Kit and MailerLite are both popular with bloggers, newsletter creators, and small businesses. Both have strong free plans and focus on making email marketing accessible. The difference is in their approach: Kit is opinionated and built specifically for creators who monetize an audience, while MailerLite is a more general tool that works well for a broader range of businesses.
| Feature | Kit | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✓ Yes (up to 10,000 subscribers) | ✓ Yes (up to 1,000 subscribers) |
| Starting paid price | $25/mo | $9/mo |
| Paid newsletters | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Commerce features | ✓ Yes (sell products) | ✗ No |
| Automation | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Landing pages | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| E-commerce integrations | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Best for | Creators monetizing an audience | Small businesses doing email marketing |
Free plans compared
Kit's free plan is extraordinarily generous: up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited email sends. MailerLite's free plan covers 1,000 subscribers. If you are a creator with a large free audience and want to delay paying as long as possible, Kit wins this round by a wide margin.
Paid plans
MailerLite is cheaper on paid plans, starting at $9/mo vs Kit's $25/mo. Once you are paying, MailerLite is significantly better value unless you are actively using Kit's creator-specific features like paid newsletters or digital product sales.
Creator features
Kit has features built specifically for creators: paid newsletter tiers, digital product sales, a creator network for audience growth, and a referral program. None of these exist in MailerLite. If you are building a creator business where your email list is your primary asset and revenue source, Kit's ecosystem is designed for you.
Automation and general features
Both tools have solid automation builders and landing page creators. MailerLite's general email marketing features are comparable to Kit's and slightly more flexible for non-creator use cases. For standard email marketing without creator-specific needs, MailerLite does the job at a lower price.
Choose Kit if...
- You are a blogger, creator, or newsletter publisher monetizing your audience
- You want to sell paid newsletter tiers or digital products through your email platform
- You have a list over 1,000 and want to stay on a free plan as long as possible
- You want access to a creator referral network to grow your audience
Choose MailerLite if...
- You are a small business or blogger who does not need creator monetization features
- You want lower paid plan pricing as your list grows
- You want a slightly easier interface for general email marketing
- You do not need to sell products or paid subscriptions through your email tool
The bottom line
If you are a creator building a business around your audience, Kit is purpose-built for you. If you are a small business or blogger who just wants solid email marketing at a low price, MailerLite is the better value on paid plans.
Still not sure? Take the Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide quiz. It asks six questions and recommends the right platform based on your specific needs and budget.