Kit and MailerLite split the free market in two. Kit Free lets you grow to 10,000 subscribers but has no automations, not even a welcome email. MailerLite Free includes 3 automations but stops at 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month. Once you pay, MailerLite is cheaper at every size: $19 a month at 1,000 subscribers against Kit's $39.
- You want to stay free while your list grows past 250 (Kit Free goes up to 10,000)
- You don't want your home address in your emails (Kit offers its own address for free)
- You want no sending limits on any plan
Plain link.
- You want a free welcome series (3 automations of up to 5 steps on Free)
- You plan to pay and want the lower price ($19 vs $39 a month at 1,000)
- You want a website and landing pages included on Free
Plain link.
Key facts side by side
Source: Kit pricing (checked 2026-10-19), MailerLite pricing (checked 2026-10-21) · Bars show size only. Paid prices are Kit Creator and MailerLite Comfort.
Free plans compared
| Kit Free | MailerLite Free | |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | Up to 10,000 | 250 active subscribers |
| Emails | No sending limits | 2,500 a month |
| Automations | None (no welcome series) | 3 active, up to 5 steps each |
| Forms and pages | Unlimited forms and landing pages | 3 forms, 1 landing page, 1 website |
| Branding | Kit branding stays | MailerLite logo stays |
| Free footer address | Yes, Kit's shared address | No, you need your own |
Sources: Kit Free plan, Kit address alternatives, MailerLite pricing, MailerLite free plan update, MailerLite drag & drop editor.
Prices as your list grows
Monthly price, with the yearly-billing price per month in brackets. USD.
| Subscribers | Kit Creator | MailerLite Comfort | MailerLite Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $39 ($33) | $19 ($17.10) | $39 ($35.10) |
| 5,000 | $89 ($75) | $49 ($44.10) | $69 ($62.10) |
| 10,000 | $139 ($116) | $89 ($80.10) | $129 ($116.10) |
Source: kit.com/pricing · www.mailerlite.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-21. Prices change; the vendor's page is the final word.
Kit prices checked 2026-10-19; MailerLite prices checked 2026-10-21. Kit Creator has no sending limits. MailerLite Comfort includes 10 times the top of your tier in monthly emails; Power has unlimited emails under fair use.
Catches on each side
- Kit: automations are paid. Even a single automatic welcome email means upgrading to Creator (Kit Free plan).
- Kit: approval before sending. New accounts are asked for a link to their blog or site before sending is turned on (Kit help).
- Kit: refunds within 30 days. Kit says it refunds monthly or annual plans within 30 days of signup (Kit pricing).
- MailerLite: Free limits freeze the account. Above a Free limit, you can't send, import or edit automations, forms or pages until you're back under it or upgrade (free plan update).
- MailerLite: paid overages upgrade you. Going past your subscriber limit on a paid plan moves you up a tier and charges your card (MailerLite pricing).
- MailerLite: no refunds for unused time (refund policy).
Verdict
Pick Kit if you send a newsletter yourself, expect to pass 250 subscribers, and want to stay free as long as possible. Kit's free footer address is a real bonus if you work from home.
Pick MailerLite if you want automations without paying, or you know you'll pay and want the lower bill. At 1,000 subscribers, MailerLite Comfort costs about half of Kit Creator.
Full reviews: Kit review and MailerLite review.
FAQ
Is Kit or MailerLite better for a free newsletter?
Kit, if your list will pass 250: Kit Free covers up to 10,000 subscribers with no sending limits. MailerLite Free stops at 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month.
Which free plan has automations?
MailerLite. Its Free plan includes 3 automations of up to 5 steps. Kit Free has none.
Which is cheaper once I pay?
MailerLite. Comfort is $19 a month at 1,000 subscribers, $49 at 5,000 and $89 at 10,000. Kit Creator is $39, $89 and $139 at the same sizes (monthly billing).
Do I need my own postal address?
On MailerLite, yes. Kit lets you use Kit's own address in the footer for free.
What changed
- 2026-10-21: Written from Kit's and MailerLite's official pricing and help pages.
Sources
All accessed 2026-10-21 (America/New_York), except where a different check date is shown.
- Kit pricing and FAQ (checked 2026-10-19): https://kit.com/pricing
- Kit, "The Kit Free plan": https://help.kit.com/en/articles/16627071-the-kit-free-plan
- Kit, "Alternatives for your physical address": https://help.kit.com/en/articles/2502494-alternatives-for-your-physical-address
- Kit, "Why do I need to get my account verified?": https://help.kit.com/en/articles/2502678-why-do-i-need-to-get-my-account-verified
- MailerLite pricing and FAQ: https://www.mailerlite.com/pricing
- MailerLite, "Free plan update: What you need to know": https://www.mailerlite.com/help/free-plan-update-faq
- MailerLite, drag & drop editor: https://www.mailerlite.com/help/drag-and-drop-editor
- MailerLite refund policy: https://www.mailerlite.com/help/mailerlite-refund-policy