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MailerLite vs Kit: which email marketing platform?

Short version: Kit suits creators who sell courses, products or paid newsletters, and its free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers. MailerLite suits small businesses that want an easy drag-and-drop editor, landing pages and a simple website builder.

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is built around tagging subscribers and selling to an audience; its free plan includes forms, landing pages and broadcasts for up to 10,000 subscribers. MailerLite focuses on clean drag-and-drop campaigns, signup forms, landing pages and basic automations, with a free plan whose limits are listed on its pricing page.

By AlexUpdated 4 sources citedHow we choose

Based on FTC · Kit pricing · beehiiv pricing +1 more

white ceramic mug
Photo: chris liu / Unsplash

Which one should you buy?

Best for creators

Kit

Free up to 10,000 subscribers; tagging and automations for selling.

  • Free to 10k subs
  • Creator tools
  • Formerly ConvertKit
See plansRead why ↓
Best for small businesses

MailerLite

Easy drag-and-drop campaigns, forms, landing pages and automations.

  • Drag-and-drop
  • Sites & pages
  • Free plan
See plansRead why ↓

Prices are official list prices as of October 2026 and can change. Links on this page go to official sites with no affiliate tag. How we choose.

The short answer: Kit if you are a creator building an audience you will sell to. MailerLite if you run a small business that sends promotions and updates and wants the simplest editor.
This is a focused guide. For the full category with every pick, read the best email marketing software.

MailerLite vs Kit: side by side

Swipe the table sideways to see both →

SpecBest for creatorsKitBest for small businessesMailerLite
Free planUp to 10,000 subscribersYes (limits on official site)
FocusCreatorsSmall businesses
AutomationsVisual automations (paid)Yes
PagesLanding pages & formsSites, landing pages
Best forCreatorsSmall-business campaigns
PlansSee plansSee plans
Best for creators

Why pick Kit?

Kit organizes subscribers by tags rather than separate lists, which makes it easy to send different emails to people who bought, clicked or signed up for different things.

Its free plan is generous at up to 10,000 subscribers with forms, landing pages and broadcasts; visual automations and integrations unlock on paid plans, priced 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
Best for small businesses

Why pick MailerLite?

MailerLite’s editor is one of the easiest to pick up, so a shop or local business can send a good-looking promotion without design help.

It includes signup forms, landing pages and basic automations. Free-plan limits have changed over time, so check the current caps on its pricing page before you commit.

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

How to choose between MailerLite and Kit

Both handle the CAN-SPAM basics, such as an unsubscribe link and your postal address in every email. The difference is who they are built for.

What you sell

Courses, digital products or paid newsletters point to Kit; store promotions and updates point to MailerLite.

List size on day one

Kit’s free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers; check MailerLite’s current free limit.

Design

MailerLite’s drag-and-drop editor is more design-led; Kit’s emails are simpler and text-focused by default.

Compliance

Whichever you use, include an unsubscribe link and a physical address, as the FTC’s CAN-SPAM guide requires.

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

MailerLite vs Kit: common questions

Is MailerLite better than Kit?

For small-business campaigns and ease of design, often yes. For creators who segment and sell to an audience, Kit is usually the better fit.

Is Kit the same as ConvertKit?

Yes. ConvertKit renamed itself Kit.

Does Kit have a free plan?

Yes, for up to 10,000 subscribers with forms, landing pages and broadcasts (October 2026).

Can I move my list from one to the other?

Yes. Both import subscribers from a CSV file. Only import people who opted in.

How we compared them

We compared both companies’ official pricing and feature pages and the FTC CAN-SPAM guide as of October 2026.

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?

  1. FTC: CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide (accessed October 23, 2026)
  2. Kit pricing (accessed October 23, 2026)
  3. beehiiv pricing (accessed October 23, 2026)
  4. MailerLite pricing (accessed October 23, 2026)

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