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Is MailerLite worth it in 2026? Cost vs Mailchimp, Kit, beehiiv and Flodesk, and when Free is enough
Last verified against official pricing pages · published 6 Nov 2026
Prices change often. Each price was checked on the platform's official pricing page on the date shown; plans, promos and taxes vary. Confirm on the official site before you buy. Not financial advice.
Short answer: MailerLite is worth paying for when you want a full email toolset (automations, sites, paid newsletters at 0% platform cut) and Comfort undercuts Mailchimp or beehiiv Lite at your list size. Free can send — 250 subscribers / 2,500 emails a month — so it is worth trying before you pay, but Kit Free (10,000) and beehiiv Free (2,500) go further at $0. At 5,000 subscribers MailerLite costs $49/mo (Comfort) vs Mailchimp $75, Kit $0, beehiiv $109 and Flodesk $52 (monthly billing, weekly sends).
Prices from MailerLite, Mailchimp, Kit, beehiiv and Flodesk (checked 2026-11-03), monthly billing, cheapest plan that covers the list at 4 emails/month. MailerLite rules from its help center (checked 2026-11-06). MailerLite has no affiliate deal with us — plain links, no “paid link” labels.
What MailerLite costs
- Free: up to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails every 30 days; limited automations/forms/site; MailerLite branding stays; no paid newsletters (Plan and billing).
- Comfort: from $12/mo at 500; send allowance = 10× your tier ceiling (e.g. 50,000 emails at the 5,000 tier); paid newsletters; yearly 10% off.
- Power: from $25/mo; unlimited monthly emails (fair use), unlimited automations/forms/products/seats; live chat support.
- Enterprise: above 200,000 subscribers; custom price, dedicated success manager, optional dedicated IP (MailerLite pricing).
- Who counts: unique Active subscribers in the billing cycle (cumulative — an address that was Active at any point in the cycle still counts even if deleted later); unsubscribed and bounced don't (subscriber limits).
- Discounts: yearly 10% off; registered nonprofits can claim 30% off paid plans (doesn't stack with yearly — the bigger one applies).
Cost vs Mailchimp, Kit, beehiiv and Flodesk
| Subscribers | MailerLite | Mailchimp | Kit | beehiiv | Flodesk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $12 (Comfort) | $13 (Essentials) | $0 (Free) | $0 (Free) | $25 (Lite) |
| 1,000 | $19 (Comfort) | $26.50 (Essentials) | $0 (Free) | $0 (Free) | $25 (Lite) |
| 2,500 | $33 (Comfort) | $45 (Essentials) | $0 (Free) | $0 (Free) | $32 (Lite) |
| 5,000 | $49 (Comfort) | $75 (Essentials) | $0 (Free) | $109 (Lite) | $52 (Lite) |
| 10,000 | $89 (Comfort) | $110 (Essentials) | $0 (Free) | $139 (Lite) | $72 (Lite) |
| 25,000 | $179 (Comfort) | $270 (Essentials) | $199 (Creator) | $199 (Lite) | $162 (Lite) |
Per month, monthly billing, sending weekly (4 emails a month), cheapest plan that covers the list. Kit Free covers up to 10,000; beehiiv Free up to 2,500. Flodesk Free never appears because it can't send. More plan detail: MailerLite plans · Mailchimp vs MailerLite.
When you send a lot, Comfort's 10× cap can force Power
| 5,000 subscribers, sending | Emails / month | Mailchimp | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | 5,000 | $75 (Essentials) | $49 (Comfort) |
| Weekly | 20,000 | $75 (Essentials) | $49 (Comfort) |
| 3× a week | 60,000 | $100 (Standard) | $69 (Power) |
| Daily | 150,000 | $180 (Essentials) | $69 (Power) |
Cheapest plan (or higher contact tier) whose monthly send allowance covers the volume. At 5,000 Comfort allows 50,000 emails; beyond that our calculator picks Power ($69/mo for daily sends). Flodesk paid plans and MailerLite Power have unlimited sends (fair use on Power).
When MailerLite is cheaper
- Vs Mailchimp at mid lists: at 1,000 MailerLite $19 vs Mailchimp $26.50; at 5,000 $49 vs $75; at 10,000 $89 vs $110; at 25,000 $179 vs $270.
- Vs beehiiv once you leave Free: beehiiv Free ends at 2,500; at 5,000 beehiiv Lite is $109 vs MailerLite $49.
- Vs Flodesk when Free sending matters: Flodesk Free can't send, so under 250 MailerLite Free is $0 while Flodesk starts at Lite ($25 at 500). At 5,000 MailerLite $49 also undercuts Flodesk $52.
- Paid newsletters with 0% cut: Comfort/Power on your Stripe account; no MailerLite platform fee on recurring payments (Stripe fees still apply).
- Nonprofit / yearly: 30% nonprofit or 10% yearly on paid plans.
When MailerLite isn't the cheapest choice
- Under 10,000 on Kit Free: Kit stays $0 through 10,000 for plain sending (no visual automations; Kit branding stays). At 5,000 Kit is still $0 on Free vs MailerLite $49.
- Under 2,500 free newsletters: beehiiv Free covers a larger free list than MailerLite Free (2,500 vs 250).
- Vs Flodesk at some large sizes: at 25,000 Flodesk $162 undercuts MailerLite $179 (weekly sends). Flodesk also bills only active/soft-bounced contacts with unlimited sends on every paid plan.
- Very high send volume on Comfort: hitting the 10× cap means upgrading the Comfort tier or moving to Power — see the frequency table above.
- Tiny free lists that only need 500 emails/month: Mailchimp Free matches the 250 contact cap but with a smaller send allowance; both are $0.
Try your list size in the calculator → · MailerLite alternatives · every MailerLite tier
Pros and cons (from MailerLite's own pages)
- Pros: Free plan can send; Comfort starts at $12/mo; Power unlimited sends (fair use); 0% platform cut on paid newsletters via Stripe; yearly 10% and nonprofit 30% discounts; automations on Free (limited) and Comfort/Power; websites and landing pages included by plan.
- Cons: Free caps at 250 / 2,500 and locks sending above that; Comfort's 10× send cap and feature-use limits (50 automations, 10 forms, 10 sites/LPs combined, 5 products); Active-subscriber count is cumulative inside a billing cycle; Free keeps MailerLite branding and has no paid newsletters; Enterprise is quote-only above 200,000 (Comfort and Power update).
Deliverability: MailerLite emails going to spam
Search demand for “mailerlite going to spam” / “mailerlite emails going to spam” is real. MailerLite's own help says deliverability depends on sender reputation, list quality and email quality/quantity — not a single toggle.
- Authenticate and align your domain (DKIM, SPF; DMARC advised). Google/Yahoo sender requirements make authentication required for custom domains; new accounts may skip it only during the 14-day paid-features trial (verify and authenticate your domain).
- Send from a custom domain, not a free @gmail/@yahoo/@outlook address — MailerLite says free domains can't be authenticated and are more likely to land in spam or not be delivered (custom domain).
- Validate and clean inactive or invalid addresses; protect forms with reCAPTCHA and double opt-in; start with engaged segments (deliverability tips).
- Keep a clear unsubscribe link — hidden unsubscribes raise spam reports, which hurt inbox placement.
- Large senders (50k+ emails/week) can request a dedicated IP; most smaller senders stay on shared IPs.
Moving from Mailchimp? Step-by-step path: Mailchimp to MailerLite migration. Leaving for Mailchimp: MailerLite to Mailchimp.
Related: MailerLite Free plan · MailerLite plans · Mailchimp to MailerLite · Mailchimp vs MailerLite · MailerLite vs Flodesk · MailerLite pricing · MailerLite alternatives · Is Flodesk worth it? · Is Omnisend worth it? · Is Brevo worth it? · Is Klaviyo worth it? · Is GetResponse worth it? · Is beehiiv worth it?
Sources
- MailerLite pricing (checked 2026-11-03; plan cards, comparison table, FAQ)
- MailerLite help: plan and billing and Comfort and Power plans update (checked 2026-11-06)
- MailerLite help: nonprofit discount (checked 2026-11-06)
- MailerLite help: tips to improve deliverability, verify and authenticate your domain and how to get a custom domain (checked 2026-11-06)
- MailerLite help: sell digital products / paid newsletters via Stripe (checked 2026-10-20)
- Mailchimp pricing, Kit pricing, beehiiv pricing, Flodesk pricing (checked 2026-11-03)
FAQ
Is MailerLite worth it?
On cost, yes for many lists once you leave free: Comfort at 5,000 is $49/mo vs Mailchimp $75 and Flodesk $52. Free actually sends (250 subscribers / 2,500 emails a month) — unlike Flodesk Free, which cannot send. It is not the cheapest free-sending plan: Kit Free goes to 10,000 and beehiiv Free to 2,500. Paid newsletters on Comfort/Power take 0% platform cut (Stripe fees still apply).
Is MailerLite better than Mailchimp?
On cost alone, MailerLite is cheaper than Mailchimp at 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000 of the list sizes we checked (monthly billing, weekly sends). At 5,000 MailerLite Comfort is $49 vs Mailchimp $75. MailerLite Free allows 2,500 emails a month vs Mailchimp Free's 500 (both cap at 250 contacts/subscribers). Mailchimp Free has no automation flows; MailerLite Free includes limited automations.
Is MailerLite free?
Yes, with limits. Free covers up to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails every 30 days, keeps MailerLite branding, and does not include paid newsletters. When you pass 250 active subscribers, sending locks until you upgrade. Details: <a href="/guides/mailerlite-free-plan/">MailerLite Free plan</a>.
How much does MailerLite cost a month?
Comfort from $12/mo and Power from $25/mo at 500 subscribers (monthly billing). At 5,000 Comfort is $49; at 10,000 $89; at 25,000 $179. Self-serve tiers go to 200,000; above that MailerLite lists Enterprise. Yearly billing is 10% off (Comfort at 5,000: $49 → $44.10/mo billed yearly).
Will MailerLite emails go to spam?
MailerLite says deliverability depends on sender reputation, list quality and what you send. Its own tips: authenticate and align your sending domain (DKIM/SPF; DMARC advised), use a custom domain instead of a free @gmail/@yahoo address (free domains can't be authenticated and are more likely to land in spam), validate and clean inactive subscribers, protect forms with reCAPTCHA/double opt-in, segment engaged readers first, and keep a clear unsubscribe link. New accounts can send without authenticating only during the 14-day paid-features trial.
Does MailerLite take a cut of paid newsletters?
No platform cut: MailerLite's fee is 0% on paid subscriptions. You need Comfort or Power (Free has no paid newsletters). Checkout runs on your own Stripe account; Stripe's card and Billing fees still apply. At 1,000 subscribers Comfort is $19/mo.
When do I need Power instead of Comfort?
When Comfort's monthly send allowance (10× your subscriber-tier ceiling) isn't enough, or you need unlimited automations/forms/products/seats. At 5,000 subscribers Comfort allows 50,000 emails a month; sending daily (150,000 emails) picks Power at $69/mo in our calculator. Power's unlimited sending is subject to MailerLite's fair-use policy.
Related guides: MailerLite Free plan (2026) · Is Flodesk worth it in 2026? Cost vs Mailchimp, MailerLite and Kit, and when Free can't send · MailerLite website builder and landing pages (2026) · MailerLite Classic (Legacy) pricing 2026 · AWeber Free plan (2026) · How newsletter platform prices changed 2023–2026 (from archived pricing pages) · Is Flodesk free? Its Free plan can't send email; Lite from $25 a month (2026) · Clean your email list before switching platforms (and pay less) · all guides
Comparisons: beehiiv vs Kit · Kit vs MailerLite · beehiiv vs MailerLite · Mailchimp vs MailerLite · Kit vs Mailchimp · beehiiv vs Mailchimp · Kit vs Flodesk · MailerLite vs Flodesk · beehiiv vs Flodesk · Flodesk vs Mailchimp · Cheapest for 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000 subscribers
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