ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a shoestring budget, I’d look first at Brevo, MailerLite, and Mailchimp. All three have free tiers and documented consent/data-export capabilities, though the details differ.

What I'd check before choosing

For actual GDPR compliance, a checkbox alone isn't enough. Ideally your tool should preserve:

• What the person consented to (specific purpose/newsletter)
• When they consented
• How/where they consented
• The relevant consent wording/version
• Double-opt-in evidence, if you use it
• Unsubscribe/withdrawal history
• Ability to export an individual's data
• Ability to delete/anonymize data when required
• A DPA and appropriate processor/subprocessor arrangements

One important distinction: “GDPR-compliant tool” doesn't make your email operation automatically GDPR-compliant. Your form wording, lawful basis, privacy notice, retention practices, international data transfers, and what you're actually emailing people still matter.

For a very small list: MailerLite is worth examining because its free tier includes forms, double opt-in and subscriber export. For particularly explicit built-in consent controls: Brevo's GDPR form functionality is documented very clearly. Brevo Help MailerLite

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have (e.g. 100, 500, 2,000) and whether they're EU/EEA customers, I can narrow this to the genuinely free options and compare their limits and GDPR data-handling features.

For a shoestring GDPR setup, these free tiers have both consent-collection fields and contact export:

• Brevo — GDPR-specific consent checkbox/declaration fields; contacts can be exported as CSV. Brevo Help Brevo Help
• MailerLite — GDPR marketing-permission checkboxes on forms and CSV subscriber export. Current free tier: 250 subscribers / 2,500 emails per month. MailerLite MailerLite MailerLite
• Mailchimp — GDPR opt-in checkboxes plus exportable marketing permissions and opt-in timestamps/IP information. Mailchimp Mailchimp

Practical shortlist: Brevo is particularly useful if you expect a larger contact database; MailerLite is viable for a very small list; Mailchimp has particularly detailed consent evidence.

These features don't by themselves make an email program GDPR-compliant—you still need an appropriate legal basis, transparent privacy information, records of consent, and functioning unsubscribe/rights processes.

For a shoestring-budget setup, I’d shortlist Brevo, MailerLite, and Buttondown. The important distinction is that a tool having “GDPR features” doesn’t by itself make your email program GDPR-compliant—you still need an appropriate lawful basis, privacy notice, records of consent, unsubscribe handling, retention practices, and a suitable DPA where applicable.

*Free-plan limits can change; MailerLite's current official documentation says its June 2026 free-plan update reduced the allowance to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails. MailerLite

1. Brevo — my first choice

Brevo has unusually good built-in consent tooling for a free plan. Its signup forms have a dedicated GDPR field where subscribers actively consent, plus a GDPR declaration explaining that their information is processed by Brevo. It also supports double opt-in. Brevo Help Brevo Help

It also lets you export campaign data as CSV, including data by contact, which is useful for retaining evidence of consent and other compliance records. Brevo Help

Best if: you want a conventional email-marketing platform and want the compliance mechanics reasonably integrated into the product.

2. MailerLite — easiest small-business choice

MailerLite provides GDPR-friendly signup settings, permission checkboxes and double opt-in. Its documentation also explicitly says subscriber data can be exported. MailerLite MailerLite

The catch is the current free-plan ceiling: 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month after its June 2026 changes. MailerLite

Best if: you're starting with a genuinely small list and value ease of use over maximum free capacity.

3. Buttondown — appealing for a privacy-first newsletter

Buttondown explicitly describes itself as GDPR-compliant and says it doesn't collect subscriber data beyond what's needed by default. Its GDPR documentation covers deletion rights, while its data-import documentation demonstrates CSV-based subscriber portability. Buttondown Buttondown Buttondown Docs

I'd choose it particularly for a simple newsletter, rather than a marketing-heavy business with sophisticated segmentation and automation.

Bottom line

If your priority is specifically “free + documented consent + easy evidence/export”, I'd rank them:

1. Brevo — strongest combination of consent tooling and export/compliance functionality.
2. MailerLite — easiest for a small list.
3. Buttondown — strongest minimalist/privacy-oriented choice.

One important caveat: don't treat a consent checkbox as proof of GDPR compliance by itself. For EU/EEA marketing, I'd configure explicit opt-in + double opt-in, link your privacy notice directly from the signup form, avoid pre-ticked boxes, keep the consent wording/version and timestamp, and periodically export your records.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have and whether you're sending newsletters, sales emails, or both, I can narrow this to the cheapest setup and show exactly which GDPR fields/settings to use.

It also lets you export campaign data as CSV, including data by contact, which is useful for retaining evidence of consent and other compliance records. Brevo Help

Best if: you want a conventional email-marketing platform and want the compliance mechanics reasonably integrated into the product.

2. MailerLite — easiest small-business choice

MailerLite provides GDPR-friendly signup settings, permission checkboxes and double opt-in. Its documentation also explicitly says subscriber data can be exported. MailerLite MailerLite

The catch is the current free-plan ceiling: 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month after its June 2026 changes. MailerLite

Best if: you're starting with a genuinely small list and value ease of use over maximum free capacity.

3. Buttondown — appealing for a privacy-first newsletter

Buttondown explicitly describes itself as GDPR-compliant and says it doesn't collect subscriber data beyond what's needed by default. Its GDPR documentation covers deletion rights, while its data-import documentation demonstrates CSV-based subscriber portability.

I'd choose it particularly for a simple newsletter, rather than a marketing-heavy business with sophisticated segmentation and automation.

Bottom line

If your priority is specifically “free + documented consent + easy evidence/export”, I'd rank them:

Yes. If your priority is GDPR-friendly consent capture + the ability to export your contact data without paying, three options stand out in 2026:

1. brevo.com — my first choice

Brevo has a purpose-built GDPR field for signup forms that records newsletter consent, alongside a privacy-policy declaration. Brevo Help

Its free plan currently allows 300 emails/day and up to 100,000 contacts. Brevo Help You can also export contacts and choose their attributes and subscription information in CSV format. Brevo Help

A particularly useful feature for GDPR record-keeping is that Brevo documents exporting proof of consent from campaign reports. Brevo Help

Verdict: Best combination of free capacity, consent tooling, and exportability.

2. sender.net — excellent shoestring choice

Sender's free plan explicitly includes TCPA & GDPR consent collection, plus unlimited custom fields. Sender It also advertises GDPR compliance and EU data residency on the free tier. Sender

You can export subscribers to CSV or XLSX, including subscription status, groups, custom fields, and registration dates. Sender Sender Sender also supports double opt-in for signup forms. Sender

Verdict: Probably the best alternative if you want lots of functionality without paying.

3. mailerlite.com — good for a small list

MailerLite's forms can include GDPR-compliant marketing-permission checkboxes and consent checkboxes. MailerLite Subscriber data can be exported to CSV or Excel, with selectable fields. MailerLite

The catch is the current free plan: since June 2026 it's limited to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails per 30 days. MailerLite MailerLite

Verdict: Very nice interface and good compliance fundamentals, but the free ceiling is considerably lower.

My ranking

1. Brevo — best overall GDPR/free combination
2. Sender — best if keeping costs at exactly $0 is the priority
3. MailerLite — best simple option for a very small newsletter

One important caveat: having a GDPR consent checkbox doesn't itself make your email program GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific wording, privacy information, unsubscribe/withdrawal mechanisms, appropriate retention practices, and a way to respond to access/deletion requests.

For a shoestring setup, I'd choose Brevo + double opt-in + a separate, explicit marketing consent checkbox + regular CSV exports of the consent/subscription data.

A particularly useful feature for GDPR record-keeping is that Brevo documents exporting proof of consent from campaign reports. Brevo Help

Verdict: Best combination of free capacity, consent tooling, and exportability.

2. sender.net — excellent shoestring choice

Sender's free plan explicitly includes TCPA & GDPR consent collection, plus unlimited custom fields. Sender It also advertises GDPR compliance and EU data residency on the free tier. Sender

You can export subscribers to CSV or XLSX, including subscription status, groups, custom fields, and registration dates. Sender Sender Sender also supports double opt-in for signup forms. Sender

Verdict: Probably the best alternative if you want lots of functionality without paying.

3. mailerlite.com — good for a small list

MailerLite's forms can include GDPR-compliant marketing-permission checkboxes and consent checkboxes. mailerlite.com Subscriber data can be exported to CSV or Excel, with selectable fields. mailerlite.com

The catch is the current free plan: since June 2026 it's limited to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails per 30 days.

Yes. For a shoestring GDPR setup, my shortlist is:

• Brevo — best overall: consent/opt-in tooling, consent logs, deletion and data export; free tier supports up to 300 emails/day. Sequenzy Free Alternatives To
• MailerLite — excellent consent forms with GDPR checkboxes, permissions and double opt-in; subscriber data can be exported to CSV. Free tier is now 250 subscribers / 2,500 emails monthly. MailerLite MailerLite
• Buttondown — very privacy-focused and GDPR-compliant, with minimal data collection; best for a simple newsletter, though its free tier is only about 100 subscribers. Buttondown Sequenzy

My pick: Brevo if you expect the list to grow; MailerLite if consent-form controls are your priority.

Remember that a tool being “GDPR-compliant” doesn't make your mailing automatically compliant—you still need appropriate lawful consent, records, privacy notices, and unsubscribe/erasure processes. Sequenzy

Yes. For a shoestring-budget GDPR setup, I’d shortlist these three:

1. brevo.com — best overall

Brevo's free plan currently allows 300 emails/day and up to 100,000 contacts. Brevo Help Brevo

Its signup forms have dedicated GDPR fields and a GDPR declaration, so you can capture consent and link your privacy policy directly in the form. It also supports double opt-in. Brevo Help Brevo Help

For data portability, Brevo lets you export contacts and their attributes—including subscription status—to CSV. Brevo Help

Verdict: probably the strongest choice if you want GDPR-oriented features without paying.

2. mailerlite.com — easiest small-list option

MailerLite's current free plan is 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

Its forms include GDPR-friendly settings, permission checkboxes, and double opt-in. MailerLite

You can export subscribers to CSV or CSV-for-Excel, selecting the fields you want—including additional subscriber fields. MailerLite

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

3. sender.net — worth considering

Sender's free plan explicitly includes TCPA & GDPR consent collection, plus signup forms and unlimited custom fields. Sender

It also supports exporting subscriber data to CSV or XLSX, including subscription status, groups, registration dates, and custom fields. Sender Sender

Verdict: particularly attractive if you want more flexible contact data while staying free.

My ranking

1. Brevo — best combination of GDPR tooling, exports, and generous free limits.
2. MailerLite — best if you're under ~250 subscribers and value simplicity.
3. Sender — strong alternative with explicit GDPR consent collection and robust exports.

One important caveat: having a GDPR consent checkbox doesn't itself make your email program GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear consent wording, records demonstrating consent, privacy information, unsubscribe mechanisms, retention practices, and processes for data-subject 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/best choice for your situation.

For data portability, Brevo lets you export contacts and their attributes—including subscription status—to CSV. Brevo Help

Verdict: probably the strongest choice if you want GDPR-oriented features without paying.

2. mailerlite.com — easiest small-list option

MailerLite's current free plan is 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

Its forms include GDPR-friendly settings, permission checkboxes, and double opt-in. MailerLite

You can export subscribers to CSV or CSV-for-Excel, selecting the fields you want—including additional subscriber fields. MailerLite

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

3. sender.net — worth considering

Sender's free plan explicitly includes TCPA & GDPR consent collection, plus signup forms and unlimited custom fields.

It also supports exporting subscriber data to CSV or XLSX, including subscription status, groups, registration dates, and custom fields.

Yes. For a shoestring-budget GDPR setup, I’d shortlist these:

1. Brevo — my pick

help.brevo.com

Brevo has an actual GDPR field you can add to signup forms, plus a GDPR declaration explaining that the data is processed by Brevo. It also supports double opt-in. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Importantly for your question, Brevo documents exporting campaign/contact data as CSV, including information useful for demonstrating consent. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Why I'd choose it: you get a relatively complete consent → confirmation → export trail without immediately paying.

2. MailerLite — easiest DIY option

mailerlite.com

MailerLite's free plan includes signup forms, and its forms have built-in GDPR settings with checkboxes and pre-written permissions. It also supports double opt-in and subscriber-data export. MailerLite MailerLite

Why choose it: probably the least intimidating option if you're setting everything up yourself.

3. Mailchimp — strongest consent evidence of the three

mailchimp.com

Mailchimp's GDPR forms provide explicit marketing-permission checkboxes. Its exports can include marketing permissions, opt-in time, opt-in IP, confirmation time, and confirmation IP, which is particularly useful when you need to demonstrate how/when consent was obtained. Mailchimp Mailchimp

The downside is that Mailchimp can be more cumbersome than Brevo/MailerLite for a very small operation.

4. Buttondown — excellent minimalist alternative

buttondown.com

Buttondown is interesting if you primarily need a simple newsletter, rather than a full marketing platform. It says subscribers can request their data or deletion, and its import/export workflow is straightforward CSV-based. Buttondown Buttondown Docs

I'd rank it below the first three if documentable marketing consent is your primary requirement, because its GDPR approach isn't as centered on dedicated consent fields.

Bottom line

For your specific requirements, I'd go:

1. Brevo — best balance of free + explicit consent capture + evidence/export.
2. MailerLite — easiest low-cost setup.
3. Mailchimp — strongest documented consent metadata, but more complexity.
4. Buttondown — best minimalist newsletter, less ideal if you need formal consent-record tooling.

One important caveat: a tool having a “GDPR field” does not itself make your emailing GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific wording, records of consent, unsubscribe handling, appropriate privacy notices, and a suitable DPA/processor arrangement. Mailchimp explicitly makes this distinction in its documentation. Mailchimp

If you tell me your approximate list size (e.g. <500, 500–2,000, 2,000–10,000), I can narrow this down to the cheapest setup with the least GDPR paperwork.

Importantly for your question, Brevo documents exporting campaign/contact data as CSV, including information useful for demonstrating consent. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Why I'd choose it: you get a relatively complete consent → confirmation → export trail without immediately paying.

2. MailerLite — easiest DIY option

mailerlite.com

MailerLite's free plan includes signup forms, and its forms have built-in GDPR settings with checkboxes and pre-written permissions. It also supports double opt-in and subscriber-data export. MailerLite MailerLite

Why choose it: probably the least intimidating option if you're setting everything up yourself.

3. Mailchimp — strongest consent evidence of the three

mailchimp.com

Mailchimp's GDPR forms provide explicit marketing-permission checkboxes. Its exports can include marketing permissions, opt-in time, opt-in IP, confirmation time, and confirmation IP, which is particularly useful when you need to demonstrate how/when consent was obtained. Mailchimp Mailchimp

The downside is that Mailchimp can be more cumbersome than Brevo/MailerLite for a very small operation.

4. Buttondown — excellent minimalist alternative

buttondown.com

Buttondown is interesting if you primarily need a simple newsletter, rather than a full marketing platform. It says subscribers can request their data or deletion, and its import/export workflow is straightforward CSV-based. buttondown.com docs.buttondown.com

I'd rank it below the first three if documentable marketing consent is your primary requirement, because its GDPR approach isn't as centered on dedicated consent fields.

Bottom line

For your specific requirements, I'd go:

For a shoestring budget, focus on tools that give you (1) explicit consent capture fields, (2) consent records/logs, and (3) subscriber data export/deletion. A tool being “GDPR-friendly” does not replace your own need to collect valid consent and keep records. MailCompare.eu

Here are the strongest low-cost/free options:

Brevo Help Mailflow Authority## My shortlist for a tiny budget

1. Brevo — strongest GDPR value

• Free tier available.
• Has dedicated GDPR form fields and consent declarations.
• Supports double opt-in.
• Provides subscriber data management tools, including export/deletion workflows. Brevo Help MailToolFinder
• Good fit if you have EU customers or want a privacy-focused setup.

2. MailerLite — simplest for a small list

• Clean signup forms.
• Consent collection and export features.
• Easier learning curve than many larger platforms. Mailflow Authority

3. Mailchimp — acceptable if you already know it

• GDPR fields can be enabled on signup forms.
• Lets you track different marketing permissions.
• Export tools are available.
• Watch the free-plan limits and the fact that it is a US-based provider, which may require considering international data-transfer arrangements for EU data. Sequenzy MailToolFinder

Minimum GDPR setup checklist (even on a free plan)

• Use an unchecked-by-default checkbox for marketing consent.
• State exactly what the person is signing up for (“monthly product updates,” not vague “news”).
• Store: - date/time of consent
• signup source/form
• consent wording shown
• subscriber identity
• Enable double opt-in if appropriate.
• Keep an easy unsubscribe link in every marketing email.
• Test that you can export a subscriber’s data and delete it if requested. Brevo Help MailCompare.eu

If I were setting up a zero-to-low-cost GDPR email stack, I’d usually pick:

1. Brevo for EU-facing businesses,
2. MailerLite for a simple newsletter,
3. Mailchimp if integrations and familiarity matter more than keeping everything EU-centered. delahayesolutions.com MailToolFinder

If you're optimizing for GDPR compliance on a shoestring budget, I'd shortlist these:

1. MailerLite — my pick for most small organizations

MailerLite's signup forms have built-in GDPR settings, including checkboxes and pre-written permissions, and it supports double opt-in. Its free plan includes signup forms, and MailerLite explicitly says subscriber data can be exported. MailerLite MailerLite

That's a particularly good combination if you want something inexpensive without building your own consent-management system.

mailerlite.com

2. Brevo — strongest choice for consent evidence

Brevo has a dedicated GDPR field and GDPR Declaration in its signup forms. More importantly, its contact profiles record the exact subscription time and form ID, and Brevo says that information is exportable as proof of consent. Brevo Help Brevo Help

That's valuable if your concern isn't merely collecting consent, but being able to demonstrate how and when consent was obtained.

One caveat: Brevo's more sophisticated consent groups are restricted to Professional/Enterprise plans, although the basic GDPR field is available in the form builder. Brevo Help

brevo.com

3. Buttondown — excellent if you just need a newsletter

Buttondown takes a minimalist approach: it says it doesn't collect subscriber information beyond what is necessary, provides unsubscribe/data-deletion mechanisms, and lets subscribers request a copy of their data. Buttondown

Its documentation also supports moving subscriber data via CSV, including subscription dates, tags and metadata, which is useful for portability. Buttondown Docs

buttondown.com

My ranking

• Best all-around: MailerLite
• Best if proving consent is especially important: Brevo
• Best ultra-simple newsletter: Buttondown

One important distinction: having a GDPR checkbox doesn't by itself make your email program GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific wording, privacy information, unsubscribe handling, retention practices, and—where relying on consent—records sufficient to demonstrate that consent.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have (e.g. <500, 1,000, 5,000), I can compare the actual free-tier limits and identify the cheapest option.

mailerlite.com

2. Brevo — strongest choice for consent evidence

Brevo has a dedicated GDPR field and GDPR Declaration in its signup forms. More importantly, its contact profiles record the exact subscription time and form ID, and Brevo says that information is exportable as proof of consent. Brevo Help Brevo Help

That's valuable if your concern isn't merely collecting consent, but being able to demonstrate how and when consent was obtained.

One caveat: Brevo's more sophisticated consent groups are restricted to Professional/Enterprise plans, although the basic GDPR field is available in the form builder. Brevo Help

brevo.com

3. Buttondown — excellent if you just need a newsletter

Buttondown takes a minimalist approach: it says it doesn't collect subscriber information beyond what is necessary, provides unsubscribe/data-deletion mechanisms, and lets subscribers request a copy of their data.

Its documentation also supports moving subscriber data via CSV, including subscription dates, tags and metadata, which is useful for portability.

For a shoestring budget, look for more than a “GDPR compliant” label. The useful features are:

• Consent capture fields (unchecked opt-in checkbox, consent date/time, source/form tracking, double opt-in)
• Subscriber data export (CSV or equivalent for GDPR access/data portability requests)
• Deletion tools (for right-to-erasure requests)
• DPA availability (Data Processing Agreement)
• Affordable free tier

A few free or nearly-free options that fit:

Sequenzy MailToolFinder## My shortlist for a tiny budget

1. Brevo — probably the strongest fit if GDPR is the priority. It combines a free tier with consent records, data-request tooling, and EU-focused privacy positioning. Brevo
2. MailerLite — a good choice if you only need newsletters and a clean signup flow. MailerLite MailToolFinder
3. Sender — worth considering if your main constraint is list size and cost. Sequenzy

Minimum setup I’d use for GDPR on a shoestring

• Add a separate unchecked marketing consent checkbox (don’t rely on a pre-ticked box).
• Enable double opt-in if your audience is in the EU/EEA.
• Keep a record of: - email address
• consent timestamp
• signup source/form
• consent wording shown
• Have a privacy policy linked directly on the signup form.
• Periodically export your subscriber list so you are not locked into one provider.
• Remove contacts who withdraw consent.

A free tool can help you meet the technical side, but GDPR compliance still depends on your process: lawful basis, privacy notice, retention rules, and how you handle requests. MailCompare.eu

For the lowest-cost compliant stack, I’d usually pick Brevo + a simple GDPR-reviewed signup form + a privacy policy page. Brevo

If your priorities are GDPR-friendly consent capture + the ability to export your data without paying, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is particularly attractive on a shoestring budget because its form builder has a built-in GDPR field and GDPR declaration, and it supports double opt-in. help.brevo.com

More importantly for GDPR portability/accountability, you can export contacts as CSV and include custom contact attributes and subscription status in the export. help.brevo.com Brevo also documents exporting campaign data that can help retain evidence around consent/activity. help.brevo.com

MailerLite is a good alternative

MailerLite supports signup forms, custom fields and GDPR-related subscriber functionality, while subscriber lists can be exported as CSV or CSV-for-Excel. www.mailerlite.com

One important 2026 update: MailerLite reduced its Free plan to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails in June 2026. www.mailerlite.com

For a tiny list, I'd choose MailerLite if simplicity matters most; for stronger built-in consent tooling and portability, I'd choose Brevo.

One caveat: “GDPR-capable” isn't the same as automatically GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where required, privacy information, unsubscribe functionality, retention/deletion procedures, and appropriate processor/DPA arrangements.

Yes. If your priorities are $0 cost + explicit consent capture + easy data export, the strongest options I’d shortlist are:

1. brevo.com — my first choice

Brevo has a particularly useful built-in GDPR workflow: its signup forms can include a dedicated GDPR field for consent, a GDPR declaration explaining the transfer of submitted data to Brevo, multiple consent purposes/lists, and double opt-in. Brevo Help

Its current free plan is $0, with up to 100,000 stored contacts and 300 email sends/day. Brevo Help

One caveat: some more advanced consent-group functionality is restricted to paid Professional/Enterprise plans. Brevo Help

2. mailerlite.com — excellent for a tiny list

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

Importantly for GDPR portability, you can export subscribers as CSV or CSV-for-Excel, so you're not locked into the platform. MailerLite

3. Sender — worth considering for a larger free audience

Sender's free tier is substantially more generous on list size/sending volume than MailerLite according to current 2026 comparisons, while supporting GDPR-oriented signup/consent functionality. MailToolFinder Sequenzy

Bottom line: I'd pick Brevo if GDPR documentation/consent handling is the priority, MailerLite if you're under ~250 subscribers and want a simple interface, and Sender if the free subscriber allowance is the deciding factor.

One important distinction: having a “GDPR field” doesn't by itself make your email marketing GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific wording, records of consent where relying on consent, an unsubscribe mechanism, appropriate processor/DPA arrangements, 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/best option and give you a GDPR-ready signup-form setup.

If you're optimizing for GDPR-friendly consent capture + easy data portability + $0/month, I’d shortlist these:

1. Brevo — my first pick

Brevo has dedicated GDPR fields in its signup-form builder: a consent checkbox plus a GDPR declaration explaining that subscriber data is processed by Brevo. It also supports double opt-in. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Its current Free plan is $0, with 300 email sends/day and storage for up to 100,000 contacts. Brevo Help Brevo Help

For portability, Brevo lets you export contacts and their attributes—including subscription status—to CSV. Brevo Help

Why I'd choose it: the unusually large free contact allowance means you don't have to migrate just because your list grows, provided your sending volume stays modest.

brevo.com

2. MailerLite — excellent for a tiny list

MailerLite supports signup forms, double opt-in, and subscriber consent management, and explicitly offers subscriber-data export. MailerLite MailerLite

One important 2026 change: its Free plan was cut to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month in June 2026. MailerLite

Why choose it: if you're comfortably under 250 subscribers, it's a straightforward, inexpensive setup with good form and newsletter functionality.

mailerlite.com

3. Mailchimp — strongest documentation around consent evidence

Mailchimp has dedicated GDPR signup fields and can record opt-in information. Its exported audience data can include OPTIN_TIME and OPTIN_IP, which is useful when you need evidence of when/how someone subscribed. Mailchimp Mailchimp

It also supports audience exports to CSV. Mailchimp

Why choose it: if maintaining an auditable consent trail is more important to you than getting the most generous free sending allowance.

mailchimp.com

Bottom line

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

1. Brevo — best combination of free allowance, consent tooling, and export.
2. MailerLite — best if your list is under 250 people.
3. Mailchimp — particularly attractive if you value detailed opt-in evidence.

One caveat: “GDPR-compliant tool” doesn't automatically make your email marketing GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where consent is required, records of consent, an unsubscribe mechanism, appropriate retention/deletion practices, and the necessary processor/DPA arrangements.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have and how many emails/month you send, I can pick the cheapest setup and flag the GDPR settings I'd turn on.

For portability, Brevo lets you export contacts and their attributes—including subscription status—to CSV. Brevo Help

Why I'd choose it: the unusually large free contact allowance means you don't have to migrate just because your list grows, provided your sending volume stays modest.

brevo.com

2. MailerLite — excellent for a tiny list

MailerLite supports signup forms, double opt-in, and subscriber consent management, and explicitly offers subscriber-data export. MailerLite MailerLite

One important 2026 change: its Free plan was cut to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month in June 2026. MailerLite

Why choose it: if you're comfortably under 250 subscribers, it's a straightforward, inexpensive setup with good form and newsletter functionality.

mailerlite.com

3. Mailchimp — strongest documentation around consent evidence

Mailchimp has dedicated GDPR signup fields and can record opt-in information. Its exported audience data can include OPTIN_TIME and OPTIN_IP, which is useful when you need evidence of when/how someone subscribed.

It also supports audience exports to CSV.

Why choose it: if maintaining an auditable consent trail is more important to you than getting the most generous free sending allowance.

For a shoestring-budget setup, I’d shortlist these free tiers:

1. Brevo — strongest GDPR feature set

Brevo's forms have a specific GDPR field for consent and a GDPR Declaration explaining data processing. It also supports double opt-in, which is useful for maintaining evidence of consent. Brevo Help Brevo Help

For data portability, Brevo lets you export contacts to CSV and choose custom attributes and subscription status, which is particularly useful if you need to demonstrate or migrate consent records. Brevo Help Brevo API Documentation

I'd pick this if GDPR compliance is your primary concern.

2. Sender — best value if your list is bigger

Sender's free plan currently allows 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month. Its signup forms include GDPR consent collection and unlimited custom fields. Sender

It also supports double opt-in and lets you export subscriber data as CSV or XLSX, including when responding to individual data-access requests. Sender

I'd pick this if keeping costs at $0 while accommodating a reasonably large list matters most.

3. MailerLite — good lightweight choice

MailerLite supports exporting subscribers as CSV, with control over which fields are included. MailerLite

It's a sensible choice for a small newsletter, although I'd put Brevo ahead of it if explicit consent-record handling is central to your GDPR workflow.

One important GDPR caveat

A tool being advertised as “GDPR compliant” doesn't make your email program GDPR compliant by itself. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear consent language where consent is the basis, records showing what people consented to, an easy withdrawal mechanism, appropriate privacy notices, and procedures for access/deletion requests.

My ranking for your exact criteria: Brevo → Sender → MailerLite. If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have and how many emails/month you send, I can narrow this to the cheapest practical choice.

If you’re optimizing for GDPR-friendly consent collection + portability while spending $0, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is the strongest match if documentable consent is your priority. Its signup-form builder has a dedicated GDPR field that records newsletter consent and links to your privacy policy, plus a GDPR Declaration explaining that Brevo processes the submitted data. It also supports double opt-in. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Its free plan is genuinely $0, with 300 emails/day and up to 100,000 stored contacts. Brevo Help And you can export contacts to CSV, including custom attributes and subscription status—useful for GDPR portability/access requests or migrating providers. Brevo Help Brevo Developers

brevo.com

MailerLite

MailerLite is attractive if your list is tiny and you want a more traditional newsletter builder. Its free plan was changed in June 2026 to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails. MailerLite MailerLite

Its forms support double opt-in, custom fields, and subscriber-consent-oriented signup workflows, and MailerLite explicitly says subscriber data can be exported. MailerLite MailerLite

mailerlite.com

Buttondown

Buttondown is worth considering if you want something extremely lightweight. It states that it is GDPR compliant, minimizes the data it collects, and gives subscribers rights to request access or deletion. Buttondown The free tier covers the first 100 subscribers. Buttondown

The caveat is that it isn't as strong as Brevo for a built-in, explicit GDPR consent-field workflow. If proving exactly what consent wording someone accepted is important, I'd choose Brevo instead.

buttondown.com

Bottom line: For a shoestring GDPR setup, I'd use Brevo + a double-opt-in form + a specific consent checkbox + privacy-policy link + keep your own periodic CSV backup. Remember that a tool being GDPR-capable doesn't by itself make your email program GDPR-compliant—you still need an appropriate lawful basis, transparent notice, retention practices, and a way to honor withdrawal/access/deletion requests.

If you’re optimizing for GDPR support + genuinely free use, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is unusually strong for a shoestring GDPR setup because it doesn't merely give you a generic checkbox. Its form builder has a dedicated GDPR field and GDPR declaration, supports separate lists for different consent purposes, and supports double opt-in. Brevo Help Brevo Help

More importantly for accountability, Brevo says each contact profile records the exact subscription time and form ID, and that this proof of consent is exportable. Its contact-export API can also include metadata and marketing subscription status. Brevo Help Brevo

That combination is what I'd prioritize over simply asking, "Does the service have a GDPR checkbox?"

One caveat: using a GDPR-friendly email provider doesn't itself make your emailing GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose-specific consent where required, privacy information, unsubscribe handling, retention/deletion procedures, and appropriate processor/DPA arrangements.

Also, if you're emailing people in France, there's a particularly important 2026 wrinkle: CNIL's April 2026 recommendation concerns consent for individual email tracking pixels, separately from consent to receive the emails. Brevo Help

If you tell me your approximate list size (e.g. <100, 100–250, 250–1,000), I can narrow this to the cheapest 2–3 options and compare their exact free-plan limits and GDPR export capabilities.

Yes. For a shoestring-budget GDPR setup, I’d shortlist these:

1. Brevo — my first choice

Brevo explicitly provides a GDPR field for collecting newsletter consent and a GDPR Declaration explaining the processing relationship. It also supports double opt-in forms. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Its current free plan is unusually generous for a tiny operation: 300 emails/day and up to 100,000 stored contacts, although the sending limit is the important practical constraint. Brevo Help Brevo Help

One caveat: some more sophisticated consent-group functionality is paid-only, so don't confuse that with the basic GDPR field, which is available for forms. Brevo Help

2. MailerLite — best for simplicity

MailerLite's forms have built-in GDPR-friendly settings, including consent checkboxes and permissions, and support double opt-in. MailerLite

The current Free plan is smaller than it used to be: 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

Crucially for portability, MailerLite lets you export subscribers as CSV, which is useful for fulfilling data-portability requirements and avoiding vendor lock-in. MailerLite

3. Mailchimp — viable, but I'd rank it third

Mailchimp's GDPR-enabled audiences retain the marketing permissions, opt-in timestamp/IP information, and confirmation information in exports. Mailchimp

That's particularly useful if your concern is being able to demonstrate when and how someone opted in rather than merely having their email address.

Bottom line

If I were starting a tiny GDPR-conscious newsletter today:

1. Brevo — best combination of free capacity + explicit consent tooling.
2. MailerLite — easiest choice for a small list and straightforward operation.
3. Mailchimp — solid consent/export records, but I'd choose the first two for a shoestring budget.

One important distinction: having a GDPR checkbox doesn't by itself make your email operation GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear purpose/consent wording, records of consent, unsubscribe capability, privacy notice, retention/deletion procedures, and appropriate data-processing arrangements with the provider.

Brevo explicitly provides a GDPR field for collecting newsletter consent and a GDPR Declaration explaining the processing relationship. It also supports double opt-in forms. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Its current free plan is unusually generous for a tiny operation: 300 emails/day and up to 100,000 stored contacts, although the sending limit is the important practical constraint. Brevo Help Brevo Help

One caveat: some more sophisticated consent-group functionality is paid-only, so don't confuse that with the basic GDPR field, which is available for forms. Brevo Help

2. MailerLite — best for simplicity

MailerLite's forms have built-in GDPR-friendly settings, including consent checkboxes and permissions, and support double opt-in. MailerLite

The current Free plan is smaller than it used to be: 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

Crucially for portability, MailerLite lets you export subscribers as CSV, which is useful for fulfilling data-portability requirements and avoiding vendor lock-in. MailerLite

3. Mailchimp — viable, but I'd rank it third

Mailchimp's GDPR-enabled audiences retain the marketing permissions, opt-in timestamp/IP information, and confirmation information in exports.

For a shoestring-budget GDPR-compliant email setup, look for more than just a “GDPR checkbox.” A good tool should help you capture explicit consent, store proof of that consent, let users unsubscribe/manage preferences, and allow data export for access requests. Sequenzy MailCompare.eu

Here are the strongest free (or genuinely low-cost) options:

Sequenzy MailToolFinder## My shortlist for a very small business

1. Brevo — best “GDPR-first” budget choice

• Free tier is practical if you send occasional newsletters rather than huge campaigns.
• Strong fit if you want: - consent records,
• double opt-in,
• unsubscribe handling,
• contact export/deletion workflows.
• EU-based vendor, which can simplify privacy discussions for EU customers. Sequenzy SaaS Radar

2. MailerLite — easiest for non-technical users

Good choice if you need:

• embedded signup forms,
• consent checkboxes,
• simple newsletters,
• easy subscriber management.

It is often recommended for small organizations because the GDPR controls are relatively straightforward to configure. Sequenzy

3. Mailchimp — acceptable, but watch the limits

Mailchimp has mature GDPR tooling:

• consent fields by purpose,
• export capabilities,
• deletion workflows.

The trade-off is that free-plan limits are tighter and, as a US-based provider, you should pay attention to your data-transfer arrangements and DPA settings if you handle EU residents’ data. Sequenzy MailCompare.eu

Minimum GDPR setup checklist (regardless of tool)

• Use a clear unticked checkbox for marketing consent (no pre-checked boxes).
• Explain: - what emails people will receive,
• who processes the data,
• how they can unsubscribe.
• Enable double opt-in where appropriate.
• Keep a record of: - date/time of consent,
• signup source/form,
• consent wording shown.
• Make sure you can: - export a person’s data,
• delete their data,
• prove why you were allowed to email them.

For a solo business, nonprofit, or small mailing list, I’d usually start with Brevo or MailerLite and only move to a larger platform when automation needs justify the cost. delahayesolutions.com

Yes. If by “GDPR-compliant” you mean the tool supports collecting consent and lets you export your contact data, rather than guaranteeing your entire setup is GDPR-compliant, there are several good free options.

1. Brevo — best overall

Brevo has an explicit GDPR field for signup forms: subscribers can check consent to receive newsletters, with a link to your privacy policy. It also provides a GDPR declaration block. Brevo Help

Its free plan is particularly attractive on a budget because the contact allowance is generous while sending is capped at 300 emails/day. Current 2026 comparisons put the free contact allowance at up to roughly 100,000. Accelrio Jobbers

I'd choose this if you're building a list that might grow beyond a few hundred people but only sending a newsletter occasionally.

2. MailerLite — excellent for very small lists

MailerLite has built-in GDPR settings, including consent checkboxes and pre-written permissions, plus double opt-in. It also explicitly supports exporting subscriber data. MailerLite MailerLite

The catch is that its free plan changed substantially in June 2026: it's now 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

So it's a very nice option if you're genuinely under 250 subscribers, but I'd pick Brevo if you're expecting rapid list growth.

3. HubSpot — strongest compliance/data controls

HubSpot's forms can capture both consent to data processing and consent to communications, and the resulting contact record stores the legal basis/communication consent. HubSpot Knowledge Base

It also has robust export functionality: contacts, properties, associations, and even historical property information can be exported. Those export capabilities are available across its plans, including free CRM functionality. HubSpot Knowledge Base HubSpot Knowledge Base

The downside is that HubSpot is more CRM than lightweight newsletter tool, and its free marketing-email allowance is relatively restrictive.

What I'd pick

• ≤250 subscribers: MailerLite is probably the simplest.
• Growing list / lowest long-term cost: Brevo.
• Need CRM + consent records + exports: HubSpot.
• Need actual GDPR compliance: whichever you choose, configure the form and consent wording correctly; the software's GDPR features alone don't make your marketing legally compliant.

For GDPR, I'd specifically look for documented consent, purpose-specific opt-ins, double opt-in where appropriate, unsubscribe handling, retention/deletion controls, and the ability to export the relevant consent/contact records—not merely a checkbox labeled “I agree.”

help.brevo.com
mailerlite.com
knowledge.hubspot.com

I'd choose this if you're building a list that might grow beyond a few hundred people but only sending a newsletter occasionally.

2. MailerLite — excellent for very small lists

MailerLite has built-in GDPR settings, including consent checkboxes and pre-written permissions, plus double opt-in. It also explicitly supports exporting subscriber data. MailerLite MailerLite

The catch is that its free plan changed substantially in June 2026: it's now 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

So it's a very nice option if you're genuinely under 250 subscribers, but I'd pick Brevo if you're expecting rapid list growth.

3. HubSpot — strongest compliance/data controls

HubSpot's forms can capture both consent to data processing and consent to communications, and the resulting contact record stores the legal basis/communication consent. knowledge.hubspot.com

It also has robust export functionality: contacts, properties, associations, and even historical property information can be exported. Those export capabilities are available across its plans, including free CRM functionality.

The downside is that HubSpot is more CRM than lightweight newsletter tool, and its free marketing-email allowance is relatively restrictive.

What I'd pick

For a GDPR-conscious email setup on a shoestring budget, look for more than a “GDPR compliant” badge. The useful features are:

• Consent fields (checkboxes, marketing permissions, consent timestamp/source logging)
• Double opt-in
• Subscriber data export (for access/portability requests)
• Deletion tools
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Reasonable free tier limits MailCompare.eu MailToolFinder

Here are the strongest low-cost/free options:

Sequenzy Fit Small Business## My shortlist for a tiny budget

1. Brevo — best GDPR-first free choice

• Free tier is generous for small send volumes.
• Supports consent records, double opt-in, exports, and deletion workflows.
• EU-based company and EU data handling options make it attractive for GDPR-heavy use cases. Sequenzy MailToolFinder

Best for: a small business, nonprofit, freelancer, or community newsletter.

2. MailerLite — easiest for beginners

• Strong signup forms with consent options.
• Good subscriber management and export tools.
• Simple interface for newsletters and basic automation. MailToolFinder

Best for: newsletters where you want minimal setup.

3. Mailchimp — usable, but watch the free limits

• Has GDPR consent fields and permission tracking.
• Good integrations.
• You may need to document international data-transfer safeguards depending on your audience/location. MailToolFinder

Best for: teams already using its ecosystem.

Minimum GDPR setup checklist (regardless of tool)

• Add an unchecked consent checkbox on signup forms.
• Record: - what the person consented to
• date/time
• signup source/form
• Enable double opt-in if appropriate.
• Keep a privacy notice linked near the form.
• Make unsubscribe easy.
• Test that you can export a subscriber record and delete it. MailCompare.eu

For a shoestring setup, I would usually start with Brevo or MailerLite, then move to a paid platform only when automation needs become more complex. delahayesolutions.com

Yes. If your priority is GDPR-friendly signup/consent capture + the ability to get your subscriber data back out, I’d shortlist these:

1. Brevo — my first choice

Brevo is particularly attractive for GDPR record-keeping because it has a dedicated OPT_IN contact attribute that records whether someone checked the GDPR field on your signup form, plus a DOUBLE_OPT-IN attribute for confirmed subscriptions. Brevo Help

Its export function can include custom contact attributes and subscription status, which is useful if you need to demonstrate or migrate consent information rather than merely export email addresses. Brevo Help Brevo API Documentation

The free plan is unusually generous on stored contacts: up to 100,000 contacts, although you're limited to 300 email sends per day. Brevo Help

Best if: you want a proper consent trail and expect your list to grow.

2. MailerLite — easiest small-business choice

MailerLite has signup forms with double opt-in, and its free plan includes three signup forms/pop-ups. MailerLite MailerLite

You can export subscribers to CSV or CSV-for-Excel, and choose which fields/columns to include. MailerLite

One important 2026 change: MailerLite reduced its free allowance to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite

Best if: you're starting with a genuinely small mailing list and want the least complicated interface.

3. Buttondown — minimalist/privacy-first

Buttondown explicitly describes itself as GDPR-compliant and privacy-focused. Its free tier covers the first 100 subscribers. Buttondown Buttondown

It also explicitly supports deletion requests from subscribers, including immediate deletion of their address from its servers. Buttondown

I'd rank it behind Brevo/MailerLite for your specific requirement, though, because you're looking for consent fields plus exportable consent data. Buttondown is more compelling if minimizing data collection and complexity is the primary goal.

My recommendation

For GDPR + $0 budget + exportability, I'd choose:

1. Brevo — strongest combination of consent tracking and export.
2. MailerLite — easiest if you have <250 active subscribers.
3. Buttondown — best if privacy/minimalism matters more than sophisticated consent-field management.

One caveat: a tool being GDPR-compliant doesn't make your email marketing automatically GDPR-compliant. Your signup wording, lawful basis, purpose limitation, record-keeping, privacy notice, retention/deletion process, and unsubscribe mechanism still need to be appropriate to your situation. For consent-based marketing, I'd specifically enable double opt-in and retain/export the relevant consent metadata rather than relying on an email address alone.

Brevo is particularly attractive for GDPR record-keeping because it has a dedicated OPT_IN contact attribute that records whether someone checked the GDPR field on your signup form, plus a DOUBLE_OPT-IN attribute for confirmed subscriptions. Brevo Help

Its export function can include custom contact attributes and subscription status, which is useful if you need to demonstrate or migrate consent information rather than merely export email addresses. Brevo Help Brevo API Documentation

The free plan is unusually generous on stored contacts: up to 100,000 contacts, although you're limited to 300 email sends per day. Brevo Help

Best if: you want a proper consent trail and expect your list to grow.

2. MailerLite — easiest small-business choice

MailerLite has signup forms with double opt-in, and its free plan includes three signup forms/pop-ups. MailerLite MailerLite

You can export subscribers to CSV or CSV-for-Excel, and choose which fields/columns to include. MailerLite

One important 2026 change: MailerLite reduced its free allowance to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite

Best if: you're starting with a genuinely small mailing list and want the least complicated interface.

3. Buttondown — minimalist/privacy-first

Buttondown explicitly describes itself as GDPR-compliant and privacy-focused. Its free tier covers the first 100 subscribers. buttondown.com buttondown.com

It also explicitly supports deletion requests from subscribers, including immediate deletion of their address from its servers. buttondown.com

I'd rank it behind Brevo/MailerLite for your specific requirement, though, because you're looking for consent fields plus exportable consent data. Buttondown is more compelling if minimizing data collection and complexity is the primary goal.

My recommendation

For GDPR + $0 budget + exportability, I'd choose:

If you mean free-forever email marketing tools where the free tier itself gives you both consent/permission fields and contact/data export, the strongest options I’d shortlist are:

1. Brevo — my pick

Brevo is particularly good if GDPR evidence matters. Its signup forms have a dedicated GDPR field and declaration, and it records consent in the contact profile. The consent timestamp/form information can be exported. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Its free plan is currently 300 emails/day with no credit card, and Brevo explicitly advertises customizable forms, consent records and data-request management as GDPR features. Brevo

The export is also unusually useful: you can export contact attributes, subscription status and other fields to CSV. Brevo Help

Why I'd choose it: you get a reasonably complete consent audit trail without paying.

2. MailerLite — excellent for very small lists

MailerLite's forms have built-in GDPR settings, including consent checkboxes and permission language, plus double opt-in. MailerLite

The catch is the current free limit: 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

So it's attractive if you're genuinely tiny, but the subscriber ceiling can become restrictive quickly.

3. Mailchimp — strongest traditional audit trail

Mailchimp's GDPR fields include explicit opt-in checkboxes and editable explanations of how personal data will be used. Mailchimp

Its exports can include marketing permissions, opt-in time/IP, and double-opt-in confirmation time/IP, which is valuable if you ever need to demonstrate how someone consented. Mailchimp Mailchimp

The downside is simply that Mailchimp's free allowance is relatively restrictive compared with Brevo.

My recommendation

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

1. Brevo — best combination of free capacity + consent evidence + export.
2. MailerLite — nicest choice for a very small newsletter.
3. Mailchimp — particularly attractive if detailed opt-in audit records are your priority.

One important caveat: a tool being GDPR-capable doesn't make your emailing GDPR-compliant by itself. Your form should use genuinely informed, specific, affirmative consent (not a pre-ticked box), link to your privacy information, retain evidence of consent, and provide an easy withdrawal mechanism. Brevo, for example, explicitly says its GDPR checkbox must be unchecked by default. Brevo Help

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have and how often you send, I can narrow this to the cheapest practical choice.

The export is also unusually useful: you can export contact attributes, subscription status and other fields to CSV. Brevo Help

Why I'd choose it: you get a reasonably complete consent audit trail without paying.

2. MailerLite — excellent for very small lists

MailerLite's forms have built-in GDPR settings, including consent checkboxes and permission language, plus double opt-in. MailerLite

The catch is the current free limit: 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

So it's attractive if you're genuinely tiny, but the subscriber ceiling can become restrictive quickly.

3. Mailchimp — strongest traditional audit trail

Mailchimp's GDPR fields include explicit opt-in checkboxes and editable explanations of how personal data will be used. mailchimp.com

Its exports can include marketing permissions, opt-in time/IP, and double-opt-in confirmation time/IP, which is valuable if you ever need to demonstrate how someone consented.

The downside is simply that Mailchimp's free allowance is relatively restrictive compared with Brevo.

My recommendation

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

For a GDPR-conscious email setup on a shoestring, look for two core capabilities:

1. Consent capture — signup forms with GDPR checkbox fields, consent timestamps, double opt-in, and a record of what the person agreed to.
2. Data subject rights support — exporting subscriber data and deleting it when requested. Mailflow Authority

Here are some of the better free (or free-tier) options:

My shortlist for a shoestring budget

1. Brevo — strongest compliance/value balance

Good choice if GDPR is a priority. It is EU-based and offers consent tracking, double opt-in, exports, and deletion tools. Sequenzy Sequenzy

2. MailerLite — easiest for a small newsletter

A good fit if you mainly need:

• a signup form with a consent checkbox
• a clean subscriber list
• occasional exports/deletions

Mailflow Authority### 3. Mailchimp — easiest if you already use it

It supports GDPR fields and lets you export consent-related information such as signup timestamps from hosted forms. Mailchimp

Minimum GDPR setup regardless of tool

• Use an unchecked consent checkbox (never pre-ticked).
• State exactly what emails people are signing up for.
• Enable double opt-in where practical.
• Keep proof of consent (date/time, form source, wording shown).
• Have a process for: - exporting someone’s data
• deleting someone’s data
• honoring unsubscribes

A free tool alone does not make email GDPR-compliant; the configuration and recordkeeping matter. mailcompare.eu

For a one-person business or tiny newsletter, I’d usually start with Brevo or MailerLite; for a creator audience, Kit is worth considering; for maximum familiarity, Mailchimp works if configured carefully.

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

1. brevo.com — my first pick

Brevo's signup-form builder has a dedicated GDPR field for collecting newsletter consent and linking your privacy policy, plus a GDPR declaration explaining the transfer of submitted data to Brevo. It also supports double opt-in. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Its free plan currently allows 300 email sends/day and storage for up to 100,000 contacts, with no time limit. Brevo Help Brevo Help

For portability, Brevo supports CSV exports, including contact/list data and campaign data. It even documents exporting information useful for demonstrating consent, such as campaign click date/time and IP address. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Why I'd choose it: you get unusually strong consent tooling without paying, and the 300/day limit is generous for a small newsletter.

2. mailerlite.com — easiest alternative

MailerLite's free plan currently includes 2,500 emails/month, signup forms, and automation. MailerLite

Its forms support double opt-in, and you can use interest groups/fields to let subscribers choose what they want to receive. MailerLite explicitly advertises subscriber-data export, and its documentation says subscriber lists can be exported as CSV. MailerLite MailerLite

Why I'd choose it: particularly attractive if you're running a small newsletter and want a less complicated interface.

Bottom line

If GDPR consent evidence + portability are your top priorities, I'd start with Brevo. If you send relatively little email and prioritize simplicity, MailerLite is a very good free option.

One important caveat: a tool being “GDPR-compliant” doesn't make your mailing operation automatically GDPR-compliant. You still need an appropriate lawful basis, clear consent wording where consent is your basis, records of consent, an unsubscribe mechanism, appropriate privacy information, and a suitable data-processing agreement with the provider.

help.brevo.com is a particularly useful starting point.

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.