Kit (ConvertKit) vs MailerLite: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
Two email marketing tools, compared feature by feature — pricing, ratings, strengths, and the use case each one wins.
The Short Answer
Both support paid subscriptions, so this comes down to automation depth against entry price. ConvertKit's listed strength is its visual automation builder, with Commerce features that remove the need for a separate storefront; its stated weaknesses are basic newsletter templates and less detailed reporting. MailerLite starts at $12/mo against ConvertKit's $25, and every paid MailerLite plan carries the full feature set, with some usage limits on Comfort. Complex automation logic → ConvertKit. A smaller list that needs the essentials at half the entry price → MailerLite.
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Entry Score | 84/100 | 93/100 |
| Starting Price | Free / $39/mo | $12/mo |
| Free Tier | ||
| Best For Stage | early-traction, growing | early-traction, growing |
| Primary use | Creator newsletter | General email marketing |
| SMS / multichannel | — | — |
| Landing pages & forms | ||
| Paid subscriptions | Yes (Commerce) | |
| Built-in CRM | — | — |
| Deliverability tools | — | Yes (Dedicated IP) |
Kit (ConvertKit)
Pros
- Best visual automation builder in the email marketing space
- Commerce features eliminate the need for separate storefronts for digital products
- Creator Network provides organic subscriber growth from within the ecosystem
- Free tier supports up to 10,000 subscribers — most generous in the market
Cons
- Newsletter templates are basic compared to beehiiv's publication-focused design
- Reporting and analytics are less detailed than Mailchimp for campaign optimization
- No built-in referral program like beehiiv for viral growth
- Email editor customization options are limited for advanced designers
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MailerLite
Pros
- Genuinely useful free plan: up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month with the drag-and-drop editor and basic automations
- Clean, beginner-friendly interface that's consistently rated among the easiest email tools to use
- Strong value on paid plans starting at $12/mo, with an AI writing assistant and 50 automation workflows on Comfort
- 24/7 support even at low tiers, with the company citing a 97% satisfaction rating and ~5-minute live-chat response
Cons
- Free plan caps at 250 subscribers, so growing lists move to paid quickly
- The Comfort plan has usage limits that Power ($25/mo+) removes; a dedicated IP is separate and is granted by request only, to high-volume senders that meet MailerLite's criteria
- Lighter on native SMS and deep CRM/sales-pipeline features than ActiveCampaign
- Enterprise pricing (200K+ subscribers) is hidden behind contact-sales
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What Users Say
Kit (ConvertKit)
“I moved from MailChimp. I increased the open conversions from 20% to 40% with the same list. I like the automations and sequences, and the segmentation and tagging features.”
— Javier M. · Capterra source
MailerLite
“MailerLite punches well above its price point with automation workflows, landing pages, and A/B testing.”
— Chelsea C. (@chelseaifttt) · Product Hunt source
Compare on this site: Kit (ConvertKit) · MailerLite · Email Marketing