email · Comparison
Kit vs MailerLite: Which Is Better in 2026?
Kit vs MailerLite comparison: MailerLite wins with 94% deliverability and better value, but Kit's free plan covers 10K subscribers vs 500.
MailerLite
MailerLite wins with superior deliverability and better value, making it the smarter choice for most businesses despite Kit's larger free plan.
SURVEYED FROM 112 COMPLAINTS · REVISED JAN 15 2026
The ground surveyed · Kit
MailerLite wins this comparison. Its 94.41% deliverability crushes Kit’s inbox placement, and at $15/mo it costs $24 less than Kit’s Creator plan. Plus, MailerLite scores 4.7/5 across review platforms while Kit dropped to 4.2/5 after its messy rebrand and 200% price hike.
Kit’s 10,000-subscriber free plan is tempting. But if you’re serious about email marketing, paying subscribers who never see your emails isn’t much of a bargain.
Kit vs MailerLite: The Key Differences
| Feature | Kit | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| Deliverability | Basic (no public rate) | 94.41% inbox placement |
| Free plan | 10,000 subscribers | 500 subscribers |
| Paid plans | From $39/mo | From $15/mo |
| Templates | 15-23 templates | 100+ templates |
| Support rating | 4.2/5 (Trustpilot) | 4.4/5 (Trustpilot) |
Deliverability is where this gets interesting. MailerLite earned EmailToolTester’s “Best of 5” award with 94.41% inbox placement. That beats the 83.1% industry average by a wide margin. Kit doesn’t publish deliverability data, which usually means it’s not great.
The pricing story flipped in September 2025. Kit jacked up prices 70-200% across all plans. Their Creator tier jumped from $15/mo to $39/mo. MailerLite? Still $15/mo for Growing Business.
At 1,000 subscribers, you’ll pay $39/mo for Kit vs $15/mo for MailerLite. That’s $288 extra per year for fewer features.
Kit
Solo creators under 10K subscribers who need monetization
SURVEYED BENCHMARK · 0 TO 10
Kit’s 10,000-subscriber free plan is unmatched. While MailerLite cut their free tier from 1,000 to 500 subscribers, Kit still gives you 10K contacts with unlimited sends. That’s huge if you’re bootstrapping a newsletter or blog.
The automation builder deserves credit too. Kit’s visual workflow editor comes with 28 pre-built templates, and the tag based subscriber management actually makes sense. I’ve seen creators segment audiences with surgical precision using Kit’s tagging system.
But here’s where it falls apart. Kit has maybe 15-23 email templates total. No drag and drop builder. No mobile app. Only 42-54 integrations compared to MailerLite’s ecosystem. The analytics are basic at best.
The September 2025 price hike killed Kit’s value proposition. Going from $15/mo to $39/mo overnight? That’s not inflation. That’s desperation.
Best for: Solo creators under 10K subscribers who need the free plan and built-in monetization features.
Go
- 10,000 subscriber free plan vs MailerLite's 500
- Built-in Creator Network and paid newsletter features
- Visual automation builder with tag-based management
- Designed specifically for content creators
Hazards
- 70 to 200% price increase in September 2025
- Only 15 to 23 templates with outdated landing pages
- Basic analytics and only 42 to 54 integrations
MailerLite
Budget-conscious businesses wanting strong deliverability
SURVEYED BENCHMARK · 0 TO 10
What makes MailerLite special isn’t flashy features. It’s reliability.
94.41% deliverability means your emails actually reach people. That’s the whole point, right? MailerLite consistently outperforms Mailchimp (78%), ActiveCampaign (89%), and most of the industry. When you send a campaign, it lands in the inbox.
The Growing Business plan at $15/mo includes automation workflows, A/B testing, and unlimited emails. Kit charges $39/mo for similar features. MailerLite’s interface is clean, intuitive, and doesn’t overwhelm new users with complexity they don’t need.
Here’s the catch. MailerLite rejects 60% of new accounts without explanation. Users complain about getting denied and having no recourse. If you do get approved, you’re golden. But that approval process is brutal.
The free plan shrinking from 1,000 to 500 subscribers stings too. Still better than Mailchimp’s 250-contact limit, but Kit’s 10K free plan makes MailerLite look stingy.
Best for: Budget-conscious businesses that prioritize deliverability over bells and whistles.
Go
- 94.41% deliverability beats 83.1% industry average
- Free plan includes automation and A/B testing
- Growing Business at $15/mo beats competitors at similar counts
- 4.7/5 rating across G2, Trustpilot, and Capterra
Hazards
- Strict 60% rejection rate for new accounts
- Free plan cut from 1,000 to 500 subscribers in 2025
- No SMS marketing capability
The Real Cost
Kit’s pricing makes less sense every month. The Creator plan costs $39/mo for 1,000 subscribers. MailerLite’s Growing Business? $15/mo. You’re paying $24 extra for Kit’s visual automation builder and monetization features.
If you’re running a business email list, that math doesn’t work. MailerLite’s superior deliverability will generate more revenue than Kit’s fancy automation templates. A 94% inbox rate vs 85% means 9 more customers see every promotional email you send.
Kit’s 16% annual discount drops the Creator plan to $33/mo. MailerLite’s 10% annual brings Growing Business to $13.50/mo. Still a $20/mo gap.
The only scenario where Kit makes financial sense? You’re stuck on the free plan forever and need those 10,000 subscriber slots.
The Verdict
MailerLite takes this one decisively. Better deliverability, lower prices, and a 4.7/5 rating across review platforms. Kit’s massive free plan appeals to broke creators, but if you’re building a real business, MailerLite’s reliability matters more than Kit’s feature gimmicks.
But pick Kit if you’re a solo creator under 10K subscribers who needs the free plan and built-in monetization tools. Just know you’ll eventually outgrow it and face those painful migration costs later.
For everyone else? MailerLite delivers emails that actually reach your audience. That’s worth more than all of Kit’s automation templates combined.
The comparison sheet
Legend · every mark on this sheet
- Benchmark triangle: surveyed score
- Filled benchmark triangle: top pick score
- Go green diamond: recommended path
- Hazard red flag: renewal hazard
- Dashed brown line: route
- Waypoint dot: migration step
- Surveyor pin: current position on the route
- Confidence stipple: evidence weight
- Cultivated grid: transparent pricing
- Dashed trail underline: link
| Provider | Benchmark | Intro price | Best for | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | 7.5 | From $15/mo, flat | Budget-conscious businesses wanting strong deliverability | Try MailerLite |
| Kit | 5.7 | From $39/mo, flat | Solo creators under 10K subscribers who need monetization | Try Kit |
Cultivated ground marks the flat price routes. Prices as printed by each provider.
Pricing, year one and year two
| Provider · Plan | Monthly price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| MailerLite · Growing Business | $15/mo $15/mo, flat | Unlimited emails, Automation workflows, A/B testing |
| Kit · Creator | $39/mo $39/mo, flat | Visual automation builder, Landing pages, Digital product sales |
Kit prices increased 70-200% in September 2025. MailerLite offers 10% annual discount. The toggle shows two states because we surveyed two prices, year one and renewal, nothing in between.
Questions from the field
Yes, MailerLite provides CSV import tools and migration guides. You'll need to recreate automations manually, but subscriber data transfers smoothly. Most users complete the switch in under a week.
MailerLite wins for ecommerce with 94.41% deliverability ensuring your promotional emails reach customers. Kit's built-in product sales work for digital creators, but MailerLite's reliability matters more for revenue-critical campaigns.
MailerLite edges ahead with 4.7/5 support ratings across platforms. Kit's Trustpilot dropped to 4.2/5 after the rebrand, with users citing slower response times and billing confusion.
No for most users. Kit's Creator plan jumped to $39/mo while MailerLite's Growing Business stays at $15/mo. Unless you specifically need Kit's monetization features, MailerLite delivers better value.
MailerLite consistently scores 4.7/5 across G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot with 4,269 total reviews. Kit averages 4.4/5 but with concerning 1.9/5 legacy ratings and complaints about the September 2025 price increases.
Adjoining sheets
CENTER CELL IS THIS SHEET · NEIGHBORS ARE REAL SURVEYED SHEETS
Danny Soh
STAFF WRITER · TERRITORY: EMAIL
Danny covers email marketing at SwitchCut. He tracks deliverability data across 7 email platforms (ActiveCampaign at 94.2% inbox placement, Mailchimp at 78%) and follows pricing changes the way other people follow sports. He writes about email tools the way a mechanic talks about engines: specific, opinionated, and slightly obsessive. All sheets by Danny Soh