ChatGPT answers, unedited

If you're a solopreneur on a tight budget, I'd narrow it to Kit, Brevo, and MailerLite. The key question is whether you care more about keeping the monthly bill at $0 or having automations included at that price.

My practical take

If you're growing a newsletter/content-driven business: I'd start with Kit. Its free plan currently allows up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, plus tagging and segmentation. However, the catch is important: visual automations and email sequences aren't included on the free plan. Kit Kit Help Center

Once you need actual automated sequences, Kit's paid Creator plan currently starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers on monthly billing, with unlimited visual automations and email sequences. Kit

If automation needs to be free from day one: I'd look closely at Brevo. Its free plan includes email campaigns and marketing automation for up to 2,000 contacts, although you're limited to 300 email sends per day. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month. Brevo Help

If you want a conventional small-business email platform: MailerLite is also worth considering. It supports both regular campaigns/broadcasts and automated workflows, and its pricing structure was updated in 2026, so I'd check the current tier for your exact list size before committing. MailerLite MailerLite

What I'd do in your shoes

• Under 2,000 subscribers + need automations now: Brevo
• Under 10,000 + mostly newsletters/broadcasts: Kit Free
• You expect sophisticated creator funnels: Kit paid
• You want a general-purpose small-business email platform: MailerLite

One thing I'd not optimize for is the absolute cheapest first-year price. Look at the price when your list reaches 5k, 10k, and 25k subscribers—that's where some "cheap" platforms become surprisingly expensive.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 1k, 5k, 10k) and what your main automation is (welcome sequence, sales funnel, course, abandoned cart, etc.), I can compare the actual costs and features for your situation.

If automation needs to be free from day one: I'd look closely at Brevo. Its free plan includes email campaigns and marketing automation for up to 2,000 contacts, although you're limited to 300 email sends per day. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month.

For a solopreneur with a growing list, a tight budget, and a need for both automations + broadcasts, I’d narrow it to a few options rather than chasing the “most powerful” platform. The cheapest tool today can become expensive when your list hits 5k–20k subscribers, so the pricing model matters. etropo AiMarketer

My shortlist

MailToolFinder ChoicePilot## What I’d pick in your situation

Pick MailerLite if:

• You send weekly newsletters
• You need welcome sequences, lead magnets, and basic nurture flows
• You want something you can learn quickly
• You don’t want your email system becoming a second job

It’s usually the “sweet spot” for a solo business: enough automation without paying enterprise-style prices. SoloStack

Pick Brevo if:

• Your list is already getting large (for example, tens of thousands)
• You don’t email every subscriber constantly
• You care more about keeping monthly costs predictable

Because it uses send-volume pricing rather than purely subscriber-count pricing, it can stay economical for some larger lists. AiMarketer

Pick Kit if:

• Your business is built around content, courses, coaching, consulting, or a personal brand
• You use lots of tagging (“clicked this,” “bought that,” “interested in X”)
• Your emails are a major sales channel

It’s designed around creator-style funnels and broadcasts. MailToolFinder

What I would avoid for now

• ActiveCampaign: excellent, but many solo businesses pay for complexity they never use.
• Mailchimp: familiar, but its free tier has become less attractive for automation-focused users compared with some alternatives. TechRadar

A practical path

If I were setting up a lean solo business today:

1. Start with MailerLite if you’re under ~10k subscribers and want simplicity.
2. Move to Kit if your business becomes heavily creator/content-driven.
3. Consider Brevo if your list grows faster than your sending frequency.

A few details would change the recommendation:

• How many subscribers are you at now (500, 5k, 50k+)?
• What kind of business is it (creator/newsletter, ecommerce, consulting, SaaS, local service)?
• Do you need sales funnels (lead → nurture → purchase), or mainly newsletters + occasional promotions?

If you're a solopreneur on a tight budget, I’d narrow it to MailerLite, Brevo, and Kit. The biggest difference is how they charge you and whether advanced automations are included at the free/cheap tier.

My practical take

Start with MailerLite if you want the simplest all-around setup. Its free plan includes campaigns and automations, and the paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month. MailerLite

Consider Brevo if your list is growing quickly but you don't email everyone constantly. Its pricing is primarily based on email volume rather than simply the number of contacts; Starter begins at $9/month, while Standard adds unlimited-contact marketing automation starting at $18/month. Brevo Help Stackmerit

Consider Kit if your business is primarily content/creator-driven—newsletter, courses, digital products, coaching, etc. Its free plan is unusually generous: up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, but visual automations and sequences are paid features. Creator currently starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. kit.com help.kit.com

What I'd do in your shoes

If you're under ~2,500 subscribers and need both broadcasts + automated welcome/nurture sequences, I'd start with MailerLite. You get the core functionality without immediately committing to a substantial monthly bill.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many emails you send per month, and what kind of business you run, I can calculate the likely monthly cost of MailerLite vs Brevo vs Kit at your actual size.

If you’re a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d narrow it to MailerLite, Brevo, and Kit. The best choice depends mostly on list size and how sophisticated your automations need to be.

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com is probably the best overall value for your situation.

• Free: up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, campaigns, and 3 automations. MailerLite
• Paid: starts at $12/month for the Comfort plan, with 50 active automations and regular newsletter/broadcast capabilities. MailerLite
• You get landing pages, forms, automations, integrations, and email marketing in one relatively inexpensive package.

Why I'd choose it: It gives you the traditional "email marketing business" toolkit without immediately pushing you into a pricey plan.

The cheapest option: Kit

kit.com is extremely compelling if your list is still under 10,000 subscribers.

Its free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, plus forms, landing pages, tagging/segmentation, and digital products. Kit Kit Help Center

The catch: visual automations and automated email sequences require the paid Creator plan. Kit Help Center

So I'd pick Kit if you're primarily a creator/newsletter business and broadcasts are more important than complex automated funnels.

Best if your list is getting large: Brevo

brevo.com uses a somewhat different pricing model: you're primarily paying based on email volume, rather than simply the number of contacts.

• Free: 300 emails/day and up to 100,000 stored contacts.
• Starter: from $9/month, with no daily sending limit.
• Standard: from $18/month, adding unlimited-contact marketing automation, A/B testing, and advanced reporting. Brevo Help

That can be a great deal if you have lots of subscribers who don't receive emails frequently.

My quick decision rule

Bottom line: I'd start with MailerLite unless you're specifically building a creator/newsletter business, in which case I'd seriously consider Kit. Both let you start cheaply without having to migrate your entire business once you begin using automations.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2k, 10k) and how many emails you send per month, I can tell you which one is likely to be cheapest at your actual size.

If you're a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d narrow it to MailerLite, Kit, and Brevo.

My pick: MailerLite

For your specific situation, MailerLite is probably the sweet spot.

Its free plan gives you campaigns plus 3 automations, and once you outgrow it, the paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month. Its pricing is based on subscriber count and sending volume, rather than locking important functionality behind increasingly expensive tiers. MailerLite MailerLite

That makes it particularly attractive if you need things like:

• A welcome sequence
• Lead-magnet delivery
• Automated nurture emails
• Regular newsletters/broadcasts
• Segmentation
• Signup forms and landing pages

When I'd choose Kit instead

Kit is fantastic if you're primarily a creator, newsletter writer, coach, or content business.

The killer feature is its free plan: up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts. Kit Kit Help Center

The catch for you: visual automations require the paid Creator plan, currently $33/month at 1,000 subscribers. Kit

So if automations are non-negotiable while you're still on free, I'd take MailerLite.

When Brevo wins

Brevo is worth considering if you send lots of emails relative to your subscriber count.

Its free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts and includes automation for up to 2,000 contacts, but you're limited to 300 emails per day. Paid Starter starts at $9/month. Brevo Help

That pricing model can be excellent for certain businesses, but I think MailerLite is simpler for a typical solopreneur building an audience.

Bottom line:
👉 MailerLite if you want the best balance of cheap + easy + real automations.
👉 Kit if you're a creator and broadcasts/newsletters are the heart of your business.
👉 Brevo if sending volume is your biggest concern.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2,000, 10,000) and how many emails you expect to send per month, I can tell you which will be cheapest at your actual scale.

If you’re a solopreneur on a tight budget, I’d shortlist MailerLite, Kit, and Brevo. For your specific need—growing list + automations + regular broadcasts—my default pick is MailerLite.

🥇 My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com

MailerLite is probably the sweet spot for a bootstrapped business. Its free plan gives you campaigns, 3 automations, forms, a landing page, and 2,500 emails/month for up to 250 subscribers. Once you outgrow that, the paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month and includes 50 automations; pricing scales with your subscriber count. MailerLite MailerLite

I'd choose it if you want to build things like:

• Welcome sequence → nurture sequence → offer
• Lead magnet delivery
• Automated follow-ups
• Weekly newsletters/broadcasts
• Basic segmentation
• Landing pages and signup forms

🥈 If you're primarily a creator: Kit

kit.com

Kit is unusually generous for list growth: up to 10,000 subscribers for free, with unlimited broadcasts, forms, landing pages, tagging and segmentation. The catch is important: visual automations and automated sequences require the paid Creator plan. Kit Kit Help Center

So if your immediate priority is building a large newsletter cheaply, Kit is extremely compelling. If your priority is automation without paying, MailerLite wins.

🥉 Brevo if sending volume matters

brevo.com

Brevo's free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts and 300 emails/day, plus marketing automation for up to 2,000 contacts. Its paid Starter plan begins at $9/month, while Standard starts at $18/month and adds unlimited marketing automation. Brevo Help

The downside for a typical solopreneur is that its pricing/feature model is a little more complex than MailerLite's.

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with MailerLite unless you're specifically building a creator/newsletter business.

A simple progression would be:

0–250 subscribers: MailerLite free
→ 250–1,000: MailerLite Comfort
→ 1,000+: compare the current MailerLite cost against Kit/Brevo based on how much you're sending.

The key thing I'd avoid is choosing a platform based solely on its free subscriber limit. Automation availability and how the price scales as your list grows will matter much more once you're actually making money from the list.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2k, 10k) and how many emails you send per month, I can tell you which one is likely to be cheapest for your situation.

If you're a solo operator on a tight budget, I'd shortlist MailerLite, Brevo, and Kit. The best choice depends mostly on how fast your list is growing and how often you broadcast.

My pick: MailerLite

For most solopreneurs, MailerLite is the best balance of price + ease of use + automation. Current 2026 comparisons put its entry paid tier around $10/month, while it also offers a free tier, and it supports broadcasts, forms/landing pages, and automated sequences. Small Mail Hub SoloStack

Here's how I'd think about the alternatives:

• MailerLite — best overall: Simple interface, good automations, broadcasts, landing pages, and reasonable pricing as you grow. I'd choose this if you want a traditional email-marketing system without a lot of complexity.
• Brevo — best if your list is large but you don't email constantly: Brevo's pricing is primarily based on emails sent rather than contacts stored, which can be a huge advantage if you have, say, 5,000 subscribers but only send a couple of campaigns per month. Its Starter plan is around $9/month, with higher tiers adding more automation capabilities. EmailTooltester.com Sasanova
• Kit — best for creators: Its free plan can accommodate a surprisingly large list, and it's particularly good if your business revolves around content, courses, digital products, or a creator newsletter. SoloStack
• Moosend — worth considering if automation is your priority: Strong automation/segmentation for the price, but it doesn't have the same attractive permanent free starting point. Small Mail Hub
• beehiiv — I'd skip for now unless you're building a newsletter business: It's excellent for newsletter monetization, but its strengths are less relevant if your primary goal is nurturing prospects and selling your own products/services. SoloStack

The budget decision I'd make

If you have under ~1,000 subscribers, start with MailerLite and stay on the free/lowest tier as long as it meets your needs.

If you have several thousand subscribers already, I'd seriously consider Brevo, especially if you don't send emails every day.

If you're a creator selling courses, coaching, digital products, or memberships, I'd lean toward Kit.

One important caveat: don't choose based on the advertised starting price alone. Email platforms meter either contacts or email volume, so the cheapest platform at 500 subscribers can become much more expensive at 5,000. EmailTooltester.com emailbump.com

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now + how many emails you send per month, I can give you a much more concrete “choose X and you'll pay about $Y/month” recommendation.

For a solopreneur with a growing list, I’d avoid choosing based only on the cheapest starting price. The big question is: will it still be affordable at 5k–10k subscribers while giving you automations + broadcasts? Many tools get expensive as your list grows. Sequenzy etropo

My shortlist:

My recommendation by situation

• You have under ~5,000 subscribers and want easy setup:

→ MailerLite. It’s probably the best balance of cost, simplicity, and enough automation for a one-person business. Constant Contact

• Your list is growing fast and you email frequently:

→ Brevo. The pricing model can make more sense than paying for every subscriber. ChoicePilot

• You’re a content creator selling something (course, coaching, digital products):

→ Kit. The creator-focused workflow is a strong fit. Match VS

• You’re building complex funnels with lots of customer journeys:

→ ActiveCampaign, but I’d wait until the revenue justifies it. Compare BizTech

If I were starting a solo business today on a tight budget, I’d probably choose:

1. MailerLite first → build the list, welcome sequence, lead magnet delivery, weekly broadcasts.
2. Move to Kit or ActiveCampaign later only when automation complexity becomes a bottleneck.

A few automations I’d set up immediately:

• New subscriber welcome sequence (3–7 emails)
• Lead magnet delivery email
• “Interested but didn’t buy” follow-up
• Re-engagement campaign for inactive subscribers
• Weekly newsletter/broadcast template

If you tell me your current list size, monthly budget, and whether you sell services, courses, ecommerce, or content, I can narrow it to one choice.

If you’re a solopreneur on a tight budget with a growing list, I’d narrow it to MailerLite, Brevo, and Kit. The best choice depends mostly on how your list and sending volume will grow.

My pick: MailerLite

MailerLite is probably the best overall fit for you. It gives you broadcasts/newsletters, visual automations, landing pages, forms, segmentation, and a relatively inexpensive upgrade path without the complexity of something like ActiveCampaign. Recent 2026 comparisons consistently put it near the top for value and ease of use. Small Mail Hub ToolSkeptic

Why I'd choose MailerLite

You can build the stuff you actually need:

• Welcome sequence: signup → welcome email → wait → educational email → offer
• Broadcasts: weekly newsletters, launches, announcements
• Segmentation: separate customers, prospects, interests, etc.
• Forms/landing pages: useful if you don't already have those elsewhere
• Visual automation workflows: without needing a complicated marketing-automation system

The big advantage is that it's simple enough that you'll actually use it, while still giving you room to grow. Current comparisons put its paid entry tier around the low-$teens/month range, depending on list size and billing. etropo SMB Compare

But there's one important exception: Brevo

If your list is growing much faster than your sending volume, I'd seriously consider Brevo.

Brevo's pricing is primarily based on emails sent rather than the number of contacts stored. That means you could theoretically have a large database without paying simply because you have lots of subscribers. Its free tier also allows unlimited contacts, subject to sending limits. EveryAny.One ChoicePilot

For example, if you eventually have:

10,000 subscribers × only 1–2 emails/month

Brevo can become much more attractive than a platform that charges you for every subscriber.

The tradeoff is that MailerLite generally has the nicer, simpler experience, particularly for building campaigns and automations. Mailercloud Small Mail Hub

And Kit?

I'd pick Kit if your business is primarily you + your audience—for example, you're a creator, coach, writer, educator, or selling digital products.

Kit's free tier is unusually generous, and its automation/tagging system is designed around creators. Some 2026 comparisons put its free tier at up to 10,000 subscribers, although you should check the current plan details before committing. SoloStack Solopreneurship.eu

So my decision tree would be:

• "I want simple email marketing and automations." → MailerLite
• "I expect my list to get huge but won't email constantly." → Brevo
• "My email list is basically the core of my creator business." → Kit
• "I need sophisticated sales/CRM automation." → ActiveCampaign, but I'd wait until you actually need it.

Bottom line

Start with MailerLite. Don't pay for a heavyweight platform just because you might need advanced automation someday. Get your welcome sequence, lead magnet delivery, segmentation, and regular broadcasts working first. Then switch only when your actual business needs justify it.

One thing I'd pay particular attention to before signing up: your expected subscriber count and how many emails you'll send per month. Those two numbers can completely change which platform is cheapest as you grow. Solopreneurship.eu

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2,000, 10,000) and how often you email, I can calculate which of MailerLite vs. Brevo vs. Kit will be cheapest for you at your current size and at 10k subscribers.

The tradeoff is that MailerLite generally has the nicer, simpler experience, particularly for building campaigns and automations. mailercloud.com Small Mail Hub

And Kit?

I'd pick Kit if your business is primarily you + your audience—for example, you're a creator, coach, writer, educator, or selling digital products.

Kit's free tier is unusually generous, and its automation/tagging system is designed around creators. Some 2026 comparisons put its free tier at up to 10,000 subscribers, although you should check the current plan details before committing.

So my decision tree would be:

If you're a solopreneur on a tight budget, I'd shortlist MailerLite, Kit, and Brevo. The best choice depends mostly on whether your priority is lowest cost or creator-friendly automation.

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com is probably the best value-for-money all-rounder for your situation.

Why I'd choose MailerLite: its free plan includes campaigns and 3 automations, and the paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month with 50 automations. Its pricing scales with subscribers/sending rather than making you pay for advanced features separately. MailerLite MailerLite

The interesting wildcard: Kit

kit.com is unusually attractive if you're a creator, coach, consultant, writer, or info-product business.

Its free plan goes up to 10,000 subscribers and includes unlimited broadcasts, forms, landing pages, tagging, and segmentation. However, visual automations and automated email sequences require the paid Creator plan, which currently starts around $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. Kit Kit Help Center

So:

• Mostly newsletters + occasional campaigns? → Kit Free is fantastic.
• You need sophisticated automated funnels? → MailerLite may be cheaper.

Brevo

brevo.com is worth considering if you have a big contact database but don't email everyone frequently. Its free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts, but you're limited to 300 email sends per day. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, while unlimited-contact marketing automation is on Standard, starting at $18/month. Brevo Help

What I'd do in your shoes

Under 1,000 subscribers: start with MailerLite.

1,000–10,000 subscribers + you're primarily a newsletter/creator: seriously consider Kit Free until you actually need its paid automations.

You need sophisticated automated funnels immediately: MailerLite Comfort is my budget pick.

And I wouldn't choose Mailchimp simply because it's well-known. For a bootstrapped solo business, I'd prioritize automation capabilities per dollar and how the pricing scales as your list grows.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2k, 10k) and how often you send, I can give you the cheapest option in actual $/month for your situation.

For a solopreneur on a tight budget, I’d avoid the “enterprise” email platforms and focus on tools that give you the two things you actually need:

1. Automations (welcome sequence, lead nurture, abandoned cart, tagging/segments)
2. Broadcasts (weekly newsletters, launches, promotions)

My shortlist:

HustPilot ChoicePilot## My pick for most budget-conscious solopreneurs: MailerLite

MailerLite is probably where I’d start.

Why:

• Low-cost entry point
• Easy drag-and-drop email builder
• Welcome sequences and basic automation workflows
• Forms and landing pages included
• Doesn’t feel like you need a marketing degree to use it

It’s a good fit if your business is:

• coaching
• consulting
• freelancing
• a small ecommerce brand
• a content business that’s still growing

HustPilot Dupple## If your list is growing fast: Brevo

Brevo is worth considering because it generally prices around email volume rather than just subscriber count, which can be cheaper when you have a large list but don’t email constantly. It also includes things like SMS and CRM features. HustPilot ChoicePilot

Good fit if:

• you have 5,000+ subscribers
• you send occasional campaigns
• you want to keep costs predictable

If you’re a creator selling products/courses: Kit

Kit is popular with creators because its tagging and automation approach is built around audience journeys (for example: “clicked my course link → move into buyer sequence”). The tradeoff is that it can become expensive compared with simpler tools. HustPilot

Good fit if:

• your email list is your main business asset
• you sell courses, memberships, ebooks, or paid newsletters

What I would avoid for your situation

• Mailchimp: easy to start, but many small businesses find costs climb as lists grow. etropo
• ActiveCampaign: powerful, but probably overkill until your funnels are more complex. ChoicePilot
• Expensive all-in-one platforms that bundle features you don’t need yet.

My simple recommendation

• Under 5,000 subscribers: Start with MailerLite
• 5,000–50,000 subscribers and cost matters: Look at Brevo
• Your email list is your main product engine: Consider Kit
• You need advanced sales automation: Upgrade to ActiveCampaign

If you tell me:

1. your current subscriber count,
2. what you sell (services, courses, ecommerce, newsletter, etc.), and
3. how often you email,

I can narrow it down to one choice.

If you're a solo business owner on a tight budget, I'd shortlist MailerLite and Kit. The better choice depends mainly on how much automation you need right now.

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com is probably the best all-around value for your situation.

• Free: up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, campaigns, and 3 automations. MailerLite
• Paid: starts at $12/month for Comfort, with 50 automations and the features most solopreneurs need. MailerLite MailerLite
• You get both broadcasts/newsletters and automated sequences, plus landing pages and signup forms.
• Its pricing is based on active subscribers, and it doesn't charge you extra simply because you send more emails on its higher plans. MailerLite

I'd choose MailerLite if: you're building a business rather than primarily building a newsletter/media brand, and you expect to have welcome sequences, lead magnets, sales funnels, etc.

The wildcard: Kit

kit.com is extremely attractive if your list is still relatively small.

Its free plan currently allows up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, along with tagging/segmentation, forms and landing pages. Kit Help Center Kit

The catch: automation is deliberately limited on the free plan. Full visual automations and unlimited sequences require the paid Creator plan, which starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. Kit Help Center Kit

I'd choose Kit if: your business revolves around content, a newsletter, courses, digital products, or being a creator—and you can live with relatively simple automation initially.

What I'd do in your shoes

Bottom line: If your list is growing and automations are important, I'd go with MailerLite. If you're currently under 10,000 subscribers and automation needs are very basic, Kit's free plan is hard to beat.

I would not start with something like ActiveCampaign yet—you'll likely be paying for sophistication you don't need as a solopreneur.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000) and what automations you want (welcome sequence, abandoned cart, lead magnet, sales funnel, etc.), I can tell you which one is cheapest at your actual list size.

If you’re a solo operator, watching costs, and already growing a list, I’d narrow it to MailerLite vs. Brevo vs. Kit.

My pick: mailerlite.com

For your situation, MailerLite is probably the best overall value.

MailerLite's current free plan gives you 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, and 3 visual automations. Its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month and expands the feature set substantially. MailerLite MailerLite

The interesting alternative: Kit

If your business is heavily creator/newsletter/content focused, I'd seriously consider kit.com.

Kit's free plan is unusually generous: up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, plus tagging and segmentation. The catch is important: automations and email sequences require the paid Creator plan, currently $33/month at 1,000 subscribers. Kit Help Center Kit

So I'd choose Kit if your priority is building a newsletter audience, but MailerLite if your priority is running an affordable marketing funnel.

And Brevo?

brevo.com is worth considering if you send lots of emails. Its free plan stores up to 100,000 contacts and includes automation for up to 2,000 contacts, but you're limited to 300 email sends per day. Paid Starter starts at $9/month. Brevo Help Brevo Help

That daily limit can become annoying if your list is growing and you want to blast your whole audience at once.

What I'd do in your shoes

• Under ~250 subscribers: Start with MailerLite Free.
• 250–2,000 subscribers: MailerLite Comfort is my default choice.
• Content creator/newsletter business: Consider Kit, especially if you can live without automated sequences until you're ready to pay.
• Very high email volume: Look harder at Brevo.
• Don't overbuy: You probably don't need HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, or another heavyweight platform yet.

Bottom line: I'd start with MailerLite. It gives you both broadcasts and actual automations on the free tier, and the $12/month paid step is relatively painless as your list grows. MailerLite MailerLite

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2,000, 10,000) and what you're selling, I can tell you which one will likely be cheapest over the next 1–2 years.

The interesting alternative: Kit

If your business is heavily creator/newsletter/content focused, I'd seriously consider kit.com.

Kit's free plan is unusually generous: up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, plus tagging and segmentation. The catch is important: automations and email sequences require the paid Creator plan, currently $33/month at 1,000 subscribers. help.kit.com kit.com

So I'd choose Kit if your priority is building a newsletter audience, but MailerLite if your priority is running an affordable marketing funnel.

And Brevo?

If you’re a solo operator, price-sensitive, and your list is growing, I’d narrow it to MailerLite vs. Kit.

MailerLite’s free plan includes campaigns and 3 automations, while its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month and includes 50 automations. www.mailerlite.com

Kit has an unusually generous free tier: up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, but its visual automations and email sequences require the paid Creator plan. kit.com

My pick: MailerLite

For a typical solopreneur, I'd choose MailerLite because you specifically said automations + broadcasts without breaking the bank. You can start free, and when your list grows, the $12/month Comfort tier gives you substantially more automation capability without jumping straight to a $30+ subscription. www.mailerlite.com

But there's one big exception: if your list is already 1,000–10,000 subscribers and you mainly want newsletters/broadcasts plus relatively simple funnels, Kit's free plan is hard to beat. You could potentially save hundreds of dollars a year by staying on it, provided you don't need its visual automation features. kit.com

Also worth considering: Brevo starts at $9/month and charges based partly on email volume rather than simply subscriber count; its free plan allows 300 sends/day and automation for up to 2,000 contacts. help.brevo.com

Bottom line:

• Under 250 subscribers → MailerLite Free
• Growing list + real automations → MailerLite Comfort
• Up to 10k subscribers + mostly broadcasts → Kit Free
• High sending volume / transactional + marketing → Brevo

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate which one would be cheapest for your list at 1k, 5k, and 10k subscribers.

For a solopreneur with a growing list, a tight budget, and a need for both automations + broadcasts, I’d narrow it down to three strong options rather than chasing the “all-in-one” platforms. Pricing models matter a lot because a tool that feels cheap at 1,000 subscribers can get expensive later. Capterra

My top picks

1. MailerLite — best overall budget choice

Best if: you want simple, professional email marketing without a steep learning curve.

Why it fits:

• ✅ Broadcast newsletters
• ✅ Welcome sequences
• ✅ Basic-to-medium automations
• ✅ Landing pages and forms
• ✅ Clean email builder
• ✅ Affordable as you grow

Typical fit:

• Coaches
• Consultants
• Freelancers
• Small SaaS founders
• Content creators

The downside:

• Automation is good, but not as deep as premium automation platforms.

My pick for most solopreneurs starting out: MailerLite. It gives you the important 80% without paying for enterprise features. Dupple

2. Brevo — best if your list is growing fast

Best if: you have lots of subscribers but don’t email every day.

Why it fits:

• ✅ Unlimited contacts on some plans
• ✅ Automations
• ✅ Broadcast campaigns
• ✅ SMS options if you need them
• ✅ Pricing is based more on sends than contacts, which can be friendlier for large lists AiMarketer

Example:

• 20,000 subscribers who receive one weekly newsletter can be cheaper here than a contact-based platform.

The downside:

• The interface is less creator-focused than MailerLite or Kit.

3. Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — best for creators selling things

Best if: your email list is your main business asset.

Why it fits:

• ✅ Excellent creator-focused automations
• ✅ Tags and audience segmentation
• ✅ Sequences (courses, launches, funnels)
• ✅ Good for selling digital products, memberships, newsletters

The downside:

• You’ll usually pay more once you need advanced features compared with budget tools. SoloStack

I would probably avoid (for your situation)

• Mailchimp — familiar, but many solopreneurs outgrow the free/cheap tiers and find the pricing less attractive as their list grows. etropo
• ActiveCampaign — excellent automation, but you may be paying for complexity you don’t need yet. Capterra
• Klaviyo — fantastic for ecommerce, usually overkill for a solo service/content business. AiMarketer

My recommendation by scenario

• Under 5,000 subscribers + budget-conscious: → MailerLite
• Growing quickly toward 10,000–50,000 subscribers: → Brevo
• Selling courses, products, or building a creator brand: → Kit
• Complex funnels with many customer paths: → ActiveCampaign later

One question would change my recommendation: what kind of solopreneur business is it (service business, ecommerce, course/creator, newsletter, SaaS, or something else)? The “best” tool depends heavily on whether your emails are mainly nurturing people or driving purchases.

If you're a solo business owner, watching costs, and want both broadcasts + real automations, I'd shortlist these three:

🥇 My pick: MailerLite

I'd choose mailerlite.com if you're building a typical solopreneur business.

Why:

• You get broadcast campaigns/newsletters.
• You get visual automations, including welcome sequences, lead-magnet delivery, nurturing, re-engagement, etc. MailerLite
• The free tier currently includes 2,500 emails/month and 3 visual automations, although it's capped at 250 active subscribers. MailerLite MailerLite
• The paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month, with up to 50 visual automations. MailerLite

That makes it a particularly good "I don't want to migrate again in six months" choice.

🥈 Kit — excellent if you're a creator

kit.com is unusually attractive if your business revolves around a newsletter, courses, content, coaching, or digital products.

Its free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, which is fantastic. Kit

The catch: visual automations and email sequences are on the paid Creator plan, currently $33/month at 1,000 subscribers. Kit

So I'd pick Kit if your list is growing quickly but you're still mostly doing broadcasts, and you're willing to pay later for sophisticated funnels.

🥉 Brevo — interesting if you send infrequently

brevo.com has a very different pricing model: its free plan supports up to 100,000 stored contacts, but limits you to 300 emails per day. It also includes marketing automation for up to 2,000 contacts. Brevo Help

That's potentially great if you have a big list but don't email everyone constantly. Its paid Starter plan starts at $9/month. Brevo Help

What I'd do in your shoes

Under 250 subscribers: Start with MailerLite Free.

250–2,500 subscribers: I'd still lean MailerLite, particularly if you're sending regular newsletters and building multiple automated funnels.

Creator/newsletter business with a rapidly growing list: Consider Kit, especially if the 10,000-subscriber free tier is more valuable to you than having advanced automation immediately.

Large list + relatively low sending frequency: Look seriously at Brevo.

One important thing: don't choose based purely on the free subscriber limit. The pricing model that matters is what happens when your list hits 1k, 2.5k, 5k, and 10k subscribers while you're actually sending emails. That's where the tools diverge dramatically.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many emails you send per month, and what automations you need (e.g. welcome sequence, lead magnet, sales funnel), I can tell you which one is likely to be cheapest for your specific situation.

If you’re a solo business owner, budget-conscious, and your list is growing, I’d narrow it to Kit and MailerLite.

My pick: MailerLite

MailerLite is probably the best value if you want both broadcasts and meaningful automations without paying much.

• Free: up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 automations, landing page + signup forms. MailerLite MailerLite
• Paid: starts at $12/month for the Comfort plan, with up to 50 automations and substantially more sending capacity. MailerLite MailerLite
• It has a visual automation builder, so you can do things like welcome sequence → wait → educational email → offer → follow-up rather than just sending newsletters.

The catch: MailerLite's free tier was reduced to 250 subscribers in June 2026, so you'll likely hit the paid tier relatively quickly if your list is already growing. MailerLite

The alternative: Kit

If your business is primarily content/newsletter/creator-driven, I'd seriously consider Kit.

• Free up to 10,000 subscribers
• Unlimited broadcasts
• Tags and segmentation
• Landing pages and forms
• But automated sequences and visual automations require the paid plan. Kit Help Center Kit
• Paid Creator currently starts around $33/month for 1,000 subscribers on the current pricing page. Kit

So Kit has a particularly interesting tradeoff: you can grow a large list for $0, but once you need serious automation, the price jumps.

One more worth considering: Brevo

Brevo is attractive if you care more about sending volume than subscriber count. Its free plan stores up to 100,000 contacts and includes automation for up to 2,000 contacts, but you're limited to 300 email sends/day. Paid Starter begins at $9/month. Brevo Help Brevo Help

What I'd choose

For your specific description, I'd start with MailerLite unless you expect your list to grow past 10,000 subscribers fairly quickly. It gives you the automation functionality you actually want without forcing you into a $30+ monthly plan immediately.

mailerlite.com · kit.com ·

If you’re a solopreneur on a tight budget with a growing list, I’d pick mailerlite.com.

It hits the sweet spot of low cost + broadcasts + useful automations + simplicity.

My shortlist

Why I'd choose MailerLite

• Broadcasts/newsletters: yes.
• Automations: yes—you can build welcome sequences, nurture campaigns, behavioral sequences, etc. MailerLite MailerLite
• Free tier: currently supports up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with 3 visual automations. MailerLite
• Paid plans: start around $12/month, and the Comfort plan includes 50 visual automations. MailerLite
• It's relatively straightforward, so you're less likely to spend your limited time wrestling with the software.

One important wrinkle: don't choose purely based on the free subscriber limit. MailerLite recently changed its free plan, and once you exceed 250 subscribers, you'll need to upgrade to keep sending. MailerLite

When I'd pick something else

Choose Brevo if you expect your list to become large but don't email everyone constantly. Its pricing is more send-oriented: the Starter plan begins at $9/month, with tiers based on monthly email volume and contacts stored. Brevo Help

Choose Kit if you're primarily a creator/newsletter business selling things like courses, digital products, memberships, or sponsorships. Kit is explicitly built around creators, audiences, automations, and monetization. Kit Kit

Bottom line:
For a typical solo business doing weekly broadcasts + welcome/nurture/sales automations, I'd start with MailerLite and avoid paying for a more sophisticated platform until you actually hit a limitation.

mailerlite.com

If you’re a solo operator on a tight budget, I’d shortlist Kit, Brevo, and MailerLite—but the best choice depends heavily on how big your list is and how often you send.

My pick: kit.com

For a growing creator/solopreneur list, Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is probably the best starting point right now.

• Free up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts. Worklever EveryAny.One
• Includes basic automation, forms, and landing pages.
• It's designed specifically around creators, newsletters, digital products, and audience-building.
• The catch: the free plan is limited to one automation and includes Kit branding. Once you need more sophisticated automation, the paid tier gets considerably more expensive. Worklever

The budget alternative: brevo.com

I'd seriously consider Brevo if you're building a business/customer list rather than primarily a creator newsletter.

• Pricing is based largely on emails sent rather than subscriber count, which can be excellent as your list grows.
• Free tier allows unlimited contacts but caps you at 300 emails/day. EveryAny.One Toolradar
• Paid plans add proper automation workflows.
• Also includes CRM and SMS capabilities.

The big catch is that the free tier isn't ideal if automation is important to you; you'll need a paid tier for multi-step workflows. Field Tested

What about mailerlite.com?

It used to be my go-to budget recommendation, but its free plan changed substantially in 2026: it's now only 250 subscribers/2,500 emails per month. Paid plans remain reasonably priced, but that makes it much less attractive for a rapidly growing list. Worklever

My decision rule

I wouldn't start with Mailchimp unless you specifically need an integration it provides. Its pricing becomes considerably less attractive as your subscriber count grows. EveryAny.One

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2k, 10k) and how often you broadcast, I can tell you which one will actually be cheapest for your situation—including what it'll likely cost when you hit 10k subscribers.

If you’re a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d narrow it to MailerLite, Kit, and Brevo. The best choice depends mostly on whether you prioritize simplicity, creator-focused features, or low cost at larger list sizes.

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com is probably the best overall fit for you.

• Free: up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, campaigns, and 3 automations. MailerLite MailerLite
• Paid: starts at $12/month for Comfort, with 50 active automations and substantially more functionality. MailerLite
• It has a visual automation builder, segmentation, forms/landing pages, broadcasts/newsletters, and A/B testing.
• Pricing is primarily based on subscriber count and sending volume, rather than locking basic features behind lots of tiers. MailerLite

Why I'd choose it: You can start cheaply, build proper welcome sequences and sales funnels, and don't have to migrate immediately when your list starts growing.

When I'd choose Kit instead

help.kit.com is especially attractive if you're a creator, coach, consultant, author, or newsletter-first business.

Its free plan is unusually generous: up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, plus forms, landing pages, tagging and segmentation. Kit Help Center

The catch: visual automations and automated sequences require a paid plan. Kit's paid Creator plan starts at $39/month for up to 1,000 subscribers. Kit Help Center

So I'd pick Kit if having a huge free list is more important than having cheap automation.

Brevo is worth considering

help.brevo.com is interesting if you expect to send lots of emails to a relatively modest-sized list.

Its free plan allows up to 100,000 contacts but limits you to 300 email sends per day and includes automation for up to 2,000 contacts. Paid Starter begins at $9/month. Brevo Help

Its Standard plan starts at $18/month and adds unlimited-contact marketing automation, A/B testing, and more advanced reporting. Brevo Help

Quick decision

Bottom line: Start with MailerLite unless you're specifically building a creator/newsletter business. It gives you the best balance of low cost + broadcasts + real automations + room to grow.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2,000, 10,000) and how many emails you send per month, I can tell you which one will actually be cheapest for your situation.

If you're a solopreneur on a tight budget, I'd narrow it to MailerLite vs. Kit vs. beehiiv. The right choice depends heavily on whether your business is primarily selling things or primarily building a newsletter.

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com is probably the best overall fit for you.

• Cheap to start: free up to 250 subscribers, with 2,500 monthly emails and 3 automations. MailerLite
• Once you grow, its Comfort plan starts at $12/month and includes 50 automations, landing pages, segmentation, and regular email campaigns. MailerLite MailerLite
• It has a visual automation builder, so you can build things like: subscribe → welcome email → wait 2 days → educational email → offer email.
• It also gives you landing pages and forms, meaning you can avoid paying for another tool just to collect leads.

For a budget-conscious business that wants both broadcasts + real automations, that's a very strong combination.

How I'd rank the alternatives

kit.com is particularly attractive if you're a creator selling courses, digital products, coaching, etc. Its free Newsletter plan supports 1,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts and one basic visual automation; the paid Creator plan adds unlimited visual automations and sequences and currently starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. Kit Kit

beehiiv.com has the most generous free sending allowance: up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends. The catch is important for you: automations aren't included in the free Launch plan; they're on the paid Scale plan, currently $43/month when billed annually. Beehiiv

The simple decision

I'd use this rule:

• Selling services/products and need funnels + automations → MailerLite
• Personal brand/creator selling courses, coaching, digital products → Kit
• Your email list is the business/newsletter → beehiiv
• You want to spend $0 for as long as possible while still having some automation → MailerLite or Kit

For your specific description, I'd start with MailerLite. It gives you enough automation capability to build a serious email funnel without jumping immediately to a $30–50/month bill.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2k, 10k) and what you're selling, I can tell you which one is cheapest at your actual list size and what I'd choose.

If you’re a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d narrow it to MailerLite vs. Kit.

My pick: MailerLite

MailerLite is probably the best fit if your priority is getting real automation + broadcasts without your monthly bill jumping too quickly.

• Free: up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, campaigns, and 3 automations. MailerLite MailerLite
• Comfort: starts at $12/month, with 50 active automations and 10× your subscriber tier in monthly sends. MailerLite MailerLite
• Power: starts at $25/month, with unlimited monthly emails and unlimited automations. MailerLite MailerLite
• It also gives you landing pages, forms, segmentation, and other tools, so you don't necessarily need another platform as you grow. MailerLite

mailerlite.com

The interesting alternative: Kit

Kit is especially attractive if you're a creator/newsletter/business built around content.

Its free Newsletter plan now supports up to 10,000 subscribers, with unlimited broadcasts, forms/landing pages, tagging/segmentation, and one basic visual automation. Kit Kit Help

The catch: if you want serious automated sequences and funnels, the paid Creator plan is currently $33/month at 1,000 subscribers (with annual billing; Kit's help center lists $39/month as the monthly starting price). Kit Kit Help

kit.com

What I'd do in your shoes

Bottom line: If you're already approaching a few hundred subscribers and expect to build welcome sequences, lead-magnet delivery, nurture campaigns, sales sequences, etc., I'd start with MailerLite. Its paid entry point is considerably friendlier for a solopreneur, while still giving you the automation functionality you'll need. MailerLite MailerLite

If you're primarily a creator/newsletter operator and your list could grow past 2,500–5,000 fairly quickly, Kit's free tier becomes extremely compelling. Kit Help

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2k, 5k, 10k) and whether you're selling services, courses, products, or just a newsletter, I can tell you which one is likely to be cheapest for your specific setup.

If you're a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I'd put MailerLite at the top of your shortlist.

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com is unusually well suited to your situation because you get both broadcasts/newsletters and automations without immediately paying for an expensive tier.

• Free: up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with campaigns and up to 3 visual automations. MailerLite MailerLite
• Comfort: starts at $12/month, with 50 visual automations and 5,000 monthly emails. MailerLite
• Power: starts at $25/month and includes unlimited monthly emails and automations. MailerLite
• It also includes landing pages, signup forms, segmentation, A/B testing, and integrations, so you don't necessarily need several other tools. MailerLite

For a solo business, I'd probably start free, build your welcome sequence + lead-magnet delivery + basic nurture sequence, and only upgrade once the list actually requires it.

Two alternatives worth considering

Brevo is particularly interesting if your list is already fairly large but you don't send constantly. Its free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts, 300 email sends/day, and automation for up to 2,000 contacts entering active workflows. Brevo Help Brevo Help Its Starter plan starts at $9/month. Brevo Help

Kit can be worth considering if you're primarily a creator selling content, courses, newsletters, or digital products. I'd choose it for creator-oriented features rather than simply trying to minimize your email-software bill.

What I'd choose for you

Bottom line: Start with MailerLite unless you already have several thousand subscribers. It gives you the core thing you need—broadcasts + proper automations—without forcing you into a pricey plan immediately.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you send per month, I can compare the actual monthly cost of MailerLite vs. Brevo vs. Kit at your size.

For a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d narrow it to MailerLite vs. Brevo, with Kit as a third option if you’re primarily a creator/newsletter business.

Current 2026 comparisons consistently put MailerLite and Brevo among the strongest budget options. www.emailtooltester.com

My pick: MailerLite

If you're sending a regular newsletter + automated sequences, I'd choose MailerLite.

You can build the basics you'd actually need:

• Welcome sequence when someone joins
• Lead-magnet delivery
• Nurture sequences
• Tags/segments
• Regular broadcasts/newsletters
• Signup forms and landing pages
• Basic funnels/automations

Its free tier is particularly useful while you're getting established, and paid plans remain relatively inexpensive compared with many mainstream competitors. hustpilot.com

Choose Brevo instead if your list is already fairly large but you don't email everyone very often. Because Brevo's pricing is based around sending volume rather than simply the number of contacts you store, it can be exceptionally cheap for a big, relatively inactive list. smbcompare.com

I'd skip Kit for now unless your business revolves around being a creator—e.g., newsletter, courses, digital products, paid subscriptions. Its automation functionality is good, but current paid pricing makes it harder to justify when you're watching every dollar. help.kit.com

The simple decision

<500–1,000 subscribers + sending weekly → MailerLite

Several thousand subscribers + sending occasionally → Brevo

Creator/newsletter + selling digital products → Kit

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how fast the list is growing, and how often you send broadcasts, I can calculate which one is likely to be cheapest for you over the next 12 months.

If you're a solopreneur on a tight budget with a growing list, I’d pick MailerLite for most people.

My shortlist

🥇 My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com

It's probably the sweet spot for what you're describing. Its current free plan includes campaigns, visual automations, forms, landing pages, A/B testing, and 2,500 emails/month for up to 250 active subscribers. Once you outgrow that, the paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month. MailerLite MailerLite

The big caveat: MailerLite tightened its free plan in June 2026, dropping the subscriber limit from 500 to 250 and limiting free accounts to three active automations. MailerLite

For a typical solopreneur, though, three automations is plenty to start:

• Welcome sequence
• Lead magnet → nurture sequence
• Customer/purchase follow-up

🥈 Consider Kit if you're a creator

kit.com

Kit is particularly attractive if your business revolves around content, newsletters, courses, digital products, or a personal brand. Its free Newsletter plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, tagging/segmentation, and one basic visual automation. Kit

The catch is that you'll hit the automation ceiling sooner. Its paid Creator plan is currently $33/month at 1,000 subscribers, so it's substantially more expensive than MailerLite. Kit

🥉 Brevo if your list is already big

brevo.com

Brevo has an unusual pricing structure: its free plan lets you store up to 100,000 contacts, but you can only send 300 emails per day. Its free automation allowance covers up to 2,000 contacts entering active automations. Brevo Help Brevo Help

That's useful if you have, say, 10,000 subscribers but don't email them very frequently. It's less attractive if you want to send frequent broadcasts to your whole list.

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with MailerLite. Don't optimize for the cheapest theoretical price; optimize for the cheapest tool you won't need to migrate away from in six months.

If you're under 250 subscribers, start free. Build your welcome/nurture automations now. When you cross 250, the $12-ish paid tier is still inexpensive enough that your email platform shouldn't be a meaningful business expense. MailerLite

One exception: if your business is primarily a creator/newsletter business and you expect to monetize through digital products, paid newsletters, or subscriptions, I'd seriously consider Kit instead.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now + how many you expect within 12 months + whether you sell products/services/courses, I can tell you which one is likely to be cheapest for your specific growth path.

For a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d pick MailerLite.

My shortlist

Why MailerLite wins: its free tier already includes broadcasts/newsletters and visual automations, so you don't have to pay just to build a basic welcome sequence. The free plan allows 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with up to 3 active automations. www.mailerlite.com

Once you pass 250 subscribers, its Comfort plan starts at $12/month and gives you substantially more automation capacity (up to 50 active automations). www.mailerlite.com

When I'd choose Brevo instead

Brevo is particularly attractive if your list is already large but you don't email everyone very frequently. Its free plan can hold up to 100,000 contacts, includes campaigns and automation, but caps sending at 300 emails/day and automation entry at 2,000 contacts. Paid Starter begins at $9/month. help.brevo.com

So, for example:

• 500–10,000 subscribers + regular newsletters: MailerLite
• 50,000 subscribers + occasional broadcasts: Brevo becomes interesting
• You primarily sell courses/newsletters as a creator: I'd investigate Kit

My recommendation: start with MailerLite, especially if you're still watching every dollar. It gives you the core setup you need—signup forms → welcome sequence → nurture automation → regular broadcasts—without forcing you into an expensive plan early. www.mailerlite.com

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you send per month, I can narrow this down to the cheapest option for your specific numbers.

For a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d pick MailerLite.

My ranking

Why MailerLite wins for you: its free tier includes campaigns and visual automations, and the paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month. You get up to 50 active automations on Comfort, plus landing pages, forms, segmentation, and other tools that can eliminate the need for separate software. MailerLite MailerLite

mailerlite.com

When I'd choose Kit instead

If your business is primarily content/newsletter/creator-based, Kit is worth considering. Its free Newsletter plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts and a basic visual automation; the paid Creator plan adds unlimited visual automations and email sequences. Kit Kit

The catch is cost: once you're past the free tier, Kit's paid plan is considerably more expensive than MailerLite at comparable list sizes.

kit.com

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with MailerLite Free, assuming you're under 250 subscribers. Build:

1. Lead magnet → welcome email
2. 5–7 email nurture sequence
3. Segments based on interests
4. Regular weekly/biweekly broadcasts
5. Simple sales sequence

Then move to Comfort ($12+/month) as your list grows. MailerLite's current pricing is subscriber-based, and Comfort gives you substantially more automation capacity without forcing you into a pricey "advanced automation" tier. MailerLite MailerLite

Bottom line:
👉 MailerLite if keeping costs low is priority #1.
👉 Kit if you're a creator and newsletter/content monetization is the heart of the business.
👉 I wouldn't pay for a heavyweight platform yet—you probably won't use enough of its features to justify the cost.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and what you're selling (service, course, digital product, ecommerce, etc.), I can narrow this down to the cheapest option for your specific situation.

If your business is primarily content/newsletter/creator-based, Kit is worth considering. Its free Newsletter plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts and a basic visual automation; the paid Creator plan adds unlimited visual automations and email sequences. kit.com kit.com

The catch is cost: once you're past the free tier, Kit's paid plan is considerably more expensive than MailerLite at comparable list sizes.

If you’re a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d put MailerLite at the top of your shortlist.

My ranking

1. MailerLite — best overall

It gives you the core things you actually need: broadcast campaigns, automations, forms/landing pages, segmentation and a straightforward email editor. Its current free tier is up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with paid plans starting at $12/month; pricing/features have changed recently, so I'd check the current plan before signing up. www.mailerlite.com

The big advantage is that it doesn't force you into a complicated marketing-automation ecosystem. For a solo operator, that's valuable.

MailerLite pricing

2. Brevo — consider this if your list is growing faster than your sending volume

Brevo uses a send-volume-based model rather than primarily charging by contacts, which can be excellent if you have, say, 10,000 subscribers but only email them a couple of times a month. Its free tier allows unlimited contacts but limits you to 300 emails/day. hustpilot.com

So:

• 2,000 subscribers + weekly newsletter → MailerLite
• 10,000 subscribers + occasional broadcasts → Brevo may be cheaper

Brevo

3. Kit — only if you're really a creator

Kit is particularly good if your business revolves around content, newsletters, courses, or digital products. Its free Newsletter plan currently supports up to 1,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts and one basic visual automation. But unlimited automations move you to the $33/month Creator plan at 1,000 subscribers. kit.com

Kit pricing

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with MailerLite.

Build just these three things initially:

1. Welcome automation — new subscriber → 4–7 email sequence.
2. Weekly/biweekly broadcast — your regular newsletter.
3. One simple sales/nurture automation — triggered by clicking or signing up for something.

Don't pay for ActiveCampaign-level sophistication until your business actually needs it.

One important caveat: your subscriber count and how frequently you broadcast matter more than the headline monthly price. If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how quickly you're growing, and how often you email, I can calculate which of MailerLite vs. Brevo vs. Kit will be cheapest for you at 1k, 5k, 10k and 25k subscribers.

For a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d shortlist MailerLite, Kit, and Brevo—but my default pick would be MailerLite.

🥇 My pick: MailerLite

It's particularly well suited to your situation because its pricing is based on active subscribers and sending volume, and the inexpensive paid tiers include the core email marketing features rather than forcing you into an expensive "automation" tier. Its current Comfort plan starts at $12/month, while Power starts at $25/month. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com

You get things like:

• Broadcast/newsletter campaigns
• Visual automations
• Segmentation and tags
• Signup forms and landing pages
• A/B testing
• Digital products
• Integrations

The current free tier is also useful for testing: 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with up to 3 visual automations. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com

One caveat: MailerLite changed its free plan in June 2026, reducing the subscriber limit from 500 to 250. So if your list is already bigger than that, you'll need a paid plan. www.mailerlite.com

🥈 Kit if you're primarily a creator

Kit is excellent if your business revolves around content, newsletters, courses, digital products, or a personal brand. Its free Newsletter plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, tagging/segmentation, and one basic visual automation. kit.com

The catch is that you'll hit the automation ceiling sooner. The paid Creator plan unlocks unlimited visual automations and email sequences; Kit currently lists it at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers on annual billing. kit.com

So I'd choose Kit over MailerLite if your email newsletter itself is the core product/business.

🥉 Brevo if your list is large but you don't email constantly

Brevo has an unusual pricing advantage: its free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts, although you're limited to 300 emails/day. Its free tier also includes marketing automation for up to 2,000 contacts. help.brevo.com

Its paid Starter plan starts at $9/month, while Standard starts at $18/month and adds unlimited-contact marketing automation. help.brevo.com

That makes Brevo particularly interesting if you have, say, 5,000 subscribers but only send a couple of campaigns a month. MailerLite/Kit can be more attractive when you're sending frequently.

My simple decision rule

Choose MailerLite if you want the best balance of price + automation + broadcasts + ease of use.

Choose Kit if you're a creator and want your email list to become a major revenue channel.

Choose Brevo if you expect your contact count to grow substantially and you care more about contacts stored than high-volume broadcasting.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2,000, 10,000) and how many emails you send per month, I can tell you which one is likely to be cheapest at your actual size.

For a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d pick MailerLite.

My ranking

Why MailerLite: its free plan includes campaigns, visual automations, signup forms, landing pages and up to 2,500 emails/month for 250 active subscribers. The next plan, Comfort, starts at $12/month and includes up to 50 visual automations. www.mailerlite.com

That makes it particularly good if you need the basics of a real email funnel—e.g. lead magnet → welcome sequence → nurture emails → occasional promotional broadcasts—without paying for features you don't need yet.

MailerLite pricing

One important alternative: Brevo

If your list is already several thousand people, I'd seriously consider Brevo. Its free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts and includes automation for up to 2,000 contacts, but you're limited to 300 email sends per day. Its paid Starter plan begins at $9/month. help.brevo.com

So Brevo can be cheaper for a big list where you don't email everyone frequently.

Brevo pricing

What about Kit?

Kit is particularly attractive if you're a creator, coach, consultant, author, or newsletter business and want sophisticated subscriber tagging and automation. But its paid Creator plan starts at $39/month for up to 1,000 subscribers, so I wouldn't choose it primarily for saving money. help.kit.com

Kit pricing

Bottom line: Start with MailerLite unless you already have several thousand subscribers. It's the best balance of cheap + easy + proper automations + broadcasts for a one-person business.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2k, 10k) and how many emails you send per month, I can tell you which one is likely to be cheapest at your actual scale.

If you're a solopreneur on a tight budget with a growing list, I’d narrow it to Kit vs. MailerLite.

My pick: Kit

If your business is creator/content-driven—newsletter, coaching, courses, digital products, personal brand—Kit is probably the best value right now.

• Free up to 10,000 subscribers on its Newsletter plan. help.kit.com
• Unlimited broadcasts, so you can keep sending newsletters without paying per send. kit.com
• Includes one basic visual automation + one email sequence, which is enough for a simple welcome/nurture funnel. help.kit.com
• Includes tagging/segmentation, landing pages and forms. kit.com
• When you eventually need more sophisticated automation, the paid Creator plan currently starts around $33/month for 1,000 subscribers when billed annually. kit.com

The big catch: the free plan is intentionally limited to one automation, so if you're planning lots of branching funnels, you'll eventually need to upgrade.

Runner-up: MailerLite

I'd choose MailerLite instead if you want a more traditional email-marketing platform with more automation functionality at the low end.

Its free plan includes campaigns, automation, forms, landing pages and up to 250 subscribers / 2,500 emails per month. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com The paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month and includes substantially more automation capacity. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com

The downside for a growing list is that MailerLite's free subscriber limit is only 250, so you'll start paying much sooner than with Kit.

What I'd do in your shoes

Bottom line: If your list is already above 250 and you're trying to keep costs near $0, I'd go with Kit. Getting up to 10,000 subscribers free while retaining unlimited broadcasts is unusually compelling for a solopreneur. help.kit.com

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2,000, 10,000) and what you're selling, I can give you a much more precise recommendation—including what you'd actually pay at your list size.

If you’re a solo operator, budget-conscious, and your list is growing, I’d shortlist MailerLite, Kit, and Brevo. My pick depends mostly on what “growing” means for your list and how sophisticated your automations need to become.

🥇 My recommendation: MailerLite

MailerLite is probably the sweet spot for you. Its current free tier is 250 subscribers / 2,500 emails per month, and includes campaigns, automations, landing pages, forms, and its email editors. The paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month. www.mailerlite.com

Why I'd choose it:

• Easy enough to run yourself without becoming an email-marketing hobby.
• You get broadcasts + automated sequences rather than having to bolt together multiple tools.
• Good landing-page/form functionality means you can build your list without paying for another service.
• Pricing is relatively predictable as you grow.
• It is designed specifically with solopreneurs and small teams in mind. www.mailerlite.com

🥈 Consider Kit if you're primarily a creator

Kit is particularly compelling if your business revolves around content, newsletters, courses, digital products, or a personal brand.

Its free Newsletter plan currently includes unlimited broadcasts, tagging/segmentation, landing pages/forms, and one basic visual automation. The free plan goes up to 1,000 subscribers according to Kit's current pricing page. The paid Creator plan adds unlimited visual automations. kit.com

One important distinction: Kit's free plan is unusually generous for broadcasts, but limited for automation. If your business depends heavily on multiple sophisticated nurture sequences, you'll likely eventually want the paid plan.

🥉 Brevo if you send a lot of emails

Brevo uses a model that's attractive when you have a relatively large list but don't email everyone constantly: you're primarily paying based on email volume rather than simply the number of contacts. Current comparisons put its free allowance at 300 emails/day, with paid plans starting around $9/month. www.mailerlite.comkit.comdupple.comwww.etropo.com

That's worth considering if, say, you have 5,000 subscribers but only send a couple of campaigns a month.

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with MailerLite unless you're clearly a creator/newsletter business, in which case I'd seriously consider Kit.

I would not start with Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign on a tight budget. They're capable, but their pricing can become substantially less attractive as your subscriber count grows; ActiveCampaign is better justified when you actually need its deeper automation capabilities. www.etropo.com

One thing I'd check before choosing: your current subscriber count and roughly how many emails you send per month. Those two numbers can completely change which platform is cheapest.

If you tell me (1) your list size, (2) expected list size in 12 months, and (3) roughly how many broadcasts you send per month, I can compare the actual monthly cost of MailerLite vs. Kit vs. Brevo for your situation.

For a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d put MailerLite at the top of your shortlist.

\*Current listed starting prices; actual cost can depend on subscriber count and billing. www.mailerlite.com

🥇 My pick: MailerLite

It's unusually good for your situation because the free plan already includes campaigns and visual automations, although it's limited to 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails. www.mailerlite.com

Once you're growing, Comfort starts at $12/month and gives you up to 50 active automations, with sending limits that scale with your subscriber tier. Power starts at $25/month and removes those major usage limits. www.mailerlite.com

So you can build things like:

Lead magnet → welcome email → 3-day nurture → offer → follow-up

…and send ordinary broadcasts/newsletters to your whole list without needing an expensive plan.

When I'd choose the others

Brevo is worth considering if your list is large but you don't send very frequently. Its pricing is more send-oriented: the free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts but only 300 emails/day; Starter begins at $9/month, while unlimited-contact marketing automation starts on Standard at $18/month. www.mailerlite.comhelp.brevo.com

Kit is excellent if you're primarily a creator selling through newsletters, digital products, or subscriptions. Its automation and broadcast functionality is strong, but the paid price jumps substantially: Creator starts at $39/month for up to 1,000 subscribers. help.kit.com

Bottom line: I'd start with MailerLite, unless you have a specific reason to optimize for Brevo's contact-based pricing or Kit's creator-focused ecosystem.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 1k, 5k, 10k) and how many emails you send per month, I can tell you which one is actually cheapest for your numbers.

If you’re a solo operator on a tight budget with a growing list, I’d shortlist Brevo, MailerLite, and Kit—but my default pick would be Brevo if keeping costs low as you grow is the priority.

🥇 My pick: Brevo

Brevo official site

Brevo is particularly attractive if you have, say, 5,000–10,000 subscribers but don't email them constantly. Its pricing is based heavily on sending volume rather than simply charging more because you have more contacts. Current comparisons put its entry paid tier around $9/month, with a free tier allowing unlimited contacts but limited daily sending. www.sequenzy.com

That's a big deal for a growing list: you don't necessarily get punished just because your subscriber count increases.

🥈 MailerLite if you want simplicity

MailerLite pricing

I'd choose MailerLite if you want something that feels more straightforward for building forms → welcome sequence → nurture automation → broadcasts without a lot of complexity.

The current free plan is only 250 subscribers, but includes campaigns and automations; its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month. www.mailerlite.com

🥉 Kit if you're a creator

Kit pricing

Kit is excellent if your business revolves around content, newsletters, digital products, courses, or a personal brand. Its free Newsletter plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, but automation is limited; the paid Creator plan starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers and unlocks unlimited visual automations. kit.com

So I'd not pay for Kit just because you need basic automations—Brevo/MailerLite give you better budget economics.

What I'd do in your shoes

Under ~1,000 subscribers: start with MailerLite or Brevo's free tier.

1,000–10,000 subscribers + budget-conscious: Brevo is my pick.

Creator selling courses/products/newsletters: Kit becomes more compelling.

Want the easiest interface and don't mind paying a little more as you grow: MailerLite.

One important caveat: don't choose based on the advertised "$X/month" starting price alone. The real question is what you'll pay at 5k and 10k subscribers, because contact-based pricing can get surprisingly expensive as your list grows. www.sequenzy.com

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 1k, 5k, 10k) and how many emails you send per month, I can narrow it down to the cheapest option for your exact situation.

For a solopreneur on a tight budget with a growing list, I’d usually narrow it to three choices:

1. Best overall value: MailerLite

My default recommendation for most solo businesses.

Why it fits:

• ✅ Broadcast newsletters
• ✅ Welcome sequences and automated funnels
• ✅ Visual automation builder
• ✅ Landing pages and signup forms
• ✅ Simple enough that you won’t spend days configuring it
• ✅ Affordable as you grow

MailerLite’s free plan currently includes campaigns and basic automations, though the free tier is limited (for example, it caps active subscribers and monthly sends). Paid plans start at a relatively low level as you outgrow it. www.mailerlite.com

Best for:

• Coaches
• Consultants
• Freelancers
• Creators
• Small SaaS/info businesses
• Anyone building a newsletter + nurture funnel

2. Best if your list is growing fast but you send fewer emails: Brevo

Brevo is interesting because it prices more around email volume rather than subscriber count. Its free plan supports a large contact database but limits daily sending, and paid plans increase sending capacity. help.brevo.com

Best for:

• A list with lots of subscribers who don’t all need frequent emails
• Businesses that may eventually want SMS, transactional emails, or CRM features

Tradeoff:

• The interface and automation experience may feel less creator-friendly than MailerLite.

3. Best for creators who care about advanced segmentation: Kit

(Formerly ConvertKit.)

Great if your business revolves around:

• Courses
• Paid newsletters
• Digital products
• Creator funnels

Tradeoff:

• It can get expensive faster as your subscriber count grows compared with simpler tools.

What I would avoid in your situation

• Mailchimp: popular, but many solo operators find the pricing/value ratio less attractive once their list grows.
• Enterprise-style platforms: powerful, but you’ll pay for features you probably won’t use yet.

My pick based on your description:

Start with MailerLite. Build:

1. Lead magnet → signup form
2. Welcome automation (5–7 emails)
3. Weekly/biweekly broadcast newsletter
4. Simple segmentation (customers vs prospects, interests, engagement)

Move only when you hit a real limitation (complex branching funnels, advanced CRM needs, etc.).

If you tell me:

• your current subscriber count,
• monthly budget (e.g., $0, $20, $50),
• whether you sell services, courses, products, or just content,

I can narrow it to the best fit.

For a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d pick MailerLite.

My shortlist

MailerLite: Its free plan supports up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, campaigns, and visual automations. Once you outgrow that, the Comfort plan starts at $12/month, with 50 active automations and 10× your subscriber count in monthly email sends. The Power plan starts at $25/month with unlimited monthly email sending and automations. www.mailerlite.com

Brevo: Particularly attractive if you send lots of broadcasts because its pricing is based more on email volume than subscriber count. The free plan allows 300 emails/day, while Starter starts at $9/month for 5,000 emails/month. Full unlimited-contact marketing automation starts with Standard at $18/month. help.brevo.com

Kit: Very good if your business is primarily creator/content driven. It has unlimited broadcasts, sequences, visual automations, tagging and segmentation, but its paid Creator plan starts at $39/month for up to 1,000 subscribers—considerably more expensive for a tight budget. help.kit.com

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with MailerLite. It gives you the core setup you're likely to need:

• 📧 One-off broadcasts/newsletters
• 🔄 Welcome sequences
• 🎯 Tags and segmentation
• ⚡ Trigger-based automations
• 📝 Forms and landing pages
• 🧪 A/B testing
• 💰 A genuinely usable low-cost tier

And importantly, you aren't choosing between "cheap" and "automation": even the free tier includes visual automations, albeit with limits. www.mailerlite.com

One caveat: if your list is already well above ~1,000 subscribers, or you send very frequently, I'd compare MailerLite against Brevo based on your actual monthly send volume before switching.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have (e.g. 500, 2,000, 10,000) and how many broadcasts you send per month, I can tell you which will be cheapest at your actual scale.

For a solopreneur on a tight budget, I’d avoid jumping straight to expensive “marketing automation” platforms. You mainly need:

• Broadcasts (newsletters, launches, updates)
• Automations (welcome sequence, lead magnet delivery, nurture emails, customer follow-ups)
• Segmentation/tags (so everyone doesn’t get the same message)
• Pricing that doesn’t explode as your list grows

My shortlist:

hustpilot.comtajo.io

My recommendation by situation

If you’re under ~5,000 subscribers and watching every dollar:
→ MailerLite is probably where I’d start. It gives you the core things a solo operator needs without making you become an email automation technician. hustpilot.com

If your list is already big (10k+) but you don’t send constantly:
→ Brevo is worth a serious look because contact count matters less than with many subscriber-based tools. hustpilot.comtajo.io

If your business is content-driven (newsletter, courses, coaching, digital products):
→ Kit may justify the higher cost because the creator-focused workflows are the main product. benjaminpreston.com

If you sell higher-ticket services and need complex funnels:
→ Start simple, then migrate to ActiveCampaign when you actually need things like lead scoring, branching logic, and sales automation. eanasir.co

A practical low-cost setup I’d use:

1. Pick MailerLite (or Brevo if your list is large)
2. Build:
   • lead magnet delivery email
   • 5–7 email welcome sequence
   • weekly/biweekly broadcast newsletter
   • simple re-engagement campaign
3. Don’t overbuild automations until you have enough subscribers and sales data to justify them.

If you tell me your current list size, what you sell (services/products/course/newsletter), and how often you email, I can narrow it to one choice.

For a budget-conscious solopreneur with a growing list, I’d pick MailerLite.

My ranking

1. MailerLite — best overall

MailerLite gives you both broadcasts/newsletters and visual automations, even on its free tier. The free plan supports up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month; its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month and includes up to 50 active automations. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com

The big advantage for you: the automation features don't require jumping to an expensive "pro" platform. You can build welcome sequences, lead-magnet delivery, nurture sequences, re-engagement campaigns, etc. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com

MailerLite pricing

2. Brevo — potentially cheapest if you send frequently

Brevo's pricing is more send-volume-oriented than subscriber-oriented. Its free plan allows unlimited contacts but caps you at 300 emails/day; paid Starter starts at $9/month, and Standard starts at $18/month with unlimited-contact marketing automation. help.brevo.com

So if you have, say, 5,000 subscribers but don't email them constantly, Brevo can be particularly attractive.

Brevo pricing

3. Kit — excellent, but I'd wait

Kit is very good for creators: broadcasts, sequences, tagging, segmentation and visual automations are core features. Its free Newsletter plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts, but automation is limited; the paid Creator plan is currently $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. kit.com

That's compelling if your business is fundamentally a newsletter/content business, but for a solopreneur watching every dollar, MailerLite gives you more automation capability for less money.

Kit pricing

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with MailerLite. Build these 4 things:

1. Welcome sequence — 3–7 emails after signup
2. Lead magnet delivery — automatic
3. Weekly/biweekly broadcast — your regular newsletter
4. Simple sales sequence — triggered when someone shows interest

You can stay free while your list is tiny, then move to the roughly $12/month range as you grow. www.mailerlite.com

One caveat: if you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 500, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000) and how often you send broadcasts, I can tell you which one will actually be cheapest at your size, including the point where I'd switch from MailerLite to Brevo or Kit.