ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a cheap email marketing platform that won’t punish you as your list grows, the key question is whether you’re paying for contacts or emails sent. A low entry price can become expensive if every new subscriber moves you into a higher tier. StackScored SaaS Scored

Here are the strongest value options:

My shortlist by growth scenario

• You expect your list to grow from 1,000 → 25,000+ subscribers:

Brevo is worth a serious look because your bill is tied more to sending volume than the size of your database. EveryAny.One AutoMarketer

• You want the best balance of simplicity + price:

MailerLite is often the sweet spot. It has a low-cost entry point and a feature set that covers newsletters, forms, landing pages, and basic automations. G2

• You’re building a creator newsletter/business:

Kit can make sense, especially if its free tier covers your current needs, but check future subscriber pricing before committing. EveryAny.One

• You send infrequently but want to keep a large archive of subscribers:

Favor Brevo-style pricing; contact-based tools can charge you for inactive subscribers sitting on your list. AutoMarketer

Practical recommendation

For most small businesses starting from scratch, I’d compare:

1. MailerLite — best all-around low-cost starting point
2. Brevo — best if you expect a large list and don’t email constantly
3. Kit — best if your business is primarily a newsletter/creator audience

Before choosing, estimate:

• current subscribers
• subscribers in 12–24 months
• emails sent per month (e.g., weekly newsletter = ~4 sends/month per subscriber)
• need for advanced automation

If you tell me your current list size, expected size (e.g., 5k/25k/100k), and how often you’ll email, I can estimate the likely monthly cost difference between the top options.

If your priority is low starting cost + reasonable cost as the list grows, I’d focus on EmailOctopus, Brevo, and MailerLite. The important wrinkle is that they price growth differently: some charge mainly by subscribers, while Brevo is much more send-volume-oriented.

My take

1. EmailOctopus — probably the closest match to what you're asking for.

Its free plan supports 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails/month, and paid plans automatically upgrade as your list grows. The company explicitly structures pricing around subscriber count rather than surprise overages. EmailOctopus EmailOctopus Help

That makes it particularly attractive if you're expecting something like:

1k → 5k → 10k → 25k → 50k subscribers

and want the bill to rise relatively predictably.

emailoctopus.com

2. Brevo — potentially cheaper if your sending frequency is low.

Brevo's pricing is unusual: its Starter plan begins at $9/month, with the primary tiers based on monthly email volume while also specifying how many contacts can be stored. For example, the current Starter structure ranges from 5,000 monthly emails/500 contacts through substantially larger send volumes and contact counts. Brevo Help

So if you have 30,000 contacts but only email 5,000–10,000 of them each month, Brevo can be considerably more economical than a conventional subscriber-priced platform.

brevo.com

3. MailerLite — good balance, but its free tier recently got much smaller.

As of the June 2026 pricing changes, MailerLite's free plan is only 250 active subscribers / 2,500 emails per 30 days. Paid plans then scale through subscriber tiers. MailerLite MailerLite

So I'd consider it if you value its broader website/landing-page features, but I wouldn't pick it purely for lowest cost.

mailerlite.com

4. Kit — interesting if this is primarily a newsletter.

Kit now offers a surprisingly generous free tier: up to 10,000 subscribers, with unlimited broadcasts, forms/landing pages, segmentation, and other creator-oriented features. Paid plans become relevant when you need more sophisticated automations. Kit Help Center Kit

kit.com

The short answer

If I were narrowing it down specifically on your stated criterion, I'd look at:

• EmailOctopus → best straightforward cheap-as-list-grows choice.
• Brevo → potentially best value if your sending volume is low relative to your total list.
• Kit → unusually good economics if you're running a newsletter/creator business and can live with its feature model.
• MailerLite → solid general-purpose option, but not my first choice if minimizing cost is the dominant consideration.

If you tell me roughly (1) current subscribers, (2) expected subscribers in 12 months, and (3) how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost at each milestone (e.g. 1k/5k/10k/25k/50k) and identify where each pricing model starts becoming expensive.

1. EmailOctopus — probably the closest match to what you're asking for.

Its free plan supports 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails/month, and paid plans automatically upgrade as your list grows. The company explicitly structures pricing around subscriber count rather than surprise overages. EmailOctopus EmailOctopus Help

That makes it particularly attractive if you're expecting something like:

1k → 5k → 10k → 25k → 50k subscribers

and want the bill to rise relatively predictably.

emailoctopus.com

2. Brevo — potentially cheaper if your sending frequency is low.

Brevo's pricing is unusual: its Starter plan begins at $9/month, with the primary tiers based on monthly email volume while also specifying how many contacts can be stored. For example, the current Starter structure ranges from 5,000 monthly emails/500 contacts through substantially larger send volumes and contact counts. Brevo Help

So if you have 30,000 contacts but only email 5,000–10,000 of them each month, Brevo can be considerably more economical than a conventional subscriber-priced platform.

brevo.com

3. MailerLite — good balance, but its free tier recently got much smaller.

As of the June 2026 pricing changes, MailerLite's free plan is only 250 active subscribers / 2,500 emails per 30 days. Paid plans then scale through subscriber tiers. MailerLite MailerLite

So I'd consider it if you value its broader website/landing-page features, but I wouldn't pick it purely for lowest cost.

mailerlite.com

4. Kit — interesting if this is primarily a newsletter.

Kit now offers a surprisingly generous free tier: up to 10,000 subscribers, with unlimited broadcasts, forms/landing pages, segmentation, and other creator-oriented features. Paid plans become relevant when you need more sophisticated automations.

If your main criterion is low starting cost + predictable scaling as the list grows, I’d look closely at Brevo and MailerLite rather than the creator-focused platforms.

Brevo's current Starter plan begins at $9/month for 5,000 emails/month and up to 500 contacts, with higher-volume tiers available; it also offers prepaid email credits if you occasionally need additional sends. Brevo Help

MailerLite's current Comfort plan starts at $12/month for up to 500 subscribers, with 5,000 monthly emails. Its pricing scales based on active subscribers, and it automatically moves you to the next subscriber tier when you exceed your current limit. MailerLite MailerLite

Kit is currently $33/month for 1,000 subscribers on Creator, although its free plan allows up to 10,000 subscribers. It's therefore interesting if you're a creator/newsletter business, but less compelling if your priority is minimizing the cost of a growing commercial mailing list. Kit

My practical take

• Large list + relatively infrequent sends: Brevo is probably the pricing model I'd investigate first. You're not punished as heavily simply for having lots of contacts.
• Small-to-medium list + regular newsletters/automations: MailerLite is probably the cleaner fit. Its pricing is easy to understand, and paid plans include substantial functionality.
• Newsletter/creator business: Kit makes more sense if its creator-specific features justify the higher price.

One important distinction: "overage pricing" isn't always the right metric. Some services don't really charge an overage—they automatically move you into the next subscriber tier. MailerLite explicitly does this. MailerLite

If you give me your approximate current list size + emails/month (e.g. 2,000 subscribers, 4 newsletters/month), I can calculate the likely monthly cost at 2k → 5k → 10k → 25k → 50k subscribers and show which one scales most cheaply.

If your priority is low starting cost + a pricing model that doesn’t punish you as the list grows, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is particularly attractive if your list will grow substantially. Its pricing is primarily tied to email volume rather than the number of contacts you store. The free plan allows unlimited contacts but caps you at 300 emails/day; paid Starter begins at $9/month, with tiers based on monthly email sends. Brevo Help

That means, for example, you can have 20,000 contacts sitting in your database without paying simply because you have 20,000 contacts. If you only email them occasionally, that's a major advantage.

brevo.com

When MailerLite makes more sense

MailerLite is better if you're going to send frequently to most of your list and want a straightforward newsletter/automation platform. Its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month, while Power starts at $25 and includes unlimited monthly emails. Pricing scales with active subscribers. MailerLite EmailTooltester.com

So I'd think of it this way:

• Small list + occasional sends → Brevo
• Large list + occasional sends → Brevo
• Small/medium list + frequent sends → MailerLite
• Large list + frequent sends → compare Brevo vs. MailerLite based on actual monthly volume
• Creator/newsletter business → Kit is worth a look

The key distinction is contacts vs. sends. A subscriber-priced service can become expensive even if you're barely emailing, while a send-priced service can be extremely cheap for a large but relatively inactive list. EveryAny.One

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 1k, 5k, 10k) and how often you email them, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for Brevo, MailerLite, Kit, and 2–3 other cheap options at 10k/25k/50k subscribers.

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable scaling, I’d shortlist Brevo, MailerLite, and Kit. The best choice depends heavily on whether you care more about sending volume or subscriber count.

🏆 My pick: Brevo

brevo.com

Brevo has an unusually favorable model if your list grows quickly but you don't email everyone constantly. Its free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts, although you're limited to 300 emails/day. Paid Starter begins at $9/month and is based primarily on monthly email volume rather than charging you simply for having a large contact database. Brevo Help EveryAny.One

For example, having 25,000 contacts doesn't automatically mean paying for a 25,000-contact plan. That's a big advantage if you're sending, say, one newsletter per week.

🥈 MailerLite: best if you're sending frequently

mailerlite.com

MailerLite is probably the one I'd compare most seriously with Brevo. It charges based on subscriber count and sending, but paid plans include unlimited monthly emails, and the feature set is strong even at the lower tiers. MailerLite MailerLite

Recent pricing comparisons put it around $73/month at 10,000 subscribers and substantially higher as the list grows, so it's excellent at small-to-medium sizes but becomes less compelling than Brevo for very large lists. etropo

🥉 Kit: fantastic if you're building a newsletter

Kit has a particularly generous free tier—up to 10,000 subscribers—but its paid pricing eventually becomes more expensive as the list gets large. Sasanova

I'd choose it over Brevo/MailerLite if you're a creator, blogger, author, or newsletter business and want creator-oriented features rather than conventional business email marketing.

What I'd choose by list trajectory

• 0–2,500 subscribers: Brevo or beehiiv
• 2,500–10,000: Brevo if you're sending moderately; MailerLite if you're sending heavily
• 10,000–50,000: Brevo becomes particularly attractive because you're not paying simply for storing contacts
• Newsletter/creator business: Kit or beehiiv
• Ecommerce/complex behavioral automation: I'd look beyond these to Klaviyo/ActiveCampaign

One important distinction: “overage pricing” isn't necessarily the best metric. I'd avoid a provider that automatically bumps you into a substantially more expensive contact tier just because your list temporarily crosses a threshold. Brevo's email-volume model largely sidesteps that problem. Brevo Help

If you tell me your current list size, expected size in 12 months, and roughly how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the estimated monthly cost for Brevo vs MailerLite vs Kit vs beehiiv at each growth stage.

For example, having 25,000 contacts doesn't automatically mean paying for a 25,000-contact plan. That's a big advantage if you're sending, say, one newsletter per week.

🥈 MailerLite: best if you're sending frequently

mailerlite.com

MailerLite is probably the one I'd compare most seriously with Brevo. It charges based on subscriber count and sending, but paid plans include unlimited monthly emails, and the feature set is strong even at the lower tiers. mailerlite.com mailerlite.com

Recent pricing comparisons put it around $73/month at 10,000 subscribers and substantially higher as the list grows, so it's excellent at small-to-medium sizes but becomes less compelling than Brevo for very large lists.

🥉 Kit: fantastic if you're building a newsletter

Kit has a particularly generous free tier—up to 10,000 subscribers—but its paid pricing eventually becomes more expensive as the list gets large.

For the best balance of low starting cost + reasonable scaling, I’d shortlist these:

• Brevo — best if your list may grow large but you don’t email constantly. It prices mainly by email volume rather than contacts, so a 50k-contact list can be much cheaper than contact-based tools if you send occasionally. EveryAny.One
• MailerLite — best overall value for many small businesses: inexpensive early tiers, easy automation, landing pages, and a smoother experience than many budget tools. EmailTooltester.com
• Kit — good for newsletters/creators because the free tier is unusually generous, though paid pricing rises as your subscriber count grows. EveryAny.One
• Loops — worth considering if you expect rapid growth and want predictable subscriber-based pricing. EveryAny.One

My default pick:

• <10k subscribers: MailerLite
• 10k–100k subscribers with occasional campaigns: Brevo
• Creator/newsletter business: Kit

Avoid choosing only by the “free plan” — check the price at 10k and 50k subscribers, because that’s where many platforms become expensive. etropo.com

If your priority is low starting cost + not getting punished as your list grows, I’d focus on platforms with either:

1. Subscriber-friendly scaling (reasonable price jumps as contacts increase), or
2. Send-volume pricing (you can store many contacts without paying for inactive subscribers).

Here are the strongest fits:

My shortlist

1. Best overall value: Brevo

brevo.com

Brevo is often the best deal for a business expecting a large list because it does not primarily charge you just for storing contacts. Its free tier allows up to 300 daily email sends, and paid plans start around $9/month with pricing tied to sending volume tiers. Brevo Help

Good fit if:

• You might have 10k–100k subscribers eventually
• You email weekly or less often
• You want predictable costs

Downside: Less “newsletter creator” focused than some competitors.

2. Best small-business sweet spot: MailerLite

mailerlite.com

MailerLite is probably the easiest recommendation for someone starting small but wanting room to grow. It has a free tier (up to 250 subscribers) and paid plans that scale by subscriber count. MailerLite

Good fit if:

• You want newsletters + basic automations
• You value simplicity
• You expect gradual list growth

Downside: Subscriber-based pricing means a very large list can become more expensive than Brevo.

3. Best for creators: Kit

kit.com

Kit is built around newsletters, creators, and audience funnels. It can be attractive if your email list is a core product rather than just marketing. Sasanova

Good fit if:

• You sell courses, memberships, digital products, or content
• You need tagging and creator-focused automation

Downside: Less cost-efficient at very large lists.

What I would choose by list size

• 0–2,000 subscribers: MailerLite or Brevo
• 2,000–25,000 subscribers: Brevo usually wins on cost
• 25,000+ subscribers: Brevo or another send-volume-priced provider
• Creator business/newsletter-first: Kit

A common mistake is choosing based only on the $0–$15 starting price. The bigger question is: “What will I pay at 10k and 50k subscribers?” That is where pricing models diverge. etropo

If you tell me your expected list size (e.g., **1k, 10k, 50k+) and how often you’ll email (weekly/daily/monthly), I can narrow it to the cheapest realistic option.

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable pricing as your list grows, I’d shortlist MailerLite, Brevo, and Kit.

🏆 My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com

MailerLite is unusually well aligned with what you're asking for. Its paid pricing is based on your active subscriber count, and it doesn't charge separately for every additional email send on its Power plan. The current paid entry point is $12/month, while Power starts at $25/month. MailerLite MailerLite

For example, its current published Power pricing is roughly:

• 1,000 subscribers — $39/mo
• 5,000 — $69/mo
• 10,000 — $129/mo
• 25,000 — $270/mo
• 50,000 — $389/mo

That makes the growth curve fairly easy to predict. MailerLite

A particularly nice detail: MailerLite says it counts active subscribers, rather than continuing to bill you for unsubscribed contacts. MailerLite

When I'd choose Brevo instead

brevo.com

Brevo can actually beat MailerLite if you expect your contact list to get large but your monthly sending volume to remain modest. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, and pricing is structured around monthly email volume rather than simply charging more because you have more contacts. Brevo Help

For example, the current Starter tiers include 5,000 sends/month for up to 500 contacts, 10,000 sends for up to 1,500, and 15,000 for up to 2,500, with larger tiers available. Brevo Help

So I'd think of it this way:

• 10k contacts + frequent newsletters: MailerLite
• 50k contacts + occasional campaigns: Brevo becomes much more interesting
• Creator/newsletter business: Kit
• Want simple, predictable budgeting: MailerLite

One caveat: don't choose solely on the advertised starting price. The important number is what you'll pay at 5k, 10k, 25k and 50k subscribers, because that's where some "cheap" platforms get expensive.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 12 months, and how many emails/campaigns you send per month, I can calculate the approximate annual cost for 3–5 platforms and tell you which is cheapest at each growth stage.

If your priority is low starting cost + pricing that doesn’t punish you as the list grows, I’d shortlist Brevo, EmailOctopus, and MailerLite.

Brevo is particularly interesting because your contact count doesn't directly drive the bill. If you have 50,000 contacts but only send 20,000 emails/month, you can remain on a relatively inexpensive email-volume tier. That's a fundamentally better scaling model if your list is growing faster than your sending frequency. Sasanova StackScored

EmailOctopus is probably my pick if you want a more traditional subscriber-based service. It gives you 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails/month free, and its paid tiers automatically move up as your subscriber count crosses thresholds. Importantly, unsubscribed/bounced contacts aren't counted toward the subscriber total. EmailOctopus Help EmailOctopus

What I'd choose

• List likely to grow from 1k → 10k → 50k+: Brevo
• You want the cheapest straightforward newsletter tool: EmailOctopus
• You care more about landing pages, automation and ease of use: MailerLite
• You're primarily a creator/newsletter business: Kit
• I'd avoid Mailchimp if price scalability is a major concern.

One important distinction: “overage pricing” isn't quite the same across these services. Brevo effectively makes growth cheaper by charging for send volume, whereas EmailOctopus/MailerLite move you into a higher contact tier. That means Brevo can be dramatically cheaper if you have a large list with relatively low monthly engagement. Capterra Sasanova

If you tell me roughly 1) current list size, 2) expected size in 12 months, and 3) emails/month, I can calculate the estimated monthly cost for 3–5 providers at each stage and identify the cheapest long-term option.

If your goal is low cost today without getting punished as your list grows, I'd narrow it to these:

My recommendations by use case

• Lowest long-term cost: EmailOctopus

• Simple interface
• Good automation
• Pricing stays competitive well past 10,000 subscribers
• Less polished than some premium competitors, but excellent value. Sequenzy StackPricing
• Best if you expect a huge list but don't email daily: Brevo

• Charges primarily based on emails sent, not contacts.
• If you have 50,000 subscribers but only send one newsletter a month, you'll often spend much less than with contact-based platforms. StackScored EveryAny.One
• Best overall balance for a small business: MailerLite

• Excellent editor
• Landing pages
• Automations
• Fair pricing in the early stages
• Once you reach larger subscriber counts, other providers may offer better value. EmailTooltester.com

Platforms I'd be cautious about

• Mailchimp — easy to start, but costs tend to rise noticeably as subscriber counts increase. StackScored StackPricing
• ActiveCampaign — powerful automation, but generally not the budget option once your list grows. etropo StackScored
• Klaviyo — excellent for ecommerce, but relatively expensive unless you're generating strong revenue from email. etropo

If I were optimizing strictly for cost

1. EmailOctopus — best value over time.
2. Brevo — especially if your send volume is modest relative to list size.
3. MailerLite — easiest all-around platform for many small businesses.
4. Kit — worth paying more only if you're a creator who benefits from its audience and monetization features.

If you tell me:

• your current subscriber count,
• expected growth over the next year, and
• roughly how many campaigns you send each month,

I can estimate what each platform would likely cost at your scale and point out where the pricing curves start to diverge.

If your priority is low starting cost + reasonable scaling, I’d shortlist Brevo, MailerLite, and Kit—but they win under different growth patterns.

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is particularly interesting if your list will grow much faster than your sending frequency. Its current model doesn't charge you simply for storing contacts. The free tier allows 300 emails/day, and paid plans start around $9/month; for example, roughly 10,000 emails/month is around $17 and 100,000 around $69 on Starter according to current pricing comparisons. EveryAny.One MailCompared

That means a 20,000-contact list that you email only once or twice a month can be dramatically cheaper than a subscriber-priced service.

MailerLite is the better choice if you're sending frequently

MailerLite's current pricing starts at $12/month monthly ($10.80 equivalent with annual billing) for 500 subscribers, and scales through much larger subscriber tiers. Its Comfort plan permits email sending at 10× the subscriber tier per month, so 5,000 subscribers gives you 50,000 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

One important catch: MailerLite changed pricing in June 2026, cutting the free tier to 250 subscribers / 2,500 emails per month, so older comparisons you'll find online are outdated. MailerLite

Simple rule

• List grows quickly, but you don't email everyone constantly → Brevo
• You regularly email your whole list → MailerLite
• You're a creator and want newsletter/creator features → Kit
• You're expecting 10k–50k+ subscribers → I'd strongly favor Brevo unless you send very heavily

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 12 months, and how often you email, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost at 1k / 5k / 10k / 25k subscribers and tell you which one is actually cheapest.

Brevo is particularly interesting if your list will grow much faster than your sending frequency. Its current model doesn't charge you simply for storing contacts. The free tier allows 300 emails/day, and paid plans start around $9/month; for example, roughly 10,000 emails/month is around $17 and 100,000 around $69 on Starter according to current pricing comparisons. everyany.one mailcompared.com

That means a 20,000-contact list that you email only once or twice a month can be dramatically cheaper than a subscriber-priced service.

MailerLite is the better choice if you're sending frequently

MailerLite's current pricing starts at $12/month monthly ($10.80 equivalent with annual billing) for 500 subscribers, and scales through much larger subscriber tiers. Its Comfort plan permits email sending at 10× the subscriber tier per month, so 5,000 subscribers gives you 50,000 emails/month.

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable scaling, I’d shortlist Brevo, MailerLite, and Moosend. The big question is whether you send frequently or just have a large list.

Current pricing comparisons put MailerLite around $12–$19 at 1,000 subscribers, Brevo around $9 depending on sending volume, and Moosend around $16. etropo Accelrio

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com is probably the sweet spot if you expect to grow from, say, 1,000 → 5,000 → 10,000+ subscribers and actually send newsletters regularly.

Its pricing is based on subscriber count and sending volume, and its paid plans include the core features rather than charging separately for advanced functionality. Its Comfort plan gives you an email allowance equal to 10× the top of your subscriber tier, while Power includes unlimited monthly emails. MailerLite

For example, an independent August 2026 comparison found approximately:

• 1K: $19/mo
• 5K: $49/mo
• 25K: $179/mo

Those numbers can vary with billing frequency/promotions, but they illustrate the scaling curve. Mailchimp Alternatives

When I'd choose Brevo instead

brevo.com is particularly attractive if you expect to have lots of subscribers but don't email them constantly.

The key difference is that Brevo primarily prices by emails sent rather than contacts stored. Its free plan allows unlimited contacts but caps you at 300 emails/day; paid Starter currently begins at $9/month. Brevo Help

So, for example, having 20,000 contacts but sending only 10,000 emails/month can be much more economical with Brevo than a conventional per-subscriber platform. Conversely, if you're sending several campaigns to that whole list every week, the economics become less attractive.

The one I'd avoid for this specific criterion

Kit is excellent for creators, but I wouldn't pick it primarily for cheap scaling. Its free plan is unusually generous—up to 10,000 subscribers—but the paid Creator plan starts at $33/month at 1,000 subscribers. Kit

Bottom line:

• Regular newsletter + growing business: MailerLite
• Large list + relatively low sending frequency: Brevo
• Need unlimited sending and don't mind higher scaling costs: Moosend
• Creator/newsletter business where monetization tools matter: Kit

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 12 months, and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the likely 1-year cost for the 3 cheapest options.

The key difference is that Brevo primarily prices by emails sent rather than contacts stored. Its free plan allows unlimited contacts but caps you at 300 emails/day; paid Starter currently begins at $9/month. help.brevo.com

So, for example, having 20,000 contacts but sending only 10,000 emails/month can be much more economical with Brevo than a conventional per-subscriber platform. Conversely, if you're sending several campaigns to that whole list every week, the economics become less attractive.

The one I'd avoid for this specific criterion

Kit is excellent for creators, but I wouldn't pick it primarily for cheap scaling. Its free plan is unusually generous—up to 10,000 subscribers—but the paid Creator plan starts at $33/month at 1,000 subscribers.

Bottom line:

If your priority is low starting cost + reasonable scaling, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com

MailerLite explicitly uses a usage-based model, where pricing scales with both your subscriber count and sending volume. That makes it a particularly good fit if you expect your list to grow steadily rather than suddenly explode. MailerLite

The interesting alternative: Brevo

brevo.com

Brevo can actually become cheaper than subscriber-based platforms for large, relatively inactive lists. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, and pricing is tied heavily to monthly email volume; for example, its published tiers include 10,000 sends/month with up to 1,500 contacts and much larger send/contact combinations. Brevo Help

So if you had 20,000 subscribers but only emailed them once or twice a month, I'd seriously consider Brevo.

One wildcard: Kit

kit.com

Kit is unusually attractive if you're a newsletter/creator: its free plan now supports up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts. Kit Kit Help Center The catch is that important automation features move you to the paid Creator plan, which starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. Kit

I'd avoid Mailchimp if cost efficiency is your main criterion. Its current pricing combines contact counts with monthly send limits, and it explicitly charges overages when those limits are exceeded. Mailchimp Mailchimp

Bottom line:

• General business email marketing: MailerLite
• Large list / relatively few sends: Brevo
• Newsletter/creator: Kit
• Lots of advanced marketing features and budget less important: Mailchimp

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 12 months, and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for each at your actual scale.

mailerlite.com

MailerLite explicitly uses a usage-based model, where pricing scales with both your subscriber count and sending volume. That makes it a particularly good fit if you expect your list to grow steadily rather than suddenly explode. MailerLite

The interesting alternative: Brevo

brevo.com

Brevo can actually become cheaper than subscriber-based platforms for large, relatively inactive lists. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, and pricing is tied heavily to monthly email volume; for example, its published tiers include 10,000 sends/month with up to 1,500 contacts and much larger send/contact combinations. Brevo Help

So if you had 20,000 subscribers but only emailed them once or twice a month, I'd seriously consider Brevo.

One wildcard: Kit

kit.com

Kit is unusually attractive if you're a newsletter/creator: its free plan now supports up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited broadcasts. kit.com help.kit.com The catch is that important automation features move you to the paid Creator plan, which starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers.

I'd avoid Mailchimp if cost efficiency is your main criterion. Its current pricing combines contact counts with monthly send limits, and it explicitly charges overages when those limits are exceeded.

Bottom line:

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable pricing as the list grows, I’d put MailerLite at the top of the shortlist right now.

My pick: MailerLite

The key advantage is that you're not punished heavily for sending more emails. Its Power plan includes unlimited monthly emails, while pricing primarily scales with your subscriber count. Its Comfort plan also scales its monthly sending allowance with your subscriber tier. MailerLite MailerLite

For a sense of the curve, MailerLite currently lists Power at approximately $39/month for 1,000, $69 for 5,000, $129 for 10,000, and $270 for 25,000 subscribers on monthly pricing. MailerLite

There's also currently a 50%-off first-month promotion for new paid customers, valid through September 24, 2026. MailerLite

One interesting alternative: Kit

If you're primarily running a newsletter/content business, Kit is unusually attractive because its free plan goes up to 10,000 subscribers and includes unlimited broadcasts. The paid Creator plan starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. Kit

So I'd choose:

• Small business / ecommerce / general marketing → MailerLite
• Newsletter / personal brand / creator → Kit
• Very large list but relatively low sending volume → Brevo
• Already deeply invested in Mailchimp → consider staying, otherwise I'd price-shop it

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 12–24 months, and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for MailerLite vs. Brevo vs. Kit at each stage and tell you which one is actually cheapest.

The key advantage is that you're not punished heavily for sending more emails. Its Power plan includes unlimited monthly emails, while pricing primarily scales with your subscriber count. Its Comfort plan also scales its monthly sending allowance with your subscriber tier. mailerlite.com mailerlite.com

For a sense of the curve, MailerLite currently lists Power at approximately $39/month for 1,000, $69 for 5,000, $129 for 10,000, and $270 for 25,000 subscribers on monthly pricing. mailerlite.com

There's also currently a 50%-off first-month promotion for new paid customers, valid through September 24, 2026.

One interesting alternative: Kit

If you're primarily running a newsletter/content business, Kit is unusually attractive because its free plan goes up to 10,000 subscribers and includes unlimited broadcasts. The paid Creator plan starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers.

If your priority is low starting cost + a pricing model that doesn’t punish you as the list grows, I’d shortlist Brevo, Kit, and MailerLite.

My pick: Brevo

Brevo has the most favorable scaling economics if you're going to email a large list regularly. Its pricing is based primarily on send volume rather than the number of contacts you store, so growing from 10K → 50K → 100K subscribers doesn't automatically cause a huge contact-tier jump. Sasanova Email vendor selection

For example, recent 2026 comparisons put Brevo around $25/mo at 10K contacts and $65/mo at 50K, versus substantially more for most subscriber-priced competitors. Sasanova

The catch is important: your sending frequency matters. A 50K list that gets one newsletter/month can be dramatically cheaper than a 50K list receiving several campaigns per week.

The wildcard: Kit

If you're a creator and your list is likely to stay under 10,000 subscribers for a while, Kit is hard to beat: its free tier currently goes to 10K subscribers, although the free plan has meaningful feature limitations. Worklever

So I'd choose:

• Brevo → business/customer email, frequent campaigns, large list, want predictable scaling.
• Kit → creator, newsletter, courses/digital products, and you want to stay free as long as possible.
• MailerLite → you want a conventional, easy-to-use email marketing platform and expect to remain around the low-to-mid five figures.
• beehiiv → your newsletter itself is the product and you care about referral/growth/monetization tools more than traditional marketing automation.

One thing I'd avoid: choosing based solely on the advertised starting price. The pricing curve at 10K–50K subscribers matters much more. Current comparisons show Brevo becoming particularly compelling at larger list sizes because it doesn't charge simply for holding contacts. Sasanova etropo.com

If you tell me your current list size + expected size in 12 months + how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for 3–5 platforms and tell you which is cheapest at your scale.

For example, recent 2026 comparisons put Brevo around $25/mo at 10K contacts and $65/mo at 50K, versus substantially more for most subscriber-priced competitors. sasanova.com

The catch is important: your sending frequency matters. A 50K list that gets one newsletter/month can be dramatically cheaper than a 50K list receiving several campaigns per week.

The wildcard: Kit

If you're a creator and your list is likely to stay under 10,000 subscribers for a while, Kit is hard to beat: its free tier currently goes to 10K subscribers, although the free plan has meaningful feature limitations.

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable scaling, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: MailerLite

mailerlite.com

MailerLite is probably the closest match to what you're asking for. Its current paid plans start around $12/month, and its Power plan includes unlimited monthly emails, so you don't get hit with an overage bill simply because you send more campaigns in a busy month. Its pricing examples show roughly $69/mo at 5,000 subscribers, $129 at 10,000, and $270 at 25,000 on Power. MailerLite MailerLite

That makes it particularly attractive if your list is going to grow steadily and you expect to email subscribers frequently.

The wildcard: Brevo

brevo.com

Brevo uses email volume rather than subscriber count as its main pricing dimension. Its current Starter plan is advertised at $9/month for 5,000 emails/month. That can be dramatically cheaper than subscriber-based pricing if you have, say, 20,000 contacts but only send one or two newsletters per month. Brevo

So I'd choose:

• 5k–25k subscribers + frequent campaigns: MailerLite
• Lots of subscribers + relatively few emails: Brevo
• Creator/newsletter business where monetization matters: Kit
• Just starting: MailerLite's free tier is particularly attractive—currently up to 250 subscribers. MailerLite

One important distinction: “overage pricing” isn't necessarily the right metric here. A provider with cheap overages can still become expensive as your normal usage grows. For long-term predictability, I'd favor MailerLite's unlimited-send model unless your list is huge relative to your monthly sending volume.

If you tell me your approximate list size now + expected size in 1 year + emails/month, I can calculate the likely monthly cost for MailerLite vs Brevo vs Kit at each stage.

That makes it particularly attractive if your list is going to grow steadily and you expect to email subscribers frequently.

The wildcard: Brevo

brevo.com

If your priority is low starting cost + not getting punished as your list grows, I’d focus less on the cheapest first month and more on the pricing model. The big split is:

• Subscriber-based pricing: you pay more as your list grows (common with Mailchimp/MailerLite).
• Send-volume pricing: you pay for emails sent, which can be much cheaper if you have a large list but send infrequently (Brevo is a strong example). Brevo Help

Here are the options I’d shortlist:

My pick by list size

• 0–5,000 subscribers:

→ MailerLite is probably the best balance. The free tier lets you validate your audience, and the paid tiers are still reasonable. MailerLite

• 5,000–50,000 subscribers, sending a few newsletters/month:

→ Brevo often wins because you avoid paying heavily just because people are sitting on your list. Brevo Help

• 50,000+ subscribers:

→ Compare Brevo vs. high-volume newsletter platforms carefully. Subscriber-based tools can become expensive unless your revenue per subscriber is high. etropo

What I would avoid for your criteria

• Mailchimp is popular, but it can become expensive as lists grow because you pay heavily for contact volume. etropo
• Premium automation-first tools like ActiveCampaign are excellent, but usually make sense when automation revenue justifies the cost. Capterra

Overall recommendation:

• Choose MailerLite if you’re building from small → medium.
• Choose Brevo if you expect your list to grow quickly and you don’t email every subscriber constantly.

If you tell me your expected list size (1k, 10k, 100k+) and how often you’ll send, I can estimate which one will actually be cheapest.

If your priority is low starting cost + not getting punished as your list grows, I would avoid choosing purely by the cheapest free plan. The big question is whether you pay by contacts (your list size) or by emails sent (your usage). Capterra

Here are the strongest value options:

SMB Compare Outmano### My shortlist by scenario

• You expect your list to grow from 1,000 → 20,000+ subscribers:

→ Brevo is worth a close look because contact count alone does not drive the bill the same way contact-based tools do. Email Bump

• You want the simplest cheap option that still feels professional:

→ MailerLite is probably the sweet spot. It has landing pages, automations, templates, and reasonable pricing as you grow. AccelRio

• You are a creator/newsletter business (paid newsletter, audience building, courses):

→ Kit makes sense because the workflow is built around subscribers and creators. etropo

• You need serious behavioral automation (funnels, tagging, sales sequences):

→ ActiveCampaign, but expect the bill to climb faster. etropo

The one I’d avoid for a budget-conscious growing list

mailchimp.com is popular and polished, but its contact-based pricing can become expensive as your audience grows. Mailchimp

My default recommendation:

• Under ~10k subscribers: MailerLite
• 10k–100k subscribers with regular newsletters: Brevo
• Creator business: Kit

If you tell me your expected list size (e.g., 5k, 25k, 100k) and how often you send (weekly, daily, automated sequences), I can estimate which one will likely be cheapest.

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable scaling as the list grows, I’d shortlist MailerLite, Brevo, and Kit. The best choice depends heavily on whether you send frequently or mainly care about subscriber count.

My pick: MailerLite

MailerLite currently starts with a free tier up to 250 subscribers, while its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month. Its pricing scales automatically with your active subscriber count, and the company explicitly says you move to the next pricing tier when you exceed your current limit. MailerLite MailerLite

The nice part is that Comfort gives you 10× your subscriber-tier ceiling in monthly emails. So, for example, the up-to-1,000-subscriber tier gives you 10,000 monthly emails. If you send regular newsletters, that's much less likely to create surprise overage charges than a platform where you pay separately for every send. MailerLite

When I'd choose Brevo instead

Brevo is particularly interesting if you have a large list but don't email everyone constantly. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, and pricing is structured around monthly email volume plus contact-storage tiers. The current free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts, although you're limited to 300 emails/day. Brevo Help

So if you had, say, 20,000 subscribers but only emailed them once or twice a month, Brevo can be substantially more economical than subscriber-priced services.

One unusual option: Kit

If you're building a newsletter, Kit deserves a look. Its current free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts. Paid plans charge based on active subscribers rather than emails sent. Kit Kit Help Center

That makes Kit extremely attractive at the beginning, but its paid pricing becomes less compelling if you're primarily a conventional business doing marketing campaigns rather than a creator/newsletter operator.

Bottom line:

• Small business + normal newsletters/automations: MailerLite
• Large list + relatively low sending frequency: Brevo
• Newsletter/creator business: Kit
• Want the safest general-purpose choice: MailerLite

If you tell me roughly 1) current list size, 2) expected list size in 12 months, and 3) how many emails/campaigns you send per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for each at your actual growth levels.

MailerLite currently starts with a free tier up to 250 subscribers, while its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month. Its pricing scales automatically with your active subscriber count, and the company explicitly says you move to the next pricing tier when you exceed your current limit. MailerLite MailerLite

The nice part is that Comfort gives you 10× your subscriber-tier ceiling in monthly emails. So, for example, the up-to-1,000-subscriber tier gives you 10,000 monthly emails. If you send regular newsletters, that's much less likely to create surprise overage charges than a platform where you pay separately for every send. MailerLite

When I'd choose Brevo instead

Brevo is particularly interesting if you have a large list but don't email everyone constantly. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, and pricing is structured around monthly email volume plus contact-storage tiers. The current free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts, although you're limited to 300 emails/day. help.brevo.com

So if you had, say, 20,000 subscribers but only emailed them once or twice a month, Brevo can be substantially more economical than subscriber-priced services.

One unusual option: Kit

If you're building a newsletter, Kit deserves a look. Its current free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts. Paid plans charge based on active subscribers rather than emails sent.

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable scaling + reasonable overage economics, I’d generally avoid platforms that become expensive just because your subscriber count grows. The best fits are usually these:

My shortlist by scenario

1. You expect a big list but send only weekly/monthly
→ Brevo is probably the best cost structure. A 50,000-contact list that gets emailed occasionally can be much cheaper than platforms charging purely by stored subscribers. Its plans are based around email sends, with free and paid tiers designed around sending volume. Brevo Help

2. You’re building a newsletter or small business audience
→ MailerLite is probably the best balance. It has a generous free tier and a straightforward upgrade path; paid plans scale by subscriber tiers rather than adding lots of confusing fees. MailerLite

3. You want the cheapest possible start
→ Start with Brevo Free or MailerLite Free, then reassess once you hit meaningful volume. Brevo’s free plan allows up to 300 email sends/day, while MailerLite’s free plan includes up to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails under its current limits. Brevo Help MailerLite

What I would avoid for your goal

• Mailchimp: easy to start, but many users find the subscriber-based pricing gets expensive as lists grow.
• Enterprise-focused tools like HubSpot Marketing Hub: powerful, but usually not the right cost profile for a budget-conscious email list.

A practical rule:

• Under ~10k subscribers: MailerLite is often the easiest value pick.
• 10k–100k+ subscribers with moderate sends: Brevo often wins on economics.
• High automation/CRM needs: consider moving up to more expensive platforms later.

If you tell me your expected list size (e.g., 5k, 50k, 500k) and how often you’ll email (daily/weekly/monthly), I can narrow this down with rough monthly costs.

3. You want the cheapest possible start
→ Start with Brevo Free or MailerLite Free, then reassess once you hit meaningful volume. Brevo’s free plan allows up to 300 email sends/day, while MailerLite’s free plan includes up to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails under its current limits.

What I would avoid for your goal

If your priority is low starting cost + reasonable scaling, I’d shortlist Brevo, MailerLite, and Kit—but the winner depends heavily on whether you pay for contacts or email volume.

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is particularly attractive if your list may grow faster than your sending volume. It doesn't charge based on the number of contacts you store; its paid plans are based primarily on email volume. Current 2026 comparisons put Starter around $9/month, with higher tiers increasing with monthly sends rather than contact count. EveryAny.One Capterra

For example, imagine you have 50,000 subscribers but only email them once a month. A contact-based provider can charge you hundreds per month simply for holding that list. Brevo can remain relatively inexpensive because you're only paying for the ~50,000 sends. EveryAny.One

brevo.com

If you email frequently: MailerLite

MailerLite may be better if you're going to email your entire list several times per week. Its pricing is subscriber-based, so your cost doesn't multiply every time you send another campaign. MailerLite itself describes its pricing as scaling with subscriber count and sending volume. MailerLite

Recent pricing comparisons put it around $19/month at 1,000 subscribers, $89 at 10,000, and $319 at 50,000 on monthly billing, though annual billing can be lower. EveryAny.One

mailerlite.com

What I'd avoid for a cost-sensitive growing list

Mailchimp. It's perfectly capable, but its contact-based pricing gets increasingly unattractive as you grow. One 2026 comparison puts Standard at roughly $110/month for 10,000 contacts and $385/month at 50,000. Sasanova EveryAny.One

Simple rule

• Growing list + occasional campaigns → Brevo
• Growing list + frequent campaigns → MailerLite
• Creator/newsletter business → Kit
• Need lots of integrations and don't mind paying → Mailchimp

If you tell me your current list size, expected size in ~12 months, and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for each and tell you which one is cheapest as you scale.

Brevo is particularly attractive if your list may grow faster than your sending volume. It doesn't charge based on the number of contacts you store; its paid plans are based primarily on email volume. Current 2026 comparisons put Starter around $9/month, with higher tiers increasing with monthly sends rather than contact count. EveryAny.One Capterra

For example, imagine you have 50,000 subscribers but only email them once a month. A contact-based provider can charge you hundreds per month simply for holding that list. Brevo can remain relatively inexpensive because you're only paying for the ~50,000 sends. EveryAny.One

brevo.com

If you email frequently: MailerLite

MailerLite may be better if you're going to email your entire list several times per week. Its pricing is subscriber-based, so your cost doesn't multiply every time you send another campaign. MailerLite itself describes its pricing as scaling with subscriber count and sending volume. mailerlite.com

Recent pricing comparisons put it around $19/month at 1,000 subscribers, $89 at 10,000, and $319 at 50,000 on monthly billing, though annual billing can be lower.

If your priority is low starting cost + reasonable scaling, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite, with the winner depending on how often you email.

My pick: Brevo if you send relatively infrequently

brevo.com

Brevo's model is particularly attractive if your list grows faster than your sending volume. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, and tiers are based on monthly email sends; for example, the current structure offers 5,000 sends for up to 500 contacts, 10,000 for up to 1,500 contacts, and 15,000 for up to 2,500 contacts. It also offers prepaid email credits if you occasionally need extra volume. Brevo Help

So if you eventually have 20,000 subscribers but only email them once or twice a month, Brevo can be substantially more economical than a conventional per-subscriber platform.

My pick for regular newsletters: MailerLite

mailerlite.com

MailerLite's new 2026 pricing starts at $12/month for Comfort. Its paid pricing scales with active subscribers, while Comfort's monthly send allowance is roughly 10× the top of your subscriber tier. Power starts at $25 and includes unlimited monthly emails (subject to fair-use policies). MailerLite MailerLite

The important catch is that MailerLite automatically moves you into the next pricing tier when you exceed your subscriber limit, rather than charging a small per-contact overage. MailerLite

The sleeper option: Kit

Kit is worth considering if this is primarily a newsletter/creator business. It has a notably generous free tier—up to 10,000 subscribers—but you give up some automation functionality on the free plan. Field Tested

Bottom line

I'd choose:

• Brevo → if your list may get large but you don't send constantly.
• MailerLite → if you're sending newsletters regularly and want a straightforward all-purpose marketing platform.
• Kit → if you're building a creator/newsletter business and can live with its automation limitations.
• Avoid Mailchimp purely on price unless you need something specific from its ecosystem; comparative 2026 pricing puts it noticeably above MailerLite at larger list sizes. etropo

If you tell me roughly 1K / 5K / 10K / 25K subscribers and how many emails per month you expect to send, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for each and identify the cheapest at each stage.

brevo.com

Brevo's model is particularly attractive if your list grows faster than your sending volume. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, and tiers are based on monthly email sends; for example, the current structure offers 5,000 sends for up to 500 contacts, 10,000 for up to 1,500 contacts, and 15,000 for up to 2,500 contacts. It also offers prepaid email credits if you occasionally need extra volume. Brevo Help

So if you eventually have 20,000 subscribers but only email them once or twice a month, Brevo can be substantially more economical than a conventional per-subscriber platform.

My pick for regular newsletters: MailerLite

mailerlite.com

MailerLite's new 2026 pricing starts at $12/month for Comfort. Its paid pricing scales with active subscribers, while Comfort's monthly send allowance is roughly 10× the top of your subscriber tier. Power starts at $25 and includes unlimited monthly emails (subject to fair-use policies). mailerlite.com mailerlite.com

The important catch is that MailerLite automatically moves you into the next pricing tier when you exceed your subscriber limit, rather than charging a small per-contact overage.

The sleeper option: Kit

If your priority is low starting cost + sane scaling, I’d narrow it to Brevo and MailerLite, with the right choice depending on how you send.

My pick: Brevo

Brevo's big advantage is that your contact count doesn't drive the bill the way it does with Mailchimp/MailerLite. Its paid plans are based primarily on email volume, so you can have, say, 20,000 contacts without paying simply because they're sitting in your database. Current 2026 comparisons show Brevo around $25/month for 20K emails and roughly $65 for 25K contacts/volume scenarios, substantially below many contact-based competitors. Sasanova etropo

That's particularly attractive if your list grows faster than your sending frequency.

For example, imagine:

• 5,000 subscribers → email once/week = ~20K emails/month
• 10,000 subscribers → ~40K emails/month
• 25,000 subscribers → ~100K emails/month

With a volume-based service, you're paying for what you actually use rather than paying increasingly high fees just to store subscribers.

When I'd choose MailerLite instead

If you're going to email your whole list frequently, MailerLite can be better. Its current paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month, with pricing increasing according to subscriber tiers; its Power plan starts at $25/month and includes unlimited monthly emails subject to fair-use terms. MailerLite

So:

Large list + occasional newsletters → Brevo
Smaller/medium list + frequent campaigns → MailerLite

One caveat: MailerLite automatically moves paid accounts to the next subscriber tier when you exceed the current limit, rather than simply charging a small per-contact overage. MailerLite

What I'd avoid

Mailchimp would not be my choice if price/scaling is your main concern. Current comparisons put it around $110/month at 10K contacts and ~$385/month at 50K, versus substantially less for Brevo or MailerLite. etropo

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how fast you expect the list to grow, and how many emails you'll send per month, I can calculate the likely monthly cost at 1K → 5K → 10K → 25K → 50K subscribers and tell you which one actually wins for your use case.

If your priority is low starting cost + costs that don’t explode as your list grows, I’d shortlist Brevo, MailerLite, and beehiiv.

My ranking

Brevo is probably the best match for what you described. Its pricing is primarily based on monthly email volume rather than list size. The current Starter plan starts at $9/month for 5,000 emails/month, and you can buy additional email credits rather than being forced into a much larger contact-based tier. Brevo Help Brevo Help

That distinction matters a lot. For example, if you have 20,000 subscribers but only email them once a month, Brevo can be dramatically cheaper than a platform charging primarily by subscriber count. A recent 2026 pricing comparison likewise found Brevo particularly inexpensive at 25k–100k subscribers. Sasanova

MailerLite is my second choice if you want a more traditional email-marketing platform. Its current Free plan allows 2,500 monthly emails, while Comfort starts at $12/month and includes sending at 10× your subscriber count; Power starts at $25/month with unlimited monthly emails. MailerLite

beehiiv is especially attractive if this is primarily a newsletter/media business rather than ecommerce or general marketing. Its free Launch plan supports 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends, but the paid Scale plan jumps to $43/month currently. Beehiiv

The important distinction

I'd choose based on how you expect your list to behave:

• Lots of subscribers, relatively few sends: Brevo
• Normal business email marketing + automations: MailerLite
• Newsletter is the core product: beehiiv
• Creator-focused funnels/automations: Kit
• Avoiding vendor lock-in on pricing is a major concern: Brevo

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you send per month (e.g. 2,000 subscribers / 8,000 emails), I can calculate the approximate monthly cost at 5k, 10k, 25k, 50k, and 100k subscribers and show you exactly where each platform becomes more/less expensive.

Brevo is probably the best match for what you described. Its pricing is primarily based on monthly email volume rather than list size. The current Starter plan starts at $9/month for 5,000 emails/month, and you can buy additional email credits rather than being forced into a much larger contact-based tier. Brevo Help Brevo Help

That distinction matters a lot. For example, if you have 20,000 subscribers but only email them once a month, Brevo can be dramatically cheaper than a platform charging primarily by subscriber count. A recent 2026 pricing comparison likewise found Brevo particularly inexpensive at 25k–100k subscribers. sasanova.com

MailerLite is my second choice if you want a more traditional email-marketing platform. Its current Free plan allows 2,500 monthly emails, while Comfort starts at $12/month and includes sending at 10× your subscriber count; Power starts at $25/month with unlimited monthly emails. mailerlite.com

beehiiv is especially attractive if this is primarily a newsletter/media business rather than ecommerce or general marketing. Its free Launch plan supports 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends, but the paid Scale plan jumps to $43/month currently.

The important distinction

I'd choose based on how you expect your list to behave:

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable scaling, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: MailerLite

MailerLite currently starts with a free tier for 250 subscribers, while its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month and Power at $25/month. The important part for your use case is that Power includes unlimited monthly emails, so you aren't getting hit with a separate per-email overage as your engagement grows. Pricing is primarily driven by subscriber count. MailerLite MailerLite

Brevo is the interesting alternative if your list gets large. Its pricing is much more send-volume-oriented: for example, Starter begins at $9/month, with tiers based on monthly email sends and associated contact limits. That can work out substantially cheaper than subscriber-based pricing if you have, say, 20,000 contacts but only email them occasionally. Brevo Help

EmailOctopus is particularly attractive at the low end: its free plan supports 2,500 subscribers with unlimited emails, and paid plans start around $8/month when billed annually. However, once you exceed your subscriber tier, it automatically moves you to the next tier rather than charging a small per-contact overage. EmailOctopus EmailOctopus Help

*There is also EmailOctopus Connect, which routes email through your own Amazon SES account and can be exceptionally inexpensive if you're comfortable with a slightly more technical setup. EmailOctopus

The rule of thumb

• Under ~5k subscribers: MailerLite or EmailOctopus
• 5k–50k with frequent newsletters: MailerLite
• Large list + relatively few sends: Brevo
• Maximum penny-pinching / technically comfortable: EmailOctopus Connect + Amazon SES

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 12 months, and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for each at those sizes and tell you which one actually wins.

MailerLite currently starts with a free tier for 250 subscribers, while its paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month and Power at $25/month. The important part for your use case is that Power includes unlimited monthly emails, so you aren't getting hit with a separate per-email overage as your engagement grows. Pricing is primarily driven by subscriber count. MailerLite MailerLite

Brevo is the interesting alternative if your list gets large. Its pricing is much more send-volume-oriented: for example, Starter begins at $9/month, with tiers based on monthly email sends and associated contact limits. That can work out substantially cheaper than subscriber-based pricing if you have, say, 20,000 contacts but only email them occasionally. help.brevo.com

EmailOctopus is particularly attractive at the low end: its free plan supports 2,500 subscribers with unlimited emails, and paid plans start around $8/month when billed annually. However, once you exceed your subscriber tier, it automatically moves you to the next tier rather than charging a small per-contact overage. emailoctopus.com help.emailoctopus.com

*There is also EmailOctopus Connect, which routes email through your own Amazon SES account and can be exceptionally inexpensive if you're comfortable with a slightly more technical setup.

The rule of thumb

If your priority is low starting cost + reasonable scaling, I’d focus less on the absolute cheapest free plan and more on the pricing model once you hit a few thousand subscribers. The best fits are usually:

My shortlist by situation

• You expect to grow from 0 → 10k subscribers:

Pick MailerLite. It has a generous entry point, solid automation, and pricing that is usually predictable as your audience grows. MailerLite

• You expect a large list but don’t send every day:

Consider Brevo. Its contact storage and email-volume approach can be cheaper than subscriber-count pricing for some businesses. Brevo Help Brevo Help

• You send lots of campaigns (daily/weekly) to a modest list:

Brevo is often attractive because pricing is tied more to sends than just the number of contacts. Brevo Help

• You’re building a newsletter business:

Kit is worth considering because creator-focused features may matter more than raw cost.

A practical cost-conscious path

1. Start with MailerLite Free or Brevo Free while your list is small. MailerLite Brevo Help
2. Avoid platforms where you pay heavily for inactive subscribers you rarely email.
3. Before committing, check the price at your likely milestones: - 1,000 subscribers
4. 5,000 subscribers
5. 10,000 subscribers
6. 50,000 subscribers

For a typical small business or newsletter, I’d choose MailerLite first. If your growth plan involves a very large contact database or frequent sending, I’d compare MailerLite vs Brevo before deciding.

If your priority is low starting cost + pricing that doesn’t punish you as your list grows, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite, with the better choice depending heavily on how often you email.

My pick: Brevo if you want the cheapest scaling

Brevo's unusual advantage is that your contact count doesn't directly drive the bill. Its free plan supports unlimited contacts with a 300-emails/day limit; paid plans start at $9/month and increase based on email volume. help.brevo.com

For example, current pricing research puts Brevo around:

• 5,000 emails/month → $9
• 10,000 → $17
• 20,000 → $29
• 40,000 → $39
• 100,000 → $69

So if you have 10,000 subscribers but only send 2 newsletters/month, you're sending ~20,000 emails and can be around $29/month—where a subscriber-priced service can be considerably more. mailcompared.com

The catch: if you're sending to your entire list several times a week, Brevo's costs rise rapidly. That's where MailerLite becomes more attractive.

MailerLite is probably the safer "set it and grow" choice

MailerLite's current plans are based primarily on active subscribers, and its paid Comfort plan gives you 10× your subscriber-tier ceiling in monthly sends. Its Power plan has unlimited monthly emails subject to fair use. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com

That makes it particularly attractive if you're going to have, say, 5,000–25,000 subscribers and email them frequently.

One important wrinkle: MailerLite changed its pricing in June 2026, so some older comparisons you'll find online are now outdated. www.mailerlite.comwww.mailerlite.com

The simple rule I'd use

Choose Brevo if:

"I might have 20,000 subscribers, but I only email them 1–4 times per month."

Choose MailerLite if:

"I expect to send newsletters/automations frequently and want predictable costs as my list grows."

If you tell me roughly (1) your current subscriber count, (2) expected count in 12 months, and (3) how many emails you expect to send per subscriber per month, I can calculate the likely monthly cost at 1k / 5k / 10k / 25k / 50k subscribers and tell you which one wins.

If your priority is cheap to start + predictable cost as the list grows, I’d shortlist MailerLite and Brevo, with MailerLite my default pick for most small businesses.

My pick: MailerLite

MailerLite's current Comfort plan starts at $12/month, while its free plan covers 250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails. Comfort gives you 10× your subscriber tier in monthly sends; its higher Power plan starts at $25/month and has unlimited monthly emails. www.mailerlite.com

The particularly nice part for your requirement is that you don't get hit with a nasty per-email overage. If you exceed your subscriber or sending threshold, MailerLite automatically moves you to the next tier, so costs are relatively predictable. www.mailerlite.com

When I'd choose Brevo instead

Brevo is potentially much cheaper if your list gets large but you don't email it constantly. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month and is structured around monthly email volume: 5,000 sends for up to 500 contacts, 10,000 for up to 1,500, 15,000 for up to 2,500, etc. help.brevo.com

So, for example, a 50,000-person list that you email only occasionally can make Brevo's pricing model considerably more attractive than a conventional subscriber-priced platform.

Rule of thumb:

• Growing list + regular newsletters: MailerLite
• Huge list + occasional campaigns: Brevo
• Creator/newsletter business: Kit or beehiiv
• Want the simplest predictable pricing: MailerLite

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 6/12 months, and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for each at those sizes and identify the cheapest crossover point.

If your priority is low starting cost + reasonable scaling as the list grows, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite first.

My pick: Brevo

The big advantage is its contact-list economics. Brevo's free plan allows up to 100,000 contacts, although you're limited to 300 emails/day. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month for 5,000 emails/month, and you can increase email volume without having the same subscriber-count penalty you'd get from a conventional list-based platform. help.brevo.com

For example, if you eventually have 20,000 subscribers but only send 2–4 newsletters a month, Brevo can be dramatically cheaper than a service charging primarily according to subscriber count.

MailerLite is the better alternative

MailerLite is attractive if you want a more traditional email-marketing experience. Its current Comfort plan starts at $12/month and gives you 5,000 emails/month at the 500-subscriber tier; the sending allowance scales at roughly 10× the upper subscriber limit of your tier. When you cross a subscriber tier, MailerLite automatically moves you to the next tier and charges accordingly. www.mailerlite.com

So I'd choose:

• Lots of subscribers, relatively infrequent emails → Brevo
• Smaller/growing list + frequent campaigns + automations → MailerLite
• Creator/newsletter business → Kit, particularly now that Kit's new free Newsletter plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers. kit.com

One important distinction: Kit's free plan is unusually generous, but its paid plans are subscriber-based. Its Creator plan currently starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers, so it can become substantially more expensive than Brevo as a general-purpose marketing list gets large. kit.com

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 1k, 5k, 10k, 25k) and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the likely monthly cost at 5k/10k/25k/50k subscribers and show which one wins.

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable scaling, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Brevo if your sending volume is modest

Brevo's pricing is unusually attractive for a growing list because contacts and email volume are treated separately. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, with tiers such as 5,000 emails/month for up to 500 contacts, 10,000 for up to 1,500 contacts, and higher sending tiers that can accommodate hundreds of thousands of contacts. help.brevo.com

That means if you have, say, 20,000 subscribers but only send one or two newsletters per month, Brevo can be dramatically cheaper than platforms that charge primarily by subscriber count.

MailerLite is the safer "grow with me" choice

MailerLite's current pricing is particularly straightforward: Free covers 250 subscribers/2,500 emails, Comfort starts at $12/month, and Power starts at $25/month with unlimited monthly emails. www.mailerlite.com

The catch is that MailerLite automatically moves you to the next subscriber tier when you exceed your limit rather than charging a small per-contact overage. www.mailerlite.com

So I'd think of it this way:

• Small list + occasional campaigns → Brevo
• Growing list + frequent newsletters → MailerLite
• Creator/newsletter business → Kit
• Absolute lowest-cost/simple email → EmailOctopus

One important distinction: "overage pricing" isn't necessarily the right metric. For email marketing, I'd compare the total monthly cost at your expected list sizes and send frequency. A service with a cheap $10 starting plan can become much more expensive at 25k subscribers, while another with a $20 starting price may stay cheap because it charges by sends.

If you tell me roughly your current list size, expected size in 1 year, and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the likely monthly cost at 1k / 5k / 10k / 25k / 50k subscribers and identify the cheapest scaling curve.

If your priority is low starting cost + pricing that doesn’t get painful as your list grows, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is particularly interesting if you expect your list to grow substantially. Its pricing is primarily tied to email volume rather than simply charging more for every additional contact. The free plan stores up to 100,000 contacts and allows 300 emails/day; paid Starter starts at $9/month, with higher sending-volume tiers. help.brevo.com

That means, for example, having 20,000 contacts isn't necessarily expensive if you only email them occasionally. That's a big advantage over traditional subscriber-tier pricing.

If you want straightforward subscriber pricing: EmailOctopus

EmailOctopus gives you 2,500 contacts + 10,000 emails/month free, and its paid Pro plan starts at $9/month when billed annually. As your list crosses a tier, it automatically upgrades you rather than charging some arbitrary per-contact overage. emailoctopus.com

Its published May 2026 comparison puts it around $28/month at 5,000 subscribers and $160/month at 50,000, versus $39/$340 for MailerLite in the same comparison. emailoctopus.com

One I'd avoid if cost is the main criterion: MailerLite

MailerLite is a very good product, but its new 2026 pricing is less attractive once you get into larger lists. It automatically bumps you to the next subscriber tier when you exceed your limit, and its Comfort plan reaches $319/month at 50,000 subscribers on monthly billing. www.mailerlite.com

Bottom line:

• <2,500 contacts: EmailOctopus or Sender are particularly attractive.
• 2,500–25,000: I'd lean Brevo, especially if you don't email your entire list constantly.
• 25,000–100,000+: Brevo becomes especially compelling because contact storage itself isn't the primary cost driver.
• Want the easiest traditional newsletter experience: MailerLite, but expect to pay more for growth.

If you tell me roughly your current list size + how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the likely monthly cost at 1k → 5k → 10k → 25k → 50k subscribers and show which one wins at each stage.

If your priority is low starting cost + pricing that doesn’t punish you as your list grows, I’d focus less on the cheapest free tier and more on the pricing model. The biggest difference is whether you pay by subscriber count or emails sent. www.etropo.com

Here are the strongest fits:

My picks by scenario

1. You’re starting with <5,000 subscribers and want simplicity
→ MailerLite is probably the best balance. It gives you professional features without the complexity of enterprise tools. www.mailerlite.com

2. You expect your list to grow to 25k–100k+ but won’t email constantly
→ Brevo is often the better economic choice because you aren’t paying heavily for stored contacts. www.sasanova.comhelp.brevo.com

3. You’re building a paid newsletter or creator business
→ Kit is worth considering because its audience-growth tools may matter more than raw email cost. www.sasanova.comhelp.brevo.com

A rough rule of thumb:

• 1k–10k contacts: MailerLite often wins on ease/value.
• 10k+ contacts with occasional sends: Brevo often wins on scaling economics.
• Complex sales funnels: ActiveCampaign may justify the higher price.

If you tell me your expected list size (e.g., 5k, 25k, 100k) and how often you’ll email (weekly, daily, automated sequences), I can narrow this to the cheapest long-term option.

If your priority is low starting cost + sane pricing as the list grows, I’d shortlist these three:

My pick: MailerLite

For a typical small business/newsletter, MailerLite has the best balance. Its current paid Comfort plan starts at $12/month for up to 500 subscribers, while Power starts at $25/month and includes unlimited email sending. As your subscriber count crosses a tier, it automatically moves you to the next tier rather than charging a punitive per-email overage. www.mailerlite.com

For example, MailerLite's current Power pricing is roughly:

• 500 subscribers — $25/mo
• 1,000 — $39/mo
• 5,000 — $69/mo
• 10,000 — $129/mo
• 25,000 — $239/mo

Those tiers include unlimited email sending. www.mailerlite.com

That's attractive if you expect your list to grow and you'll be sending newsletters frequently.

When I'd choose Brevo instead

Brevo is particularly interesting if you don't send to your entire list very often. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month and is structured around monthly sending volume—for example, 5,000 emails/month for up to 500 contacts, 10,000 for up to 1,500 contacts, etc. You can also buy additional prepaid email credits rather than necessarily jumping to a bigger subscription. help.brevo.com

So:

• Growing list + frequent newsletters: MailerLite
• Large list + relatively infrequent sends: Brevo
• Creator/newsletter business with sophisticated automations: Kit

One important distinction: "overage pricing" isn't really the same across these services. MailerLite and Kit primarily make you move into a larger subscriber tier, whereas Brevo lets you purchase additional email volume. help.brevo.com

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how fast you expect the list to grow, and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate which one is cheapest at 1k / 5k / 10k / 25k subscribers.

If your priority is cheap to start + predictable cost as the list grows, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite, with Kit mainly if you’re a creator/newsletter business.

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is unusually attractive if your list might grow substantially but you don't email every subscriber constantly. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month and tiers are driven by monthly email volume; for example, 5,000 sends supports up to 500 contacts, 10,000 sends up to 1,500 contacts, and 15,000 sends up to 2,500 contacts. help.brevo.comwww.mailerlite.comhelp.kit.com

It also lets you buy prepaid email credits rather than forcing you into a bigger recurring plan, and those credits don't expire. help.brevo.com

Brevo pricing

MailerLite is probably #2

MailerLite is excellent if you're doing conventional newsletters/automations and want a very inexpensive starting point. Its current Comfort plan starts at $12/month and gives you 10× your subscriber tier in monthly emails; its Power plan starts at $25/month with unlimited monthly emails. www.mailerlite.com

One catch: MailerLite's pricing changed in June 2026, so older comparison articles can be misleading. www.mailerlite.com

MailerLite pricing

Kit is less attractive on price

Kit is compelling for creators because paid plans don't charge based on emails sent—only active subscribers. But the Creator plan starts at $39/month for up to 1,000 subscribers, which makes it substantially more expensive at the beginning. help.kit.com

Kit pricing

Bottom line: If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 1 year (e.g. 5k/10k/25k), and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the estimated monthly cost for Brevo vs MailerLite vs 2–3 other cheap options at each growth stage.

If your priority is low cost at the beginning + reasonable scaling as your subscriber list grows, I’d focus less on the cheapest entry plan and more on the pricing model. The biggest cost trap is paying heavily per contact when your list grows but engagement stays the same.

Here are the strongest value picks:

My ranking for your criteria:

1. Best overall value: MailerLite
   • Great starting price.
   • Doesn’t feel “cheap” as you grow.
   • Good automations, landing pages, forms, segmentation.
   • A good fit for a small business, newsletter, or marketing list. www.mailerlite.com

2. Cheapest at scale: Brevo
   • Particularly attractive if you might have 25k–100k+ contacts but only send a few campaigns per month.
   • Because it focuses on send volume, a large inactive list is less painful than with many subscriber-priced tools. help.brevo.com

3. Best if you are a content creator: Kit
   • Excellent for newsletters, funnels, and creator monetization.
   • Less compelling if your only goal is minimizing email costs.

A rough rule:

• Under 5,000 subscribers: MailerLite is usually the sweet spot.
• 5,000–50,000 subscribers: Compare MailerLite vs Brevo; Brevo often wins on cost.
• 50,000+ subscribers: Brevo’s volume-based pricing becomes very attractive. help.brevo.comwww.etropo.com

I’d avoid starting with expensive enterprise-style platforms like Mailchimp unless you specifically need their ecosystem, because contact-based pricing can climb quickly as your audience grows. help.brevo.comwww.etropo.com

If you tell me your expected list size (e.g., 1k, 10k, 100k) and how often you’ll email (weekly, daily, occasional), I can narrow it to the cheapest realistic choice.

If your priority is low starting cost + sane scaling, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite, with Kit mainly if you’re a creator/newsletter business.

My pick: Brevo

Brevo is particularly attractive if you have a large list but don't email everyone constantly. Its Starter plan begins at $9/month, and you choose an email-send volume; additional email credits can be bought separately rather than being forced into a much larger contact-based tier. help.brevo.com

For example, someone with 10,000 contacts who sends one newsletter a month can potentially pay substantially less with a volume-based system than with a platform that charges primarily by subscriber count.

MailerLite is my second choice if you want a more traditional, polished email-marketing experience. Its paid plans start at $12/month, include generous sending allowances, and automatically move you to the next subscriber tier when you exceed your current limit. www.mailerlite.com

One important wrinkle: MailerLite's free plan was reduced in June 2026 to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, so I'd no longer choose it primarily for its free tier. www.mailerlite.com

Kit is different: its paid Creator plan starts at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers and rises with subscriber count, but it doesn't charge based on emails sent. help.kit.com That's attractive if you're sending frequently, but less attractive if your main criterion is minimizing the bill as your audience grows.

Bottom line:

• Cheapest scaling for an infrequently/ moderately mailed large list → Brevo
• Best all-around inexpensive SMB option → MailerLite
• Best for a newsletter/creator business → Kit

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 1k, 5k, 10k, 50k) and how many emails you send per month, I can calculate the likely monthly cost at several list sizes and show which one wins.

If your priority is low starting cost + predictable scaling, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite, with Kit as a niche option.

My pick: Brevo if your list will grow quickly

Brevo is unusual because its pricing is largely send-volume based rather than subscriber-count based. Its $9 Starter tier begins at 5,000 emails/month, and higher tiers increase the monthly email allowance while allowing up to hundreds of thousands of stored contacts. It also offers prepaid email credits if you occasionally need to send more. help.brevo.com

That makes it particularly attractive if, say, you eventually have 20,000 subscribers but only email them 2–4 times a month. You aren't necessarily paying a huge "20,000 contacts" fee.

MailerLite is probably better if you're sending frequently

MailerLite's current Comfort plan starts at $12/month, while Power starts at $25/month. Comfort's email allowance scales with your subscriber tier; Power provides unlimited monthly email sending subject to fair-use rules. Importantly, MailerLite automatically moves you into the next subscriber tier if you exceed your current limit rather than charging an arbitrary per-email overage. www.mailerlite.com

So I'd choose MailerLite if you want a more traditional newsletter/automation platform and expect to send frequently.

One thing I'd avoid

Kit is excellent for creator-focused newsletters, but its economics aren't especially compelling if "cheap as my list grows" is the primary criterion. Its Creator plan is $33/month at 1,000 subscribers and increases as the subscriber count grows; it doesn't charge based on emails sent. help.kit.com

Bottom line:

• Big list + modest sending → Brevo
• Growing list + frequent newsletters/automations → MailerLite
• Creator/newsletter business where features matter more than price → Kit

If you tell me roughly 1) your current list size, 2) expected size at 10k/50k, and 3) how many emails you'll send per subscriber per month, I can calculate the approximate monthly cost for each at those milestones and tell you which one wins.

If your priority is cheap now + predictable costs as the list grows, I’d shortlist Brevo, EmailOctopus, and MailerLite—with Brevo the strongest overall fit if you send frequently.

\*Brevo's exact tier depends primarily on monthly email volume rather than list size. Current Starter pricing starts at $9/month, with tiers based on monthly sends. help.brevo.com

My pick: Brevo

The important distinction is that Brevo doesn't punish you nearly as much for having a large database. You can store up to 100,000 contacts even on its free plan, while paid plans are primarily structured around how many emails you send. help.brevo.com

For example, if you eventually have 25,000–50,000 subscribers but only email them once or twice a month, a contact-based platform can become unnecessarily expensive. Brevo's email-volume model is much more favorable in that situation. One 2026 pricing comparison found Brevo substantially cheaper than Mailchimp, MailerLite, Kit, and ActiveCampaign at 25K–100K contacts. www.sasanova.com

EmailOctopus is my second choice if you want a more traditional newsletter platform. It starts at $10/month monthly ($9 annual) and has a generous 2,500-contact/10,000-email free tier. Its paid plans automatically move you to the next subscriber tier as your list grows, rather than charging an unpredictable per-email overage. help.emailoctopus.com

MailerLite is probably the nicest balance of ease-of-use and features, but its 2026 pricing makes it less compelling purely on cost. Its free plan is now only 250 subscribers, Comfort starts at $12/month, and Power starts at $25/month. www.mailerlite.com

Bottom line

• Want the lowest long-term cost: Brevo
• Want cheap + simple traditional email marketing: EmailOctopus
• Want the best UX/features and don't mind paying somewhat more: MailerLite
• Primarily a creator/newsletter business: Kit
• Trying to minimize costs: I'd avoid Mailchimp.

If you tell me roughly your current list size, how many emails you send per month, and where you expect the list to reach (e.g. 5K → 25K → 100K), I can calculate the likely monthly cost at each stage and identify the cheapest option.

If your priority is low starting cost + pricing that doesn’t punish you as the list grows, I’d shortlist Brevo and MailerLite, with Brevo probably the best fit.

My pick: Brevo

Brevo's big advantage is its email-volume pricing. Its free plan allows unlimited contacts but caps you at 300 emails/day. Paid Starter begins at $9/month and is based on monthly sends, with tiers such as 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, and higher monthly emails. help.brevo.com

That means if you have, say, 20,000 subscribers but only email them once or twice a month, you're not paying simply because your database is large. That's a very favorable model for a growing but relatively infrequent newsletter.

MailerLite is the runner-up

MailerLite is more conventional: pricing is tied to active subscribers, so your bill rises as your list grows. Its current Comfort plan starts at $12/month, while Power starts at $25/month; Power includes unlimited monthly emails subject to fair-use rules. www.mailerlite.com

The important distinction is that MailerLite doesn't really have an "overage" model—you automatically move to the next subscriber tier when you exceed your limit. www.mailerlite.com

Rough rule of thumb

• Sending frequently to a relatively small list: MailerLite can be attractive.
• Large list + relatively few campaigns: Brevo wins.
• Creator/newsletter business: Kit is worth considering.
• Want sophisticated automation/CRM: I'd look beyond these cheap options.

For context, a 2026 pricing comparison found Brevo substantially cheaper than most competitors once lists reach 10K–100K contacts, specifically because it charges based on email volume rather than contact count. www.etropo.com

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now, how many you expect in 1 year, and how many emails you'll send per month, I can calculate the likely monthly cost for Brevo vs MailerLite vs Kit at each stage.