The best cheap Mailchimp alternatives for 2026
Mailchimp gets expensive fast once your list grows past a few thousand contacts, and the price jumps hit hardest right when you are gaining traction. For most people leaving, MailerLite is the best cheap alternative because it keeps advanced automation on the paid tiers without gating basics, but Beehiiv, Kit, and Brevo each win for specific situations. Below are six tools ranked by value, with real 2026 pricing and the trade-offs Mailchimp switchers actually care about.
MailerLite
MailerLite is the tool most people leaving Mailchimp are actually looking for: a clean drag-and-drop editor, automations, landing pages, and a website builder at roughly half the price. At 5,000 subscribers you are paying around $39/mo versus Mailchimp's ~$100+ at the same tier. The trade-off is a manual approval process for new accounts, which can delay your first send by a day, and the reporting is lighter than Mailchimp's if you live in analytics.
Visit MailerLite →| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan | From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MailerLite | Most Mailchimp switchers | 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/mo | ~$9/mo (500 subs, billed annually) | Try free |
| 2 | Beehiiv | Newsletter creators who want to grow and monetize | Up to 2,500 subscribers | ~$39/mo (Scale tier) | Try free |
| 3 | Kit (formerly ConvertKit) | Solo creators and course sellers | Up to 10,000 subscribers | ~$25/mo (Creator, up to 1,000 subs) | Try free |
| 4 | Brevo | Ecommerce and low-volume senders | Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day | ~$9/mo (Starter, 5,000 emails/mo) | Try free |
| 5 | AWeber | Small businesses wanting hands-on support | Up to 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/mo | ~$15/mo (Lite tier) | Try free |
| 6 | EmailOctopus | The tightest budgets | 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails/mo | ~$9/mo (Starter, up to 500 subs) | Try free |
MailerLite
Most Mailchimp switchersMailerLite is the tool most people leaving Mailchimp are actually looking for: a clean drag-and-drop editor, automations, landing pages, and a website builder at roughly half the price. At 5,000 subscribers you are paying around $39/mo versus Mailchimp's ~$100+ at the same tier. The trade-off is a manual approval process for new accounts, which can delay your first send by a day, and the reporting is lighter than Mailchimp's if you live in analytics.
Pros
- Genuinely generous free plan with automation included
- Paid tiers cost roughly half of Mailchimp at the same list size
- Clean editor plus free landing pages and a website builder
Cons
- New accounts go through manual approval before sending
- Reporting and segmentation are shallower than Mailchimp
Beehiiv
Newsletter creators who want to grow and monetizeBeehiiv is built for publishers rather than general marketers, and it shows in the growth tools: a built-in referral program, recommendation network, and a native ad marketplace that pays real money once your list is sizable. The free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers, which is more runway than Mailchimp gives. It is a weaker fit if you need ecommerce automations or transactional email, since it is focused squarely on the newsletter business model.
Pros
- Referral program and boost network drive real subscriber growth
- Ad network lets you earn from the newsletter directly
- Free plan up to 2,500 subscribers with no send limit
Cons
- Not designed for ecommerce or product-marketing automation
- Monetization features only pay off at larger list sizes
Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Solo creators and course sellersKit rebranded from ConvertKit and still centers on creators who sell digital products, courses, and paid newsletters. The tag-based subscriber model is more flexible than Mailchimp's list system, and the free plan goes up to a striking 10,000 subscribers before you pay. Emails are deliberately plain-text-first, so if you want richly designed HTML campaigns you may find the editor limiting, and pricing scales up quickly past 10,000 contacts.
Pros
- Free plan up to 10,000 subscribers is unusually generous
- Tag-based automation is flexible and creator-friendly
- Built-in digital product and paid-subscription selling
Cons
- Editor favors plain text over polished HTML designs
- Cost climbs steeply once you pass 10,000 subscribers
Brevo
Ecommerce and low-volume sendersBrevo (formerly Sendinblue) charges by emails sent rather than by contacts stored, which is a major saving if you have a big list but mail it occasionally. It bundles email, SMS, a CRM, and transactional email in one account, making it strong for small ecommerce and service businesses. The template editor feels dated next to MailerLite, and the daily send cap on the free plan means you cannot blast your whole list at once until you upgrade.
Pros
- Pay per email sent, so large dormant lists cost nothing to store
- Includes SMS, CRM, and transactional email in one platform
- Unlimited contacts even on the free plan
Cons
- Email builder and templates feel dated
- Free plan caps you at 300 emails per day
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Mailchimp alternative overall?
EmailOctopus and MailerLite are the two cheapest, both starting around $9/mo on annual billing. EmailOctopus wins on raw price for basic sending, while MailerLite gives you more features for a similar cost. If you send infrequently to a large list, Brevo's pay-per-email model can be cheaper still since it does not charge by contact count.
Which alternatives have a genuinely free plan?
All of the top picks do. MailerLite gives you 1,000 subscribers free, Beehiiv up to 2,500, Kit up to 10,000, EmailOctopus 2,500, and Brevo offers unlimited contacts with a 300-emails-per-day cap. AWeber's free plan covers up to 500 subscribers. These limits are current as of 2026 and are worth testing before you pay.
How hard is it to migrate my list from Mailchimp?
Moving your subscribers is straightforward everywhere here: you export a CSV from Mailchimp and import it. The harder part is rebuilding automations and segments, since each tool structures them differently. MailerLite and Brevo offer free migration help, and Kit provides concierge migration on paid plans, so ask support to move complex automations for you.
What is the best cheap Mailchimp alternative for a paid newsletter?
Beehiiv is the strongest choice for paid and growing newsletters thanks to its referral program, recommendation network, and native ad marketplace. Kit is a close second if you sell courses or digital products alongside your newsletter. Both let you charge subscribers directly, which Mailchimp does not do well.
Which alternative is best for ecommerce?
Brevo is the best ecommerce fit here because it bundles email, SMS, a CRM, and transactional email, and its pay-per-send pricing suits stores with large but occasionally-mailed lists. MailerLite also handles ecommerce automations well and integrates with Shopify and WooCommerce, so it is a good backup if you prefer contact-based pricing.
Which one should you pick?
If you want the closest thing to a cheaper, cleaner Mailchimp, start with MailerLite - the free plan is generous and paid tiers stay affordable as you grow. Newsletter creators who care about growth and paid subscriptions should look hard at Beehiiv, while ecommerce sellers who want per-send pricing will save real money with Brevo. Every tool here has a free plan or trial, so migrate a test list before you fully commit.
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