- © 2026 Mailsoftly Inc. The name "Mailsoftly" and the Mailsoftly logo are registered trademarks of Mailsoftly Inc.
MailerLite looks cheap on the homepage, until your subscriber count climbs and the tier you actually need costs far more than the headline number.
by Didem Kiran · Last updated: 2026-05-27MailerLite pricing includes a free plan for small lists and paid plans that scale with your subscriber count, so the monthly cost rises as your list grows. Mailsoftly is a simpler, predictable alternative to MailerLite: a free plan with 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, paid plans from $39 per month billed annually for 5,000 contacts, real human support, and free hands-on migration.
MailerLite uses subscriber-based pricing: a free plan for small lists, then paid tiers that rise as your contact count grows, plus a custom Enterprise option. The real cost depends on three things: how many subscribers you store, how many emails you send, and which advanced features you switch on.
That headline price you see on the marketing page is the floor, not the ceiling. As your list passes each subscriber threshold, your bill jumps to the next bracket whether or not your sending volume changed. This guide breaks down how MailerLite charges, where the costs hide, and how the value stacks up against transparent, list-based alternatives.
Comparing options? See our full roundup of the best email marketing services for the complete picture.
Quick context: Mailsoftly offers transparent pricing, free hands-on migration, and human support. 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, no credit card.
Start free with Mailsoftly →
Key Takeaways
MailerLite sells four tiers: a Free plan, a Comfort plan, a Power plan, and a custom Enterprise plan (Comfort and Power replaced the old Growing Business and Advanced names in the June 2026 pricing update). All paid tiers are priced by the number of subscribers you store, and each one unlocks more automation, users, and templates as you move up. Pricing figures below are accurate as of 2026-04-15.
Because MailerLite updates its rate card periodically and runs region-specific promotions, exact dollar figures shift over time. For the current published numbers at your specific list size, check the MailerLite official pricing page. What stays consistent is the structure: a free entry tier, two self-serve paid tiers stacked by subscriber bracket, and a quote-based Enterprise plan for large senders.
If you want a deeper feature-by-feature look before deciding, our MailerLite review walks through the editor, automation builder, and deliverability in detail. The pricing model itself is straightforward on paper. The complications start once your list begins to grow.
Read enough? Try Mailsoftly free with 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, no credit card.Start free with Mailsoftly →
MailerLite pricing scales by subscriber count, which means your monthly cost is tied to how many contacts you store rather than how many emails you send. Cross from one subscriber bracket into the next and the price steps up automatically, even in a month where you sent a single campaign.
This is the trap that surprises growing senders. You build your list with lead magnets, signup forms, and ads, and that growth is exactly what you want. But every new subscriber inches you toward the next price bracket. A list that doubles in size can move you up two tiers, and the people who never open your emails still count against your bracket just like your most engaged readers do.
If you are still mapping out how list growth and sending volume interact, our Email Marketing Fundamentals primer explains why list hygiene matters as much as acquisition. The short version: on a contact-based model, dead weight on your list is not just unhelpful, it is expensive.
The biggest hidden cost is the feature gate: the things you assume are included often live on the higher tier. Removing MailerLite branding, unlocking auto-resend, adding multiple team members, and using advanced automation all require moving up from Free or from Comfort to Power.
None of these are scams. They are normal SaaS packaging. But they explain why the price you budget for in month one is rarely the price you pay in month twelve. When you compare quotes, total the features you actually need, then find the tier that includes all of them.
Mailsoftly is usually the better value once you account for migration, support, and what is bundled into each tier. Mailsoftly uses transparent list-based pricing with a genuine free plan, free hands-on migration, and human support included, so the price you see maps closely to the price you pay.
Here is how the published rates compare across platforms at a glance. All numbers are verified as of 2026-04-15. MailerLite is shown structurally because its exact figures shift with promotions, so confirm them on its pricing page before you commit.
| Platform | Pricing | Free plan | Support | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailsoftly | From $39/mo (5,000 contacts, annual) | Yes, 500 contacts | Human support, free migration | Switchers wanting simple, transparent pricing |
| MailerLite | List-based tiers (see official pricing) | Yes, limited features | Email and chat | Creators and growing businesses |
| Mailchimp | From $13/mo (Essentials, 500) | Yes, 250 contacts | Tiered by plan | Existing Mailchimp users |
| Constant Contact | From $12/mo (Lite, 500) | No, 14 to 30 day trial | Phone support | Local businesses and events |
| Brevo | From $9/mo (5,000 emails/mo) | Yes, 300/day | High-volume senders | |
| Kit | Creator from $39/mo (1,000) | Yes, up to 10K, limited | Creators and newsletters |
The sharper comparison is cost at a real list size. At 5,000 contacts, Mailsoftly Basic runs $39 per month on annual billing, or $49 month to month. Lined up against verified competitor rates at the same 5,000-contact size, the gap is clear.
| Platform and plan | Monthly cost at 5,000 contacts |
|---|---|
| Mailsoftly Basic | $39 annual / $49 monthly |
| Mailchimp Essentials | $75 |
| Constant Contact Lite | $80 |
| Kit Creator | $89 |
| ActiveCampaign Starter | $99 |
Mailsoftly also bundles more headroom into each tier. Basic covers 5,000 contacts and 40,000 emails per month, Business covers 15,000 contacts and 150,000 emails for $79 per month annual, and Premium covers 30,000 contacts and 300,000 emails for $159 per month annual. For a side-by-side on features and deliverability, read our MailerLite vs Mailsoftly breakdown, or look at how Mailsoftly email marketing software handles automation and segmentation out of the box.
One more value lever often gets ignored: switching cost. Mailsoftly includes free hands-on migration, so moving your lists, templates, and automations does not eat a weekend or require a paid onboarding package. You can see the full plan ladder on the transparent Mailsoftly pricing page, including the free tier and custom Enterprise option.
MailerLite pricing fits creators, solo founders, and growing businesses with modest lists who want a clean editor and are comfortable on the free or entry paid tier. For that profile, the value is real and the learning curve is gentle.
Where it fits less well is the growth stage. The moment you need multiple team seats, advanced automation, and a larger billable list, the per-bracket increases compound and the headline simplicity fades. Teams that prize predictable, all-in pricing or that lean heavily on human support often find better value elsewhere. If that is you, our list of the best MailerLite alternatives compares the strongest options by price and feature depth.
A useful test: forecast your list size and feature needs twelve months out, not today. Price the tier you will be on then. A platform that is cheap at 1,000 subscribers but punishing at 15,000 is the wrong long-term home if your whole plan is to grow.
The fastest way to lower a MailerLite bill is to shrink your billable list and pay annually. Because pricing is tied to subscriber count, removing dead weight directly lowers your tier, and annual billing cuts the effective monthly rate compared to paying month to month.
Switching is the biggest single lever, but only if migration is painless. The reason most people stay on an overpriced tier is the dread of moving lists and rebuilding automations. When migration is free and hands-on, that friction disappears and the math gets easy. You can explore the full Mailsoftly product on the main Mailsoftly site before you decide.
For the broader landscape, our comparison of the best email marketing services covers every major platform and where each one wins on price and value.
Looking for a simpler MailerLite alternative? See why teams switch to Mailsoftly as a MailerLite alternative — free hands-on migration in 1-2 hours, no contracts, real human support.
Mailsoftly is a strong value alternative to MailerLite. It offers a free plan with 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, paid plans from $39 per month billed annually, a 20% nonprofit discount, real human support, and free hands-on migration so you can move your list without technical help.
The real cost depends on your subscriber count, your sending needs, and which features you unlock. The free plan covers small lists, but professional use typically means a paid tier that rises as your list grows. Budget for the tier matching your projected list size twelve months out, not your list today, and confirm current figures on MailerLite’s pricing page.
Yes. MailerLite offers a free plan aimed at small lists with core email and basic automation. The trade-offs are MailerLite branding on your emails and limits on advanced features and team seats. It is a solid way to start, but most growing senders outgrow it once they need branding removal, more users, or richer automation.
No, MailerLite is one of the more affordable options for small lists, and the free plan makes it cheap to begin. The cost concern shows up at scale: as your subscriber count crosses each tier, the price steps up. For small lists it is competitive, but compare against Mailsoftly, whose free plan covers 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month.
MailerLite is worth it for creators and growing businesses who want a clean editor at a low entry price. It becomes less compelling for growing teams that need multiple seats, deep automation, and predictable pricing at larger list sizes. If those needs sound like yours, a list-based alternative with bundled support and free migration often delivers more value per dollar.
Ready to switch?Start free with Mailsoftly →
500 contacts, 2,000 emails per month. Free hands-on migration. No credit card.
Looking for an alternative?
Mailsoftly offers the features you need at a price that makes sense.
Switch to MailsoftlyMigrate in minutes