-drop campaigns, forms and automations, with a free plan to start.
- Free plan
- Drag-and-drop
- Simple automation
beehiiv
Newsletter-first platform with a web archive and growth tools; free up to 2,500 subscribers.
- Free to 2,500
- Web archive
- Growth tools
Prices are official list prices as of October 2026 and can change. We don’t use affiliate links on this site. How we choose.
The short answer: Kit for creators; beehiiv for newsletter-first publishers; MailerLite for small-business campaigns.
How do the top email marketing software compare?
Swipe the table sideways to see all three →
| Spec | Best overallKit | Best for small businessMailerLite | Best for newslettersbeehiiv |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Up to 10,000 subscribers | Yes (limits on official site) | Up to 2,500 subscribers |
| Focus | Creators | Small businesses | Newsletter publishers |
| Automations | Visual automations (paid) | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Pages | Landing pages & forms | Sites, landing pages | Publication website |
| Best for | Creators | Small-business campaigns | Newsletters |
| Plans | See plans | See plans | See plans |
Why pick Kit?
Kit is built for creators who sell courses, products or paid newsletters. The free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers with forms, landing pages and broadcasts.
Automations and integrations unlock on paid plans, which scale by subscriber count.
Great if you
- Sell digital products
- Want tagging and segmentation
Skip it if you
- Want a publication website built in
Key specs
- Free plan
- Up to 10,000 subscribers (Oct 2026)
- Includes
- Forms, landing pages, broadcasts
- Formerly
- ConvertKit
KitPrices are list prices on each official site as of October 2026; taxes, promotions and renewals vary. These are not affiliate links.
See plans on the official site Why pick MailerLite?
MailerLite is straightforward for small businesses: a clean drag-and-drop editor, signup forms, landing pages and basic automations.
Free-plan limits have changed over time, so check the current subscriber and email caps on its pricing page.
Great if you
- Run promotions and newsletters
- Want an easy editor
Skip it if you
- Need creator commerce features
Key specs
- Free plan
- Yes; see current limits
- Includes
- Editor, forms, landing pages, automations
MailerLitePrices are list prices on each official site as of October 2026; taxes, promotions and renewals vary. These are not affiliate links.
See plans on the official site Why pick beehiiv?
beehiiv treats your newsletter like a publication: every issue gets a web page, and growth features like referrals and recommendations are built in.
Its free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers; monetization tools are on paid plans.
Great if you
- Publish a newsletter
- Want a web archive for SEO
Skip it if you
- Need e-commerce automations
Key specs
- Free plan
- Up to 2,500 subscribers (Oct 2026)
- Includes
- Website, newsletter editor, analytics
beehiivPrices are list prices on each official site as of October 2026; taxes, promotions and renewals vary. These are not affiliate links.
See plans on the official site What should you look for in email marketing software?
Your model
Creators selling products, publishers growing a newsletter and small businesses running promotions need different tools.
Growth costs
Prices scale with subscribers; model your cost at 2x your current list.
Deliverability basics
Authenticate your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) on any platform.
Law
Follow CAN-SPAM: a working unsubscribe link and your physical address in every commercial email.
KitPrices are list prices on each official site as of October 2026; taxes, promotions and renewals vary. These are not affiliate links.
See plans on the official site Frequently asked questions about email marketing software
Which email platform has the best free plan?
By subscriber count, Kit (10,000). beehiiv’s free plan covers 2,500.
Do I need a custom domain?
Strongly recommended for deliverability and trust.
Can I move my list later?
Yes; export subscribers as CSV and import them, keeping consent records.
What is CAN-SPAM?
The US law for commercial email: honest headers, an unsubscribe option and a physical address.
Kit or beehiiv?
Kit for creators selling products; beehiiv for newsletter-first publishers.
How did we pick these email marketing software?
We compared free-plan limits, focus, automations and publishing features from each platform’s official pricing pages, and FTC CAN-SPAM guidance.
We have not hands-on tested these products; we compare published specifications, independent measurements and manufacturer documentation, and we update this page when models change. Read the full methodology.
What sources did we use?
- FTC: CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide (accessed October 23, 2026)
- Kit pricing (accessed October 23, 2026)
- beehiiv pricing (accessed October 23, 2026)
- MailerLite pricing (accessed October 23, 2026)