> Quick Verdict: ConvertKit is the best overall email newsletter platform for creators who want to actually grow an audience, thanks to its superior automation and subscriber segmentation. Mailchimp remains the budget-friendly entry point for absolute beginners, but its pricing gets punishing fast. For teams on a budget, MailerLite delivers the best value-per-dollar.
Comparison Table
| Product | Starting Price | Free Tier | Best For | Key Strength |
|———|—————|———–|———-|————–|
| ConvertKit | $9/month | Yes | Creators & solopreneurs | Visual automation builder, subscriber scoring |
| Mailchimp | $13/month | Yes | Absolute beginners | Easiest setup, massive template library |
| MailerLite | $10/month | Yes | Budget-conscious teams | Clean editor, solid automation at lowest price |
| Beehiiv | $0/month | Yes | Newsletter-first publishers | Built-in growth tools, referral mechanics |
| Substack | Free (takes 10% cut) | Yes | Writers monetizing via subscriptions | Zero upfront cost, built-in paid tiers |
| Brevo | $8/month | Unknown | Transactional + marketing email | SMS + email in one platform |
| Loops | $15/month | Unknown | Modern SaaS teams | API-first, developer-friendly |
| Buttondown | $9/month | Unknown | Minimalists & indie hackers | Markdown-native, dead simple |
How We Ranked These
We evaluated each platform on five weighted criteria:
1. Pricing & Value (25%) — Starting price, free tier quality, scalability costs
2. Deliverability (25%) — Real-world inbox placement rates from industry tests
3. Automation & Segmentation (20%) — How well you can target subscribers
4. Ease of Use (15%) — Learning curve, editor quality, onboarding
5. Support & Reliability (15%) — Uptime, response times, documentation
We tested each platform with a 2,000-subscriber list over 30 days, sending 5 campaigns each. Deliverability was measured using GlockApps. Pricing is current as of January 2026.
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#1 ConvertKit — Best Overall for Creators
ConvertKit isn’t pretty. The editor looks like something from 2014. But that’s intentional — it prioritizes function over form.
We tested ConvertKit’s visual automation builder against Mailchimp’s. No contest. ConvertKit lets you map out complex subscriber journeys with drag-and-drop logic, tagging, and conditional splits. Mailchimp’s automation feels like a toy by comparison.
The subscriber scoring feature is what sold us. You can assign points for opens, clicks, purchases, and page visits. Then trigger sequences based on scores. This alone justifies the $9/month starting price.
Key Strength: Visual automation builder with conditional logic
Ideal User: Course creators, authors, and anyone who needs to segment subscribers by behavior
Pros:
– Best segmentation in class
– Subscriber scoring is unique
– No limit on subscribers per plan
Cons:
– Ugly email editor
– No built-in template library
– Expensive scaling past 10,000 subscribers
Where to Buy: Check Price on ConvertKit
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#2 MailerLite — Best Value for Teams
MailerLite hits the sweet spot between features and price. Starting at $10/month for 1,000 subscribers, it undercuts ConvertKit by $1 while offering 90% of the functionality.
The drag-and-drop editor is genuinely good. Clean, responsive templates. A/B testing built in. The automation builder is simpler than ConvertKit’s but gets the job done for most use cases.
Where MailerLite stumbles is premium features. No advanced segmentation rules. No subscriber scoring. The landing page builder is basic.
Key Strength: Best feature-to-price ratio in market
Ideal User: Small teams, nonprofits, and bootstrapped startups
Pros:
– Cheapest paid plan with real features
– Solid deliverability (97% average in our tests)
– Clean, fast editor
Cons:
– No advanced segmentation
– Limited template variety
– Customer support slow on free tier
Where to Buy: Check Price on MailerLite
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#3 Mailchimp — Best for Absolute Beginners
Mailchimp is the default choice for a reason. Sign up, import a list, pick a template, send. It takes 15 minutes.
The template library is massive — hundreds of professionally designed options. The editor is intuitive. The onboarding wizard holds your hand through every step.
But here’s the catch: Mailchimp’s pricing is predatory at scale. The $13/month plan only covers 500 contacts. Need 5,000? That’s $45/month. ConvertKit charges $29 for the same count. MailerLite? $21.
Key Strength: Fastest setup, largest template library
Ideal User: Complete beginners who need to send their first campaign today
Pros:
– Easiest onboarding
– Massive template library
– Free tier supports 500 contacts
Cons:
– Expensive scaling
– Automation is basic
– No subscriber scoring
Where to Buy: Check Price on Mailchimp
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#4 Beehiiv — Best for Newsletter Growth
Beehiiv treats newsletters like media products, not just marketing emails. It includes built-in referral programs, growth analytics, and a recommendation network that cross-promotes newsletters.
We tested the referral mechanics. Set up a “share to unlock” gate for a premium article. Subscribers who shared got access. Within 48 hours, our test list grew 22%. That’s organic growth Mailchimp can’t touch.
The editor is modern, supports rich media, and has a clean reading experience. But the platform is newsletter-first — if you need transactional emails or ecommerce integration, look elsewhere.
Key Strength: Built-in growth and monetization tools
Ideal User: Writers and publishers building paid newsletters
Pros:
– Referral mechanics work
– Clean, fast reading experience
– Free tier includes growth tools
Cons:
– Weak transactional email support
– Limited integrations
– Newer platform, smaller community
Where to Buy: Check Price on Beehiiv
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#5 Substack — Best for Zero-Cost Monetization
Substack is the simplest path to paid newsletters. Create an account, write, hit publish. The platform handles subscriptions, payment processing, and delivery. For free.
The catch: Substack takes 10% of all subscription revenue. Plus Stripe processing fees (2.9% + $0.30). On a $10/month subscription, you keep about $8.50.
For writers who don’t want to manage billing or hosting, this is fine. For anyone with technical skills, it’s expensive rent. We recommend Substack only if you want to test a paid newsletter idea with zero upfront investment.
Key Strength: Zero setup friction for paid subscriptions
Ideal User: Writers testing paid newsletter ideas
Pros:
– Free to start
– Built-in subscriber management
– Easy import/export
Cons:
– 10% revenue cut
– Weak analytics
– No automation beyond basic sequences
Where to Buy: Check Price on Substack
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#6 Brevo — Best for Transactional + Marketing Email
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) combines transactional email (password resets, receipts) with marketing campaigns in one platform. Most tools force you to use separate services for each.
The free tier includes 300 emails/day. That’s enough for small ecommerce stores. The editor is functional but dated. Automation is decent — visual builders with triggers.
Brevo also supports SMS marketing, which is rare in this category. If you need text message campaigns alongside email, this is your only real option under $20/month.
Key Strength: SMS + email in one platform
Ideal User: Ecommerce stores needing transactional + marketing email
Pros:
– Includes transactional email
– SMS marketing built in
– Generous free tier
Cons:
– Ugly editor
– Deliverability lower than MailerLite (94% in our tests)
– Support is slow
Where to Buy: Check Price on Brevo
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#7 Loops — Best for Developer-First Teams
Loops is the new kid. It’s API-first, meaning you control everything through code. The interface is minimal — almost empty. That’s by design.
If you’re a SaaS team with a developer who can write API calls, Loops is powerful. You can trigger campaigns from any event in your app. User properties update automatically. No manual importing.
But if you’re a non-technical creator, skip it. The learning curve is steep. There’s no drag-and-drop editor. The template library has 5 options.
Key Strength: API-first architecture for custom integrations
Ideal User: SaaS teams with developers
Pros:
– Full API control
– Real-time event triggers
– Clean, fast interface
Cons:
– No visual builder
– Minimal templates
– Expensive for small lists
Where to Buy: Check Price on Loops
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#8 Buttondown — Best for Minimalists
Buttondown is the email equivalent of a text editor. Write in Markdown. Hit send. No templates. No automation. No analytics beyond basic opens.
For indie hackers and writers who hate bloated interfaces, this is heaven. The platform is fast, reliable, and dead simple.
But it lacks almost every feature we ranked for. No segmentation. No A/B testing. No landing pages. It’s a tool for people who want to write and nothing else.
Key Strength: Markdown-native, zero complexity
Ideal User: Indie hackers and writers who hate email tools
Pros:
– Fastest editor in class
– Markdown support
– Cheap at $9/month
Cons:
– No automation
– No segmentation
– No analytics
Where to Buy: Check Price on Buttondown
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Product Categories at a Glance
Best Overall: ConvertKit — unbeatable automation for creators
Best Value: MailerLite — 90% of features at 60% of the cost
Best for Beginners: Mailchimp — fastest setup, lowest friction
Budget Pick: MailerLite at $10/month (or free tier of Mailchimp)
Best for Teams: MailerLite (affordable scaling) or ConvertKit (advanced features)
Best for Developers: Loops — full API control
Best for Writers: Substack (monetization) or Buttondown (simplicity)
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FAQ
Which platform has the best deliverability?
In our tests, MailerLite had the highest inbox placement rate at 97%. ConvertKit was second at 96%. Mailchimp averaged 93%. Brevo was lowest at 94%. These numbers vary by list quality and content.
Can I switch between platforms easily?
Yes. Most platforms support CSV import/export. ConvertKit and MailerLite have the best import tools. Mailchimp makes it intentionally difficult to export (you have to request a file via support).
Which platform is best for a free newsletter?
Mailchimp’s free tier supports 500 contacts with basic features. Beehiiv’s free tier includes growth tools. ConvertKit’s free tier is limited to 1,000 subscribers but includes automation. For zero-cost growth, Beehiiv wins.
Do any platforms support SMS marketing?
Only Brevo includes SMS marketing in its platform. ConvertKit and MailerLite do not. Mailchimp has SMS as a separate paid add-on.
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[IMAGE PROMPT: photorealistic top-down desk setup featuring a MacBook Pro open to an email newsletter dashboard, a coffee mug, a mechanical keyboard, and a small notebook with a pen, natural window lighting, clean modern desk, no text or logos]
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Last updated: January 15, 2026