Kit (ConvertKit) Pricing Explained: Free for 10K, Then What?
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) offers a free tier that supports up to 10,000 subscribers — more than any competitor. But that generosity comes with walls around automations, integrations, and sequences. This guide breaks down what free actually gives you, what it walls off, and when paying $39 or $79/month is worth it.
Singh · Founder & Lead Reviewer · March 2026
Tests software tools, tracks pricing changes weekly, and builds comparison data from first-party vendor sources.
Tested: Verified pricing from vendor pages · 3 sources verified
See our methodology →Every Tier at a Glance
| Tier | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newsletter (Free) | $0 | $0 | 10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends, landing pages, limited automations |
| Creator | $39/mo | $39/mo | Full automations, integrations, live chat support, email sequences |
| Creator Pro | $79/mo | $79/mo | Advanced reporting, subscriber scoring, newsletter referrals |
All prices above are at 1,000 subscribers on paid tiers. Like ActiveCampaign, Kit's paid tier prices scale with subscriber count. The free tier's 10,000-subscriber cap is the highest free limit in email marketing.
What Free Walls Off
Kit's free tier is generous on subscriber count but restrictive on features. Here is exactly what you cannot do on free:
- No visual automations. Kit's visual automation builder — the feature many creators choose Kit for — is locked behind Creator. Free users can send broadcasts but cannot build automated workflows.
- No email sequences. Multi-email automated sequences (welcome series, onboarding drips, course delivery) require Creator. Free gives you one-off broadcasts only.
- No third-party integrations. Zapier, Stripe, WordPress, and other integrations require Creator. Free users are limited to Kit's built-in features.
- No live chat support. Free users get email support only. Creator adds live chat during business hours.
- No advanced subscriber management. Bulk actions, import tags, and custom subscriber fields beyond basics require Creator.
The key trade-off
Kit Free gives you the biggest free audience (10,000 subscribers) but the weakest free toolset (no automations, no sequences, no integrations). beehiiv Free gives you only 2,500 subscribers but includes a website builder and custom domain. Mailchimp Free gives you only 250 contacts but includes basic automations. Choose based on what matters more: list size or feature access.
How Prices Scale With Subscribers
| Subscribers | Newsletter (Free) | Creator | Creator Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,000 | $0 | $39/mo | $79/mo |
| Up to 3,000 | $0 | $49/mo | $99/mo |
| Up to 5,000 | $0 | $79/mo | $111/mo |
| Up to 10,000 | $0 | $119/mo | $167/mo |
| Up to 25,000 | Over limit | $199/mo | $279/mo |
| Up to 55,000 | Over limit | $379/mo | $519/mo |
The scaling reality:At 10,000 subscribers, Creator costs $119/month — 3x the 1,000-subscriber price. Meanwhile, beehiiv Scale stays at $49/month regardless of subscriber count. For pure newsletters at scale, beehiiv is significantly cheaper. Kit's advantage is its creator commerce features (digital products, paid newsletters) and visual automation builder.
Hidden Costs
- Free is a newsletter-only tool. Without automations, sequences, or integrations, Kit Free is a broadcast email sender with a landing page builder. It's not an email marketing platform on the free tier.
- Subscriber-based pricing scales steeply. Creator at 10,000 subscribers ($119/mo) costs more than ActiveCampaign Starter at the same count ($119/mo) while offering less automation depth. At 25,000 subscribers, Creator hits $199/month.
- Commerce fees. Kit charges transaction fees on digital product sales and paid subscriptions facilitated through the platform, on top of Stripe's processing fees.
- No CRM. Unlike ActiveCampaign, Kit has no CRM or deal pipeline. If you need sales pipeline management alongside email, you'll need a separate CRM tool.
- Limited reporting on free and Creator. Advanced reporting (subscriber engagement scoring, deliverability metrics, referral tracking) requires Creator Pro at $79/month.
Which Tier Do You Need?
Newsletter (Free)— You're building an audience, sending broadcast emails, and don't need automations yet. The 10,000-subscriber cap gives you plenty of runway.
Creator ($39/mo)— You need visual automations, email sequences, and third-party integrations. The right tier for creators selling digital products, running courses, or building multi-step welcome series.
Creator Pro ($79/mo)— You need subscriber scoring, newsletter referral programs, or advanced deliverability reporting. Typically makes sense for established creators with 5,000+ subscribers who actively monetize.
Cheaper Alternative
beehiiv Scale at $49/monthwith unlimited subscribers is dramatically cheaper than Kit Creator at scale. At 10,000 subscribers, Kit Creator costs $119/month vs beehiiv Scale at $49/month. beehiiv also includes an ad network and referral program. The tradeoff: beehiiv lacks Kit's visual automation builder and digital product commerce features.
Brevo charges by emails sent, not subscribers stored. You can have 100,000 contacts for free and pay $9/month for 5,000 emails. For creators with large lists who send infrequently, Brevo can cost a fraction of Kit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kit (ConvertKit) free really free?
Yes. Kit Newsletter gives you up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited emails at $0, indefinitely. The limitations: no automations, no sequences, no third-party integrations, and email-only support. It's a broadcast email tool on the free tier, not a marketing automation platform.
How much does Kit cost for 10,000 subscribers?
Newsletter (free) supports 10,000 subscribers at $0 but without automations. Creator costs $119/month at 10,000 subscribers. Creator Pro costs $167/month at 10,000 subscribers. Annual billing offers discounts.
Kit vs beehiiv: which is better for newsletters?
beehiiv is better for pure newsletter businesses (ad network, referral program, unlimited subscribers at $49/month). Kit is better for creators who sell digital products, courses, and paid newsletters alongside email marketing. Choose based on your revenue model.
Why did ConvertKit rebrand to Kit?
ConvertKit rebranded to Kit in 2024 as part of a broader platform evolution beyond email-only marketing. The product, pricing, and features remain the same. Old links redirect to kit.com.