Every free plan in one table — real subscriber limits, real send caps, and the catch attached to each. Checked against official documentation, with the date we checked it.
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Quick verdict
Biggest free plan: Kit, at 10,000 subscribers. Most capable free plan: Systeme.io — the only one where you can build a funnel, host a course, take payment at 0% fees and email the buyer, all without paying. Pick on what you are building, not on which number is largest.
The comparison table
| Tool | Free subscribers | Email sends | Branding on emails | Can you sell? | Automation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit | 10,000 | Unlimited | No | Yes (fees apply) | 1 basic automation |
| beehiiv | 2,500 | Unlimited | Yes | No | Not on free |
| Systeme.io | 2,000 | Unlimited | No | Yes, 0% fees | 1 rule, 1 workflow |
| GetResponse | 500 | 2,500/month | Yes | No | Basic autoresponders |
| MailerLite | 250 | 2,500/month | Yes | No | Limited |
All figures checked against official pricing pages and help documentation on 21 July 2026.
The spread is larger than most comparison posts suggest: Kit’s free plan is forty times the size of MailerLite’s. If you assumed free tiers were roughly equivalent, that table is the most useful thing on this page.
The catch attached to each
Kit — 10,000 subscribers
The largest free plan available, and it includes unlimited sends, unlimited landing pages, tagging, A/B testing and selling digital products.
The catch: Kit places one managed Recommendation slot in your newsletter and keeps any earnings from it. You pay with a slice of your audience’s attention instead of cash. Automation is limited to 1 basic visual automation with 1 sequence.
Worth knowing: Kit’s pricing page shows “For 1,000 email subscribers” on the free plan card while the comparison table on the same page says “Up to 10,000”. Kit’s own help documentation confirms 10,000 is correct — the card reflects the default slider position, not the plan ceiling.
beehiiv — 2,500 subscribers
Unlimited sends, plus a website, podcast module, custom domains and the recommendation network.
The catch: beehiiv branding on your emails, removable only on the top Max plan. No automations, no digital products, no surveys on free. Strong publishing plan, weak selling plan.
Systeme.io — 2,000 contacts
Third on subscriber count, first on capability. Includes 3 sales funnels (15 steps), 1 online course with unlimited students, 1 blog, 1 custom domain, 1 affiliate program, 0% transaction fees, and no branding on emails.
The catch: 1 automation rule, 1 workflow, 1 tag, 1 email campaign. Delivering one lead magnet typically consumes the rule and the tag. Broadcasts stay unlimited, but a second automated sequence needs the $17/month plan.
Start on the Systeme.io free plan →
GetResponse — 500 contacts
500 contacts and 2,500 emails per month. Do the arithmetic: 500 contacts × one weekly newsletter = 2,000 emails. One extra broadcast and you are at the ceiling.
The catch: a GetResponse badge on every message, landing pages capped at 1,000 unique visits per month across the whole account, and automation limited to basic autoresponders. The free tier is what remains after a 14-day premium trial ends.
MailerLite — 250 subscribers
250 subscribers and 2,500 emails per month, with the MailerLite logo on your emails. Clean interface and a good deliverability reputation — but 250 is a starter allowance, not a growth allowance.
Which one fits what you are building
- Grow a newsletter as large as possible before paying → Kit. 10,000 free subscribers is unmatched. We earn nothing from Kit and it is still the right answer for pure newsletters.
- Sell a course, ebook or digital product → Systeme.io. The only free plan covering the whole path from landing page to payment.
- Build a newsletter brand with a site and podcast → beehiiv, if you accept its branding.
- Test a full marketing suite before paying → GetResponse.
- Simplest possible tool, will pay soon → MailerLite.
Read the full reviews
- Which email tool has the biggest free plan in 2026?
- Systeme.io free plan review: the 4 limits nobody warns you about
- Systeme.io vs GetResponse free plans: 2,000 vs 500 contacts
- How many email campaigns can you send on the free plan?
- Can you sell a course on the Systeme.io free plan?
- New here? Start with this guide
Last updated: 21 July 2026
What changed: First published. All five free plans verified against official pricing pages and help documentation on 21 July 2026.
Free plans change often. This page is checked and dated, and this section records what changed and when.