ConvertKit vs MailerLite — Best Email Marketing for Creators in 2026

Free Plans & Pricing

MailerLite offers one of the best free plans in email marketing: up to 1,000 subscribers with 12,500 emails/mo, landing pages, pop-ups, and basic automation — completely free. ConvertKit also offers a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers, but it is significantly more limited (no automations, no landing pages, no paid-commission fees removed). At 1,000 subscribers, ConvertKit paid plans start at $29/mo, while MailerLite starts at $10/mo. MailerLite is clearly the budget winner, especially at smaller list sizes. As your list grows, both platforms scale predictably — ConvertKit charges per subscriber, MailerLite has slightly gentler price jumps at higher tiers.

Automations & Email Sequences

ConvertKit was built for complex automations. Its visual automation builder uses a tag-based system that lets you trigger sequences based on subscriber behaviour — link clicks, purchases, form submissions, and custom events. Tags and segments are the same concept, making it easy to build advanced funnels without confusion. MailerLite added a visual automation builder in recent years, but it relies on groups and segments rather than tags, which can become unwieldy for complex conditional logic. For simple welcome sequences and newsletters, MailerLite is fine. For multi-step launch sequences, behavioural triggers, and dynamic content, ConvertKit is significantly more powerful. Read more in our email automation guide.

Landing Pages, Forms & Deliverability

Both platforms offer landing pages and forms, but ConvertKit's are more limited — fewer templates, less customisation — while MailerLite provides a proper drag-and-drop builder with rich templates. Deliverability is excellent on both platforms, though ConvertKit has a slight edge due to stricter sender reputation management and dedicated IP options on higher plans. MailerLite relies on shared IPs and has faced occasional deliverability issues during high-volume sending windows. Neither platform should cause deliverability problems if you maintain good list hygiene. For email marketing fundamentals, see our email marketing guide.

Reporting, Integrations & Support

ConvertKit provides clean reporting on subscriber growth, email stats, and revenue tracking (if you use its commerce features). Its integration ecosystem includes native connections with Teachable, Shopify, Gumroad, WordPress, and Zapier for everything else. MailerLite offers more detailed reporting at lower tiers, including geo-location, device tracking, and advanced link-click data. Its integration library is similarly broad but includes e-commerce-specific connections with WooCommerce, Shopify, and BigCommerce. Both platforms provide email and chat support; ConvertKit's response times are faster on paid plans, while MailerLite offers more self-service knowledge base resources.

Verdict — Which One Should You Use?

If you are budget-conscious and just starting out, choose MailerLite — the free plan is genuinely useful, and the paid plans are the most affordable in the industry. If you are a creator who needs complex automations, tag-based segmentation, and subscriber-centric tracking, choose ConvertKit. ConvertKit's pricing stings more early on, but its automation capabilities save enormous time as you scale. Many creators start with MailerLite and migrate to ConvertKit (or ActiveCampaign) when their funnels become too complex for group-based logic. Whichever you choose, focus on building a quality list from day one.

FAQs

Can I migrate from MailerLite to ConvertKit later?

Yes. ConvertKit offers a concierge migration service for paying customers. Most migration is automated — you export subscribers and tags from MailerLite and import into ConvertKit. Some automation workflows may need manual rebuilding since the logic systems differ.

Does MailerLite support email course sequences?

Yes. You can build automated drip sequences in MailerLite using its visual builder. For simple email courses (send day 1, day 3, day 7), MailerLite works perfectly. For courses with conditional branches based on subscriber actions, ConvertKit is significantly easier to manage.

Which platform has better template editors?

MailerLite has a superior drag-and-drop email editor with rich text, image, button, and video blocks. ConvertKit uses a simpler WYSIWYG editor focused on text and images — it intentionally avoids bloated templates to keep emails looking personal.

Do I need a separate landing page builder with either tool?

Not for basic needs. Both have built-in landing pages. MailerLite's are more customisable. For advanced A/B testing, custom domains, and analytics, you may want a dedicated tool like Carrd or Leadpages alongside your email platform.