8 Free Mailchimp Alternatives That Actually Work in 2026
Mailchimp’s free tier caps at 500 contacts and 2,500 emails per month. Once you cross that, you’re pushed into paid plans starting at $13/mo. If you’re a small business or creator who needs a genuinely free email marketing tool — not a “free trial” or “freemium that expires” — this guide covers eight platforms with real free tiers in 2026.
What “free” actually means in email marketing
Before we list the alternatives, three honest warnings about “free” email marketing tools:
- Contact limits are real. Most “free” tiers cap at 500-1,000 subscribers. Mailchimp’s 500 is on the low end.
- Email send limits are real. Some platforms cap emails/day (Brevo’s 300/day), others cap emails/month (Mailjet’s 6,000/mo).
- Feature limits are real. Free tiers often exclude automation, A/B testing, advanced reporting. You get the email builder, not the marketing platform.
If you’re fine with these limits, the eight tools below are legitimate options. If you need automation or complex segmentation, you’ll outgrow free tiers fast.
1. MailerLite — Best overall free tier
Free tier: Up to 1,000 subscribers · 12,000 emails/mo
MailerLite’s free tier covers more contacts (1,000 vs Mailchimp’s 500) and includes the email builder, automation, landing pages, and forms. The interface is the cleanest in this category.
What you get:
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- 12,000 emails per month
- Drag-and-drop email builder
- Automation workflows (limited to 3 steps on free tier)
- Landing pages and embedded forms
- 24/7 email support (slower response on free tier)
What you don’t get:
- A/B testing (paid only)
- Advanced reporting (paid only)
- Priority email support (paid only)
When to upgrade: When you hit 1,000 subscribers or need A/B testing.
2. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) — Best free transactional + marketing
Free tier: 300 emails/day (≈9,000/mo) · Unlimited contacts
Brevo’s free tier is unique: it caps emails/day, not contacts. If you have a small list but send infrequently, you can stay free forever. Includes transactional email on the free tier.
What you get:
- 300 emails per day
- Unlimited contacts
- Marketing email + transactional email + SMS (limited)
- Automation workflows
- Landing pages
- Email support
What you don’t get:
- A/B testing (paid only)
- Advanced reporting (paid only)
- Branded email footer (paid removes it)
When to upgrade: When you exceed 300 emails/day consistently or want to remove Brevo’s footer.
3. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — Best free tier for creators
Free tier: Up to 1,000 subscribers
Kit’s free tier covers the same 1,000 contacts as MailerLite but with creator-specific features. If you sell digital products, courses, or coaching, Kit’s free tier has features MailerLite doesn’t.
What you get:
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- Unlimited emails
- Visual automation builder (unlimited)
- Landing pages
- Creator network access (cross-promotion)
What you don’t get:
- Commerce features (paid only)
- Advanced reporting (paid only)
- Priority support (paid only)
When to upgrade: When you want to sell digital products through Kit’s commerce, or when you need more advanced segmentation.
4. Beehiiv — Best free tier for newsletter creators
Free tier: Up to 2,500 subscribers · Unlimited emails
Beehiiv’s free tier covers the most subscribers of any tool on this list (2,500). It’s the only platform built specifically for newsletter creators — ad network, referral programs, polls are all included.
What you get:
- Up to 2,500 subscribers (largest on this list)
- Unlimited emails
- Newsletter-specific features (polls, referral programs)
- Custom newsletter website
- Beehiiv Ad Network access (get paid by sponsors)
What you don’t get:
- Automation workflows (limited on free tier)
- Custom branding removal (paid only)
- Advanced analytics (paid only)
When to upgrade: When you want to remove Beehiiv branding or need automation depth.
5. AWeber — The veteran free tier
Free tier: Up to 500 subscribers · 3,000 emails/mo
AWeber’s free tier is roughly equivalent to Mailchimp’s (500 contacts) but with slightly fewer email limits. The product is mature, stable, and predictable.
What you get:
- Up to 500 subscribers
- 3,000 emails per month
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Basic automation
- Email support
What you don’t get:
- A/B testing (paid only)
- Advanced reporting (paid only)
- Landing pages (limited on free tier)
When to upgrade: When you hit 500 subscribers.
6. Mailjet — Best free tier for high-volume senders
Free tier: 6,000 emails/mo · 200 contacts max
Mailjet’s free tier has the smallest contact limit (200) but the highest email volume per contact (30 emails/mo). It’s the only tool on this list built primarily for transactional + bulk sending.
What you get:
- 6,000 emails per month
- Up to 200 contacts
- Marketing + transactional email
- Real-time collaboration on email templates
- Email support
What you don’t get:
- Automation (paid only)
- Landing pages (paid only)
- Advanced reporting (paid only)
When to upgrade: When you exceed 200 contacts or 6,000 emails/mo.
7. Moosend — Best free trial that converts to free
Free tier: 1,000 subscribers for 30 days, then limited to 500 subscribers
Moosend’s free tier is unusual: 30 days with full features, then you’re downgraded to a permanent 500-subscriber tier. If you sign up during a sale, you can sometimes get extended free periods.
What you get (first 30 days):
- 1,000 subscribers
- All features unlocked (A/B testing, automation, landing pages)
- Email support
What you get (after 30 days):
- 500 subscribers
- Email builder and basic automation
- Landing pages
What you don’t get (after 30 days):
- A/B testing (paid only)
- Advanced reporting (paid only)
When to upgrade: When you want A/B testing or exceed 500 subscribers.
8. GetResponse — Free trial, not free tier
Free tier: 30-day free trial, no permanent free tier
GetResponse doesn’t have a permanent free tier. It has a 30-day free trial with all features, then you’re pushed into a $19/mo paid plan. Listing it here because people often confuse it with a free tier.
Skip this option if: You need a permanent free solution.
Comparison table
| Tool | Contact limit | Email limit | Automation on free? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 500 | 2,500/mo | Limited | Mailchimp users wanting more |
| MailerLite | 1,000 | 12,000/mo | Yes (3 steps) | Best overall free |
| Brevo | Unlimited | 300/day | Yes | Transactional + marketing |
| Kit | 1,000 | Unlimited | Yes (unlimited) | Creator commerce |
| Beehiiv | 2,500 | Unlimited | Limited | Newsletter creators |
| AWeber | 500 | 3,000/mo | Basic | Existing AWeber users |
| Mailjet | 200 | 6,000/mo | No | High-volume senders |
| Moosend | 500 (after 30 days) | Unlimited | Basic | 30-day trial users |
| GetResponse | None (trial only) | Unlimited | Yes (30 days) | Trial users |
How we picked these eight
We started with the 25+ email marketing platforms with a free tier or free trial, then filtered to these eight based on:
- Permanent free tier (no time-limited trial only — GetResponse listed as exception)
- At least 500 contacts free (lower limits aren’t viable)
- Email builder included (some free tiers are just contact management)
- Active development (no abandoned products)
- No credit card required for signup
Bottom line: which one should you pick?
- Most people: MailerLite. 1,000 subscribers free, automation included, cleanest interface.
- If you also send transactional email: Brevo. Free transactional + marketing in one tool.
- If you’re a creator selling digital products: Kit. Best free creator commerce features.
- If you’re running a newsletter as the primary product: Beehiiv. 2,500 subscribers free.
- If you send high volumes to small lists: Mailjet. 6,000 emails/mo to 200 contacts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailchimp’s free tier really that bad?
It’s not “bad” — 500 contacts is viable for early-stage lists. But MailerLite gives you 1,000 for the same zero cost, with better automation. There’s no reason to pick Mailchimp’s free tier over MailerLite’s unless you’re integrated with Mailchimp’s ecosystem.
Can I run a real business on these free tiers?
Yes, but you’ll outgrow them. Most small businesses hit the contact cap at 500-2,500 contacts. Plan for the upgrade.
Which free tier has the most subscribers?
Beehiiv (2,500), MailerLite (1,000), and Kit (1,000) are tied for the largest usable free tiers.
Can I migrate from one free tier to another?
Yes. All these tools have direct importers from each other. Migration takes under an hour for lists under 5,000 contacts.
Alternatives we cover
- MailerLite — 1,000 subscribers free, automation included
- Brevo — 300 emails/day free, transactional included
- MailerLite (duplicate removed)
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — 1,000 subscribers free, creator-focused
- Mailchimp — 500 contacts free, limited features
- Beehiiv — 2,500 subscribers free, newsletter-focused
- AWeber — 500 subscribers free, basic features
- Mailjet — 6,000 emails/mo free, no contact limit
- Moosend — 1,000 subscribers free, full features for 30 days then limited