Quick Summary
Cheapest overall: Systeme.io (free for up to 2,000 contacts) · Best value paid: Moosend ($9/mo) · Best free plan for email: MailerLite (1,000 contacts free) · Best free for newsletters: Kit (10,000 subscribers free)
I tested 8 email marketing platforms hands-on over 2026. Here’s an honest price comparison based on what I actually paid — not what the pricing pages claim.
How prices are calculated: Costs are monthly billed annually unless noted. “Per-subscriber” cost is the monthly plan price divided by the subscriber limit. All prices verified in September 2026.
Price Comparison: 1,000 Subscribers
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Key Features at This Tier | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io | $0 (free up to 2,000) | Email + funnels + courses | Read review |
| beehiiv | $0 (free up to 2,500) | Newsletter + ad network | Read review |
| Kit | $0 (free up to 10,000) | Email + automation + landing pages | Read review |
| MailerLite | $0 (free up to 1,000) | Email + automation + landing pages | Read review |
| Moosend | $9/mo | Email + automation + landing pages | Read review |
| GetResponse | $19/mo | Email + automation + landing pages | Read review |
| AWeber | $15/mo | Email + basic automation | Read review |
| ActiveCampaign | $29/mo | Email + automation + CRM | Read review |
Price Comparison: 5,000 Subscribers
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Annual Savings vs Monthly Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io | $27/mo (Startup) | — |
| Moosend | $32/mo | ~$76/yr on annual |
| MailerLite | $25/mo | ~$60/yr on annual |
| GetResponse | $54/mo | ~$130/yr on annual |
| Kit | $79/mo (Creator) | ~$190/yr on annual |
| AWeber | $60/mo | ~$144/yr on annual |
| ActiveCampaign | $79/mo | ~$190/yr on annual |
| beehiiv | $99/mo (Grow) | ~$240/yr on annual |
My Recommendations by Use Case
Just Starting Out: Use the Free Plans
If you’re building your first email list, you have four genuinely good free options in 2026:
- Systeme.io free — best if you also want funnels and course hosting. 2,000 contacts, unlimited emails.
- beehiiv free — best for newsletters. 2,500 subscribers, ad network access, referral program.
- Kit free — best for bloggers and content creators. 10,000 subscribers — the most generous limit of any free plan.
- MailerLite free — best all-round email tool. 1,000 subscribers with automation, landing pages, and forms included.
Small Business Under $20/mo: Moosend
Moosend is the best value paid option at any subscriber tier. $9/mo for 500 subscribers, $16/mo for 2,000, $48/mo for 10,000 — all with unlimited sends, automation, and landing pages. For comparison, GetResponse charges $54/mo at 5,000 subscribers for similar features.
Course Creators and Solopreneurs: Systeme.io
Systeme.io’s $27/mo Startup plan replaces email marketing + landing page tool + course platform in one. The equivalent stack using three separate tools would cost $100-150/mo. For anyone building their first digital product business, it’s the most cost-effective option I’ve tested.
Newsletter Creators: beehiiv or Kit
Both have strong free plans. beehiiv wins if you want to monetize through ads and sponsorships. Kit wins if you’re a blogger or content creator who needs sophisticated subscriber segmentation.
Small Businesses Needing Automation: GetResponse
At $19/mo for 1,000 subscribers, GetResponse includes email, visual automation, landing pages, and webinars. For growing businesses that need more than a newsletter tool, the value is hard to beat at this price.
What Drives the Real Cost Difference
The biggest factor in long-term email marketing cost isn’t the monthly rate — it’s the pricing model:
- Per-contact pricing (Mailchimp, AWeber, Kit, MailerLite) — you pay based on total list size. Having 10,000 contacts costs $100/mo even if you only email 2,000 of them. Lists with many inactive subscribers get expensive fast.
- Per-email pricing (Brevo) — you pay based on emails sent, not contacts stored. If you have 20,000 contacts but only email monthly, you pay far less than on per-contact plans.
- Feature-based pricing (Systeme.io, ActiveCampaign) — you pay for feature tier regardless of list size (up to a limit). Businesses with large lists and complex automation needs often save money here.
For businesses with large contact lists who email infrequently, Brevo’s per-email pricing can save 40-60% versus contact-based platforms.
Use Our Free Calculator
Not sure which plan fits your budget? Try the Email Marketing Cost Calculator — enter your subscriber count and send frequency, and it shows your exact monthly cost on 10 platforms side by side.
Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up through our links, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Pricing verified September 2026.