Kit vs MailerLite
Both are newsletter platforms aimed at writers, creators and independent publishers. They differ most on free plan, value for money and audience growth tools.
At a glance
| Kit | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 81/100 Higher | 76/100 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Paid from | $33/mo monthly; $390/yr billed annually | $19/mo monthly; $17.10/mo billed annually |
| Positioning | specialist email | email marketing |
| Launched | 2013 | 2010 |
| Best for | Creators who want to charge for a newsletter from day one without paying a monthly fee first. | Small businesses and writers who want the lowest monthly price and no cut of subscription revenue. |
Where each one leads
| Dimension | Kit | MailerLite | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 5/5 | 2/5 | Kit |
| Paid subscriptions | 5/5 | 4/5 | Kit |
| Value for money | 3/5 | 5/5 | MailerLite |
| Ease of use | 4/5 | 4/5 | Tie |
| Low transaction fees | 4/5 | 5/5 | MailerLite |
| Audience growth tools | 4/5 | 3/5 | Kit |
| Automation | 5/5 | 4/5 | Kit |
| Publication website | 3/5 | 4/5 | MailerLite |
Scores are 1–5 per dimension. Kit leads on 4 dimensions, MailerLite on 3. The overall figure weights these for newsletter platforms generally — see methodology.
Pricing
Plans are listed per tool rather than paired row by row — tiers rarely line up, and putting one vendor's second plan beside another's implies an equivalence that is not there.
| Tool | Plan | Per month | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit | Free | Free | — |
| Creator | $33 | monthly; $390/yr billed annually | |
| Pro | $66 | monthly; $790/yr billed annually | |
| MailerLite | Free | Free | — |
| Comfort | $19 | monthly; $17.10/mo billed annually | |
| Power | $39 | monthly; $35.10/mo billed annually |
Pricing checked 23 September 2026 and 24 September 2026 against each vendor's own pricing page. Kit: Billed in USD. Paid prices are for 1,000 subscribers and rise with list size; annual billing saves 17%. MailerLite: Billed in USD (EUR also offered). Paid prices are for up to 1,000 subscribers and rise with list size; annual billing saves 10%.
Verdict
Kit
- +Free up to 10,000 subscribers, and the free plan can already run a paid newsletter.
- +Unlimited automations and email sequences come with any paid plan.
- +A free recommendations network across Kit creators helps a new list grow.
- −Takes 3.5% + 30¢ of each subscription payment, card processing included — about 0.6% more than processing alone.
- −The free plan is broadcasts only; automations and sequences need a paid plan.
MailerLite
- +Paid plans start at $19 a month for 1,000 subscribers.
- +No sales fee on paid newsletters — only Stripe’s processing charge.
- +Comfort includes 10 websites and landing pages on your own domain, and 50 automations.
- −The free plan is small: 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month.
- −Paid newsletters and custom domains need a paid plan.
Common questions
Is Kit cheaper than MailerLite?
Kit starts at $33/mo (monthly; $390/yr billed annually), and MailerLite starts at $19/mo (monthly; $17.10/mo billed annually) — so MailerLite is the cheaper entry point. Compare what each includes at that tier, and what it renews at, rather than the headline figure alone.
Does Kit or MailerLite have a free plan?
Kit has a free plan, and MailerLite has a free plan.
Which is better, Kit or MailerLite?
On our weighted scoring across the use cases in this category, Kit comes out ahead overall. The honest answer is that it depends on the use case — the tables above break the score down by dimension so you can weight it to your own priorities.
Other comparisons
Sources & verification
- kit.com — checked 24 September 2026Paid newsletters and recurring subscriptions on every plan, including free. 3.5% + 30¢ per transaction, inclusive of card processing — Kit says its own share is 0.6%.
- mailerlite.com — checked 24 September 2026
- mailerlite.com — checked 24 September 2026No sales fee on paid newsletters; Stripe processes the payments.
- mailerlite.com — checked 24 September 2026Free plan: up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, with 3 automations, 1 website and 1 landing page. Paid newsletters, custom domains and removing the MailerLite logo need a paid plan.