Email marketing still delivers the highest ROI of any digital channel — around $36 for every $1 spent, according to most industry benchmarks. But picking the right tool matters. MailerLite and ConvertKit (now rebranded as “Kit”) are two of the most popular choices for small businesses and solo creators. Here’s how they actually compare.
Who They’re Built For
MailerLite is designed for small businesses that want a straightforward, affordable email tool. It covers newsletters, automation, landing pages, and e-commerce features without overwhelming complexity.
ConvertKit / Kit was built specifically for content creators — bloggers, podcasters, course creators, YouTubers. It’s optimised around growing and monetising an audience, with features like paid newsletters, digital product sales, and creator-focused automation.
Pricing (2026)
MailerLite
| Plan | Price | Subscribers |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 1,000 / 12,000 emails/month |
| Growing Business | $9/mo | 1,000 subscribers |
| Advanced | $18/mo | 1,000 subscribers |
Pricing scales with subscriber count. At 5,000 subscribers: Growing Business ~$32/mo.
What’s on the free plan: Automations, landing pages, 1 website — genuinely useful. One of the best free tiers in email marketing.
ConvertKit / Kit
| Plan | Price | Subscribers |
|---|---|---|
| Free (Newsletter) | $0 | Up to 10,000 (send only) |
| Creator | $25/mo | Up to 1,000 |
| Creator Pro | $50/mo | Up to 1,000 |
At 5,000 subscribers: Creator ~$66/mo.
What’s on the free plan: Unlimited subscribers but no automations — only broadcast emails. Automation requires paid plan.
Price verdict: MailerLite is significantly cheaper at every tier. For a list under 5,000, MailerLite costs roughly half of ConvertKit for equivalent features. ConvertKit’s free plan has a high subscriber ceiling but is crippled without automations.
Email Editor
MailerLite
Block-based drag-and-drop editor. Clean, modern templates. Good for visually designed newsletters with images, columns, buttons.
ConvertKit / Kit
Deliberately minimal. The default editor is plain text / simple HTML — no heavy design. This is intentional: plain-text emails often get higher open rates and feel more personal.
Verdict: Depends on your style. If you want designed, polished newsletters → MailerLite. If you want personal, text-heavy emails that feel 1:1 → ConvertKit.
Automation
Both tools offer visual automation builders (trigger → condition → action flows).
MailerLite
- Solid automation for the price
- Triggers: signup, click, date, custom fields, e-commerce events
- Can branch based on conditions
- Slightly less intuitive than ConvertKit but covers most use cases
ConvertKit / Kit
- Automation is the core strength
- “Sequences” (drip email series) are first-class — easy to create multi-week onboarding or nurture sequences
- Tags and segments are powerful for managing audience behaviour
- Visual journey builder is clean and easy to navigate
Verdict: ConvertKit has a slight edge in automation UX, especially for content creators running complex onboarding sequences. MailerLite is adequate for most small business automation needs.
Subscriber Management
MailerLite
- Groups and segments
- Custom fields
- Basic tagging
ConvertKit / Kit
- Tag-based system (subscribers can have multiple tags)
- Powerful segmentation based on behaviour (opened email, clicked link, purchased product, etc.)
- Better for managing large, segmented audiences
Verdict: ConvertKit’s tag system is more flexible for creators with multiple content tracks (e.g., audience interested in topic A vs. topic B). MailerLite groups/segments work fine for simpler lists.
Landing Pages & Forms
MailerLite: Good landing page builder included. Multiple templates, clean editor, connects to automation on signup.
ConvertKit / Kit: Landing pages are solid with good templates focused on creator use cases. Form embed options are flexible.
Both are comparable here. Neither requires a separate landing page tool for basic needs.
Monetisation Features
This is where ConvertKit / Kit pulls ahead for creators:
- Kit Sponsor Network: Connect with newsletter sponsors
- Commerce: Sell digital products directly (courses, ebooks, templates) with built-in checkout
- Paid newsletters: Charge subscribers monthly/annually
- Tip jar / pay-what-you-want
MailerLite has e-commerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe) but no built-in product selling.
Verdict: If monetising your newsletter or selling digital products is a goal, ConvertKit’s creator-focused commerce is a real differentiator. For standard e-commerce/retail businesses, MailerLite’s integrations are sufficient.
Deliverability
Both have good deliverability reputations. ConvertKit is known for slightly higher deliverability, partly because its minimalist email style avoids spam filter triggers from heavy HTML design. MailerLite has improved significantly and most users report good inbox placement.
Integrations
- MailerLite: 130+ integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Stripe, Zapier, etc.)
- ConvertKit: 100+ integrations, strong focus on creator tools (Teachable, Gumroad, Podia, Patreon, etc.)
Both connect to Zapier/Make for custom automation.
Customer Support
- MailerLite: 24/7 live chat on paid plans; email support on free
- ConvertKit: Email support; live chat during business hours; strong community and creator education resources
Both have good documentation. ConvertKit’s creator community (newsletters, YouTube, events) is a genuine added value for content creators.
Quick Decision Guide
| Pick MailerLite if… | Pick ConvertKit if… |
|---|---|
| You want the best value for money | You’re a creator monetising your audience |
| You need a polished visual newsletter | You want simple, text-based personal emails |
| You’re running an e-commerce or service business | You want built-in digital product sales |
| You’re on a tight budget | Automation UX is a priority |
| You want the best free plan | You need the creator sponsor/commerce ecosystem |
Bottom Line
MailerLite is the better choice for most small businesses — better value, solid features, genuinely useful free plan.
ConvertKit / Kit is worth the premium for content creators who are building a monetised newsletter or audience-based business. The commerce and sponsor features pay for themselves once you have traction.
If you’re just starting out: MailerLite free plan is the easiest entry point. Build your list, learn email marketing, and upgrade or switch when you outgrow it.
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- Zapier vs Make 2026
- Small Business Automation Guide 2026
Pricing verified April 2026. Always check provider sites for current plans. +++