Best MailerLite alternatives in 2026: 9 Tools Compared

Mailchimp is the safe, everyone-uses-it option for small business email. It offers templates, a drag-and-drop editor, audience segments, basic automation and integrations with shops such as Shopify. The free plan covers a small contact list, and paid plans start at $13 per month for 500 contacts on current pricing pages.

Pricing is the main watch point. Mailchimp charges by contacts, so a growing list can raise the bill faster than on a pay-by-email tool such as Brevo. Choose Mailchimp if you want a familiar tool, strong templates and ecommerce links, and you accept contact-based pricing.

Kit, formerly ConvertKit, is built for creators, bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters and course sellers. Subscribers are managed by tags rather than lists, so one person can sit in several segments without being counted twice. The visual automation builder suits welcome sequences, launches and sales funnels, and commerce features help creators sell digital products.

Kit costs more than MailerLite at comparable list sizes, and its email design is plainer by design, favouring personal-looking messages over heavily designed newsletters. Check the current pricing page for your subscriber count, because Kit plans vary by tier. Choose Kit if you are a creator who sells to a list and wants automation without a full CRM.

Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, charges mainly by emails sent, not by contacts, which suits teams with a large list that emails less often. The free plan allows 300 emails per day with unlimited contacts, and paid plans add higher sending limits, automation and landing pages. SMS, WhatsApp and CRM features sit in the same platform.

Lower paid tiers carry contact caps, so read the plan details for your list size. Brevo also suits multi-channel teams that want email, SMS and chat in one place. Choose Brevo if your list is large, your sending is moderate, and contact-based pricing at other tools would cost more.

ActiveCampaign suits teams that need automation depth, such as multi-step funnels, conditional branches, lead scoring and CRM tracking. You can trigger sequences from tags, site visits, purchases and form fills, and you can manage deals inside the same tool. Paid plans start at $15 per month on current pricing pages, with a 14-day trial and no permanent free plan.

The learning curve is real, and small teams may not need the full CRM. ActiveCampaign earns its price when automation replaces manual follow-up and when sales and marketing share one system. Choose it if MailerLite automation feels too basic for your funnels.

GetResponse combines email marketing with landing pages, funnels and webinar hosting, which suits course creators and small businesses that run live sessions. You can build a funnel from signup to sale, run a webinar inside the same account, and automate follow-up emails after the event. A free plan covers a small contact list.

Webinar features and advanced automation sit on higher plans, so check the pricing page for the features you need. GetResponse suits teams that want email and webinars together, rather than paying for two separate tools. If you do not run webinars, a simpler tool may cost less.

Beehiiv is built for newsletter publishers, with tools for growth, referrals, recommendations and paid subscriptions. The writing experience is clean, the reader experience is focused, and growth features help new newsletters find readers through other newsletters. A free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers, with paid plans starting at $49 per month.

Beehiiv is less suited to complex ecommerce automation or CRM work than ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo-style tools. Choose Beehiiv if your main product is a newsletter, and growth and monetisation matter more than deep automation. For a general business list, Mailchimp or Brevo may fit better.

Constant Contact suits small businesses, nonprofits and local teams that want dependable email, simple templates and event tools. You can manage event registrations, send invitations and follow up in one place, with support options that suit teams without a marketing specialist. Trials are available, but there is no permanent free plan.

Automation is simpler than ActiveCampaign, and pricing rises with contacts. Constant Contact wins on ease and support for straightforward newsletters and events, not on advanced funnels. Choose it if you want a reliable, simple tool and you value event features.

Flodesk offers flat monthly pricing, so your bill does not rise with every new subscriber in the same way as contact-based tools. Templates are design-led and easy to customise, which suits creators, coaches and small brands that care about how emails look. The free option covers forms and landing pages, with email sending on paid plans starting at $38 per month.

Automation is lighter than ActiveCampaign or Kit, and Flodesk suits visual newsletters more than complex funnels. Choose Flodesk if design and flat pricing matter most, and your automation needs are simple, such as welcome emails and basic segments.

Omnisend is built for ecommerce, with automation for abandoned carts, welcome series, post-purchase follow-up and product recommendations. It combines email, SMS and push notifications, and it integrates closely with Shopify and other shop platforms. A free plan covers a small contact list, with paid plans starting at $16 per month for 500 contacts.

For non-ecommerce lists, Omnisend offers less advantage over Mailchimp or Brevo. Choose Omnisend if you run an online shop and want email and SMS automation tied to orders, products and customer behaviour, rather than a general newsletter tool.