MailerLite is a popular choice for email marketing, especially among small businesses. But is it the right choice for you?
For starters, you’ll need to create email templates from scratch unless you’re ready to pay for its premium plan. And if responsive customer support is a priority, you might find yourself second-guessing MailerLite as your go-to tool.
That’s not to say MailerLite doesn’t deliver — it packs all the essential features for email marketing. However, like any platform, it comes with its share of limitations.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the top MailerLite alternatives, breaking down how they stack up and where they shine in comparison.
Whether you’re seeking advanced features, better customer support, or a more intuitive experience, you’re bound to find an option that fits your needs perfectly.
Table of Contents
11 Top MailerLite Alternatives That Can Do More
| MailerLite alternatives | Starting price | Free plan | Free trial | G2 rating |
| EngageBay | $12.99 per user paid monthly | Yes | 14 days | 4.75/5 |
| Kit (formerly ConvertKit) | $29 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts) | Yes | 14 days | 4.4/5 |
| Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) | $9 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts) | Yes | NA | 4.5/5 |
| Moosend | $16 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts) | No | 30 days | 4.7/5 |
| GetResponse | $19 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts) | No | 30 days | 4.3/5 |
| ActiveCampaign | $15 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts) | No | 14 days | 4.5/5 |
| AWeber | $25 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts) | Yes | NA | 4.2/5 |
| Mailchimp | $8.87 paid monthly (for 500 contacts) | Yes | NA | 4.3/5 |
| Zoho Campaigns | $4 paid monthly (for 500 contacts) | Yes | 14 days | 4.3/5 |
| Benchmark Email | $23 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts) | Yes | NA | 4.3/5 |
| Drip | $29 paid monthly ( for 2,500 contacts) | No | 14 days | 4.4/5 |
Let’s look at MailerLite alternatives in detail now.
1. EngageBay
Best for an all-in-one automation platform at an affordable pricing
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.75/5
- Starting price: $12.99 per user paid monthly
- Free trial length: 14 days
Why you should pick EngageBay
If you’re looking for an advanced marketing automation platform that lets you run full-fledged email campaigns without juggling multiple tools, EngageBay is a great choice.
EngageBay is an all-in-one platform that connects various aspects of your business, including marketing, sales, and service automation. Its free plan is packed with features to help you get started, such as email templates, autoresponders, email broadcasts, and tools to automate and grow your email lists.
What truly sets EngageBay apart is its video marketing feature — you can embed video templates and create custom video thumbnails to grab your audience’s attention.
Additionally, EngageBay offers 1,000+ pre-designed, customizable email templates tailored for various industries and purposes, including order confirmations, apology emails, and welcome messages.
A quick take on EngageBay
Pricing: EngageBay offers a forever-free plan for up to 250 contacts and 1,000 branded emails, ideal for small businesses starting out. Paid plans for the marketing platform start at $12.99 per user per month, with the all-in-one platform starting at $14.99 per user per month. Opt for annual billing to enjoy an 8% discount!
Customer support: EngageBay offers email and live chat support across all plans. Paid plans come with added benefits like free onboarding, a dedicated account manager, and phone support — though phone support is exclusive to the highest-tier Pro plan.
Integrations: EngageBay simplifies your workflow with one-click integrations for popular third-party tools like Zapier, Xero, and Mailgun. These seamless connections ensure smooth business operations and effortless data syncing across platforms.
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2. Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Best for creators looking to grow their business
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.4/5
- Starting price: $29 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts)
- Free trial length: 14 days
Why you should pick Kit
Just like MailerLite, Kit is a dedicated email marketing platform, but it’s uniquely designed for creators. If you’re an artist, coach, podcaster, or anyone selling creative products or services, Kit could be your perfect match.
Kit makes it simple to promote your products directly through emails — where readers can purchase directly from your email. Its email templates are tailored for creators, saving you time and providing high-converting, purpose-driven designs.
What truly sets Kit apart is the Creator Network, which connects you with a community of like-minded creators. This network allows you to recommend and be recommended by others, helping you grow your newsletter faster — together. When they gain subscribers, so do you, and vice versa.
A quick take on Kit
Pricing: Kit offers flexible pricing to cater to different needs. The Newsletters plan is free for up to 10,000 subscribers, while the Pros plan starts at $29 per month and the Pro Creator plan at $59 per month, both covering up to 1,000 contacts with unlimited email sends. Costs scale with your contact list, and choosing bi-annual billing lets you save the cost of two months.
Customer support: Kit offers 24/7 customer support and access to its Creator University with all plans. Pro creators enjoy priority support and a free migration service for creators with over 5,000 subscribers to enjoy a seamless transition.
Integrations: Kit seamlessly integrates with membership platforms, course tools, affiliate management systems, giveaways, and website builders, with the option to build custom integrations using its detailed API documentation.
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3. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
Best for omnichannel marketing
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.5/5
- Starting price: $9 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts)
- Free trial length: NA
Why you should pick Brevo
Brevo is an excellent MailerLite alternative, especially if you’re looking to integrate SMS and WhatsApp marketing into your email campaigns. With its free plan, you also get a free phone number and 300 one-time credits for outbound calling.
Essentially, Brevo empowers you to run an integrated omnichannel marketing strategy with detailed reporting and analytics to grow your business faster.
In addition, Brevo offers advanced segmentation based on criteria like purchase history, demographics, and more, enabling highly targeted campaigns. It even creates dynamic lists that automatically update based on subscriber activity.
Finally, Brevo boasts a 99% deliverability rate, ensuring your emails land directly in inboxes — not spam folders.
A quick take on Brevo
Pricing: Brevo offers a forever-free plan with a daily limit of 300 emails. Its Starter plan starts at just $9 per month for up to 1,000 contacts, while custom pricing is available for the Enterprise plan. Add-ons like email credits, SMS, and WhatsApp campaigns are priced based on your message volume needs.
Customer support: Brevo offers 24/7 email support in six languages across all plans. Live chat and phone support are available with Business and Enterprise plans, while Enterprise users also gain access to a dedicated account manager for personalized assistance.
Integrations: Brevo integrates seamlessly with platforms like WooCommerce, Typeform, and PayPal, enabling a unified eCommerce experience. Additionally, its Loyalty Platform API lets you effortlessly create and customize loyalty programs tailored to your business.
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4. Moosend
Best for simplified email marketing
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.7/5
- Starting price: $16 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts)
- Free trial length: 30 days
Why you should pick Moosend
Moosend is known for its intuitive workflow builder, which simplifies complex processes and enhances campaign efficiency. What sets it apart is its advanced growth tools that capture lead information, allowing you to personalize your communication and boost conversions.
The platform includes a landing page builder, subscription form builder, and analytics tools to capture lead information and personalize your campaigns.
Moosend also offers a wide range of customizable email templates to suit your business needs. By combining marketing automation with email marketing tools, Moosend delivers a comprehensive and robust platform to drive your email campaigns forward.
A quick take on Moosend
Pricing: Moosend offers three paid plans — Pro, Moosend+, and Enterprise — starting at $16 per month for 1,000 contacts. Custom pricing is available for higher tiers, and you can save 20% by opting for annual billing.
Customer support: Moosend provides a detailed knowledge base, email support, and live chat assistance across all plans. For those on the Enterprise plan, priority support and a dedicated account manager are available, while Moosend+ subscribers can add an account manager as an optional feature.
Integrations: Moosend offers over 80 integrations and API access across all its plans, making it easy to connect with your favorite tools. For advanced users, the Enterprise plan includes a dedicated IP, while the Moosend+ plan offers it as an optional add-on.
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5. GetResponse
Best for advanced marketing for growing SMBs
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.3/5
- Starting price: $19 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts)
- Free trial length: 30 days
Why you should pick GetResponse
GetResponse is a robust alternative to MailerLite, offering a comprehensive and advanced automation platform. It provides powerful tools for creating high-converting funnels and landing pages, along with advanced segmentation capabilities to craft ultra-targeted marketing campaigns.
GetResponse tiered plans are designed to meet the specific needs of different types of users. Whether you’re a business just starting out, a marketer, or a creator, there’s a plan tailored for you.
For example, the Creator plan includes access to a mobile app for students, the ability to organize webinars, and options to add quizzes and certificates. On the other hand, the Marketer plan focuses more on features like abandoned cart recovery, sales funnels, and more.
A quick take on GetResponse
Pricing: GetResponse offers four paid plans — Starter, Marketer, Creator, and Enterprise — with pricing starting at $19 per month for up to 1,000 contacts. Plans can go up to $1,099 per month, depending on the features and contact list size. Charities and NGOs can take advantage of a 50% discount on its plan.
Customer support: GetResponse offers excellent customer support with 24/7 chat support and email assistance across all plans. For phone support and Slack integration, you’ll need the Enterprise plan, which also includes dedicated onboarding services for a more personalized experience.
Integrations: GetResponse offers 170+ integrations to seamlessly connect with your favorite tools, or you can leverage their advanced API to build custom integrations tailored to your needs.
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6. ActiveCampaign
Best for data-driven SMBs
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.5/5
- Starting price: $15 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts)
- Free trial length: 14 days
Why you should pick ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a versatile email marketing platform designed for businesses of all sizes and industries. It stands out with 250+ pre-made, customizable templates that cater to a variety of marketing needs.
What’s more, it offers predictive and conditional content capabilities — automatically adapting and personalizing your emails based on customer data to deliver meaningful, engaging content.
Additionally, you can take advantage of its sales automation and pipeline management features through its add-on functionality. With a high deliverability rate, ActiveCampaign ensures your email campaigns successfully reach your audience and maximize engagement.
A quick take on ActiveCampaign
Pricing: ActiveCampaign has four paid plans — starting at $15 per month for up to 1,000 contacts, which allows you to send 10 times the contact limit in emails. For larger businesses, the Enterprise plan is priced at $145 per month, providing advanced features and a 15x email sending limit.
Customer support: ActiveCampaign provides free services across all its paid plans, including an onboarding session, live chat, and ticket support. However, the number of objects you can migrate during onboarding depends on the plan you choose, which may limit larger migrations.
Integrations: ActiveCampaign offers over 900 integrations, seamlessly connecting with tools across eCommerce, CRM, social media, and more.
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7. AWeber
Best for sending bulk emails
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.2/5
- Starting price: $25 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts)
- Free trial length: NA
Why you should pick AWeber
AWeber is a dedicated email marketing platform that is perfect for sending bulk emails without limits on the number of subscribers per plan. Each plan supports up to 10x the subscription volume for monthly emails, with the highest-tier plan extending up to 15x.
If you own an eCommerce store, AWeber makes it easy to integrate and sell products or services, set up subscriptions and payment plans, and track sales effectively. It also features purchase tagging, which is particularly useful for segmenting your audience and personalizing campaigns.
Additionally, AWeber offers detailed reporting capabilities, including advanced audience and account analytics, webpage tracking, and more — empowering you to optimize your campaigns for better results.
A quick take on AWeber
Pricing: AWeber offers a lifetime free plan, perfect for beginners, with a limit of 500 subscribers and 3,000 monthly email sends. Paid plans start at $25 per month for up to 1,000 contacts, scaling up to $899 per month for businesses with over 100,000 subscribers. Annual billing discounts let you save up to four months of fees.
Customer support: AWeber’s customer support stands out with its award-winning solutions team, available via phone, chat, and email across all plans. For top-tier users, the platform offers priority support and free migration services.
Integrations: AWeber offers seamless integration with over 100 platforms, including Facebook, Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, and PayPal. Its easy-to-use API ensures you can connect your email marketing efforts with the rest of your business strategies — even on the free plan!
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8. Mailchimp
Best for email personalization
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.3/5
- Starting price: $8.87 paid monthly (for 500 contacts)
- Free trial length: NA
Why you should pick Mailchimp
Mailchimp is an email marketing platform renowned for its advanced automation capabilities. Its multi-step workflows seamlessly integrate customer journeys, helping you create smooth, personalized campaigns that drive engagement.
Its custom-coded email templates allow you to design highly personalized, branded emails that stand out. Paired with its data-driven optimization tools, you can send product-specific emails tailored to individual customers, ultimately boosting your conversion potential.
Mailchimp also shines with its social media marketing tools, enabling you to expand your reach across multiple channels.
A quick take on Mailchimp
Pricing: Mailchimp offers a free plan that covers up to 1,000 emails per month for 500 contacts. Paid plans start at $8.87 per month (or $4.43 per month with annual billing) and include Essentials, Standard, and Premium tiers. For businesses with occasional email needs, Mailchimp also offers a flexible pay-as-you-go option.
Customer support: Mailchimp offers email support for all plans, with free plan users getting 30 days of access. Personalized onboarding and live chat are available for paid plans, while phone support is reserved for premium users only.
Integrations: Mailchimp integrates effortlessly with over 300 apps — everything from your store and payment gateways to social media tools, across all its plans.
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9. Zoho Campaigns
Best for Zoho users seeking seamless integration
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.3/5
- Starting price: $4 paid monthly (for 500 contacts)
- Free trial length: 14 days
Why you should pick Zoho Campaigns
Zoho Campaigns provides a robust email marketing platform with features like customer segmentation, automated workflows, and customizable templates. However, many of its advanced capabilities are reserved for the highest-tier Professional plan.
Unlike MailerLite, which includes eCommerce integrations across its plans, Zoho Campaigns restricts advanced eCommerce features — such as workflow templates and email automation — to its Professional plan.
What truly sets it apart, though, is its unlimited email sending on paid plans, ensuring you can scale your campaigns without worrying about limits.
A quick take on Zoho Campaigns
Pricing: Zoho Campaigns offers a forever free plan for up to 5 users with limited functionality, making it ideal for small teams. Its paid plans start at just $4 per month (Standard) for 500 contacts, going up to $6 per month (Professional), while the flexible Pay-as-you-go option is perfect for businesses with irregular email-sending needs.
Customer support: Zoho Campaigns offers email and phone support across all plans, including the free tier. Paid plans (and trial periods) come with in-product chat support for quicker assistance. Additionally, Zoho provides free migration support with its paid plans, making it easier to switch seamlessly.
Integrations: Zoho Campaigns integrates seamlessly with the Zoho ecosystem and supports third-party tools like WooCommerce, Dropbox, and Litmus, enabling smooth connectivity across your business operations.
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10. Benchmark Email
Best for small teams looking for efficiency
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.3/5
- Starting price: $23 paid monthly (for 1,000 contacts)
- Free trial length: NA
Why you should pick Benchmark Email
Benchmark Email offers all the basic functionalities you’d expect from an email marketing tool, much like MailerLite. However, when it comes to reporting, MailerLite provides more detailed insights compared to Benchmark Email.
That said, Benchmark is an excellent choice for beginners or small businesses seeking a simple yet intuitive platform. It also offers advanced features like automation, segmentation, polls, and surveys to enhance your email campaigns – with both its paid plans!
Do note, if your subscriber list exceeds 25,000, you’ll need to upgrade to their highest-tier Enterprise plan.
Besides, Benchmark Email features Smart Content, a tool designed to help you overcome writer’s block. By simply providing a prompt, it generates high-converting email copy, making it easier to craft compelling messages that resonate with your audience.
A quick take on Benchmark Email
Pricing: Benchmark Email offers a free plan allowing you to send up to 3,500 emails monthly to 500 contacts. Paid plans start at $23 per month for 1,000 contacts and scale up to 25,000 contacts. For larger lists, enterprise plans with custom pricing or volume-based plans for high email volumes are available.
Customer support: Benchmark Email provides reliable 24/7 customer support through its online help center and live chat, available with both free and paid plans. Phone support is available exclusively for paid plans, while managed account setup is reserved for Enterprise plans.
Integrations: Benchmark Email offers seamless integration with popular apps like Zapier, Slack, and Shopify, enabling you to automate workflows, streamline processes, and grow your email list effortlessly.
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11. Drip
Best for eCommerce SMBs
- Ratings (as per G2): 4.4/5
- Starting price: $39 paid monthly ( for 2,500 contacts)
- Free trial length: 14 days
Why you should pick Drip
Drip email marketing software is an excellent MailerLite alternative, especially for eCommerce businesses or those with an online store. It comes with pre-built playbooks like the welcome series and abandoned cart sequences, specifically designed to meet the needs of eCommerce.
Additionally, its deep, behavior-based customer segmentation and personalization features allow you to create tailored campaigns that resonate with your audience. Its email templates are easy to use and customize, making it simple to get started.
With over 6,000 businesses already using Drip, it’s a trusted choice for those looking to enhance their email marketing efforts.
A quick take on Drip
Pricing: Drip’s pricing is based on your contact list size and email volume, with plans starting at $39 per month for up to 2,500 contacts. For larger lists, prices scale up to $1,999 per month for 180,000 contacts, with custom pricing available for bigger needs.
Customer support: Drip provides reliable customer support, offering email support Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM CT. Subscribers on plans starting at $99 per month also gain access to live chat support during these hours for quicker assistance.
Integrations: Drip provides over 100 integrations, with a strong emphasis on eCommerce. Shopify users can leverage these integrations to streamline marketing campaigns and optimize their store’s performance.
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What to Look for in a MailerLite Alternative
When choosing an alternative to MailerLite, here are the key factors to consider:
Budget
Start by evaluating your budget and comparing pricing plans across different platforms. While some tools offer free plans with basic features, others may require a higher investment for premium functionalities.
Consider whether the cost aligns with the value and features provided, especially as your email marketing needs evolve.
Features
Different email marketing tools cater to different needs. Some are specifically designed for eCommerce businesses, while others focus on bulk email sending or creators who prioritize engagement and content sharing.
Identify your unique requirements and shortlist tools that align with your goals. The right tool should provide robust functionality to help you achieve your marketing objectives without relying on additional software or complex integrations.
Ease of use
A complex tool can slow you down, especially if you’re new to email marketing. Prioritize platforms with intuitive interfaces, drag-and-drop editors, and straightforward workflows.
The easier the tool is to use, the quicker you can set up campaigns and focus on growing your business.
Scalability
Your email marketing tool should grow with your business.
Whether you’re expanding your subscriber list or requiring more advanced automation features, make sure the platform you choose can scale to accommodate your future needs without significant upgrades or migration hassles.
Customer support
We often tend to ignore the importance of responsive customer support while choosing an email marketing platform.
Reliable customer support can make all the difference, especially when you encounter technical issues or need assistance with your campaigns. Evaluate the availability, responsiveness, and quality of the platform’s support — whether through live chat, email, or a knowledge base.
Is MailerLite the Best Email Marketing Platform for Your Business?
MailerLite is a powerful email marketing tool, particularly well-suited for entrepreneurs and businesses with a subscription-based model. Its seamless eCommerce integrations make it easy to sell digital products and manage customer relationships.
Additionally, MailerLite provides detailed reporting capabilities, including list growth tracking, comparative reporting, and more, helping you optimize your email campaigns effectively.
MailerLite pricing & plans
MailerLite offers a forever free plan for up to 1,000 contacts, but it comes with limited functionalities and no pre-designed templates.
- Growing Business Plan: Starts at $15/month for up to 1,000 contacts with unlimited email sending.
- Advanced Plan: Costs $30/month for 1,000 contacts and includes additional features like a custom HTML editor, unsubscribe page builder, and advanced website tools.
- Enterprise Plan: Designed for businesses with 100K+ subscribers, offering custom solutions with pricing based on the number of contacts imported.
MailerLite pros & cons
MailerLite comes with a range of useful features but also has a few limitations.
Pros
- User-friendly email design tools for easy campaign creation.
- High email deliverability rate, ensuring better inbox placement.
Cons
- Stricter approval process, which may slow down account activation for new users.
Wrap Up
If you’re a small business owner, freelancer, or a beginner, MailerLite is the perfect email marketing tool. But it’s clear that MailerLite might not be the best fit if you need advanced automation or more responsive customer support.
Fortunately, there are plenty of MailerLite alternatives to explore based on your needs.
If you’re looking for an affordable all-in-one platform that eliminates the hassle of integrating multiple tools, EngageBay is a top choice.
Not only is it budget-friendly, but its generous free plan comes packed with features to help you get started. Plus, it offers seamless scalability as your subscriber list grows.
Book your free demo today and see how EngageBay can elevate your email marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best alternative to MailerLite for SMBs?
EngageBay, Moosend, and Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) are great MailerLite alternatives for SMBs — offering affordable pricing, automation features, and strong customer support.
2. Which tools offer free plans comparable to MailerLite?
EngageBay, Brevo, and Mailchimp provide generous free plans with essential email marketing features, including automation, templates, and list management.
3. How does EngageBay compare to MailerLite in terms of features?
EngageBay offers a more comprehensive all-in-one solution with built-in CRM, marketing automation, sales, and service tools, whereas MailerLite primarily focuses on email marketing.
4. What are the cheapest email marketing tools for small businesses?
Some of the cheapest email marketing tools for small businesses are ZohoCampaigns, EngageBay, and Moosend. They offer cost-effective plans, with budget-friendly pricing for small businesses and startups.
5. Can these tools handle email automation effectively?
Yes, most MailerLite alternatives provide robust automation features, allowing businesses to set up drip campaigns, autoresponders, and behavioral triggers to streamline marketing efforts.
