Email marketing · 2026
Kit (ConvertKit)·vs·MailerLite
Two solid choices in email marketing. Here's how they stack up on pricing, fit, and trade-offs — so you can decide in a minute.
Reviewed by Switchpoint Editors ·
Take on Kit (ConvertKit)
Kit's strength is the creator workflow: tags-as-segments, visual automations, simple commerce. The weakness is growth — Beehiiv's recommendation network and boost ecosystem are doing what Kit hasn't matched. If you're growing, Beehiiv. If you're monetizing an established list, Kit.
Contender A
Kit (ConvertKit)
Creator-first email (rebranded from ConvertKit to Kit) with tag-based subscribers.
- Newsletter writers, course creators, and coaches who need automations, not blasts.
- Free up to 10,000 subscribers. Creator from $15/mo, Creator Pro from $29/mo.
Best for
Pricing
Pros
- Generous 10k free tier — best in the category
- Tag-and-segment model fits content businesses better than lists
- Built-in landing pages, paid newsletters, and tip jars
Trade-offs
- Default templates are deliberately plain text — not ecommerce-friendly
- Visual automation builder is powerful but has a learning curve
Contender B
MailerLite
The closest like-for-like Mailchimp replacement, cheaper at every tier.
- Small businesses and creators who want Mailchimp's UX without Intuit's bill.
- Free up to 1,000 subscribers / 12k sends. Growing Business from $9/mo for 500 subs.
Best for
Pricing
Pros
- Clean editor and templates that beat Mailchimp's current UI
- Free plan includes automations Mailchimp gates behind paid tiers
- Strong deliverability reputation among SMB senders
Trade-offs
- Manual account approval can take 24–48 hours
- Still contact-based pricing — same trap as Mailchimp at scale
The matrix
Side-by-side
Best for
Kit (ConvertKit)
Newsletter writers, course creators, and coaches who need automations, not blasts.
MailerLite
Small businesses and creators who want Mailchimp's UX without Intuit's bill.
Pricing
Kit (ConvertKit)
Free up to 10,000 subscribers. Creator from $15/mo, Creator Pro from $29/mo.
MailerLite
Free up to 1,000 subscribers / 12k sends. Growing Business from $9/mo for 500 subs.
Top strength
Kit (ConvertKit)
Generous 10k free tier — best in the category
MailerLite
Clean editor and templates that beat Mailchimp's current UI
Biggest trade-off
Kit (ConvertKit)
Default templates are deliberately plain text — not ecommerce-friendly
MailerLite
Manual account approval can take 24–48 hours
The verdict
Which should you pick?
Newsletter writers, course creators, and coaches who need automations, not blasts.
Small businesses and creators who want Mailchimp's UX without Intuit's bill.
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