MailerLite alternatives: where to go and how to migrate cleanly
Eight destinations in detail, one per reason to leave, and an eight-step migration plan.
The short answer: Sender if your list is under 2,500 and you don't want to pay, Brevo if you have a big list that rarely gets emailed, Kit or beehiiv if your newsletter is the business, Moosend or ActiveCampaign if your automations feel cramped. One thing before you choose: MailerLite exports subscribers and reports, not automations. You rebuild those. We compared all eight destinations and checked their prices in 2026.
Some links are affiliate links. The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why so many people leave MailerLite
MailerLite is still well liked: most of its public reviews are five stars, for its clean editor and low entry price. But six complaints keep coming back, and most date from 2026.
A free plan cut by three quarters
Free used to cover 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails until 2025. It dropped to 500, then to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month in summer 2026. A list of 300 no longer fits.
Pricier paid plans
Plans got new names (Comfort and Power). They now start at $12 a month for Comfort and $25 for Power, 10% less billed yearly.
Everything locks at subscriber 251
On free, once you pass 250 active subscribers, campaigns and automations stop. Your data stays, but nothing sends until you pay. On paid plans, going over bumps you to the next tier and charges your card automatically.
Accounts put under review
An import, bounces or complaints can trigger an automated review within minutes. Recent reviews describe accounts blocked before the first campaign, or terminated 48 hours after upgrading, with no refund.
No phone, chat only on Power
Support is by email on Comfort. Live chat only comes with Power, and there's no phone line at all.
Key features kept for Power
Multiple automation triggers are Power-only, and the HTML editor is missing on Free and Comfort. Comfort also caps you at 50 automations and 10 forms.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right MailerLite alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Click your reason to jump to the card.
Free up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month.
Your big list rarely gets emailedBrevoBills mostly by emails sent, stores 100,000 contacts free.
You're a creator selling by emailKitFree up to 10,000 subscribers, official migration guide.
Your newsletter is the productbeehiivFree up to 2,500 subscribers, built for growth.
You need multiple triggers on a budgetMoosendFrom $9 a month for 500 contacts.
Your automations feel crampedActiveCampaignConditional journeys and scoring, from $15 a month yearly.
MailerLite alternatives, tool by tool
For each tool: why move there, who it's for, the catch, how to migrate and its entry price, as published by the vendor.
Sender: the biggest free plan for a small list
Biggest free planWhy move to Sender. It's the most direct answer to MailerLite's free plan shrinking to 250 subscribers. Sender keeps 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month for free, automation included.
Who it's for. A nonprofit, a freelancer or a blogger who ran their list on MailerLite's free plan (1,000 subscribers until 2025) and doesn't want to start paying.
Who it's not for. A team: the free plan has a single seat.
The catch. Free emails carry Sender branding. Standard costs $6.30 a month billed yearly ($9 monthly), removes it and adds A/B testing. Professional costs $10.50 yearly ($15 monthly).
How to migrate. CSV import. One tip: in MailerLite, show only the columns you need (the "Set columns" button) before exporting, because the export only includes visible columns. You skip a file full of empty fields to map.
- Free
- 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/mo
- Paid
- Standard $6.30/mo yearly
- Best for
- small list, no budget
- Catch
- Sender branding on free
Brevo: a big list that rarely gets emailed
Big listWhy move to Brevo. Brevo charges mostly for emails sent, not for every contact stored. The free plan keeps up to 100,000 contacts and sends 300 emails a day. Where MailerLite locks everything at the 251st active subscriber, Brevo at least lets you store your list and send in small batches.
Who it's for. A business with a few thousand contacts that get one or two newsletters a month.
Who it's not for. A team of more than three: Starter has one seat, Standard three, and beyond that you need Pro at $499 a month.
The catch. Starter at $9 a month (5,000 emails) only stores 500 contacts and keeps the Brevo logo. Unlimited automation starts with Standard at $18 a month.
How to migrate. There's no direct MailerLite import: you go through a CSV or XLSX file. Brevo dedupes by email and asks for each contact's subscription status. Import active subscribers first, then unsubscribes in a second import, flagged as unsubscribed.
- Free
- 300 emails a day
- Paid
- Starter from $9/mo
- Best for
- big list, rare sends
- Catch
- 500 contacts on first tier
Kit: for creators who sell by email
CreatorsWhy move to Kit. Kit is free up to 10,000 subscribers, and it's the only tool here with an official migration guide from MailerLite.
Who it's for. A creator, course seller or author whose list passed 250 subscribers but doesn't earn enough to justify MailerLite's new prices.
Who it's not for. A business sending promos to several separate lists: Kit thinks in subscribers and tags.
The catch. Paid gets expensive fast: Creator is $39 a month for 1,000 subscribers, Creator Pro $79.
How to migrate. Kit's guide goes in this order: import subscribers, rebuild forms, pages and templates, then rebuild workflows as sequences or visual automations. Custom fields are a separate step: create them before the import, or your columns have nowhere to land.
- Free
- up to 10,000 subscribers
- Paid
- Creator from $39/mo
- Migration
- official guide from MailerLite
- Catch
- pricey once paid
beehiiv: when the newsletter is the product
Media newsletterWhy move to beehiiv. beehiiv is built for a newsletter that grows and earns money. The free plan keeps 2,500 subscribers.
Who it's for. A media brand or creator whose newsletter is the business, with a public archive.
Who it's not for. A company sending sales emails triggered by purchases or forms.
The catch. Lite costs $59 a month, $49 billed yearly. And your old MailerLite issues don't import: you copy them by hand.
How to migrate. Export active subscribers from MailerLite as CSV, rename the address column to "EMAIL", then import from your publication settings. Copy your best back issues before closing MailerLite.
- Free
- 2,500 subscribers
- Paid
- Lite $49/mo billed yearly
- Best for
- media newsletter
- Catch
- archive not imported
EmailOctopus: a plain, cheap newsletter
Plain newsletterWhy move to EmailOctopus. To send a regular newsletter without paying: 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month on free, ten times MailerLite's subscriber cap.
Who it's for. A writer or small brand sending one letter a week, with no need for a website, shop or long journeys.
Who it's not for. Anyone using MailerLite's sites and digital products: EmailOctopus free has one form and one page.
The catch. Free keeps EmailOctopus branding and only 30 days of reports. Pro starts at $9 a month billed yearly.
How to migrate. CSV import of active subscribers. Keep the full MailerLite export as an archive: with 30 days of reports, your history won't follow you.
- Free
- 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails/mo
- Paid
- Pro from $9/mo yearly
- Best for
- simple newsletter
- Catch
- 30-day reports on free
Moosend: serious automation on a small budget
Low priceWhy move to Moosend. Paid starts at $9 a month for 500 contacts, and the automation builder does more than that price suggests.
Who it's for. A small shop or business that needs multiple triggers, which MailerLite keeps for Power at $25 a month.
Who it's not for. Anyone after a lasting free plan: there's only a trial.
The catch. $9 isn't always the final bill: price climbs with your list, and transactional email can come on top. Yearly billing saves 20%.
How to migrate. CSV import. Rebuild MailerLite groups as lists or segments, then rebuild automations from the screenshots you took before leaving.
- Free
- trial only
- Paid
- from $9/mo (500 contacts)
- Best for
- automation on a budget
- Catch
- add-on costs
ActiveCampaign: when automation matters more than price
AutomationWhy move to ActiveCampaign. It's the next step once MailerLite's automations feel tight. User reviews say it plainly: MailerLite's builder gets limited, and sometimes confusing, once a journey branches.
Who it's for. A business selling by email, with lead scoring and conditional journeys.
Who it's not for. A simple newsletter: you'd pay for power you never use.
The catch. Starter is $15 a month billed yearly for 1,000 contacts ($19 monthly), but the real starting point is Plus at $49. No free plan, a 14-day trial.
How to migrate. ActiveCampaign offers to migrate your contacts for you. Automations you rebuild: a good moment to drop the ones nobody needs.
- Free
- no, 14-day trial
- Paid
- Starter $15/mo yearly
- Migration
- contacts moved for you
- Catch
- real start at $49
AWeber: a veteran with real support
SupportWhy move to AWeber. If an account review left you without answers, AWeber is a long-standing vendor with a free plan and simple tiers.
Who it's for. A small business or coach who wants a stable tool and answers when something breaks.
Who it's not for. Anyone needing more than one automation for free.
The catch. Lite starts at $12.49 a month billed yearly ($15 monthly), Plus at $19.99.
How to migrate. CSV import. A paid Done For You option sets things up for you for a one-time $79.
- Free
- yes, limited
- Paid
- Lite $12.49/mo yearly
- Best for
- small business, coaches
- Catch
- one automation on free
MailerLite and 8 alternatives side by side
Our default picks: Sender for a small list with no budget, Brevo for a big list that rarely gets emailed, Kit for creators.
| Free plan | First paid plan and migration | |
|---|---|---|
| MailerLiteStarting point | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month, 3 automations | Comfort from $12, Power from $25 a month; 10% off yearly |
| SenderBiggest free plan | 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails a month | Standard $6.30 a month yearly; CSV import |
| BrevoBig list | 300 emails a day, Brevo logo | Starter from $9 a month; CSV or XLSX import |
| KitCreators | Up to 10,000 subscribers | Creator $39 a month; official guide from MailerLite |
| beehiivMedia newsletter | 2,500 subscribers | Lite $49 a month yearly; archive not imported |
| EmailOctopusPlain newsletter | 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails a month | Pro from $9 a month yearly; CSV import |
| MoosendLow price | Trial only | From $9 a month for 500 contacts; CSV import |
| ActiveCampaignAutomation | No, 14-day trial | Starter $15 a month yearly; contacts moved for you |
| AWeberSupport | Yes, limited | Lite $12.49 a month yearly; paid setup option |
Entry prices before tax, subject to change. Always check against your real list size.
Migrate from MailerLite in eight steps
Order matters: each step protects your subscribers, their consent or your deliverability (whether your emails land in the inbox instead of spam).
Take inventory before touching anything
Day 1List everything that runs: groups, segments, custom fields, forms and pop-ups, landing pages, digital products, every automation with its emails and delays, and integrations (store, WordPress, Zapier). One screenshot per automation is enough.
Why? MailerLite exports subscribers and reports as CSV, but nothing says it exports templates or automation logic. What you don't write down stays behind.
- Time
- one hour to half a day
- If rushed
- forgotten automation
Check your renewal date before canceling
Day 1Annual plans are paid upfront and aren't refunded if you stop early. Switching from yearly to monthly only takes effect when the year ends. So time your move for the weeks before renewal.
Another trap: MailerLite counts active subscribers across the whole billing cycle. An active contact deleted mid-cycle still counts. Clean up right after a billing date, not right before.
- Check
- renewal date
- If rushed
- a year paid for nothing
Export each status separately
Day 2Only an account admin can export. In Subscribers, filter by status (active, unconfirmed, unsubscribed, bounced, junk) and export each one. Before each export, show every useful column with "Set columns": only visible columns are exported. Tick the groups option.
Export campaign reports and automation activity as CSV too, to keep proof of consent and your history.
- Who
- an admin
- Format
- CSV or CSV for Excel
Recreate fields and groups at the destination
Day 2Before any import, create your custom fields and the equivalent of your groups (lists, tags or segments depending on the tool). Kit, for example, handles custom fields as a separate step. Otherwise the import drops columns that have nowhere to go.
- Time
- one to two hours
- If rushed
- data lost on import
Import actives, then block unsubscribes
Day 3Import active subscribers first. Then import unsubscribes, bounces and complaints as unsubscribed or suppressed: they must never get an email from your new setup. Never import a bought list: it's the top trigger for MailerLite account reviews, and other tools react the same way.
If a group or list triggers an automation at the destination, pause it during the import. Otherwise your whole list gets the welcome sequence the same day.
- Order
- actives, then suppressions
- If rushed
- unsubscribes emailed
Rebuild your automations
Week 1Rebuild each journey from your screenshots, starting with the ones that earn money (welcome, purchase follow-up). Check how many steps your new plan allows. Drop what no longer serves you.
- Time
- half a day per journey
- Priority
- welcome and sales
Authenticate your domain: SPF, DKIM, DMARC
Week 1Add the DNS records your new tool gives you: SPF and DKIM prove the tool may send for you, DMARC says what to do with emails that fail. Remove MailerLite's records only after your last MailerLite send.
- Where
- your domain host
- If rushed
- emails in spam
Ramp up volume, then switch forms and pages
Week 2Start with your most engaged subscribers, then widen over one to two weeks. Then replace your site's forms with the new tool's. Keep MailerLite open until renewal to catch last sign-ups and keep your reports.
- Time
- one to two weeks
- If rushed
- lost sign-ups
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes a MailerLite migration go wrong
The same mistakes show up in migration after migration. These are the costly ones.
Exporting without showing the columns
MailerLite only exports visible columns. Export the default view and your custom fields stay behind. Use "Set columns" before every export.
Waiting for a review to leave
A suspended account can't export. If you feel a move coming, export now, not the day the account locks.
Canceling mid-year
Annual plans aren't refunded. Move in the weeks before renewal and keep the account open until then for your reports.
Deleting actives right before billing
MailerLite counts actives over the whole cycle. A cleanup at the end of the month won't lower that month's bill.
Reimporting unsubscribes as active
This one does the most damage: complaints, a review at your new tool, hurt deliverability. Import them as suppressions.
Emailing the whole list on day one
New tool, new sending setup: mailbox providers are wary. Start with your engaged subscribers and widen over one to two weeks.
- Inventory of groups, fields, forms, automations and integrations
- Annual renewal date noted
- One export per status, columns shown, groups included
- Campaign reports exported as CSV
- Fields and groups recreated before import
- Unsubscribes, bounces and complaints imported as suppressions
- Automations paused during import
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up
- First sends to engaged subscribers only
- Site forms replaced
MailerLite alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to MailerLite?
For a small list, Sender: 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, against 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails at MailerLite. Kit goes up to 10,000 subscribers for creators. Brevo stores 100,000 contacts but sends only 300 emails a day. Our email marketing ranking covers them all.
Why did MailerLite cut its free plan?
MailerLite hasn't said why, but the trend is clear: 1,000 subscribers until 2025, then 500, then 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails since summer 2026, alongside higher paid prices. Existing free accounts moved a couple of weeks after new ones. Past 250 actives, sending locks but your data stays.
How much does MailerLite cost in 2026?
Comfort starts at $12 a month and Power at $25, with 10% off billed yearly. Price rises with your list: if you go over your tier, MailerLite moves you to the next one automatically and charges your card.
How do I export my subscribers from MailerLite?
From Subscribers, as an admin: filter by status, then export to CSV. Click "Set columns" first to show every field, since only visible columns are exported. A suspended account can't export at all, so back up regularly.
What happens if my MailerLite account goes under review?
Reviews can be automated or manual, triggered by bounces, complaints, unsubscribes or an import. You get 30 days to respond. The account ends up reactivated, terminated (export still allowed) or suspended (no export). It's the most common complaint in recent reviews.
Should I keep unsubscribed contacts when I migrate?
Yes, as suppressions. MailerLite doesn't bill them, and neither will your new tool if you import them as unsubscribed. They stop someone who said no from hearing from you again.
MailerLite or Brevo: which should I pick?
MailerLite if your list is small and you want sites and pages bundled with email. Brevo if you have thousands of contacts who rarely get emailed. Our Brevo review breaks down its tiers, and our Brevo alternatives page covers the rest.
How long does a MailerLite migration take?
Export and import fit in a day. Allow a week to rebuild automations and one to two weeks to ramp up volume. Fit all of it before your annual renewal, which isn't refundable.
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