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Short answer: MailerLite is a cheap, easy email marketing tool for bloggers, creators and small businesses. It has a free plan for up to 250 subscribers, and paid plans start at about $12/month. If you need a full CRM or very complex funnels, look at GetResponse or ActiveCampaign instead.
Last updated: October 2026 ยท How we researched this: we checked the official MailerLite pricing page and plan limits, read third-party pricing trackers for prices at larger list sizes, and compared it with Kit, GetResponse and Benchmark Email.
Key takeaways
- The free plan now covers 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, which is smaller than in past years.
- Paid plans are called Comfort (from $12/month) and Power (from $25/month). Yearly billing saves 10%.
- Comfort caps sending at 10 times your subscriber tier; Power is unlimited under fair use.
- Every new account gets a 14-day trial of premium features with no credit card.
- Best for beginners and creators. Not ideal if you need lead scoring or a sales CRM.
What is MailerLite?
MailerLite is an email marketing platform founded in 2010. From one dashboard you can build a list, send newsletters, run automated sequences and create landing pages, signup forms and simple websites.
It is known for a clean drag-and-drop editor. Most people can send a decent-looking campaign on their first day. You can also sell digital products, paid newsletters and booking slots.
MailerLite pricing in 2026
The old “Growing Business” and “Advanced” plans were renamed Comfort and Power. Price depends on how many active subscribers you have. You can confirm your exact tier on the official MailerLite pricing page.
| Plan | Starting price | Emails per month | Main limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (up to 250 subscribers) | 2,500 | 3 automations, 3 forms, 1 landing page, 1 website |
| Comfort | From $12/month | 10x your subscriber tier | 50 automations, 10 forms, 10 sites/pages, 3 seats |
| Power | From $25/month | Unlimited (fair use) | Unlimited automations, pages, forms and seats |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Custom | For 200,000+ subscribers |
Cost at scale
Starting prices only tell part of the story. This is roughly what you pay as your list grows, billed monthly (checked October 2026 via MailerLite’s site and third-party trackers).
| Active subscribers | Comfort | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 250 | Free plan possible | Free plan possible |
| 500 | about $12/month | about $25/month |
| 10,000 | about $89/month | about $129/month |
| 50,000 | about $319/month | about $389/month |
Nonprofits can get 30% off paid plans. Only one discount applies at a time.
Key features of MailerLite
- Drag-and-drop editor: mobile-friendly newsletters without design skills.
- Automation: welcome series, abandoned cart, birthday and follow-up workflows in a visual builder.
- Landing pages, pop-ups and websites: enough for a small blog or a product launch.
- Digital products: sell e-books, courses, paid newsletters and bookings.
- AI writing assistant and smart sending on paid plans.
Limitations and gotchas to know before you sign up
- The 250 limit is strict. If active subscribers go over 250 on the free plan, campaigns and automations are locked until you upgrade or remove people.
- Comfort has a send cap. On the 1,000-subscriber tier you get 10,000 emails a month. Daily senders may need Power.
- Account approval. New accounts are reviewed before sending. Bought or scraped lists will get you rejected.
- Live chat is Power-only. Comfort users get 24/7 email support.
- Automation depth. Fine for most small businesses, but lighter than ActiveCampaign for multi-branch funnels and lead scoring.
MailerLite vs Kit, GetResponse and Benchmark Email
| Tool | Free plan | Paid from (approx.) | Best at |
|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | 250 subscribers | $12/month | Low cost, easy design, websites |
| Kit (formerly ConvertKit) | Up to 10,000 subscribers | $33/month billed yearly | Creators, tagging, newsletter growth |
| GetResponse | 14-day trial | $19/month | Funnels, webinars, courses |
| Benchmark Email | 500 contacts | $19/month | Simple newsletters |
If you are also weighing AWeber, read our AWeber vs Mailchimp and AWeber vs GetResponse comparisons.
Who should (and should not) use MailerLite?
Good fit
- Bloggers and beginners who want a cheap, simple tool.
- Small online stores that need basic abandoned-cart emails.
- Creators selling a few digital products or a paid newsletter.
Not a good fit
- Sales teams that need a CRM, deal pipelines or lead scoring.
- Anyone planning to import a purchased list (it breaks the rules).
- Large stores that rely on SMS plus email; a dedicated ecommerce tool fits better.
Quick setup checklist
- Sign up and complete the account approval form honestly.
- Authenticate your sending domain (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) before your first campaign.
- Create one embedded form and one pop-up with double opt-in turned on.
- Build a 3-email welcome automation.
- Add your physical address in the footer, as the FTC CAN-SPAM guide requires for US senders.
MailerLite FAQ
Is MailerLite really free?
Yes. The Free plan costs $0 for up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails per month, with no time limit. Premium features such as unlimited templates and the AI assistant need a paid plan.
How much does MailerLite cost per month?
Comfort starts at about $12 per month and Power at about $25 per month for 500 subscribers. At 10,000 subscribers expect roughly $89 to $129 per month, and yearly billing saves 10%.
Is MailerLite better than Mailchimp?
For most small senders it is cheaper and just as easy to use. Mailchimp has more integrations and deeper reporting, so larger teams sometimes prefer it.
Why was my MailerLite account not approved?
New accounts are reviewed to protect deliverability. Common reasons for rejection are no website, an unclear signup source, or a purchased or scraped list.
Final verdict
MailerLite gives small businesses most of what they need for less money than the big names. Start with the trial, build your first automation, and upgrade only when your list grows.
