How we make this list: we compare vendor pricing pages, product documentation and plan limits, and print the month we checked each price. We don’t accept payment for rankings.
QUICK ANSWER
Brevo is the best MailerLite alternative for most people leaving MailerLite. It starts at $9 a month and charges by emails sent, not contacts, so your bill does not jump every time your list grows. Sender suits senders who want a free plan for 2,500 subscribers, and Kit suits creators who want to stay free up to 10,000 subscribers.
Key takeaways
7 of 8 shortlisted tools have a free plan, and the lowest listed paid start is $9 a month (Brevo) (Nov 2026).
MailerLite Comfort starts at $12 a month for 500 subscribers, with a free plan for 250 subscribers.
Brevo charges by email volume, so a growing list costs less than on any contact-priced rival in this list.
Sender gives the best free-plan value: 2,500 subscribers with automation included.
Kit gives away the biggest free plan: 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts.
MailerLite alternatives make sense once the 250-subscriber free plan, not the tool, becomes the problem. MailerLite Comfort starts at $12 a month for up to 500 subscribers, and the free plan covers 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month after the June 2026 cut. It includes three automations, but a growing list hits the paid tier fast.
This list groups the 8 best MailerLite alternatives by the reason people leave: a small free plan, a price that climbs with the list, and missing store or automation features. If you are still weighing the wider market, start with our best email marketing software guide, then come back here to pick a replacement.
Switch if: Switch if Comfort at $12 a month costs too much for your list size.
Brevo is the cheapest MailerLite alternative for senders who start paying. Starter costs $9 a month for 5,000 emails, against MailerLite Comfort at $12 a month, and you pay by emails sent rather than contacts stored. The same account covers SMS, WhatsApp and a basic CRM, and the API handles transactional mail.
The catch is the free plan and the missing website builder. Brevo free caps sends at 300 emails a day, while MailerLite free covers 250 subscribers with a website builder included. Automation and A/B testing only arrive on Standard at $18 a month, so the $9 tier suits simple sends rather than flows.
What we like
Lowest paid start here at $9 a month.
Volume pricing suits a large list emailed rarely.
Email, SMS, WhatsApp and a CRM in one account.
Watch out for
Free plan caps sends at 300 emails a day.
Automation and A/B testing need Standard at $18 a month.
Switch if: Switch if MailerLite's 250-subscriber free plan runs out too fast.
Sender gives a MailerLite leaver the longest free runway. The free plan covers 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, with automation, segmentation, landing pages and 24/7 support included, against MailerLite free at 250 subscribers. Standard starts at $9 a month, below Comfort at $12.
The catch is the missing website builder and the shorter integration list. MailerLite bundles a website builder and digital product sales, while Sender stays focused on email. SMS is a prepaid add-on rather than part of the email plans, and free emails carry Sender branding until you upgrade.
What we like
Free plan covers 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month.
Automation and 24/7 support included on the free plan.
Standard starts at $9 a month.
Watch out for
No website builder or digital product sales.
Fewer native integrations than Mailchimp or Brevo.
Free emails carry Sender branding until you upgrade.
Switch if: Switch if you only need email and want the lowest cost per subscriber.
EmailOctopus is the quiet budget pick for MailerLite leavers who only need email. Its free plan covers 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month, ten times MailerLite's free subscriber cap, and Pro starts at $9 a month billed annually. There is no SMS channel, no CRM and no website builder to learn, so the move is quick.
The catch is scope. MailerLite bundles a website builder, landing pages and digital product sales, while EmailOctopus stays focused on plain email. Free-plan reports only last 30 days, and you get one form and one landing page until you pay. If you need a website, look at Brevo or GetResponse instead.
What we like
Free plan covers 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month.
Pro starts at $9 a month billed annually, $10 monthly.
Short learning curve with no extra channels to manage.
Watch out for
No website builder or digital product sales.
Free-plan reports expire after 30 days.
Some integrations run through Zapier rather than a direct link.
Starting price$39/month for up to 1,000 subscribers (Cre…
Free planYes
Free trial14 days
PlatformsWeb, API
Switch if: Switch if you run a newsletter and want to stay free up to 10,000 subscribers.
Kit is the pick for creators leaving MailerLite because its free plan is the largest here. The Newsletter plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts, landing pages and forms, while MailerLite free stops at 250 subscribers. Paid plans add sequences, visual automations and paid recommendations for creators who sell digital products.
The catch is the price jump when you do pay. Creator starts at $39 a month for up to 1,000 subscribers, far above Comfort at $12. The free plan also limits automation, so a creator who needs sequences pays sooner than the 10,000-subscriber cap suggests. Kit has no SMS channel and no website builder.
What we like
Free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers.
Unlimited broadcasts, forms and landing pages for free.
Built-in commerce and paid recommendations for creators.
Switch if: Switch if MailerLite lacks a direct link to an app your business runs on.
Mailchimp is the pick when MailerLite's integration list runs out. It links to more than 300 tools, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Square and QuickBooks, so sales data can shape who gets which email. Essentials starts at $13 a month for up to 500 contacts, only a dollar above Comfort, and the free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 emails a month.
The catch is the price curve. Costs climb steeply as the list grows, and Mailchimp counts unsubscribed contacts toward your bill. The free plan has no automation, no scheduling and no A/B testing, while MailerLite free includes three automations, so a MailerLite user loses automation on the move.
What we like
More than 300 integrations, the widest in this list.
Essentials starts at $13 a month for up to 500 contacts.
Mature reporting and testing tools on the higher tiers.
Watch out for
Prices climb steeply as the list grows.
Free plan has no automation; MailerLite free includes three.
Switch if: Switch if MailerLite's automation limits, not its price, are why you are leaving.
ActiveCampaign is the pick for people who leave MailerLite because the automation is too thin. Starter starts at $15 a month billed annually for 1,000 contacts and already includes multi-step automation, site tracking and a built-in CRM. The builder supports branching on Plus, which MailerLite's automation cannot match.
The catch is that there is no free plan, only a 14-day trial, so you pay from day one. Starter also caps each automation at five actions with no branching, so full branching starts on Plus at $49 a month. New accounts are billed for unsubscribed contacts too.
What we like
Deep automation builder with branching on higher plans.
Email and CRM in one account.
Starter includes automation at $15 a month for 1,000 contacts.
Starting price$19/month, or $15.58/month billed annually…
Free planYes
Free trial14 days
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, API
Switch if: Switch if you want webinars and courses bundled with your email tool.
GetResponse is the all-in-one pick for leavers who want more than email for their money. Starter starts at $19 a month for 1,000 contacts and adds landing pages, forms, popups and AI content tools to the email core. Higher plans add webinars, a website builder and courses, which replace the separate tools a MailerLite user often pays for.
The catch is Starter's single automation workflow. One welcome series uses it up, so real automation starts on Marketer at $59 a month. The free plan also switches automation off after the 14-day premium window and carries GetResponse branding. If you only need email and a website, MailerLite stays cheaper.
What we like
Email, landing pages, webinars and courses in one account.
Free plan covers 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month.
Starter includes three user seats.
Watch out for
Starter allows only one custom automation workflow.
Free plan drops automation after the trial window.
Starting price$16/month billed monthly (Standard, up to …
Free planYes
Free trialNot confirmed
PlatformsWeb, API
Switch if: Switch if you run a store and want cart and purchase flows MailerLite lacks.
Omnisend is the ecommerce pick for MailerLite leavers. Its free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 emails a month and includes the full automation features, with prebuilt flows for abandoned carts, welcome series and post-purchase mail. Standard starts at $16 a month for 500 contacts with 6,000 emails, and email, SMS and push sit in one account.
The catch is the store focus. If you do not sell online, much of its strength goes unused. SMS costs extra through credits, and new customers need Pro plus a paid SMS subscription to send texts. MailerLite's website builder has no match here either, so a seller who needs a site should look elsewhere.
What we like
Free plan includes full automation features.
Prebuilt ecommerce flows for carts, welcome and post-purchase.
24/7 support on every plan, including free.
Watch out for
Built for stores; weak fit if you do not sell online.
Sources used: vendor pricing pages, docs, changelogs. Prices and limits were checked against each vendor's own pricing page in Nov 2026.
Criterion
Weight
What we looked at
Free plan size
30%
MailerLite free stops at 250 subscribers, so we compared free subscriber caps and send limits directly against that bar.
Price at the same list size
30%
Comfort costs $12 a month, so we priced each tool at 500 and 1,000 subscribers to see which replacement actually saves money.
Automation without a top tier
25%
MailerLite free includes three automations, so we checked what automation each tool includes on its free and entry paid plans.
Fit for MailerLite leavers
15%
A good replacement must cover what the leaver actually loses: newsletters, forms, landing pages, a website builder and digital product sales.
What is the cheapest MailerLite alternative?
Brevo is the cheapest MailerLite alternative for most senders, at $9 a month for Starter with 5,000 emails (Nov 2026). Sender and EmailOctopus match that $9 figure. The three differ in how they charge: Brevo bills by email volume, Sender and EmailOctopus by subscriber count, so price your real send volume before you pick.
Is there a free MailerLite alternative?
Yes. Kit is the strongest MailerLite alternative free option, with a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts (Nov 2026). Sender is next, free for 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month. MailerLite itself is free for 250 subscribers, so every tool here except ActiveCampaign beats it on free room. Our best free email marketing software guide compares free plans across the whole market.
Which MailerLite alternative is best for automation?
ActiveCampaign is the best MailerLite alternative for automation depth, with a branching builder and CRM in one account from $15 a month billed yearly (Nov 2026). Sender is the best free route to automation: its free plan includes the automation features that MailerLite limits to three on its free plan. Omnisend includes full automation on its free plan too.
Which tools like MailerLite work best for online stores?
Omnisend works best for online stores among these tools like MailerLite, with prebuilt cart, welcome and post-purchase flows and direct Shopify and WooCommerce connections. Brevo is the budget store pick, with email, SMS and transactional email in one account from $9 a month. ActiveCampaign also serves stores well, but it has no free plan.
How do I move from MailerLite to another tool?
Moving from MailerLite is simple: export your subscribers as a CSV, import them into the new tool, and rebuild each automation from your MailerLite setup, since flow logic and triggers differ between tools. Sender offers free migrations on paid plans, while Omnisend offers a free migration service. Rebuild each flow rather than expecting an exact copy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free MailerLite alternative?
Kit is the best free MailerLite alternative for most people. Its free Newsletter plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts, landing pages and forms (Nov 2026). Sender is the best free pick for plain newsletters, free for 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month. Both beat MailerLite free, which stops at 250 subscribers.
Why do people leave MailerLite?
People leave MailerLite for three reasons: the free plan shrank in June 2026 to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, prices climb with subscriber count, and the automation and store features are thin. Comfort starts at $12 a month for 500 subscribers (Nov 2026), and 24/7 chat needs Power at $25 a month.
Is Brevo cheaper than MailerLite?
Yes, slightly. Brevo Starter costs $9 a month for 5,000 emails, while MailerLite Comfort costs $12 a month for 500 subscribers (Nov 2026). The gap comes from billing: Brevo charges by emails sent, MailerLite by subscribers. Brevo also includes SMS, which MailerLite does not offer at any price.
Is Sender cheaper than MailerLite?
Yes. Sender Standard costs $9 a month, against MailerLite Comfort at $12 (Nov 2026). Sender's free plan also covers 2,500 subscribers with automation included, against MailerLite free at 250 subscribers with three automations. MailerLite wins only if you need its website builder.
Can I move my MailerLite list and automations to another tool?
Yes, subscribers move easily. Every tool here lets you import a subscriber list, and Sender offers free migrations on paid plans while Omnisend offers a free migration service. Automations usually need rebuilding, because flow logic and triggers differ between tools. Rebuild each flow from your MailerLite setup.
Which MailerLite alternative is best for ecommerce?
Omnisend is the best MailerLite alternative for ecommerce. It has prebuilt flows for abandoned carts, welcome series and post-purchase emails, plus email, SMS and push in one account from $16 a month (Nov 2026). Brevo is the budget ecommerce pick, with email, SMS and transactional email from $9 a month.
Do MailerLite alternatives include SMS?
Some do. Brevo and Omnisend include SMS in the same account, though SMS credits cost extra on both. GetResponse adds SMS on its custom Enterprise plan. Sender sells SMS as a prepaid add-on, and EmailOctopus, Kit and MailerLite have no SMS channel at all.
Final verdict
Pick Brevo if Comfort at $12 a month costs too much for your list size.
Pick Sender if MailerLite's 250-subscriber free plan runs out too fast.
Pick EmailOctopus if you only need email and want the lowest cost per subscriber.
Pick Kit if you run a newsletter and want to stay free up to 10,000 subscribers.
Pick Mailchimp if MailerLite lacks a direct link to an app your business runs on.
Pick ActiveCampaign if MailerLite's automation limits, not its price, are why you are leaving.
Pick GetResponse if you want webinars and courses bundled with your email tool.
Pick Omnisend if you run a store and want cart and purchase flows MailerLite lacks.
Compare the 10 best email marketing software in 2026 by price, free plan and best fit. See where Mailchimp and Brevo win, their limits, and which to pick.
