ChatGPT answers, unedited

Yes. If you mean a genuinely free tier that lets you collect consent and export your contact data, the strongest shoestring options I’d look at are:

My picks

1. Brevo — best if GDPR documentation is the priority.
Brevo has dedicated GDPR fields that record newsletter consent, plus a GDPR declaration explaining the data transfer to Brevo. It also supports double opt-in forms. Brevo Help Brevo Help Its free plan currently allows 300 emails/day, with no credit card required. Brevo

2. MailerLite — probably the nicest budget choice for a tiny list.
Its forms have explicit GDPR-compliant marketing-permission fields, privacy-policy options, and consent checkboxes. MailerLite MailerLite You can export subscribers to CSV/Excel and choose which fields are included—useful if you want to preserve consent-related fields in your own backup. MailerLite

One important 2026 wrinkle: MailerLite changed its free plan in June. As of August 2026, the limit is 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, rather than the older 500/12,000 limits you may see in older comparisons. MailerLite

What I'd choose

For a shoestring GDPR-conscious setup:

• Brevo if you want the strongest out-of-the-box consent workflow and don't mind the 300/day sending cap.
• MailerLite if you're under ~250 subscribers and want a very simple newsletter workflow.
• Keep your own periodic CSV backup containing email, consent status, consent purpose, signup date/source, and unsubscribe status. An export feature is useful, but GDPR compliance is ultimately about your processes too—not simply choosing a "GDPR-compliant" vendor.

Also, don't treat a checkbox alone as making an email program GDPR-compliant. You should have an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where consent is the basis, records sufficient to demonstrate that consent, an unsubscribe mechanism, and procedures for deletion/access requests.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have and how many emails/month you send, I can narrow this to the cheapest 2–3 options.

One important 2026 wrinkle: MailerLite changed its free plan in June. As of August 2026, the limit is 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, rather than the older 500/12,000 limits you may see in older comparisons.

What I'd choose

For a shoestring GDPR-conscious setup:

For a shoestring budget, I’d focus on tools that do three things well:

1. Collect explicit consent (checkboxes, GDPR fields, double opt-in, consent records)
2. Let you export subscriber data (for GDPR access/portability requests)
3. Provide deletion tools and a DPA (data processing agreement) where needed

Here are the strongest low-cost/free options:

My shortlist for a tiny GDPR-conscious operation

1. Brevo — best overall value

• Good fit if you have EU subscribers or want a more GDPR-native setup.
• Includes GDPR form fields and consent handling features. help.brevo.com
• Free tier is generous for small send volumes. delahayesolutions.com

2. MailerLite — easiest for non-technical users

• Clean signup forms.
• Good consent workflow for newsletters.
• Easier learning curve than many marketing suites. www.sequenzy.com

3. Mailchimp — best if you need integrations

• Strong documentation and recognizable platform.
• GDPR fields can capture explicit marketing permissions, and exports can include consent-related information. mailchimp.com

Minimum setup I’d use regardless of tool

• Use an unchecked consent checkbox (“I agree to receive marketing emails…”)
• Link your privacy policy on the signup form
• Enable double opt-in if practical (especially for EU audiences)
• Keep records of:
  • who consented
  • when they consented
  • what they agreed to
  • how they signed up
• Periodically export your list so you have your own backup

One caveat: a tool having GDPR features does not automatically make your email program GDPR-compliant—the wording of your consent request, your lawful basis, retention practices, and handling of deletion requests still matter. mailcompare.eu

For a one-person business or nonprofit with <5,000 subscribers, I’d usually start with Brevo or MailerLite, then move up only when automation needs justify the cost.

For a shoestring-budget GDPR email setup, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite first. Both currently have genuinely free plans and provide built-in consent collection plus contact export.

1. Brevo — best overall

Brevo's free plan is unusually generous on contacts: 100,000 contacts and 300 email sends/day. Brevo Help Brevo

Its signup forms have a dedicated GDPR field for newsletter consent and a GDPR Declaration explaining the processing relationship. It also supports double opt-in. Brevo Help Brevo Help

More importantly for GDPR record-keeping, Brevo records the subscription time and form ID as proof of consent, and says that information can be exported. Its contact export can include attributes and subscription status in CSV. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Verdict: I'd choose this if your priority is maintaining a defensible consent trail without paying.

2. MailerLite — best for a tiny list

MailerLite's free plan is now considerably smaller: 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. This changed in June 2026. MailerLite MailerLite

Its forms specifically offer GDPR-compliant marketing-permission checkboxes, a consent checkbox, and a privacy-policy option. MailerLite MailerLite You can also enable double opt-in. MailerLite

Subscriber groups and segments can be exported, with additional visible subscriber fields included in the export. MailerLite MailerLite

Verdict: Great if you're under 250 subscribers and want a particularly easy newsletter builder.

One important GDPR caveat

A tool being "GDPR compliant" doesn't make your email program automatically GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear consent language where consent is your basis, records showing what people agreed to, appropriate unsubscribe/withdrawal mechanisms, and proper handling of access/deletion requests.

For the specific requirement you gave—free + consent fields + exportable records—I'd rank them:

1. Brevo → strongest choice for GDPR auditability
2. MailerLite → simplest choice for a very small list

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have and how many emails/month you send, I can narrow this down further (including whether a self-hosted option like listmonk could get your ongoing cost essentially to $0).

If you mean free plans that give you both a way to capture/record consent and a practical way to export subscriber data, the strongest shoestring options I found are:

1. Brevo — my pick for compliance on $0

Brevo explicitly provides a GDPR field that records newsletter consent and a GDPR Declaration explaining that subscriber data is processed by Brevo. Its forms can also use double opt-in, and Brevo records the resulting consent status. help.brevo.com

The free plan currently allows 300 email sends per day and up to 100,000 stored contacts. help.brevo.com

For evidence/portability, Brevo supports CSV exports of campaign data, including timestamps and IP addresses that can help document consent. help.brevo.com

Verdict: If GDPR documentation is your priority, I'd start here.

2. MailerLite — easiest for a small newsletter

MailerLite's forms have built-in GDPR-friendly settings, including permission checkboxes and double opt-in. It also explicitly supports exporting subscriber data. www.mailerlite.com

The catch is the free plan was tightened in 2026: it's now 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. www.mailerlite.com

Verdict: Excellent if your list is genuinely small and you want a straightforward newsletter interface.

3. Buttondown — minimalist alternative

Buttondown says it is GDPR compliant and stores subscription-related metadata such as the IP address and referrer. Subscribers can request their data or deletion, and the service says those requests are honored. buttondown.com

Its data model is deliberately minimal, and its documentation supports importing/exporting subscriber information in CSV-style formats. www.mailerlite.comdocs.buttondown.com

Verdict: Particularly attractive if you want to minimize the amount of personal data held by your email provider.

One important GDPR caveat

A tool being "GDPR compliant" doesn't make your email program automatically GDPR compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where consent is required, a privacy notice, unsubscribe mechanism, retention practices, and a way to handle access/deletion requests.

For a $0 setup, I'd rank them:

Brevo → MailerLite → Buttondown

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have and whether you're emailing customers, prospects, or a newsletter audience, I can narrow this to the cheapest setup that covers consent records, exports, double opt-in, and unsubscribe requirements.

If you’re optimizing for GDPR-friendly consent collection + easy data export + $0 cost, I’d shortlist these three:

1. Brevo — my pick

Brevo's signup forms have a dedicated GDPR field for recording newsletter consent and a GDPR declaration explaining the processing relationship. It also supports double opt-in. help.brevo.comhelp.brevo.com

The free plan currently allows 300 emails/day and up to 100,000 stored contacts, although automation has a 2,000-contact limit. help.brevo.com

Caveat: Brevo's consent-groups feature is reserved for Professional/Enterprise, so for a shoestring setup I'd use separate lists/purposes rather than relying on consent groups. help.brevo.comhelp.brevo.com

2. MailerLite — easiest small-list choice

MailerLite provides GDPR-compliant marketing-permission checkboxes, privacy-policy fields, and double opt-in in its forms. www.mailerlite.com

Its free plan was tightened in 2026 to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. www.mailerlite.com

Importantly for GDPR portability, you can export subscribers as CSV or CSV-for-Excel, including selectable fields/groups. www.mailerlite.com

3. Sender — strongest free-volume option

Sender's free plan is unusually generous: 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, with signup forms, automation and GDPR compliance tools included. www.sender.net

Its export function can include subscription status, registration dates, groups and custom fields, and supports CSV/XLSX. www.sender.net

My ranking

For a tiny organization/startup: MailerLite → simplest.

For maximum GDPR-oriented functionality at $0: Brevo → my choice.

For sending lots of email without paying: Sender → strongest free allowance.

One important distinction: no email platform makes your marketing automatically GDPR-compliant. You remain the data controller and need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where required, privacy notice, unsubscribe mechanism, retention practices, and procedures for access/deletion requests. The tools mainly give you the machinery to implement and document those requirements.

For a shoestring budget, I’d focus on tools that do three things well:

1. collect explicit consent (checkboxes, consent wording, timestamps, double opt-in where useful),
2. let you export subscriber data (for GDPR data portability requests),
3. provide basic GDPR controls without needing enterprise plans.

Here are the strongest free or near-free options:

My shortlist for a tiny budget

1. Brevo — best compliance/value balance

• Good if you need documented consent records, exports, and GDPR-oriented workflows.
• Free plan is attractive because pricing is based more around sending volume than simply having a large contact database. www.sequenzy.comwww.brevo.com

2. MailerLite — easiest for a small newsletter

• Strong signup-form experience.
• Good choice if you mainly need a clean newsletter list with consent history and occasional exports. www.mailerlite.com

3. Sender — cheapest “just get compliant basics working” option

• Worth considering if your list is small and cost is the main constraint. www.sequenzy.comwww.brevo.com

Minimum GDPR setup regardless of tool

Make sure your signup process has:

• an unchecked consent checkbox (no pre-ticked boxes),
• clear wording about what emails people will receive,
• a link to your privacy policy,
• stored proof of consent (date/time, form version, source),
• unsubscribe links in every marketing email,
• a way to export and delete subscriber data when requested.

A free tool can help you implement this, but it does not make the mailing practice automatically GDPR-compliant—the consent wording, audience source, and processes still matter. help.brevo.com

For a one-person business or small nonprofit, I’d usually start with Brevo or MailerLite and only move to a paid platform when automation or CRM needs justify it.

Yes. For a shoestring-budget GDPR setup, the strongest free options I found are Brevo, Sender, and MailerLite. All three have both consent-collection fields and contact-data export, but they differ in how much consent evidence they preserve.

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is particularly attractive if GDPR evidence is important. Its signup forms have a dedicated GDPR checkbox and declaration, and Brevo says each contact profile records the subscription time and form ID; that consent information can be exported. help.brevo.com

Its free tier is also unusually generous on contacts: up to 100,000 stored contacts, although you're limited to 300 email sends per day. help.brevo.com

Sender is the budget-volume alternative

Sender's free plan currently allows 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month. www.sender.net Its forms have a dedicated confirmation/consent checkbox, and it supports double opt-in. The consent action is recorded with the subscriber record. www.sender.net

It also lets you export subscriber information to CSV or XLSX, including subscription status, custom fields, and registration/activity dates. www.sender.net

MailerLite is good if your list is tiny

MailerLite's current free plan is considerably smaller—250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails following its June 2026 changes. www.mailerlite.com

It does, however, have explicit GDPR marketing-permission checkboxes, consent checkboxes, privacy-policy fields, and double opt-in. www.mailerlite.com Subscriber data can be exported to CSV/Excel with selectable fields. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com

Bottom line: I'd choose Brevo if your priority is defensible consent records and portability; Sender if you need the most free email volume; and MailerLite if you're under ~250 subscribers and want a simple interface.

One important caveat: having GDPR fields doesn't itself make your emailing GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where consent is the basis, privacy information, unsubscribe handling, retention/deletion procedures, and appropriate processor/data-transfer arrangements.

Yes. For a shoestring-budget GDPR email setup, the strongest free options I’d shortlist are:

My pick: Brevo

Brevo's free plan currently allows 300 emails/day, and its signup-form builder has an explicit GDPR field and GDPR declaration for collecting and documenting consent. It also supports double opt-in. help.brevo.com

That's particularly useful because you don't just want a checkbox—you want an auditable record of what the person consented to and when. Brevo documents CSV export of campaign data, including dates/times and IP information that can be useful as consent evidence. help.brevo.com

MailerLite is a close second

MailerLite's free plan includes signup forms, and its forms have GDPR-friendly settings for adding checkboxes and permissions. It also supports double opt-in and subscriber-data exports. www.mailerlite.com

I'd choose it if your priority is a clean, easy-to-use newsletter builder rather than maximizing compliance tooling.

Mailchimp works, but the free limit is restrictive

Mailchimp has unusually detailed GDPR functionality: separate marketing-permission checkboxes, editable legal text, and records of the form version a subscriber saw. Its exports can include marketing permissions, OPTIN_TIME, OPTIN_IP, CONFIRM_TIME, and CONFIRM_IP. mailchimp.com

The downside is the current free plan: 250 contacts and 500 sends/month, so you can outgrow it quickly. mailchimp.com

Bottom line:
Brevo → best value/compliance combination
MailerLite → simplest low-cost newsletter setup
Mailchimp → strongest consent audit trail, but the free tier is tiny

One important caveat: having GDPR fields doesn't itself make your email operation GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent, privacy information, unsubscribe handling, retention/deletion procedures, and appropriate processor/DPA arrangements. Mailchimp explicitly makes this distinction in its GDPR documentation. mailchimp.com

For a shoestring budget, I’d prioritize tools that give you these GDPR basics without needing expensive add-ons:

• Explicit consent capture (unchecked opt-in boxes, consent records, double opt-in)
• Consent history/audit trail (when, where, and how someone subscribed)
• Subscriber data export (for GDPR data portability requests)
• Deletion tools (right to erasure)
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA) availability

A few free or free-to-start options that fit:

www.sequenzy.commailtoolfinder.comwww.sequenzy.com

My shortlist for a tiny budget

1. Brevo — strongest GDPR value

• Good choice if you need a defensible consent trail.
• Includes GDPR-oriented forms, double opt-in, consent records, and export/deletion capabilities. www.sequenzy.commailtoolfinder.comwww.sequenzy.com
• The free tier is usually enough for very small newsletters. www.sequenzy.com

2. MailerLite — easiest for non-technical users

• Clean newsletter workflow.
• Supports GDPR signup forms, consent capture, and subscriber exports. www.sequenzy.commailtoolfinder.comwww.sequenzy.com

3. Sender — cheapest “just get compliant basics working” option

• Useful if your list is small and cost is the main constraint.
• Offers consent management, GDPR forms, and export/deletion features. www.sequenzy.com

Avoid this common mistake

A tool having a “GDPR checkbox” does not automatically make your email program compliant. You still need to:

• make the checkbox optional and unchecked by default,
• state exactly what marketing the person is agreeing to,
• store proof of consent,
• honor unsubscribe and deletion requests. mailcompare.eu

If I were setting up a small newsletter or side project under €0–10/month, I’d start with Brevo or MailerLite and configure:

1. GDPR consent checkbox
2. Double opt-in
3. Privacy notice link
4. Regular subscriber export backups
5. A process for deletion requests

www.sequenzy.commailtoolfinder.comwww.sequenzy.com

Yes. For a shoestring GDPR-oriented setup, I’d shortlist these three free/forever-free options:

My pick

1. Brevo is probably the best balance. Its signup forms have a dedicated GDPR field and declaration, and its free plan is unusually generous on contacts. help.brevo.comwww.mailerlite.com

2. Zoho Campaigns is particularly interesting if data portability is a priority. It explicitly supports exporting subscriber personal data in machine-readable formats, and its contact exports include formats such as CSV, XLS and JSON. www.zoho.com

3. MailerLite is attractive if you want something simpler. Its free plan includes signup forms, and its forms support GDPR-oriented permission checkboxes and double opt-in; subscriber lists can be exported as CSV. www.mailerlite.com

One important caveat: a tool being GDPR-friendly doesn't make your email program automatically GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where consent is your basis, privacy information, unsubscribe handling, retention practices, and a way to honor access/deletion requests.

If your requirements are specifically “free + explicit consent checkbox + consent evidence + one-click personal-data export,” I'd choose Zoho Campaigns or Brevo first.

Yes. If by “consent fields” you mean built-in signup-form fields/checkboxes that record marketing consent, and by “data export” you mean being able to export your subscriber/contact data, the strongest shoestring options I found are:

Brevo is probably the sweet spot. Its signup forms have a specific GDPR field for newsletter consent and a separate declaration explaining the transfer of submitted data to Brevo. It also supports separate consent purposes through multiple lists and double opt-in. help.brevo.com Its free plan currently allows 300 email sends/day and 100,000 stored contacts, although the daily sending limit is quite restrictive for a larger list. help.brevo.com

MailerLite is especially attractive for a small list. Its forms provide GDPR-friendly settings, checkboxes and pre-written permission text, plus double opt-in; it explicitly advertises subscriber-data export. www.mailerlite.com The free tier is currently 250 subscribers / 2,500 emails per month. www.mailerlite.com

One important caveat: a tool being “GDPR compliant” doesn't make your email program automatically GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where required, privacy notice, unsubscribe mechanism, retention/deletion procedures, and a way to honor data-subject requests.

If you're starting from scratch with almost no budget, I'd pick Brevo unless your list will stay under ~250 people, in which case MailerLite is arguably simpler.

Yes. If your priority is GDPR-friendly consent capture + the ability to get your data back without paying, the strongest shoestring options I found are:

1. Brevo — my first choice

Brevo has a particularly good GDPR setup. Its signup forms have a dedicated GDPR field for explicit newsletter consent plus a GDPR Declaration explaining that the data is processed by Brevo. It records the subscription timestamp and form ID as proof of consent, and that proof can be exported. help.brevo.com

The free plan currently allows 300 email sends/day and up to 100,000 contacts, although the daily sending limit can become the practical constraint. help.brevo.com

Why I'd pick it: You get actual consent documentation rather than merely putting a checkbox on a form.

2. MailerLite — very good for a small list

MailerLite offers GDPR-friendly signup forms with permission checkboxes and double opt-in, and it explicitly supports exporting subscriber data. www.mailerlite.com

One important current catch: as of August 13, 2026, its free plan is capped at 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. www.mailerlite.com

Why I'd pick it: Probably the easiest choice if you're a tiny organization and want a conventional email-marketing interface.

3. Buttondown — excellent privacy posture, but more DIY consent

Buttondown is explicitly GDPR-compliant and says subscribers can request their data or deletion. It also supports subscriber data export/import, including metadata and subscription dates. buttondown.com

It mandates double opt-in by default, which gives you strong evidence that the person actually confirmed the subscription. help.brevo.combuttondown.comdocs.buttondown.comdocs.buttondown.com However, its standard signup form isn't as turnkey for GDPR consent wording as Brevo: you can add custom checkbox fields/metadata yourself. docs.buttondown.com

Why I'd pick it: If minimizing data collection and vendor complexity matters more than having a sophisticated marketing platform.

Bottom line

For a shoestring GDPR setup, I'd rank them:

🥇 Brevo — best combination of explicit consent records, exportability, and free capacity.
🥈 MailerLite — easiest small-list newsletter solution, but the new 250-subscriber free limit is restrictive.
🥉 Buttondown — strongest minimalist/privacy-oriented choice, but you'll need to be more deliberate about configuring your consent field.

One caveat: no email platform makes your email marketing automatically GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where consent is your basis, privacy information, retention practices, and a way to honor access/deletion/withdrawal requests. The tools mainly help you capture and document that process.

If you're choosing specifically for <250 subscribers and essentially $0/month, I'd go with Brevo vs. MailerLite, with Brevo winning if GDPR auditability is the priority.

For a shoestring-budget setup, I’d shortlist Brevo, MailerLite, and Sender. The important distinction is that “GDPR-compliant” software doesn’t make your mailing automatically GDPR-compliant—you still need a lawful basis, appropriate privacy notice, proper consent where required, retention practices, etc.

1. Brevo — my first choice

Brevo has unusually explicit GDPR tooling. Its form builder has a dedicated GDPR field for newsletter consent and a GDPR Declaration explaining the processing relationship; it also supports double opt-in. help.brevo.com

More importantly for GDPR record-keeping, you can export contacts along with custom attributes and subscription status as CSV. Brevo also documents exporting campaign data that can contain information useful for demonstrating consent, such as click date/time and IP address. help.brevo.com

Its current free plan is $0, with up to 100,000 stored contacts and 300 emails/day. help.brevo.com

Best if: you care more about maintaining an auditable consent trail than maximizing monthly sends.

2. MailerLite — easiest for a small newsletter

MailerLite's forms support dedicated GDPR marketing-permission fields, consent checkboxes, privacy-policy fields, and double opt-in. www.mailerlite.com

It also explicitly supports exporting subscribers as CSV, and MailerLite says its GDPR functionality includes consent tracking and the ability to access/download subscriber data. www.mailerlite.com

The catch in 2026 is the free-plan size: it now allows 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. www.mailerlite.com

Best if: you're a tiny organization/creator and want a clean, straightforward newsletter workflow.

3. Sender — strongest free volume

Sender currently offers a free-forever plan with 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, plus forms, popups, automation and GDPR/CAN-SPAM compliance tools. www.sender.net

I'd put it behind Brevo/MailerLite specifically for a GDPR-focused evaluation because I'd want to verify exactly which consent/proof fields are included in the export before relying on it for a data-subject-access or consent-record workflow.

Best if: sending volume is your biggest constraint.

My ranking

For GDPR + $0: Brevo > MailerLite > Sender

If you're selecting one specifically because you anticipate GDPR access/erasure/consent requests, I'd choose Brevo. Its combination of explicit consent fields, double opt-in, subscription-status export, and consent-related campaign data makes the audit trail particularly useful. help.brevo.com

One practical tip: don't just export the email address. Ideally retain/export the subscriber's consent status, consent date/time, source/form, consent wording/version, and relevant unsubscribe/withdrawal information. That evidence is much more useful than merely having a CSV of your mailing list.

Yes. For a shoestring GDPR-oriented setup, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite first, with Mailchimp as a third option.

1. Brevo — my pick

Brevo's signup forms have an explicit GDPR field for consent and a GDPR Declaration explaining the processing relationship. It also supports double opt-in. help.brevo.com

Its current free plan is particularly generous on contacts: up to 100,000 contacts, although you're limited to 300 email sends per day. help.brevo.com

It also provides CSV exports, including contact-related campaign data. help.brevo.com

Why I'd choose it: if your list might grow substantially but you don't send huge campaigns every day, the free tier is unusually useful.

2. MailerLite — best simple alternative

MailerLite's free plan currently allows 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. www.mailerlite.com

Its signup forms support consent-oriented configurations and double opt-in, and MailerLite explicitly says subscriber data can be exported. www.mailerlite.com

Why choose it: the interface is geared toward straightforward newsletters and small businesses, so it's a good option if 250 subscribers is plenty for now.

3. Mailchimp

Mailchimp remains viable if you already use it or need its integrations. Its GDPR tooling can record consent for different marketing purposes rather than treating consent as a single generic checkbox. www.sequenzy.com

I'd put it behind Brevo/MailerLite for a new, ultra-budget GDPR setup, though, because the free-plan economics are less compelling.

Important GDPR caveat

A tool being "GDPR-compliant" doesn't automatically make your email operation GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate legal basis, clear consent language where consent is the basis, records showing what people consented to, an easy unsubscribe mechanism, appropriate privacy information, and procedures for access/deletion requests.

Bottom line:

• ≤250 subscribers: MailerLite is very easy and inexpensive (free).
• Potentially thousands of contacts: Brevo is the standout free option.
• Already invested in Mailchimp: it can work, but I wouldn't choose it solely for a shoestring GDPR setup.