Best MailerLite alternatives for your newsletter
Are MailerLite alternatives worth it?
Creators often hit a roadblock with MailerLite's limited monetization options and lackluster blogging capabilities.
Learn about the best alternatives that will allow you to earn money via ads, paid memberships, or simply have a newsletter with good SEO.
MailerLite alternatives summary
Beehiiv stands out as the best MailerLite alternative by combining newsletter and blogging capabilities. It offers powerful monetization options, strong SEO tools, and advanced growth features. However, it's pricier than MailerLite and has limited website customization.
Kit is designed for creators and bloggers and is excellent for monetization. Its main benefits include running paid newsletters, earning ad money through its Sponsor Network, or selling digital products. However, compared to MailerLite, Kit comes with a higher price tag and weaker SEO capabilities.
Ghost CMS is ideal for creators prioritizing web content over email. It has superior SEO capabilities and a fantastic writing experience. While Ghost outperforms MailerLite in paid newsletter functionality, it lacks advanced email features like email sequences or customization.
Substack offers a unique blend of newsletter, blogging, and social features. It provides a free plan without subscriber limits and built-in audience engagement tools. However, Substack takes a 10% cut of paid memberships and offers limited customization options.
Pricing varies significantly among these alternatives. Beehiiv's paid plans start at $39/month, Kit and Ghost at $9/month, while Substack is free but takes a percentage of paid subscriptions.
Each of these MailerLite alternatives has its strengths and weaknesses, as I will show through this article.
Why look for MailerLite alternatives?
MailerLite is a solid newsletter tool, but it has some limitations that might leave creators wanting more.
The main reasons that usually make people look for a MailerLite alternative are:
- Paid newsletter memberships are a mess: All paid subscribers get the same password to access content online. This is a huge security flaw, as anyone can share the password without paying. Plus, it's a terrible user experience.
- No native advertising network: If you want to monetize your newsletter with ads, you're on your own. MailerLite doesn't connect you with potential sponsors like beehiiv or Kit does with their own advertisement networks.
- Blogging capabilities are barebones at best: If you want a good blog alongside your newsletter, MailerLite falls short.
- Community features are non-existent: There's no built-in way to foster discussions or interactions among your subscribers.
If you're serious about monetizing through ads or want a more integrated blog-newsletter combo, you'll likely find MailerLite lacking.
MailerLite still feels like a traditional newsletter tool that fall short on some modern creator needs like monetization.
While MailerLite is good at what it does, there are other tools out there that give it a run for its money.
How to choose the right MailerLite alternative?
When searching for a MailerLite alternative, you should start by assessing your current needs. List the MailerLite features you use, identify pain points, and consider your future goals.
This should help you focus on what's essential on the new tool.
Next, evaluate pricing structures. Compare costs as your subscriber list grows and watch out for hidden fees or transaction costs.
Integration capabilities are also crucial, as they will allow you to do advanced things.
I would also advise you to explore the customization options. Focus on newsletter design flexibility and landing page customization.
The analytics and reporting capabilities of the new tool are also important to consider, it could give you great insights about your list or leave you in the dark.
Email automation features, including workflow options and email list segmentation capabilities, would also be among the things you should worry about on the new tool.
While it's difficult to test, try to look into deliverability rates. Consider the sender reputation of the platform and any built-in tools to improve email deliverability. A tip for test email deliverability is to create some test campaigns and send emails to some of your own email accounts.
Lastly, don't forget about data portability. Check how easy it is to import and export subscriber data, as well as migrate your content and campaigns.
By carefully evaluating these aspects, you can find an alternative that not only matches MailerLite's capabilities but potentially offers improvements in areas that matter most to your specific needs.
Beehiiv - best alternative
Beehiiv is a modern platform that combines newsletter and blogging capabilities, making it perfect for creators who want to grow and monetize their audience.
Here are the reasons why beehiiv stands out:
- Powerful monetization options, including an Ad Network and Boosts;
- Strong SEO tools to help your content get discovered on the web;
- Advanced growth features like a built-in referral program and smart email automation.
But it's not all roses. Beehiiv has a few drawbacks:
- It's a bit pricier than MailerLite;
- Website customization options are somewhat limited;
- No pre-made newsletter templates (though this can be a plus for some).
Check out my detailed comparison of beehiiv vs MailerLite to see if beehiiv is the right MailerLite alternative for your newsletter needs.
When it comes to pricing, beehiiv's free plan is more generous, allowing up to 2,500 subscribers compared to MailerLite's 1,000.
Paid plans start at $39/month, which is steeper than MailerLite's $9/month entry point.
While beehiiv lacks website themes, it shines in newsletter design flexibility. You can customize your emails to match your brand without needing coding skills.
Choose beehiiv over MailerLite if you're serious about turning your newsletter into a business. Its monetization tools and growth features make it a powerhouse for creators looking to scale. Just be prepared to invest a bit more upfront for those extra capabilities.
Kit - best for creators with a blog
Kit is a powerful email marketing platform designed specifically for creators and bloggers. If you're looking for a MailerLite alternative with advanced monetization features, Kit might be the right choice for you.
Kit's key advantages over MailerLite are centered around monetization options:
- Creating and managing paid newsletters is much easier on Kit;
- You can sell digital products directly through the platform;
- The Kit Sponsor Network connects creators with advertisers, helping you earn more from ads.
Another major plus is Kit's recommendation system. You can recommend other creators' newsletters and earn money when your audience subscribes. This network effect isn't available on MailerLite.
However, Kit does have some drawbacks compared to MailerLite:
- It's significantly more expensive;
- MailerLite has better SEO capabilities, even without being great.
Read my full Kit vs MailerLite comparison to dive deeper into how these popular newsletter tools stack up against each other.
When it comes to pricing, Kit offers a generous free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers, but the cheapest paid plan starts at $9/month (300 subscribers).
For 1,000 subscribers, Kit paid plans cost $29/month, while MailerLite's comparable plan is just $15/month. This price difference grows as your subscriber count increases.
You should consider Kit over MailerLite if monetization is a top priority for your newsletter.
If you plan to offer paid subscriptions, sell digital products, or want to maximize ad revenue, Kit's features will likely justify the higher cost. It's an especially good fit for creators who are serious about turning their newsletter into a significant income stream.
Ghost - best for a blog + newsletter combo
If you're looking to prioritize your online content over email, Ghost might be the MailerLite alternative you are looking for.
Ghost CMS is a powerful blogging platform with newsletter capabilities, and its key advantages over MailerLite are:
- SEO capabilities are far superior. For creators who primarily publish web content, Ghost has a massive advantage.
- The writing experience is fantastic, even without a drag-and-drop editor.
- Paid newsletter functionality in Ghost outperforms MailerLite, addressing one of MailerLite's biggest weaknesses.
- Ghost's dashboard is clean and simple, though this simplicity comes with more limited newsletter features.
However, Ghost has its drawbacks.
Ghost's email features are limited, as it doesn't have email automation and A/B testing for subject lines.
Analytics are basic, mostly covering open rates and click rates, while MailerLite offers more detailed insights.
Newsletter design customization is practically non-existent in Ghost, contrasting MailerLite's strengths in this area.
These limitations might be significant for creators who rely heavily on advanced email marketing features.
Pricing-wise, Ghost doesn't have a free plan, unlike MailerLite, while paid plans for Ghost start at $9/month.
You should choose Ghost over MailerLite if your primary goal is publishing high-quality web content with strong SEO potential. Ghost is ideal for creators who want a robust blogging platform with newsletter capabilities, rather than a dedicated email marketing tool.
Substack - social features
Substack might be worth considering as a MailerLite alternative.
Substack is a platform that combines newsletter and blogging capabilities with some unique social features.
Substack has a few key benefits over MailerLite:
- A free plan without subscriber limits (yes, unlimited).
- Social features like Substack Notes and Chats for interacting with your audience.
- A mobile app where readers can engage with your content.
- Theoretically, Substack is better for SEO.
However, Substack has some downsides.
1st, they take a 10% cut of paid memberships, which can get crazy expensive.
2nd, customization is very limited, making it hard to create a unique brand.
And 3rd, Substack also lacks email automation and integrations that MailerLite offers.
For a deeper dive into how these newsletter platforms compare, check out my full Substack vs MailerLite analysis.
Pricing-wise, Substack's free plan is hard to beat for those just starting out.
But if you're monetizing with paid memberships, MailerLite will be cheaper since they don't take a percentage. For example, with 2,500 paying subscribers at $5/month Substack will cost $1,250/month in fees, while MailerLite will cost just $39/month.
Having that said, Substack is worth it over MailerLite if:
- You want a totally free option and don't plan to offer paid subscriptions.
- The social features and mobile app are important for engaging your audience.
- You prefer an all-in-one platform for newsletters, blogging and community.
Ultimately, Substack trades customization and marketing tools for simplicity and built-in distribution. Consider your specific needs when deciding if it's the right MailerLite alternative for you.
Final thoughts
I've explored several MailerLite alternatives that address different creator needs and preferences.
Each option offers unique features that might better suit your specific goals.
Beehiiv stands out as the best alternative by combining strong monetization tools with solid SEO capabilities. It's ideal if you're looking to turn your newsletter into a serious business.
Kit shines for creators who already have a blog and want advanced monetization options, especially through paid subscriptions and digital product sales.
Ghost is the go-to choice for those prioritizing web content and SEO, offering a superior blogging experience with decent newsletter capabilities.
Substack provides a unique mix of newsletter, blogging, and social features, making it appealing if you value community engagement, plus a free plan with generous limits.
I encourage you to try 1 of these MailerLite alternatives and choose the one that best aligns with your goals. Don't be afraid to try out free plans or trials to get a feel for each platform.
The right tool can make a huge difference in growing and monetizing your audience, so take your time to make an informed decision.
