What is Keila?
Keila is an open-source newsletter platform for managing contacts, signup forms, campaigns, segmentation and delivery. It is built in Elixir, ships under the AGPLv3 license and can be self-hosted with Docker or used as Keila Cloud, a managed service hosted in the EU. The cloud is priced by monthly email volume, with unlimited contacts and projects on every plan.
Keila is made by Keila GmbH, a small company based in Germany, and positions itself as a privacy-first alternative to hosted newsletter tools. Cloud servers run in Germany and France, and the self-hosted version carries no license fee at any list size. There is no free plan on the cloud version, so trying Keila without paying means installing it yourself.
Keila at a glance
How does Keila work?
- Pick self-hosted or cloud
Run Keila with the official Docker image on your own server, or sign up for Keila Cloud and let the team host it.
- Collect subscribers
Add signup forms to your site and build your contact list, with double opt-in support.
- Segment your contacts
Group contacts with segments based on the data you collect about them.
- Design and send campaigns
Build newsletters in the visual editor and send them through your own SMTP setup or the cloud sending service.
- Check the results
Review opens, clicks and unsubscribes in the built-in analytics.
Keila key features
Newsletter campaigns
Design and send campaigns with a visual editor, including MJML-based templates.
Contact management and segmentation
Store contacts with custom data and build segments for targeted sends.
Signup forms
Embed forms on your site to collect subscribers with consent.
EU cloud hosting
Keila Cloud runs on servers in Germany and France, with unlimited contacts and projects.
API
Manage contacts and campaigns from your own code through the API.
Analytics
Track opens, clicks and unsubscribes for every campaign.
Why use Keila?
- Open source under AGPLv3, so you can read the code and self-host it for free.
- The most polished interface among the open-source newsletter tools, which suits non-developers.
- Cloud pricing is low and simple, starting at €8 a month, with unlimited contacts.
- EU hosting keeps subscriber data in Germany and France on the cloud plans.
- No per-contact pricing: cloud plans charge by emails sent, not by list size.
Who is Keila best for?
A good fit for
- Small teams that want a polished newsletter tool with EU hosting
- European publishers who need subscriber data kept in the EU
- Non-developers who want open-source software with a friendly interface
- Small lists that want cheap managed hosting without per-contact fees
Less suited to
- Teams that need visual automation journeys, which are still on the roadmap
- Users who want a free hosted tier, since the cloud has no free plan
- Senders who need a large integration catalog
Keila pricing
| Pricing model | Freemium |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Free trial | Not confirmed |
| Starting price | Free (self-hosted); Keila Cloud from €8/month (2,000 emails) |
Self-hosting is free under AGPLv3; you pay only for your server and sending. Keila Cloud starts at €8 a month for 2,000 emails, then €16 for 5,000, €32 for 15,000, €64 for 50,000, €128 for 100,000 and €256 for 250,000 emails a month, with unlimited contacts and projects on every plan. The cloud has no free plan.
Prices checked November 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official Keila pricing page before you buy.
Keila pros and cons
Pros
- Free to self-host under AGPLv3, with no license fee at any list size
- Polished interface that non-developers can use
- Cloud from €8 a month with unlimited contacts and EU hosting
- Priced by emails sent, not by contacts
Cons
- No free plan on Keila Cloud
- Automation journeys and A/B testing are still on the roadmap
- Smaller community and integration catalog than the older open-source tools
Keila integrations and platforms
Works with
Available on
Keila alternatives
See the full shortlist in Best Newsletter Platforms.
Keila FAQ
Is Keila free?
Keila is free to self-host under the AGPLv3 license; you pay only for your server and email delivery. Keila Cloud, the managed service, has no free plan and starts at €8 a month for 2,000 emails, with unlimited contacts.
What license does Keila use?
Keila is licensed under AGPLv3. You can read the source, run it on your own server and modify it. If you modify it and offer the modified version to others over a network, the license requires you to share those changes.
Where is Keila Cloud hosted?
Keila Cloud runs on servers in Germany (Hetzner) and France (Scaleway), which suits publishers who need subscriber data kept in the EU. Self-hosted Keila lets you choose your own server location.
Does Keila have automation?
Keila covers contacts, forms, campaigns, segmentation and analytics. Visual automation journeys are still on the roadmap as of 2026, so teams that need branching automation should look at Mautic instead.
Sources
This overview is based on Keila's official website and documentation, checked November 2026.