Kit and MailerLite often come up when someone wants a simple email tool that is cheaper than the big names. They overlap a lot, but they are built with different people in mind. Kit focuses on creators who send newsletters and sell digital products. MailerLite focuses on small businesses that want email, forms and simple websites in one place.
As always, plans change, so check each website for the latest details.
Free plans at a glance
- Kit: up to 10,000 subscribers on the free Newsletter plan, unlimited broadcasts, unlimited forms and landing pages, one sequence and one visual automation, with Kit branding.
- MailerLite: up to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails per month, a few automations, forms and a small website, with MailerLite branding since June 2026.
If your main goal is to grow a large free newsletter, Kit's free plan gives you far more room.
Paid plans
Paid plans flip the picture. At the time of writing, MailerLite's paid plans start at around $12 per month for a small list, while Kit's paid Creator plan starts at around $39 per month. If you need multiple automations on a small budget, MailerLite usually costs less.
How they organise subscribers
Kit keeps everyone in one place and uses tags to sort them. It is flexible and easy once you get used to it.
MailerLite uses groups and segments. Groups are like labels you add, and segments are filters that update automatically, such as "people who clicked in the last 30 days".
Both approaches work. Kit's feels lighter for newsletters. MailerLite's feels familiar if you have used other email tools.
Features that set them apart
Kit is strong at:
- Selling digital products and paid newsletters directly.
- Creator focused features like recommending other newsletters and being recommended in return.
- Simple, text focused emails that feel personal.
MailerLite is strong at:
- A built in website and landing page builder.
- A polished drag and drop email editor with many layouts.
- Connections to online shop platforms for product emails.
Who should pick Kit
- You are a writer, coach, podcaster or creator building an audience.
- You want to grow a big list for free before paying.
- You plan to sell digital products, courses or a paid newsletter.
Who should pick MailerLite
- You run a small business and want email, forms and a simple website together.
- You want designed emails with images, product blocks and buttons.
- You want automations on a small budget.
A simple way to decide
Ask yourself what you are building. If the answer is "an audience that reads my writing", start with Kit. If the answer is "customers for my business", start with MailerLite. Both let you export your subscribers, so the choice is not permanent.
Email tools change their plans and screens often. If something here no longer matches what you see,let us know and we will check it.