Best Free Newsletter Platforms in 2026: 8 Platforms Compared

Substack is the lowest-risk way to start a newsletter because it is free to publish at any list size. You only pay when you enable paid subscriptions, when Substack takes 10 percent of paid subscription revenue, plus Stripe processing fees. Its reader network and recommendations help new writers find readers without paid ads, which is a real advantage for a writer starting from zero.

The trade-offs are control and cost at scale. Design customisation is limited, automation is thin compared with Kit or Mailchimp, and that 10 percent cut becomes large as paid revenue grows. A newsletter earning $10,000 per month in paid subscriptions would send $1,000 per month to Substack before processing fees. Start on Substack if you want to write and grow without a monthly bill, and move when automation or lower fees matter more than discovery.

beehiiv is built for newsletters as a business, not just as a writing tool. Its free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers, with a newsletter builder, a no-code website, automations, recommendations, and a referral program. Paid plans start at Lite, $49 per month, and Pro, $95 per month, based on its homepage listings, and beehiiv takes no cut of paid subscription revenue, apart from payment processing.

That growth focus is also its learning curve. A writer who only wants to send a simple weekly email may find beehiiv's ad network, boosts, and segmentation more than they need at first. For a publisher who wants to grow with referrals, sell ads, and keep subscription revenue, beehiiv is the strongest free starting point in this list. Check the subscriber limit for the free plan at signup, since paid tiers are priced by list size.

Kit, formerly ConvertKit, suits creators whose newsletter feeds product sales. Its free plan, listed at up to 10,000 subscribers in some comparisons and up to 1,000 in others, covers basic sending and forms, while paid plans add automation, tagging, and deeper reporting. Tagging lets you segment readers by interest or purchase, so a course seller can send different emails to buyers, leads, and free readers.

The commerce fee matters. Kit charges 3.5 percent plus $0.30 on digital product sales in some listings, with processing included, so factor that into product pricing. Paid pricing also varies by subscriber count, with Creator listed from $33 per month at 1,000 subscribers in recent comparisons. Choose Kit when automation and product sales matter more than pure newsletter growth, and confirm the free subscriber limit at signup.

Mailchimp is a broad email marketing platform, not a pure newsletter tool, which makes it a good fit for a small business that also needs campaigns, automations, and integrations. Its free plan, listed at 250 contacts and 500 emails per month in recent comparisons, covers a very small list, while Essentials starts at $13 per month in introductory listings and Standard from $45 per month at 1,000 subscribers in other comparisons.

That free limit is the main drawback for a growing newsletter. A weekly newsletter to 250 readers uses the free email allowance quickly, and the next tier is priced by contacts, so costs rise with list size even if sending frequency stays the same. Choose Mailchimp when you need its integrations or marketing tools, and choose a pure newsletter tool when list growth is the main goal.

MailerLite is a low-cost email tool for small businesses and creators who want simple campaigns without a complex platform. Its free plan, listed at 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails per month in recent comparisons, covers a small list, while paid Comfort plans start from $12 to $19 per month depending on list size and listing. The editor is straightforward, and routine automations cover welcome emails and basic sequences.

MailerLite does not match Kit for creator automation or beehiiv for newsletter growth tools, and its free limit is smaller than beehiiv's 2,500 subscribers. It is a good choice for a small business that sends a monthly newsletter and occasional campaigns, and wants a low monthly bill. Check the free email allowance at signup, since it depends on both contacts and sends per month.

Ghost is a publishing platform for a newsletter with a website, memberships, and paid subscriptions, where you own the site and the audience. Its hosted plans start at $9 per month in some listings, with Publisher plans from $35 per month at larger member counts in others, and it takes no cut of subscription revenue apart from Stripe fees. Self-hosting is also possible for technical users who want full control.

Ghost has no ongoing free hosted plan, only a trial, so it is not a free newsletter platform in the same sense as Substack or beehiiv. It suits a writer who wants a branded publication site, member tiers, and full ownership, and who is ready to pay a monthly fee. If cost is the main factor, start free elsewhere and move to Ghost when ownership and design control justify the fee.

Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, prices by email volume rather than subscriber count, which suits a business with a large list that sends infrequently. Its free plan allows 300 emails per day, while Starter starts at $9 per month for 5,000 emails per month in recent listings. It also covers SMS, WhatsApp, transactional email, and a CRM, which makes it a broader marketing tool than a pure newsletter platform.

The daily limit is the key check. A list of 1,000 readers needs more than three days to send one newsletter on the free plan, so Brevo free works best for small lists or for transactional emails alongside a newsletter tool. Choose Brevo when you need multi-channel messaging and volume-based pricing, and choose beehiiv or Substack when a weekly newsletter to a growing list is the main job.

Flodesk suits creators who care most about how a newsletter looks in the inbox. Its templates are polished, its editor is simple, and its pricing is not strictly per subscriber in the same way as Mailchimp, with Lite listed at $25 per month at 1,000 subscribers in some comparisons and $19 per month billed annually in others. You can build a list free without sending, then pay when you are ready to email regularly.

Flodesk automation is simpler than Kit or ActiveCampaign, and its analytics are less deep than beehiiv. It is a good choice for a design-led creator newsletter, a shop announcement list, or a small business that values visual polish over complex automation. Check the current sending price at signup, since Flodesk pricing has changed, and confirm if your list size affects the plan you need.