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Quick picks
Kit for creators prioritizing product and subscriber-tag workflows. Beehiiv for newsletter monetization tools. HubSpot for founders who need CRM and marketing together. Compare the actual feature requirement before concluding that MailerLite needs replacing.
At a glance
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| Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Free trial | Key feature | Industries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLiteView website (opens in a new tab) | Small businesses and solo operators who want clean templates and simple automations at the lowest price. | $0.00 / month (Free plan) | Yes | Yes | Free tier that includes automations, not just broadcasts. | Small business |
| Kit (formerly ConvertKit)View website (opens in a new tab) | Creators, coaches, and independent publishers who monetize an audience directly. | $0.00 / month (Newsletter free plan) | Yes | Yes | Tag-based subscriber model that makes segmentation and automation predictable. | Small business, Agencies |
| BeehiivView website (opens in a new tab) | Newsletter-first operators who plan to monetize with ads, sponsorships, or a paid tier. | $0.00 / month (Launch free plan) | Yes | Yes | Newsletter publishing with growth and monetization tools. | Small business, Agencies |
A dash means no value has been supplied. Price sorting is unavailable when currencies or billing periods differ.
Best for Small businesses and solo operators who want clean templates and simple automations at the lowest price.
MailerLite
A budget email marketing platform with clean templates, automations, and landing pages, popular with small businesses and solopreneurs.
Pricing
Starting at $0.00 / month (Free plan)
Free tier plus subscriber-count subscription
Verified
Pros
- Free plan supports 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails.
- Paid Comfort and Power plans cover larger lists.
- Automation includes condition steps.
Cons
- New accounts must meet the provider's approval and use requirements.
- Multiple automation triggers require Power, with up to three per workflow.
Sources & references
- MailerLite official pricing — month (Free plan) — MailerLiteAccessed
- MailerLite official homepage — MailerLiteAccessed
Best for Creators, coaches, and independent publishers who monetize an audience directly.
Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
An email service provider built for creators and independent publishers, focused on tagging, automations, and landing pages.
Pricing
Starting at $0.00 / month (Newsletter free plan)
Free tier plus subscriber-count subscription
Verified
Pros
- Free Newsletter plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers.
- Subscriber tags and paid visual automations support creator workflows.
- Landing pages and forms support audience signup.
Cons
- Paid pricing scales with subscriber tier.
- Templates and workflow requirements should be tested before migration.
Sources & references
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit) official pricing — month (Newsletter free plan) — Kit (formerly ConvertKit)Accessed
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit) official homepage — Kit (formerly ConvertKit)Accessed
Best for Newsletter-first operators who plan to monetize with ads, sponsorships, or a paid tier.
Beehiiv
A newsletter platform with built-in growth, referrals, and monetization tools, built by former Morning Brew operators.
Pricing
Starting at $0.00 / month (Launch free plan)
Free tier plus subscriber-count subscription
Verified
Pros
- Free Launch supports up to 2,500 subscribers.
- Eligible paid plans offer Ad Network and other monetization tools.
- Paid features support newsletter growth and publishing workflows.
Cons
- Ad eligibility and revenue are not guaranteed.
- Compare exact automation needs and plan entitlements; no controlled inbox-placement ranking is established here.
Sources & references
- Beehiiv official pricing — month (Launch free plan) — BeehiivAccessed
- Beehiiv official homepage — BeehiivAccessed
Pros
- All three alternatives offer free tiers with limits.
- Each offers a different combination of commerce, publishing, or CRM tools.
- Paid upgrades are available when the free tier no longer covers the workflow.
Cons
- Costs depend on subscriber count, required features, and billing terms.
- Subscriber import does not necessarily migrate automation logic or templates.
Why operators leave MailerLite
Three reasons come up over and over.
First, account approval can prevent a planned launch. If MailerLite declines your account, ask support which requirement is unmet and review another provider's acceptable-use terms. This article does not document rejection rates or establish that every rejected applicant met the requirements.
Second, check the exact automation requirement. MailerLite supports condition steps, and its Power plan allows up to three triggers in one workflow. It is incorrect to describe all branching as unsupported. Consider switching only when the specific sequence or integration cannot be implemented on an appropriate plan.
Third, investigate account-specific delivery problems before migrating. This article has no controlled evidence for a Gmail placement problem beginning at 25,000 subscribers or for a deliverability ranking among these providers.
1. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) for creators
Kit is worth evaluating if product sales and subscriber-tag workflows are central to your business. Those features may suit your needs, but they do not establish a guaranteed financial return from switching.
At exactly 10,000 subscribers on annual billing, Kit Creator is $1,390 per year (displayed as $116 per month). MailerLite Comfort at the same volume is $961.20 per year ($80.10 per month). The difference is $428.80 per year before taxes and optional services; compare entitlements as well as price.
Export and test a sample of subscribers, groups, fields, and suppression records before migrating. Map them to Kit's model and check templates and automations separately. Do not assume that every data type transfers cleanly or that rebuilding takes an afternoon.
2. Beehiiv for newsletter-first operators
If your product is the newsletter itself, Beehiiv is the upgrade path that changes the economics. Ad network revenue, referral programs, boost campaigns, and paid tier monetization all in one platform.
At exactly 10,000 subscribers, Beehiiv Scale is $1,151 per year on annual billing, displayed as $96 per month. Do not subtract assumed Ad Network earnings from that cost; eligibility and actual campaign performance determine revenue.
Honest caveat: if your subscribers are used to a specific MailerLite template design, expect them to notice the switch. Beehiiv templates are visually different and generally simpler.
3. HubSpot Free for founders who need a CRM too
This is a different alternative because HubSpot is a platform, not just an ESP. But if you are a founder-led shop where the ESP and CRM should probably be talking to each other, HubSpot's free CRM plus its Marketing Hub free tools give you a working stack at zero cost.
HubSpot's free CRM is limited to two users and 1,000 contacts, with separate limits on its marketing tools. Marketing Hub Starter currently shows a new-customer promotion at $10 per seat per month against a $20 standard reference and includes 1,000 marketing contacts. Check promotion eligibility, renewal terms, email limits, and the quote for additional marketing contacts.
The reason to consider HubSpot over Kit or Beehiiv is if you are running actual sales through the same list. That integrated view is the HubSpot value story.
When to stay on MailerLite
If MailerLite is working for your broadcasts and automations, there is no need to leave solely because the list is growing. Its current Free tier covers 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails; above that, price the required paid tier. Comfort starts at $12 monthly for 500 subscribers, or $129.60 paid annually; Power starts at $25 monthly, or $270 paid annually.
The switch is worth it when one of the three problems I named at the top starts costing you time or revenue. Not before.
How to choose
- Feature capability where MailerLite hits ceilings
- Pricing at 1K, 10K subscriber tiers
- Deliverability track record
- Migration path from MailerLite
Final verdict
Switch when another platform solves a documented workflow need. MailerLite supports conditional automation and paid growth plans, so list size or branching alone is not a reason every user must leave.
Our evaluation process
Research and methodology
Research-based comparison of current vendor pricing, published features, and the workflow needs described in this article, fact-checked September 9, 2026. Linked vendor sources are supplemented by attributed reporting where needed. Recommendations are editorial judgments; this article does not report a documented hands-on trial or measured performance benchmark.
Read our review methodologyFrequently asked questions
Is MailerLite going out of business?
MailerLite currently publishes active products, support documentation, and subscription plans. Those sources do not establish profitability or future financial health. The recommendations here concern workflow fit, not a verified financial assessment of the vendor.
Can I export my automations from MailerLite?
Check the current export options for each data type and test the receiving platform. A subscriber CSV does not establish portability of automation logic, templates, or historical activity. Keep backups and plan to rebuild workflows where necessary.
Sources & references
- MailerLite pricing — MailerLiteAccessed
- Power plan multiple automation triggers — MailerLiteAccessed
- Automation conditions and actions — MailerLiteAccessed
- Free CRM limits — HubSpotAccessed
- Marketing Hub pricing — HubSpotAccessed
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit) pricing — Kit (formerly ConvertKit)Accessed
- Beehiiv pricing — BeehiivAccessed