The Five Free Newsletter Platforms Compared
These are the only newsletter-capable platforms with permanent free tiers worth evaluating. We excluded 14-day trials, credit-card-required “free” plans, and platforms where the free tier is so limited it functions as a demo.
| Platform | Subscriber Limit | Send Limit | The Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit (ConvertKit) | 10,000 | Unlimited | No advanced automations, no integrations |
| beehiiv | 2,500 | Unlimited | beehiiv branding, no ad network access |
| Substack | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10% cut of paid subscriptions + Stripe fees |
| Mailchimp | 250 | 500/month | 1 audience, limited automations, limited reporting |
| Buttondown | 100 | Basic features only | Extremely small list, no advanced features |
#1: Kit (ConvertKit) — The Most Generous Free Tier
Kit's Newsletter plan gives you 10,000 subscribers with unlimited email sends at zero cost. That's not a typo. Ten thousand subscribers, unlimited sends, no trial period. The free plan is purpose-built for creators who are growing an audience and aren't ready to pay yet.
What you get: 10,000 subscribers, unlimited emails, landing pages, basic subscriber tagging, and a creator profile page. The editor is clean and markdown-friendly. You can sell digital products through Kit Commerce.
What's locked: No advanced automations (visual automation builder requires the Creator plan at $39/month for 1,000 subscribers). No third-party integrations. No newsletter referral program. No subscriber scoring or advanced reporting.
Verdict: Best free tier for creators building an audience. If you just need to send newsletters and grow a list under 10,000, Kit Free is the clear winner. The upgrade to Creator ($39/month) only makes sense once you need automations.
#2: beehiiv — Best for Newsletter Growth Tools
beehiiv's Launch plan caps at 2,500 subscribers but includes unlimited sends, a custom domain, and a website builder. For newsletter creators who want growth-focused features at the free tier, beehiiv gives you more tools than Kit — just fewer subscribers.
What you get: 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, custom domain, website builder, audience segmentation, polls, and beehiiv branding on emails.
What's locked: The built-in ad network, referral program, premium themes, and polls require the Scale plan at $49/month. No API access on the free tier. beehiiv branding stays on your emails.
Verdict:Best for newsletter creators who want a website builder and custom domain at $0. If you'll stay under 2,500 subscribers, beehiiv Free is more feature-rich than Kit Free for newsletter-specific use.
#3: Substack — Unlimited Everything, But You Pay When You Earn
Substack is technically free forever with unlimited subscribers and unlimited sends. There is no paid plan to upgrade to. The business model is a 10% cut of any paid subscriptions you offer, plus Stripe processing fees.
What you get: Unlimited subscribers, unlimited sends, built-in network with recommendations, mobile app for readers, Notes (social feed), podcast hosting, and paid subscription infrastructure.
The catch:No advanced segmentation, no automation, limited custom branding, no custom domain (limited options), and Substack takes 10% of every paid subscription dollar you earn. No API access. You're building on Substack's platform, not your own.
Verdict:Best for writers who want the absolute simplest setup and don't mind giving up control. If you plan to monetize through paid subscriptions, the 10% cut adds up quickly. At $50,000/year in subscription revenue, that's $5,000 going to Substack.
#4: Mailchimp — Once Great, Now Barely Functional Free
Mailchimp's free tier has been gutted over the past three years. It now limits you to 250 contacts and 500 emails per month. For a newsletter platform, 250 contacts is not a serious free tier — it's a trial by another name.
What you get: Up to 250 contacts, 500 emails/month, 1 audience, basic templates, limited reporting, and Mailchimp branding.
What's locked: Everything useful. The Essentials plan starts at $13/month for 500 contacts. Standard is $20/month. Contact-based pricing means your bill grows with your list, and Mailchimp counts unsubscribed contacts toward your total.
Verdict:Not recommended for newsletters in 2026. The 250-contact limit makes Mailchimp's free tier uncompetitive against Kit (10,000) and beehiiv (2,500). Only viable if you're already deep in the Mailchimp ecosystem and testing a new list.
#5: Buttondown — Minimalist, Developer-Friendly, Tiny Free Tier
Buttondown is a one-person project built for developers and technical writers who want Markdown newsletters without bloat. The free tier caps at 100 subscribers.
What you get: 100 subscribers, Markdown editor, RSS-to-email, basic features. Clean, no-nonsense experience.
What's locked: Custom domains, paid subscriptions, automations, and advanced features require the Basic plan at $9/month.
Verdict: Perfect for developers who want a minimal newsletter tool and have under 100 readers. The $9/month Basic plan is excellent value once you outgrow free. Not for growth-oriented creators.
Ranking: Best Free Newsletter Platform by What Free Gets You
| Rank | Platform | Free Tier | Best For | First Paid Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kit | 10,000 subs, unlimited sends | Creators growing a list | Creator $39/mo |
| 2 | beehiiv | 2,500 subs, unlimited sends | Newsletter growth tools | Scale $49/mo |
| 3 | Substack | Unlimited subs, 10% revenue cut | Writers who want simplicity | N/A (10% of paid subs) |
| 4 | Buttondown | 100 subs, basic features | Developers, Markdown users | Basic $9/mo |
| 5 | Mailchimp | 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo | Existing Mailchimp users only | Essentials $13/mo |
Common Mistakes
- Choosing by subscriber cap alone. Substack has unlimited subscribers but takes 10% of your revenue. Kit gives you 10,000 subscribers with zero revenue share. The cap matters less than the total cost model.
- Ignoring the branding tax. beehiiv and Mailchimp put their branding on your free emails. For a professional newsletter, that can undermine trust. Removing branding requires a paid plan on both.
- Assuming “free forever” means “free features forever.” Mailchimp's free tier has been cut repeatedly since 2022. What's free today may not be free next year. Export your subscriber list regularly as a backup.
- Overlooking automation needs. If you need welcome sequences or conditional email flows, the free tier on Kit and beehiiv won't cover it. Budget for the Creator plan ($39/month on Kit) or Scale plan ($49/month on beehiiv) from the start.
- Starting on Substack without doing the math. At 1,000 paid subscribers paying $10/month, Substack takes $12,000/year. beehiiv Scale at $49/month costs $588/year. The difference is $11,412.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free newsletter platform for beginners?
Kit (ConvertKit) Newsletter plan. It gives you 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends, requires no credit card, and has a clean interface designed for creators. Substack is simpler but takes 10% of paid subscription revenue.
Is Substack really free?
Yes, Substack is free to use with unlimited subscribers and sends. However, if you enable paid subscriptions, Substack takes a 10% cut of all revenue plus Stripe processing fees (~2.9% + $0.30). For free-only newsletters, Substack costs nothing.
Why is Mailchimp's free tier so limited now?
Mailchimp reduced its free tier from 2,000 contacts (pre-2023) to 500 contacts, then to 250 contacts. The strategy is to push users toward the Essentials plan at $13/month. For newsletter creators, Kit and beehiiv now offer dramatically better free tiers.
Can I switch platforms later without losing subscribers?
Yes, all five platforms allow CSV export of your subscriber list. The main cost of switching is rebuilding automations, templates, and landing pages. Starting on Kit or beehiiv minimizes this risk since both have clean data export.