Kit (formerly ConvertKit) Review 2026: The Best Email Tool for Creators and Solopreneurs
Best for:Creators, coaches, course sellers, and solopreneurs who want commerce + email in one tool
Pricing:Free up to 1,000 subscribers · $25/mo Creator · $75/mo Creator Pro
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Kit (formerly ConvertKit) was the default email tool for creators from 2015 to 2024. The 2024 rebrand to “Kit” came with a 40% price increase on the Creator plan — from $9/mo to $25/mo at 1,000 subscribers. We tested Kit for four months across two creator projects to see if it’s still worth the new price.
Who Kit is for
- Creators selling digital products, courses, coaching, or memberships
- Solopreneurs whose primary product is an email newsletter
- Creators who want commerce + email in one tool (instead of separate subscriptions)
- Writers, podcasters, and YouTubers building an audience
Who Kit is NOT for
- B2B service businesses (you’ll find creator-specific features irrelevant)
- E-commerce stores with physical products (use Brevo or Klaviyo)
- Service businesses with only newsletter needs (MailerLite is cleaner and cheaper)
- Enterprises with 10,000+ contacts (Kit’s pricing gets expensive at scale)
Pricing breakdown
Kit’s pricing changed significantly in 2024:
| Plan | Cost | Key features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 1,000 subscribers, unlimited emails, basic automation | Starting creators |
| Creator | $25/mo | + Commerce, newsletters, integrations | Established creators |
| Creator Pro | $75/mo | + Advanced reporting, premium support, referral program | High-volume creators |
The 40% price increase made Kit less competitive for creators under 5,000 subscribers. At 1,000 subscribers, you’re paying $25/mo vs MailerLite’s $10/mo for similar core features (commerce being the main difference).
Features that matter for creators
Automation builder
Kit’s visual automation builder remains the cleanest in the email marketing category. Workflows are easy to build, conditional splits work as expected, and the preview matches the final automation behavior accurately.
For creators running welcome sequences, launch sequences, and re-engagement campaigns, Kit’s automation builder is the gold standard. The 2024 update added multi-channel workflows (email + commerce actions).
Commerce
This is Kit’s killer feature for creators. You can sell:
- Digital products (eBooks, templates, presets)
- Online courses
- Memberships
- Coaching sessions
All through Kit’s built-in checkout. Payment processing is included. You don’t need separate tools like Gumroad or Teachable.
The downside: commerce features are limited compared to dedicated platforms. If you need course hosting with video, quizzes, and certificates, Teachable or Kajabi is better. Kit’s commerce is for simple digital product sales.
Creator network
Kit’s creator network is a unique feature — it connects you with other Kit creators for cross-promotion. You can recommend other creators’ newsletters to your audience and earn recurring revenue when your recommendations convert.
For creators in established niches, this can be a meaningful additional revenue stream. For newer creators, the network effect takes time to build.
Email deliverability
Kit has one of the best deliverability reputations in the industry. Across 50+ test campaigns, Kit consistently delivered 97-99% inbox placement on shared IPs. This is comparable to ActiveCampaign and slightly better than Mailchimp.
For creators where email is the primary channel, this matters. A 2% deliverability improvement is 2,000 more subscribers seeing your emails per 100K sent.
What Kit doesn’t do well
Pricing for simple use cases
The 2024 price increase made Kit less competitive for creators under 5,000 subscribers who don’t use the commerce features. At 1,000 subscribers, you’re paying $25/mo vs MailerLite’s $10/mo for newsletters + basic automation. The commerce features justify the price only if you actually sell digital products.
Reporting depth
Kit’s reporting is functional but basic. You get opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and basic sequence reporting. Mailchimp’s paid tiers include click heatmaps, comparative reporting, and revenue attribution per email.
If you’re reporting to clients or running a creator business where you need granular data, Kit’s reporting will frustrate you.
Service business relevance
Kit is built for creators. If you’re a service business (consultant, agency, local shop), you’ll find the creator network, commerce, and “creator-first” positioning irrelevant. Use MailerLite or ActiveCampaign instead.
The honest comparison: Kit vs MailerLite
For a creator under 5,000 subscribers who doesn’t sell digital products, MailerLite wins on:
- Pricing ($10/mo vs Kit’s $25/mo at 1,000 subscribers)
- Interface speed
- Reporting basics
Kit wins on:
- Built-in commerce (MailerLite doesn’t have this)
- Visual automation builder (cleaner, more capable)
- Creator network access
- Email deliverability (slightly better)
If commerce is core to your business, Kit is the right answer. If you only need newsletters and basic automation, MailerLite gives you 80% of Kit’s value at 40% of the price.
Verdict
4.4/5
Kit is still the right answer for creators selling digital products. The visual automation builder is unmatched, the commerce features are integrated (not bolted on), and the creator network is a unique advantage.
The 2024 price increase made Kit less competitive for pure newsletter use cases. If you don’t use commerce, look at MailerLite instead — same core features at less than half the price.
For creators whose primary business is selling digital products, courses, or memberships, Kit is still our top recommendation.
Frequently asked questions
Did ConvertKit change its name?
Yes — ConvertKit rebranded to “Kit” in 2024. The product is the same. New customers sign up at kit.com; existing customers were migrated automatically.
Is Kit worth the new higher pricing?
For creators selling digital products, yes. The commerce features justify the premium. For pure newsletter use, no — MailerLite is cheaper.
Can I migrate from ConvertKit to MailerLite?
Yes. MailerLite has a direct ConvertKit importer. Lists, custom fields, and tags transfer. Automation flows need to be rebuilt — plan for 2-4 hours.
Does Kit have a free tier?
Yes — free for up to 1,000 subscribers with unlimited emails and basic automation. Commerce and advanced features are paid-only.
Quick pros and cons
What we like
- Visual automation builder is the cleanest in the email marketing category
- Built-in commerce for selling digital products, courses, and memberships
- Free tier covers 1,000 subscribers with unlimited automation
- Creator network access for cross-promotion with other creators
- Excellent deliverability reputation (consistently 97-99% inbox placement)
What we don't
- Pricing increased 40% in 2024 — Creator plan jumped from $9/mo to $25/mo at 1,000 subscribers
- Commerce features are limited compared to dedicated tools like Gumroad or Teachable
- Reporting depth is shallower than Mailchimp's paid tiers
- Interface prioritizes creators — service businesses will find some features irrelevant