Question 1: Are you a newsletter creator or a business?
Newsletter creator → beehiiv Launch (Free). 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, custom domain, built-in referral program and ad network on Scale ($49/mo).
Business sending marketing emails → Go to Question 2
Question 2: Do you need advanced automation (conditional logic, lead scoring)?
Yes, automation is critical → ActiveCampaign Starter at $15/mo (1,000 contacts). Best visual automation builder in the market. Plus at $49/mo adds CRM.
No, just campaigns and basic sequences → Go to Question 3
Question 3: How many contacts do you have?
Under 250 → Mailchimp Free (250 contacts, 500 sends/mo). Decent for getting started.
250–2,500 → beehiiv Launch (Free) or Kit Newsletter (Free, 10K subscribers)
2,500+ → Go to Question 4
Question 4: Do you want to pay by contacts or by emails sent?
By contacts (standard model) → Mailchimp Standard at $20/mo (500 contacts) or Kit Creator at $39/mo (1,000 subscribers).
By emails sent (unlimited contacts) → Brevo Starter at $9/mo (5,000 emails/mo, unlimited contacts). Brevo Standard at $18/mo adds automation and A/B testing.
Question 5: Do you sell digital products?
Yes, courses/ebooks/memberships → Kit Creator at $39/mo. Built-in commerce for digital products with subscriber-centric model.
No → Stick with your answer from Questions 1–4.
Quick Price Reference
| Platform | Free Tier | Entry Paid Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo | Essentials: $13/mo (500 contacts) |
| Kit (ConvertKit) | 10K subscribers, unlimited sends | Creator: $39/mo (1K subscribers) |
| beehiiv | 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends | Scale: $49/mo (unlimited subscribers) |
| Brevo | 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts | Starter: $9/mo (5,000 emails/mo) |
| ActiveCampaign | No free tier (14-day trial) | Starter: $15/mo (1K contacts) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Mailchimp not the default recommendation?
What if I need both automation AND newsletter features?
Explore Further on Sasanova
Comparisons