The Definitive Email Free Tier Table
| Platform | Subscribers | Sends | Automations | Key Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 250 contacts | 500/mo | Single-step only | 1 audience, limited reporting |
| Kit (ConvertKit) | 10,000 subscribers | Unlimited | Limited (no visual builder) | No integrations, no sequences |
| beehiiv | 2,500 subscribers | Unlimited | Basic automation | beehiiv branding, no ad network |
| Brevo | 100,000 contacts | 300/day (~9,000/mo) | No (Standard $18/mo) | Brevo branding, daily send limit |
| Buttondown | 100 subscribers | Unlimited | No (Basic $9/mo) | Very limited features |
| Substack | Unlimited | Unlimited | None | 10% of paid sub revenue, no custom domain |
Cheapest Paid Upgrade from Each
| Platform | Cheapest Paid Plan | Price | What It Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | Essentials | $13/mo (500 contacts) | Support, A/B testing, 5K sends |
| Kit | Creator | $39/mo (1K subs) | Visual automations, integrations |
| beehiiv | Scale | $49/mo | Unlimited subs, ad network, referrals |
| Brevo | Starter | $9/mo (5K emails) | No daily limit, basic reporting |
| Buttondown | Basic | $9/mo | Unlimited subs, custom domain, automation |
| Substack | N/A (all free) | $0 (10% rev share) | All features included, revenue share model |
Which Free Tier to Choose
For creators and newsletters: beehiiv Launch (2,500 free subscribers, unlimited sends, custom domain) is the best starting point. If you just want to write without thinking about tools, Substack is simpler but takes 10% of paid subscriptions.
For e-commerce and transactional email: Brevo Free (100,000 contacts, 300 sends/day) offers the most contacts by far. The daily send limit is the catch.
For simple newsletters on a budget: Kit Newsletter (10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends) is the most generous subscriber count, but lacks automations and integrations until Creator at $39/mo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which free tier lasts the longest?
Kit Newsletter (10,000 subscribers) and Brevo Free (100,000 contacts) last the longest by raw numbers. beehiiv Launch (2,500 subscribers) is the sweet spot of features + limits for most creators. Mailchimp Free (250 contacts) is nearly useless — you'll outgrow it in weeks.
Does Mailchimp count unsubscribed contacts?
Yes. Mailchimp counts unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts toward your contact limit until you manually archive them. This is the contact counting trap that inflates your bill by 20–40%. beehiiv, Kit, and Buttondown do not count unsubscribes.