Annual Cost at 10,000 Subscribers
| Platform | Plan | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit (ConvertKit) | Newsletter (Free) | $0/mo | $0/yr | Free up to 10K subs |
| beehiiv | Scale | $49/mo | $588/yr | Flat rate, unlimited subs |
| Mailchimp | Standard (10K contacts) | ~$100/mo | ~$1,200/yr | Per-contact, scales with list |
#1: Kit Newsletter Free ($0/yr at 10K Subscribers)
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) offers its Newsletter plan free for up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends. At exactly 10K subscribers, you pay nothing. The catch: no advanced automations, no integrations, and no sequences on the free tier. For creators who primarily send newsletters without complex automation, this is unbeatable.
If you need automation sequences or integrations, Kit Creator is $39/month for 1,000 subscribers. At 10K subscribers, Creator pricing scales higher, so check the exact tier price on kit.com/pricing.
#2: beehiiv Scale ($588/yr)
beehiiv Scale at $49/month gives you unlimited subscribers, the ad network (Boosts), referral program, polls, premium themes, and A/B testing. At 10K subscribers, beehiiv Scale costs $588/year. The monetization tools (Boosts, paid subscriptions) can offset or exceed the subscription cost. No automation builder like ActiveCampaign or Kit, but the growth and monetization features are stronger.
#3: Mailchimp Standard (~$1,200/yr)
Mailchimp Standard starts at $20/month for 500 contacts but scales with your list. At 10,000 contacts, expect roughly $100/month. You get advanced automations, customer journey builder, A/B testing, and content optimizer. The most feature-rich option but also the most expensive at this subscriber count.
Why Not the Others
ActiveCampaign Starter ($15/mo at 1K contacts)
ActiveCampaign prices scale by contact count. At 10K contacts, Starter costs significantly more. Best automation builder, but not cost-competitive for pure newsletters at this volume.
Brevo Standard ($18/mo for 5K emails)
Brevo charges by emails sent, not contacts. At 10K subscribers sending weekly, you need higher email volumes. Good value for transactional email but less newsletter-focused.
The Verdict
At 10,000 subscribers, Kit Newsletter Free is the clear winner if you only need newsletters without automation. beehiiv Scale at $588/year is the best value if you want growth and monetization tools. Mailchimp Standard at roughly $1,200/year is for teams that need the most advanced automation features and can afford the premium.
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