Free Newsletter Platforms: 8 Best Free Email Newsletter Services Compared (2026)
Compare the real 2026 free plans of Brevo, MailerLite, Kit, Mailchimp, Sender, Beehiiv and more. Send limits, contact caps, automation, and deliverability.
Starting a newsletter should not cost money upfront. The catch in 2026 is that most providers have quietly shrunk their free plans, so the limits you remember from a few years ago are often wrong. This guide uses each platform’s current published limits, so you can pick on facts rather than memory.
We compared every major email platform’s free plan on the things that actually decide whether you outgrow it: send volume, contact cap, automation, templates, and deliverability.
Best Free Newsletter Platforms Compared (2026)
| Platform | Free send limit | Contact cap | Automation (free) | Templates | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | 300/day (~9,000/mo) | 100,000 | ✓ Basic flows | 40+ | All-round + CRM |
| Kit (ex-ConvertKit) | Unlimited | 10,000 | 1 automation only | Rich text | Subscriber volume |
| Sender | 15,000/mo | 2,500 | ✓ Full | 60+ | Generous limits |
| Beehiiv | Unlimited | 2,500 | Basic flows | Build from scratch | Creator growth |
| MailerLite | 12,000/mo | 1,000 | ✓ Basic | None on free | Simple sends |
| EmailOctopus | 10,000/mo | 2,500 | ✓ Up to 3 flows | Dozens | Cheap to scale |
| Substack | Unlimited | Unlimited | ✗ None | 1 | Paid newsletters |
| Mailchimp | 500/mo | 250 | Limited | 100+ | Brand familiarity |
Numbers reflect each provider’s published free tier as of May 2026. Free plans change often, so confirm at signup.
1. Brevo, Best Overall Free Newsletter Platform
Brevo’s free plan stays generous where it counts: a 100,000-contact ceiling (the highest of the major marketing senders) plus automation and CRM that most rivals lock behind paid tiers.
Free plan includes
- 300 emails per day (about 9,000 per month)
- Up to 100,000 contacts, no per-contact charge
- Drag-and-drop editor with 40+ templates
- Basic automation flows
- Built-in CRM with deal pipelines
- Signup forms and landing pages
- SMS capability on the same plan
Watch out for
The real constraint is the 300 emails/day send cap, not your list size. If you send one blast to 9,000 people it will meter out over the day, or you can buy prepaid credits. Independent deliverability tests put Brevo in the mid-70s for inbox placement, lower than Sender or Mailchimp, so authenticate your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) before your first send.
Best for
Businesses that want one free tool covering newsletters, automation, and CRM without a subscriber paywall.
2. Kit (formerly ConvertKit), Best for Subscriber Volume
Kit rebranded from ConvertKit and now offers the most generous subscriber ceiling of any creator tool: up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends, free.
Free plan includes
- Unlimited email sends
- Up to 10,000 subscribers
- Landing pages and signup forms
- Subscriber tagging and full segmentation
- Paid subscriptions (3.5% + $0.30 per transaction, far below Substack’s 10%)
Watch out for
Free users can build only one automation and one sequence, so it suits broadcasts more than drip campaigns. Paid pricing escalates quickly past 1,000 contacts.
3. Sender, Most Generous All-Round Free Plan
Free plan includes
- 15,000 emails per month
- 2,500 subscribers
- Full automation and segmentation
- 60+ templates, landing pages, popups
Watch out for
Sender’s branding stays on free-plan emails. Oddly, its entry paid plan caps subscribers at 1,000, fewer than the free plan’s 2,500, which catches upgraders off guard. Deliverability tests around 90% are among the best here.
4. Beehiiv, Best for Creator Growth
Free plan includes
- Unlimited sends to 2,500 subscribers
- Referral program and Boost network
- Website and archive auto-generated
Watch out for
No monetization on the free plan (subscriptions, ads, and Boosts are paid-only) and no pre-built email templates, so expect to design from scratch. Beehiiv takes no cut of earnings, unlike Substack.
5. MailerLite, Simple and Clean
Free plan includes
- 12,000 emails per month
- 1,000 subscribers
- Drag-and-drop editor and landing pages
- Basic automation
Watch out for
No pre-made email templates on free (you build from content blocks), and you cannot send from a Gmail address.
6. EmailOctopus, Cheapest Path to Scale
10,000 emails/month to 2,500 subscribers free, with up to three automation workflows. The upgrade is unusually cheap (around $40/month for 10,000 subscribers and 100,000 emails), making it the best choice if you expect to outgrow free fast.
7. Substack, Best for Paid Newsletters
Unlimited subscribers and sends, free, but no automation and a 10% cut of all paid-subscription revenue plus payment fees. You are locked into Substack’s look and own little of the infrastructure. Good for writers monetizing through subscriptions, weak as a marketing tool.
8. Mailchimp, Familiar but Now the Weakest
Mailchimp’s free plan has been cut repeatedly and is now 250 contacts and 500 sends/month with limited automation and non-removable branding. Strong templates and ~89% deliverability, but most growing senders outgrow it almost immediately. See Mailchimp alternatives for better value.
How to Choose: A Quick Decision Matrix
| Your situation | Start with |
|---|---|
| Want one tool for email + automation + CRM | Brevo |
| Large subscriber list, mostly broadcasts | Kit |
| Need real automation free | Sender |
| Creator monetizing an audience | Beehiiv (or Substack for subscriptions) |
| Want the cheapest paid upgrade later | EmailOctopus |
| Selling on Shopify | Brevo + Tajo |
Our recommendation
Start with Brevo. Its 100,000-contact ceiling, free CRM, and multi-channel reach make it the most durable foundation, and you will not hit a subscriber paywall as you grow. Pick Kit instead if you mostly broadcast to a large list, or Sender if free automation is non-negotiable.
For Shopify stores, add Tajo to sync store, product, and order data into Brevo so your newsletters can trigger on real purchase behavior instead of static lists.
Getting Started: Send Your First Newsletter Free
- Sign up for Brevo (no credit card needed)
- Authenticate your sending domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) before the first send
- Import contacts or add a signup form
- Choose a newsletter template and write your content
- Send a test to yourself, preview on mobile, then schedule
Need design inspiration? See our newsletter examples and newsletter design guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which free newsletter platform is best for beginners? Brevo and MailerLite are the easiest to start with. Brevo adds automation and CRM in the same free plan, so you will not need to migrate as you grow.
Can I switch platforms without losing subscribers? Yes. Every platform here exports contacts as CSV. Recreate your automations and segments on the new tool, re-authenticate your domain, and warm up sending volume gradually.
Is there a free plan with no subscriber limit? Substack (unlimited, but takes 10% of paid revenue) and Beehiiv (unlimited sends, 2,500-subscriber email cap). Among marketing tools, Brevo’s 100,000-contact ceiling is the highest.