Kit (ConvertKit) vs MailerLite: 2026 Newsletter Platform Comparison
Kit (ConvertKit) vs MailerLite for creators and freelancers. Real friction points, pricing comparison, and full feature breakdown for newsletter platforms.
EmailTool™ Score
How we scoreComposite score based on features, pricing, deliverability, and reported friction severity.
Cost Calculator
Estimated monthly cost based on your contact list size.
Kit (ConvertKit)
Free/mo
MailerLite
$35/mo
Kit (ConvertKit) saves you ~$35/mo at 5,000 contacts.
Estimates based on published starting prices with proportional contact scaling. Actual pricing varies by plan tier and billing cycle. Check vendor sites for exact quotes.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Kit (ConvertKit) | MailerLite | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Subscribers | 10,000 subscribers | 500 subscribers | Kit |
| Email Design | Text-focused, minimal visual options | Full drag-and-drop with rich templates | ML |
| Paid Newsletter / Commerce | Built-in paid subscriptions + digital products | Stripe integration for paid newsletters | Kit |
| Landing Pages | Built-in on free plan | Built-in on free plan (10 pages) | |
| Automation | 1 automation free; unlimited on Creator ($39/mo) | Automation on free plan included | ML |
| Subscriber Tagging | Tag-based system (no lists) | Groups + segments | Kit |
| Website Builder | Not available | Built-in website builder | ML |
| A/B Testing | Subject line only (Creator+) | Subject line + content on Advanced ($20/mo) | ML |
| Deliverability | Generally strong (creator-focused IP pools) | Mixed — Gmail Promotions tab issues reported | Kit |
| Price at 5K Subscribers | $89/mo (Creator) | $39/mo (Growing Business) | ML |
| Price at 10K Subscribers | $100/mo+ (Creator) | $73/mo (Growing Business) | ML |
| Creator Economy Features | Tip jars, paid recommendations, sponsor network | None built-in | Kit |
Real Friction Points
Manually researched issues reported by actual users. Not AI-generated.
Kit (ConvertKit)
Kit uses a plain-text-first email philosophy that severely limits visual design — no drag-and-drop builder, no columns, no image galleries. Users on Reddit consistently complain that Kit emails 'look like plain Gmail messages.' The Creator plan jumped to $39/month for just 1,000 subscribers, making it one of the most expensive per-subscriber options for creators who need basic automation.
MailerLite
MailerLite halved its free plan subscriber limit from 1,000 to 500 in September 2025, angering existing free users. Multiple users on Reddit and Trustpilot report emails landing in Gmail's Promotions tab or spam at higher rates than competitors. Account terminations without warning for alleged ToS violations are a recurring complaint, with new users facing strict manual review that can reject accounts if your domain is too new.
The Verdict
MailerLite is the better overall value for freelancers and creators who want visually rich newsletters with a drag-and-drop builder at a lower price point. Kit wins for creators building a monetized audience — paid newsletters, digital product sales, and the creator recommendation network are features MailerLite cannot match. Pick MailerLite for design and budget; pick Kit for monetization.
Affiliate disclosure: Links below may earn us a commission. This does not affect our EmailTool scores or friction points. Full policy.