Kit
Best for creator-led businesses
- Best for
- Creators selling newsletters, products, or memberships
- Starting price
- Free; Creator from $33/mo ($390 billed yearly)
- Ease of use
- Easy
- Automation
- Strong
Pricing Comparison
The entry price matters, but the billing model matters almost as much.
This page compares public entry pricing, free-plan context, and the upgrade pressure buyers should notice before they sign up.
Pricing pages are easiest to misread when you compare only the smallest visible number. Annual billing, free-plan boundaries, and what each paid tier actually unlocks matter just as much.
The goal here is not to predict your exact future bill. It is to give you a cleaner first pass than jumping across six vendor pages yourself.
Pricing Overview
What the first paid tier looks like.
Budget-first buyers should compare both the lowest realistic paid entry and the conditions attached to it. The lowest number on the screen is often annualized, trial-based, or only meaningful for a narrow use case.
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Ease of use | Automation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creators selling newsletters, products, or memberships | Free; Creator from $33/mo ($390 billed yearly) | Easy | Strong | Best for creator-led businesses | |
| Small teams that want familiar templates and a wide ecosystem | Free; Essentials from $13/mo after trial | Easy | Moderate | Best for broad market familiarity | |
ActiveCampaignOfficial pricing (opens in a new tab) | Teams that need deeper lifecycle automation | Starter from $15/mo (1,000 contacts, billed annually) | Moderate | Advanced | Best for advanced automation |
| Straightforward newsletters with hands-on support | Lite from $12.50/mo (billed annually) | Easy | Moderate | Best for simple lifecycle email | |
| Budget-conscious teams wanting email plus SMS or WhatsApp | Free; Starter from $8.08/mo (billed yearly) | Easy | Strong | Best budget multichannel pick | |
MailerLiteOfficial pricing (opens in a new tab) | Beginners who want a clean builder and low-friction setup | Free; Growing Business from $9/mo ($108 billed yearly) | Very easy | Moderate | Best for beginners |
Official pricing (opens in a new tab)
Mailchimp
Best for broad market familiarity
- Best for
- Small teams that want familiar templates and a wide ecosystem
- Starting price
- Free; Essentials from $13/mo after trial
- Ease of use
- Easy
- Automation
- Moderate
ActiveCampaign
Best for advanced automation
- Best for
- Teams that need deeper lifecycle automation
- Starting price
- Starter from $15/mo (1,000 contacts, billed annually)
- Ease of use
- Moderate
- Automation
- Advanced
AWeber
Best for simple lifecycle email
- Best for
- Straightforward newsletters with hands-on support
- Starting price
- Lite from $12.50/mo (billed annually)
- Ease of use
- Easy
- Automation
- Moderate
Brevo
Best budget multichannel pick
- Best for
- Budget-conscious teams wanting email plus SMS or WhatsApp
- Starting price
- Free; Starter from $8.08/mo (billed yearly)
- Ease of use
- Easy
- Automation
- Strong
MailerLite
Best for beginners
- Best for
- Beginners who want a clean builder and low-friction setup
- Starting price
- Free; Growing Business from $9/mo ($108 billed yearly)
- Ease of use
- Very easy
- Automation
- Moderate
Official pricing pages checked on March 10, 2026. Prices reflect publicly listed entry plans, including free tiers or trial conditions where shown, and may vary by billing terms.
Entry Plan Notes
What the headline price hides.
Kit
Free; Creator from $33/mo ($390 billed yearly)
The free Newsletter plan is generous, but the paid Creator decision is where the real buyer choice starts.
Mailchimp
Free; Essentials from $13/mo after trial
The $13 line refers to Essentials after trial. The trial framing is part of the decision, not a footnote to ignore.
ActiveCampaign
Starter from $15/mo (1,000 contacts, billed annually)
Starter looks fair at the entry tier, but the value case depends on whether you will truly use the automation depth.
AWeber
Lite from $12.50/mo (billed annually)
AWeber sits in the middle: not the cheapest, not the deepest, but still viable for simple email plus support.
Brevo
Free; Starter from $8.08/mo (billed yearly)
Brevo remains one of the strongest low-cost paid entries, especially for buyers who may care about channels beyond email later.
MailerLite
Free; Growing Business from $9/mo ($108 billed yearly)
MailerLite keeps one of the cleanest beginner-friendly price jumps from free into paid.
Upgrade Considerations
Where costs usually creep up.
- Check whether the visible price depends on annual billing before treating it as your likely monthly spend.
- Free plans are useful for testing but rarely answer the real buying question on branding, automation, or sending scale.
- The cheapest paid plan is only attractive if it avoids a fast second migration or a near-immediate feature wall.
- Price growth with contact count is often more important than the entry line itself.
Best Value By Scenario
Best value depends on what you care about.
Best lower-cost paid entry
Brevo
Best if you want one of the sharpest paid starting points without buying an obviously bare-bones tool.
Best clean beginner value
MailerLite
Best when simplicity and low-friction setup matter as much as budget.
Best creator-first paid value
Kit
Worth the higher paid price when creator monetization is central to the business model.
Read Next
Keep the shortlist moving.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the cheapest paid email marketing software worth using?
Brevo and MailerLite currently offer the strongest low-cost paid starts for most buyers, but the right choice depends on your workflow needs and upgrade tolerance.
Why is Mailchimp's starting price easy to misread?
Because the paid line most buyers notice is tied to plan type and trial context, not just a simple always-on monthly sticker.
Should I compare free plans or paid plans first?
If you are buying for a real workflow, compare paid-plan fit first. Free plans are useful for testing, not always for choosing long-term.
What matters more than entry price?
Billing terms, upgrade pressure, contact growth, and whether the tool still fits once your workflow becomes more than a few broadcasts.
Next Step
Check Brevo pricing before you decide.
Brevo is strongest when you want a lower-cost entry and may later care about more than email alone.
Pricing and plan terms change. Check the official page before you make a decision.