Best newsletter platforms in 2026
Platforms for publishing a newsletter, growing its list and charging readers for it. The real cost difference is not the monthly price but how much of your subscription revenue each platform keeps.
The ranking
| # | Tool | Starting price | Best for | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | beehiiv Top pick | Free, then $49/mo Free tier | Newsletter operators who want growth tools and ad revenue built in, and expect to outgrow a hobby list. | | Visit |
| 2 | Kit | Free, then $33/mo Free tier | Creators who want to charge for a newsletter from day one without paying a monthly fee first. | | Visit |
| 3 | MailerLite | Free, then $19/mo Free tier | Small businesses and writers who want the lowest monthly price and no cut of subscription revenue. | | Visit |
| 4 | Ghost | $18/mo | Writers and publications that want a real website with the newsletter attached, and to keep all subscription revenue. | | Visit |
| 5 | Substack | Free; 10% of paid revenue Free tier | Writers starting a paid newsletter who would rather give up a share of revenue than pay a monthly bill. | | Visit |
Ranked on weighted capability scores, weighted most heavily towards audience growth tools and publication website. Commission is not an input — see methodology.
Best by use case
An overall ranking is a compromise. These reweight the same scores for a specific job, and the top pick is not always the same one.
Best free newsletter platform
Starting at zero cost, on a plan that does not expire, with room to charge readers later.
Top pick: SubstackBest platform for a paid newsletter
Charging subscribers while keeping as much of the revenue as possible.
Top pick: MailerLiteBest newsletter platform for growing an audience
Built-in ways to find new readers — recommendations, referrals and networks — plus automation to keep them.
Top pick: beehiivBest newsletter platform for bloggers
A proper website with the newsletter attached, rather than a newsletter with an archive page.
Top pick: GhostHead to head
Every tool in detail
1. beehiiv
A newsletter platform built around growth, with a recommendation network, referral programme and ad network built in.
Strengths
- +Free for up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends, a website and your own domain.
- +Takes 0% of paid-subscription revenue on paid plans — you pay only Stripe’s processing fee.
- +A recommendation network on every plan, plus a referral programme and ad network from Scale up.
Limitations
- −Paid subscriptions, automations and the ad network all need the Scale plan, from $49 a month.
- −Prices climb with the list: Scale is $49 a month at 1,000 subscribers and $109 at 10,000.
- −Removing beehiiv branding needs the Max plan, from $109 a month.
2. Kit
An email platform built for creators, with strong automation and a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers.
Strengths
- +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.
Limitations
- −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.
- −Paid plans start at $33 a month for 1,000 subscribers and rise with list size.
3. MailerLite
A low-cost email marketing platform that also runs paid newsletters, websites and landing pages.
Strengths
- +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.
Limitations
- −The free plan is small: 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month.
- −Paid newsletters and custom domains need a paid plan.
- −Comfort caps sending at 10,000 emails a month for a 1,000-subscriber list; unlimited sending needs Power at $39.
4. Ghost
Open-source publishing software — a full website and newsletter in one — sold as managed hosting called Ghost(Pro).
Strengths
- +A full publishing website and newsletter in one, with a free custom domain on every plan.
- +Takes 0% of paid-subscription revenue from the Publisher plan up.
- +Recommendations, a referral programme and the Ghost Explore network on every plan.
Limitations
- −No free plan on the managed service — only a free trial.
- −The $18 Starter plan cannot take paid subscriptions or use custom themes; both need Publisher at $35 a month.
- −Starter allows one staff user and one newsletter.
5. Substack
A free publishing platform and reader network that makes its money by keeping 10% of paid-subscription revenue.
Strengths
- +Free to publish at any size, with no monthly fee even once readers pay.
- +Paid subscriptions work from day one, with nothing to pay until you earn.
- +Other writers can recommend your publication, and new recommendations reach their subscribers in a digest email.
Limitations
- −Keeps 10% of every paid-subscription payment, on top of Stripe’s fees, and no plan removes it.
- −At $1,000 a month in subscriptions the 10% share is $100 a month, and it grows with every paying reader.
- −Using your own domain costs a one-off $50.
Common questions
What is the best newsletter platform overall?
On our weighted scoring across every use case in this category, beehiiv ranks first with 83/100, ahead of Kit on 81. It leads mainly on audience growth tools and publication website.
Is there a free newsletter platform?
Yes — beehiiv, Kit, MailerLite and Substack all offer free plans. Free tiers differ enormously in what they actually allow, so check the limits rather than the label.
What is the cheapest newsletter platform?
Ghost at $18/mo (monthly; $15/mo billed yearly) has the lowest paid entry point. Cheapest is rarely best value — check what the next tier up costs and what the plan renews at, because that is where most people end up.
Sources & verification
- ghost.org — checked 24 September 2026Founded April 2013.
- ghost.org — checked 24 September 2026No free plan on Ghost(Pro) — each plan starts with a free trial. Ghost is also open-source software you can host yourself.
- 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%.
- support.substack.com — checked 24 September 2026Publishing is free however many subscribers you have. Paid subscriptions cost nothing a month; Substack takes 10% of each payment.
- support.substack.com — checked 24 September 2026One-time $50 fee to use your own domain.
- support.substack.com — checked 24 September 2026Writers recommend other publications; new recommendations reach their subscribers in a digest email.
- beehiiv.com — checked 24 September 2026
- beehiiv.com — checked 24 September 2026Launch plan: free for up to 2,500 subscribers, with unlimited email sends, a website and custom domains. No card required. Paid subscriptions, automations and the ad network need a paid plan.
- 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.