On this page
  1. The short answer
  2. Monthly cost at your list size
  3. Free plan limits at a glance
  4. What you pay when you outgrow the free plan
  5. Ghost and Substack
  6. How we check these prices
  7. FAQ
  8. Sources

Most newsletter platforms let you start free, but each one limits something different. One caps subscribers, another caps monthly emails, and another holds back automations or charges a share of what you earn. This page puts six platforms side by side: beehiiv, Ghost, Kit, Mailchimp, Substack and Systeme.io. It shows each free plan's limits and what the first paid plan costs at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers. Every figure comes from the platform's own pricing page and has the date we checked it.

The short answer

There isn't one best free plan. The right one depends on what you'll hit first. The lines below say who each plan suits.

  • beehiiv:Free to 2,500Unlimited sends Newsletter writers who want unlimited sends and room to grow, with up to 2,500 subscribers free. See beehiiv's current plans →beehiiv pricing explained
  • Ghost:No free plan Writers who want their own site and paid memberships and don't mind paying from day one. There's no free plan. Starter costs $15/mo billed yearly ($18 monthly) for 1,000 members but doesn't include paid subscriptions. Publisher does, from $29/mo billed yearly. See Ghost's current plans →
  • Kit:Free to 10,000Unlimited broadcasts The biggest free list here, up to 10,000 subscribers. See Kit's current plans →What Kit's free plan includes
  • Mailchimp:Free to 250 Small lists of up to 250 contacts that send occasionally. The free plan allows 500 sends a month, with at most 250 a day. If you outgrow the free plan, see beehiiv vs Mailchimp. See Mailchimp's current plans →
  • Substack:Free at any sizeTakes a revenue share Writers who want to pay nothing upfront. It's free at any list size, and if you charge readers, Substack keeps 10% of subscription revenue plus Stripe's fees. See how Substack's fees work →
  • Systeme.io:Free to 2,000Unlimited sendsLowest listed paid price at 5kLowest listed paid price at 10k Email, sales funnels and a course in one free account, up to 2,000 contacts with unlimited emails. See Systeme.io's current plans →Systeme.io review

Monthly cost at your list size

Move the slider to your list size. Each tool shows its free plan if that covers you, otherwise the list price of its first paid plan billed monthly. Where the pricing page doesn't give a figure for that size, we say so instead of guessing.

Monthly cost by list size, billed monthly. beehiiv: 1,000 $0, 2,500 $0, 5,000 $109, 10,000 $139; Ghost: 1,000 $18, 2,500 $55, 5,000 $75, 10,000 $105; Kit: 1,000 $0, 2,500 $0, 5,000 $0, 10,000 $0; Mailchimp: 1,000 $26.50, 2,500 $45, 5,000 $75, 10,000 $110; Substack: 1,000 $0, 2,500 $0, 5,000 $0, 10,000 $0; Systeme.io: 1,000 $0, 2,500 $17, 5,000 $17, 10,000 $47.$0$50$100$1501,0002,5005,00010,000beehiiv, 1,000 subscribers: $0 (free plan)beehiiv, 2,500 subscribers: $0 (free plan)beehiiv, 5,000 subscribers: $109 (Lite, billed monthly)beehiiv, 10,000 subscribers: $139 (Lite, billed monthly)Ghost, 1,000 subscribers: $18 (Starter, billed monthly)Ghost, 2,500 subscribers: $55 (Publisher, billed monthly. Starter not offered above 1,000; Business $239)Ghost, 5,000 subscribers: $75 (Publisher, billed monthly. Starter not offered above 1,000; Business $239)Ghost, 10,000 subscribers: $105 (Publisher, billed monthly. Starter not offered above 1,000; Business $239)Kit, 1,000 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Kit, 2,500 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Kit, 5,000 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Kit, 10,000 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Mailchimp, 1,000 subscribers: $26.50 (Essentials (501–1,500 contacts), billed monthly)Mailchimp, 2,500 subscribers: $45 (Essentials (1,501–2,500 contacts), billed monthly)Mailchimp, 5,000 subscribers: $75 (Essentials (2,501–5,000 contacts), billed monthly)Mailchimp, 10,000 subscribers: $110 (Essentials (5,001–10,000 contacts), billed monthly)Substack, 1,000 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Substack, 2,500 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Substack, 5,000 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Substack, 10,000 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Systeme.io, 1,000 subscribers: $0 (free plan)Systeme.io, 2,500 subscribers: $17 (Startup, billed monthly. $170/yr billed yearly)Systeme.io, 5,000 subscribers: $17 (Startup, billed monthly. $170/yr billed yearly)Systeme.io, 10,000 subscribers: $47 (Webinar, billed monthly)beehiivMailchimpGhostSysteme.ioKit, Substack ($0)
Monthly cost by list size (list prices, billed monthly; $0 = free plan covers it). Dots are checked prices. Lines only join nearby prices, and jumps over $40 aren't joined, since prices between dots aren't known. Mailchimp's points are its contact bands (501–1,500, 1,501–2,500, 2,501–5,000 and 5,001–10,000). A missing dot means the pricing page gives no figure for that size. Checked 2026-10-23.
  1. beehiiv$0Free plan
  2. Ghost$18Starter, billed monthly
  3. Kit$0Free plan (automations need Creator)
  4. Mailchimp$26.50Essentials (501–1,500 contacts), billed monthly
  5. Substack$0Free (10% of paid revenue)
  6. Systeme.io$0Free plan

List prices, billed monthly, checked 2026-10-23. Confirm on the vendor's page before you buy. Want growth over 12 months, yearly billing, MailerLite and paid-newsletter fees? Open the full newsletter cost calculator.

Free plan limits at a glance

Checked live Oct 23, 2026 · each cell shows its own date · tools in alphabetical order

Free plan limits for 6 newsletter platforms (checked Oct 23, 2026)
ToolSubscribers / membersSendsLimits, fees and trialLinks
beehiivNewsletter writers who want unlimited sends and room to grow on a free plan.Checked 2026-10-23 2,500Checked 2026-10-23unlimitedChecked 2026-10-231 team seat, 1 guest author, 1 publication, 30-day analytics lookback, branding can't be removedChecked 2026-10-23
Trial: Not stated		Affiliate link · How we make moneySee beehiiv's current plans →beehiiv pricing explained
GhostWriters who want their own site and paid memberships, and are fine paying from day one.Checked 2026-10-23 No free plan. Cheapest paid: Starter, $15/mo billed yearly ($18 monthly) for 1,000 membersChecked 2026-10-23Not statedStarter does not include paid subscriptions; Publisher does
Trial: free trial available (length not stated)Checked 2026-10-23		See Ghost's current plans →beehiiv vs Ghost
KitCreators who want the largest free list, up to 10,000 subscribers.Checked 2026-10-23 10,000Checked 2026-10-23unlimited broadcastsChecked 2026-10-23Unlimited landing pages and forms, tagging and segmentation, selling digital products and subscriptions. Automations and sequences are on Creator, not FreeChecked 2026-10-23
Trial: 14 days (paid plans)Checked 2026-10-23		See Kit's current plans →What Kit's free plan includes
MailchimpSmall businesses with up to 250 contacts that send a few emails a month and may want Mailchimp's paid tools later.Checked 2026-10-23 250Checked 2026-10-23500/month or 250/dayChecked 2026-10-23Trial: 14 daysChecked 2026-10-23See Mailchimp's current plans →
SubstackWriters who want to pay nothing upfront and share revenue only if they charge readers.Checked 2026-10-23 no cap; free at any sizeChecked 2026-10-23No limit stated10% of subscription revenue, plus Stripe's processing feesChecked 2026-10-23
Trial: Not stated		See how Substack's fees work →beehiiv vs Kit vs Substack
Systeme.ioCreators who want email, sales funnels and a course in one free account.Checked 2026-10-23 2,000Checked 2026-10-23unlimitedChecked 2026-10-233 sales funnels, 1 course, 1 blog, 1 automation rule, 1 custom domain; no card requiredChecked 2026-10-23
Trial: Not stated		Affiliate link · How we make moneySee Systeme.io's current plans →Systeme.io review

List prices in USD at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers. Promotional prices are left out. Mailchimp prices are monthly list prices by contact tier (it has no 1,000 tier, so the first column shows 501–1,500 contacts) and has no yearly option on its page.

Paid plan prices by list size (checked Oct 23, 2026)
Plan1,000 subscribers5,000 subscribers10,000 subscribers
beehiiv Lite$59/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$49/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$109/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$95/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$139/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$119/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly
beehiiv Pro$109/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$95/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$199/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$169/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$239/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$199/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly
Ghost Starter$18/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$15/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		Not offeredNot offered
Ghost Publisher$35/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$29/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$75/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$63/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$105/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$88/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly
Kit Creator$39/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$33/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$89/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$75/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$139/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$116/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly
Kit Pro$79/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$66/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$139/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$116/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		$189/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$158/moChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly
Mailchimp Essentials501–1,500 contacts
$26.50/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly		2,501–5,000 contacts
$75/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
50,000 sends/moChecked 2026-10-23		5,001–10,000 contacts
$110/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
100,000 sends/moChecked 2026-10-23
Mailchimp Standard501–1,500 contacts
$45/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
18,000 sends/moChecked 2026-10-23		2,501–5,000 contacts
$100/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
60,000 sends/moChecked 2026-10-23		5,001–10,000 contacts
$135/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
120,000 sends/moChecked 2026-10-23
Substack (no paid plans)10% of subscription revenue, plus Stripe's processing feesChecked 2026-10-23
Systeme.io StartupNot offeredStartup
$17/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$170/yrChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly		Webinar
$47/moChecked 2026-10-23 monthly
$470/yrChecked 2026-10-23 billed yearly

Ghost and Substack: the no-free-plan and revenue-share options

Ghost and Substack charge in opposite ways. Ghost(Pro) has a fee from the start, and you need Publisher ($29/mo billed yearly at 1,000 members) to sell paid subscriptions. Substack is free at any size and keeps 10% of subscription revenue, plus Stripe's processing fees. If you don't plan to charge readers, look at the free plans above. If you do, compare Ghost's fee with a 10% cut of what you expect to earn.

How we check these prices

We read each figure on the platform's official pricing page and record the date. Each cell has its own date, and the table shows "Checked live Oct 23, 2026", using the oldest date in the table. Prices and limits change, so confirm on the vendor's page before you buy. How we test.

Prices checked

  • beehiiv: 15 dated figures on file
  • Ghost: 24 dated figures on file
  • Kit: 20 dated figures on file
  • Mailchimp: 22 dated figures on file
  • Substack: 4 dated figures on file
  • Systeme.io: 11 dated figures on file

Ghost: Starter isn't offered above 1,000 members, so 2,500–10,000 now show Publisher, billed monthly ($55 / $75 / $105). Business is $239 at all three. Source: https://ghost.org/pricing/

Systeme.io: 2,500 contacts now shows Startup, $17/mo billed monthly ($170/yr billed yearly). Free stops at 2,000. Source: https://systeme.io/pricing

Mailchimp: Free stops at 250 contacts, so 1,000 shows Essentials at its list price, $26.50/mo (501–1,500 contacts, after a 14-day free trial). Source: https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/

FAQ

Is Mailchimp still free?

Yes, for small lists. The free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with at most 250 a day.

Is there a free alternative to Mailchimp?

Several. Kit's free plan holds up to 10,000 subscribers, beehiiv's up to 2,500 with unlimited sends, and Systeme.io's 2,000 contacts with unlimited emails. Substack is free at any size and takes 10% only if you charge readers.

What is the cheapest email marketing platform?

It depends on your list size and whether you charge readers. To stay at $0, compare the free limits above. Once you pay, the price tables show each platform at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers.

What is the best free newsletter app?

No single one. Kit's free plan has the highest subscriber cap, beehiiv's has unlimited sends, Systeme.io's adds funnels and a course, and Substack has no cap but takes 10% of paid revenue.

We earn a commission on beehiiv and Systeme.io links. Links to other tools on this page are plain links.

Sources

  1. https://ghost.org/pricing/, checked 2026-10-23
  2. https://kit.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-23
  3. https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/, checked 2026-10-23
  4. https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/compare-plans/, checked 2026-10-23
  5. https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost, checked 2026-10-23
  6. https://systeme.io/pricing, checked 2026-10-23
  7. https://www.beehiiv.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-23