ConvertKit vs MailerLite
ConvertKit is email marketing platform built for creators — newsletters, automations, and digital products, while MailerLite is email marketing platform with landing pages, automations, and a generous free tier. The biggest difference up front: MailerLite is free, while ConvertKit starts at $25/mo. ConvertKit is built for creators and solo businesses who want simple, powerful email, whereas MailerLite targets small businesses and creators wanting simple email.
At a glance
|
ConvertKit
|
MailerLite
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Creators and solo businesses who want simple, powerful email | Small businesses and creators wanting simple email |
| Starting price | $25/mo | Free |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | — | — |
| Free tier available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | — | — |
| Automations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Digital Products | ✓ | — |
| Email Campaigns | — | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sequences | ✓ | — |
| Surveys | — | ✓ |
| Tagging | ✓ | — |
ConvertKit
Strengths
- Built specifically for creators and solopreneurs
- Excellent automation and sequence builder
- Built-in landing pages and digital product sales
- Tag-based subscriber management (no lists)
Weaknesses
- Limited email template design options
- More expensive than alternatives for large lists
- Reporting is basic
- A/B testing is limited
MailerLite
Strengths
- Includes Email Campaigns as a core feature, purpose-built for email marketing workflows
- Includes Landing Pages as a core feature, purpose-built for email marketing workflows
- Free for 1000 subscribers — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
- Established product with 16+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem
Weaknesses
- Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
- Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
- Deliverability depends on your sender reputation, which takes time to build
- Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up
The bottom line
Pricing: MailerLite is completely free (Free for 1000 subscribers), which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. ConvertKit starts at $25/mo, but Free for up to 1,000 subscribers. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.
Feature gaps: ConvertKit offers Digital Products, Sequences and Tagging that MailerLite lacks. MailerLite brings Email Campaigns and Surveys that ConvertKit does not have. Both share Automations and Landing Pages.
Team fit: Both tools target individuals teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.
Where each tool shines: ConvertKit's biggest strengths are: built specifically for creators and solopreneurs. excellent automation and sequence builder. MailerLite's biggest strengths are: includes email campaigns as a core feature, purpose-built for email marketing workflows. includes landing pages as a core feature, purpose-built for email marketing workflows.
Watch out for: With ConvertKit, users commonly note that limited email template design options. With MailerLite, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.
Choose ConvertKit if...
- You need a tool built for creators and solo businesses who want simple, powerful email
- You specifically need Digital Products and Sequences
- You care about excellent automation and sequence builder
- The free tier works for you: free for up to 1,000 subscribers
Choose MailerLite if...
- You need a tool built for small businesses and creators wanting simple email
- Budget is a hard constraint — MailerLite is free, ConvertKit is not
- You specifically need Email Campaigns and Surveys
- You care about includes landing pages as a core feature, purpose-built for email marketing workflows
- The free tier works for you: free for 1000 subscribers
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