Quick Comparison: Free Plans Ranked by Value
| Tool | Free Contacts | Free Emails | Key Free Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit | 10,000 | Unlimited* | Sequences, landing pages, forms | Creators |
| Brevo | Unlimited | 300/day | CRM, SMS, transactional | Large lists |
| MailerLite | 1,000 | 12,000/mo | A/B testing, automations, landing pages | Small business |
| GetResponse | 500 | 2,500/mo | Landing pages, AI content | All-in-one |
| Beehiiv | 2,500 | Unlimited | Monetization, ad network | Newsletters |
| Klaviyo | 250 | 500/mo | Ecommerce flows, SMS | Ecommerce |
| Mailchimp | 500 | 1,000/mo | Templates, basic campaigns | Beginners |
| Omnisend | Unlimited | 500/mo | Ecommerce templates | Shopify |
| Mailmeteor | Unlimited | 50/day | Gmail integration | Gmail users |
*Kit free plan allows unlimited emails to your 10,000 subscribers but with Kit branding on emails.
1. Kit (ConvertKit) — Most Generous Free Plan
Free plan: 10,000 subscribers | Unlimited emails (with branding) | Landing pages | Forms | Basic sequences
Kit has the most generous free plan in the email marketing industry — 10,000 subscribers with no time limit and no credit card required. That is 20x more than Mailchimp's 500-contact free plan.
The free plan includes unlimited landing pages, sign-up forms, basic email sequences, and tag-based subscriber management. You can send unlimited emails to your 10,000 subscribers, but emails include Kit branding. Upgrading to the Creator plan ($15/mo for 300 subscribers) removes branding and unlocks visual automations.
Free Plan Pros
- - 10,000 subscribers (20x Mailchimp)
- - No time limit, no credit card
- - Unlimited landing pages and forms
- - Basic sequences for automation
- - Tag-based segmentation
- - Charges only for active subscribers
Free Plan Cons
- - Kit branding on all emails
- - No visual automation builder
- - Limited to basic sequences
- - No SMS or WhatsApp
- - Limited template library
Best for: Creators, bloggers, course creators, and anyone building an audience from scratch. The 10,000-subscriber free plan gives you room to grow without paying a cent.
2. Brevo — Unlimited Contacts Free
Free plan: Unlimited contacts | 300 emails/day | CRM | SMS | Transactional email
Brevo is the only free email marketing tool that offers unlimited contacts. You can store 100,000 contacts and still pay $0 — you just cannot send more than 300 emails per day (about 9,000/month).
The free plan also includes a full CRM with deal pipeline, SMS marketing (pay per send), WhatsApp campaigns, and transactional email — features that most paid plans on other platforms do not even include. This makes Brevo the best free option for businesses with large lists but low sending frequency.
Free Plan Pros
- - Unlimited contacts (unique)
- - Full CRM with deal pipeline
- - SMS and WhatsApp included
- - Transactional email included
- - 300 emails/day (~9K/month)
- - EU-based, GDPR native
Free Plan Cons
- - 300 emails/day sending cap
- - Brevo branding on all emails
- - No automation on free plan
- - No A/B testing on free plan
- - Limited template library
Best for: Businesses with large contact lists that send infrequently. Also great for anyone needing transactional email or SMS without paying for add-ons.
3. MailerLite — Best Free Plan for Features
Free plan: 1,000 subscribers | 12,000 emails/month | A/B testing | Automations | Landing pages
MailerLite gives you the most features on a free plan. While other free plans limit you to basic email sends, MailerLite includes A/B testing, visual automation workflows, landing pages, a website builder, sign-up forms, and pop-ups — all for $0.
The drag-and-drop email editor is clean and intuitive, making it the easiest free tool to use. At 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails/month, it is perfect for small businesses just starting out. Upgrading to the Growing plan costs just $10/mo for 500 subscribers.
Free Plan Pros
- - A/B testing included (rare on free)
- - Visual automation workflows
- - Free landing pages and website
- - 12,000 emails/month
- - Clean, easy-to-use interface
- - No MailerLite branding on emails
Free Plan Cons
- - 1,000 subscriber limit
- - No SMS marketing
- - No transactional email
- - No ecommerce features
- - Must have a working website to activate
Best for: Small businesses and startups that want the most features possible for free. The A/B testing and automation on the free plan are unmatched.
4. GetResponse — Best Free Plan for All-in-One
Free plan: 500 contacts | 2,500 emails/month | Landing pages | AI content | Website builder
GetResponse offers a surprisingly feature-rich free plan. You get 500 contacts and 2,500 emails/month, plus a landing page builder, website builder, AI-powered email content generation, and sign-up forms. The AI email builder is unique — no other free plan offers AI content generation.
When you upgrade, GetResponse offers the most features of any platform at any price: webinars, conversion funnels, course builder, and unlimited sends from $19/mo. Try GetResponse free →
Free Plan Pros
- - AI email content builder (unique)
- - Landing page builder included
- - Website builder included
- - 2,500 emails/month
- - No credit card required
- - Upgrade path includes webinars + funnels
Free Plan Cons
- - 500 contact limit
- - No automation on free plan
- - GetResponse branding on emails
- - No webinars on free plan
Best for: Businesses that want an all-in-one platform and plan to upgrade for webinars, funnels, and AI features. The free plan is a great testing ground.
Get AI email builder, landing pages & website builder free
Try GetResponse Free →5. Beehiiv — Best Free Plan for Newsletters
Free plan: 2,500 subscribers | Unlimited sends | Monetization tools | Ad network access
Beehiiv offers 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends for free — and includes monetization features no other free plan offers. You get access to Beehiiv's ad network, paid subscription management, and newsletter referral program.
If you write a weekly or daily newsletter, Beehiiv is the best free option. The platform is newsletter-native, meaning it is designed specifically for newsletter creation and distribution rather than being a general email marketing tool.
Free Plan Pros
- - 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends
- - Ad network access for monetization
- - Paid subscription management
- - Referral program built-in
- - Newsletter-native design
Free Plan Cons
- - Not a full ESP (no transactional email)
- - Limited automation for ecommerce
- - No SMS or WhatsApp
- - Newsletter-focused only
Best for: Newsletter writers who want to monetize from day one. The ad network and paid subscription tools are available even on the free plan.
6. Klaviyo — Best Free Plan for Ecommerce
Free plan: 250 contacts | 500 emails/month | Ecommerce flows | SMS | Product recommendations
Klaviyo's free plan is small (250 contacts, 500 emails) but it includes ecommerce features that no other free plan offers: abandoned cart flows, product recommendations, browse abandonment tracking, and SMS marketing.
If you are just starting a Shopify store, Klaviyo's free plan lets you test the platform's ecommerce capabilities without paying. Once you grow past 250 contacts, paid plans start at $20/mo.
Free Plan Pros
- - Ecommerce flows (abandoned cart)
- - Product recommendations
- - SMS marketing included
- - Shopify integration
- - Revenue tracking
Free Plan Cons
- - Only 250 contacts (very limited)
- - 500 emails/month only
- - Klaviyo branding on emails
- - Outgrown in weeks for most stores
Best for: New Shopify stores testing ecommerce email marketing. The ecommerce features on the free plan are unmatched, but the 250-contact limit means you will need to upgrade quickly.
7. Mailchimp — Most Recognized but Most Limited
Free plan: 500 contacts | 1,000 emails/month | Basic templates | Mailchimp branding
Mailchimp's free plan was cut from 2,000 contacts to 500 in 2025, making it one of the most limited free plans available. You get 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month, basic templates, and Mailchimp branding on all emails.
The main advantage is brand recognition — Mailchimp is the most widely known email marketing tool, and its interface is the easiest for absolute beginners. But for free plan value, Kit (10,000 subs), Brevo (unlimited contacts), and MailerLite (1,000 subs + A/B testing) all offer significantly more.
Free Plan Pros
- - Easiest interface for beginners
- - 200+ email templates
- - Most recognized brand
- - Quick setup (15 minutes)
Free Plan Cons
- - Only 500 contacts (cut from 2,000)
- - 1,000 emails/month only
- - Mailchimp branding on emails
- - No automation on free plan
- - No A/B testing on free plan
- - Charges for unsubscribed contacts
Best for: Absolute beginners who want the easiest setup and recognize the Mailchimp brand. Switch to a better free plan once you hit 500 contacts.
8. Omnisend — Best Free Plan for Shopify Stores
Free plan: Unlimited contacts | 500 emails/month | Ecommerce templates | Product picker
Omnisend offers unlimited contacts on its free plan (like Brevo) but with only 500 emails/month. The free plan includes ecommerce-focused features: pre-built automation templates for welcome series, abandoned cart, and post-purchase flows.
If you have a Shopify store with a large product catalog but only want to send occasional emails, Omnisend's free plan is a good starting point. Upgrading to Standard costs $16/mo for 500 contacts with unlimited sends.
Free Plan Pros
- - Unlimited contacts
- - Ecommerce automation templates
- - Shopify product picker
- - Email + SMS (SMS pay per send)
Free Plan Cons
- - Only 500 emails/month
- - Omnisend branding on emails
- - Ecommerce-only (not for non-ecom)
- - Limited automation on free plan
Best for: New Shopify stores with large product catalogs that send infrequently. The unlimited contacts with ecommerce templates is a unique combination.
9. Mailmeteor — Best Free Plan for Gmail Users
Free plan: Unlimited contacts | 50 emails/day | Gmail integration | Google Sheets sync
Mailmeteor turns Gmail into an email marketing tool. It is a Chrome extension that lets you send personalized mass emails directly from Gmail, track opens and clicks, and manage your mailing list in Google Sheets.
The free plan allows 50 emails per day with unlimited contacts. It is perfect for solopreneurs, freelancers, and small teams who already use Gmail and do not want to learn a new platform. The privacy-first approach means Mailmeteor never asks for access to your Drive files or contacts.
Free Plan Pros
- - Works inside Gmail (no new tool)
- - Unlimited contacts
- - 50 emails/day (~1,500/month)
- - Privacy-first (no data access)
- - Google Sheets integration
- - Open and click tracking
Free Plan Cons
- - Gmail sending limits apply
- - No automation or sequences
- - No landing pages or forms
- - No CRM or segmentation
- - Not suitable for large-scale campaigns
Best for: Gmail users who want to send personalized mass emails without learning a new platform. Ideal for freelancers and solopreneurs with small lists.
How to Choose the Right Free Email Marketing Tool
Choose Kit if you are a creator
10,000 free subscribers with sequences, landing pages, and tag-based segmentation. Best for bloggers, YouTubers, and course creators.
Choose Brevo if you have a large list
Unlimited contacts free with 300 emails/day. Best for businesses with big lists that send infrequently. Includes CRM, SMS, and transactional email.
Choose MailerLite for the most features
1,000 subscribers with A/B testing, automations, and landing pages. Best for small businesses that want the most functionality for free.
Choose GetResponse for all-in-one
500 contacts with AI email builder, landing pages, and website builder. Best for businesses planning to upgrade for webinars and funnels. Try free →
Choose Klaviyo for ecommerce
250 contacts with abandoned cart flows and product recommendations. Best for new Shopify stores testing ecommerce email.
Choose Beehiiv for newsletters
2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends and monetization tools. Best for newsletter writers who want to earn from day one.
FAQ
What is the best completely free email marketing tool?+
Kit (ConvertKit) is the best completely free email marketing tool — it offers 10,000 subscribers with no time limit, no credit card, and includes sequences, landing pages, and forms. The only downside is Kit branding on emails. For unlimited contacts, Brevo is the best free option. For the most features (A/B testing, automations), MailerLite wins.
Are free email marketing tools really free?+
Yes, all the tools on this list offer genuinely free plans with no time limits. They make money when you upgrade to paid plans for more contacts, advanced features, or branding removal. The free plans are fully functional — they are not trials. You can use them indefinitely within their limits.
Which free email marketing tool has the highest sending limit?+
Beehiiv offers unlimited sends to 2,500 subscribers. Kit offers unlimited sends to 10,000 subscribers (with branding). Brevo offers 300 emails/day (~9,000/month) to unlimited contacts. MailerLite offers 12,000 emails/month to 1,000 subscribers. For sheer volume, Kit's 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends is the most generous.
Can I use a free email marketing tool for my business?+
Absolutely. All the tools on this list are designed for business use. Many businesses run entirely on free plans until they grow past the contact or send limits. Kit, Brevo, and MailerLite are all commonly used by real businesses on their free plans. When you are ready to upgrade, GetResponse offers the best value for features at $19/mo with unlimited sends.