Kit (ConvertKit) vs MailerLite

Kit's free plan is unbeatable on subscriber count — 10,000 free subscribers vs MailerLite's 250. But Kit locks automation behind the paid plan, while MailerLite includes basic automation free.

On paid plans, the gap is real. MailerLite Comfort (formerly Growing Business) starts at $12/month for 500 subscribers and $19 at 1,000. Kit Creator is $39/month ($33 billed annually) at 1,000 subscribers and $139/month at 10,000, plus 3.5% + 30¢ on every sale.

Monthly list prices at four list sizes, checked October 7–8, 2026 (Kit annual billing saves about 17%; MailerLite 10%).

Kit’s Free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers for broadcasts and landing pages, but sequences and visual automations need Creator. Kit also charges 3.5% + 30¢ on sales through Kit Commerce; MailerLite charges no sales fee beyond Stripe’s.

MailerLite packs more features into its plans: a full website builder, blog functionality, paid newsletter subscriptions, and a rich drag-and-drop email editor with modern templates.

Kit focuses on simplicity — text-first email design for personal newsletters — and excels at selling digital products with built-in Commerce features including subscriptions, tips, and a creator storefront. Kit also offers a creator network for cross-promotion.

MailerLite wins with its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, clean dashboard, and straightforward navigation. Creating emails, landing pages, and automations feels effortless for beginners.

Kit's interface is minimalist and clean, but its text-focused email editor can feel limiting if you want visually rich campaigns. The tag-based subscriber system is powerful once mastered, but has a steeper initial learning curve.

Kit edges ahead in automation with its visual automation builder supporting complex branching, conditional logic, and event-based triggers. It's particularly good for content creators running course launches and segmenting based on behavior.

MailerLite's automation builder is visual and capable, supporting multi-step workflows with triggers, delays, and conditions. It handles most use cases well, but lacks some of Kit's advanced conditional branching and third-party trigger options.

Kit's Verified Sending Domain sets up SPF, DKIM and DMARC alignment, and spam complaints and hard bounces stop future sends. Its strict content policies and focus on permission-based marketing support inbox placement.

MailerLite also performs well at 88-90%. Both support full authentication (DKIM, SPF, DMARC). The difference is marginal, but Kit's stricter anti-spam enforcement gives it a small edge.

Choose Kit if you're a content creator who sells digital products, courses, or memberships. The 10,000 free subscriber limit, commerce features, and creator network make it ideal for building a creator business.

Choose MailerLite if you want the best free email designer, the cheapest paid plans, and maximum features per dollar. At $12/month vs $33/month (billed annually) for similar capabilities, MailerLite is the budget winner.

Kit wins on commerce, free subscriber count, and automation depth — ideal for creators selling products. MailerLite wins on value, ease of use, and email design at dramatically lower pricing.

For most creators — especially those watching their budget — MailerLite offers more for less. If selling digital products is central to your business, Kit is the better choice.