MailerLite has grown into one of the most popular tools for small businesses and creators with a free plan that is genuinely useful and an interface that is widely praised for its cleanliness. Constant Contact has been around for over 25 years and built its reputation on support and ease of use. Both target beginners and small businesses.
| Feature | MailerLite | Constant Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free / $10/mo | $12/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ Up to 1,000 subscribers | ✗ No (60-day trial) |
| Automation on free plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Phone support | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Landing pages | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Event marketing | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Best for | Startups, creators, value seekers | Businesses wanting phone support |
Free plan
MailerLite offers a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers with no time limit, including automation. Constant Contact offers no free plan but gives you 60 days free on trial. For businesses starting out, MailerLite's free plan is more useful.
Pricing
MailerLite is significantly cheaper than Constant Contact on paid plans. For comparable contact list sizes, MailerLite often costs half as much. Both are designed for small business budgets but MailerLite wins on price.
Support
Constant Contact offers phone support: a genuine differentiator for small business owners who want to be able to call someone. MailerLite offers chat and email support on paid plans. The free plan has limited support.
Features
MailerLite has a good automation builder, landing pages, and a website builder on its free plan. Constant Contact has event management tools and integrates well with Facebook. Both cover core email marketing well. MailerLite offers more for the price.
Choose MailerLite if...
- You want a free plan with real automation included
- You are price-conscious and want the best value
- You want landing pages and a website builder included
- You are a creator, blogger, or newsletter operator
Choose Constant Contact if...
- Phone support is important to you
- You run events and want built-in event marketing tools
- You prefer an interface with decades of user testing behind it
- You are a nonprofit looking for nonprofit pricing
The bottom line
MailerLite is the better choice on almost every objective measure: better free plan, lower prices, more features per dollar. Constant Contact's main advantage is phone support and its event tools. For most small businesses starting out, MailerLite is the smarter choice.
Not sure which tool is right for you? Take the Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide quiz. It asks six questions and recommends the right platform based on your needs and budget.