Best Free Email Marketing Software in 2027: 8 Tools Compared
A free email marketing plan can be a genuine starting point or a trial with a countdown. The difference is in the limits: how many contacts, how many sends, whether automation is included and whether the vendor’s branding appears in your emails. We read the limits from each vendor’s own pricing page so you can compare like for like.
Which free email marketing plan is best?
- Most subscribers for free: Kit (up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts).
- Best for a newsletter that sends a lot: beehiiv (up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends) and EmailOctopus (2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails a month).
- Best for automation on a free plan: MailerLite (three automations) and Omnisend (pre-built ecommerce workflows).
- Best for transactional plus marketing email: Brevo (300 emails a day, free forever).
Free plans change often. Everything below was read from vendor pages on 6 November 2026; confirm the limit that matters most to you before building on a free plan.
Free email marketing plans compared
| Tool | Free plan limit | Automation on free | Branding in emails | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit | Up to 10,000 subscribers; unlimited broadcasts | Automations listed under paid Creator plan | Kit branding removal is a paid feature | Built for creators, less suited to stores |
| EmailOctopus | 2,500 subscribers; 10,000 emails a month | Not highlighted on free | EmailOctopus branding on emails | 1 user, 1 landing page, reports kept 30 days |
| beehiiv | Up to 2,500 subscribers; unlimited sends | Automations are a paid feature | Branding removal is Pro only | Newsletter-first; monetisation is on paid tiers |
| MailerLite | 250 subscribers; 2,500 emails a month | 3 automations, 5 steps | Branding removal is paid | Knowledge base support only |
| Brevo | Free forever; up to 300 emails a day | See Brevo pricing page | Paid plan removes logo | Daily cap, not monthly |
| Omnisend | 250 contacts; 500 emails a month | Pre-built ecommerce workflows | Not stated on page | SMS needs Pro |
| Klaviyo | 250 active profiles; 500 sends a month | Segmentation, forms, basic reporting | Check Klaviyo’s feature comparison for branding | Email support for the first 60 days only |
| Mailchimp | 500 sends a month; best for under 500 contacts | No automation flows | Mailchimp branding stays | 1 seat, 1 audience |
Sources: vendor pricing pages, 6 November 2026. “Not highlighted” means the vendor’s pricing page does not list it as included; check the full feature comparison.
The 8 best free email marketing tools
1. Kit
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) gives the largest free list in this comparison: up to 10,000 subscribers, with unlimited landing pages, forms and email broadcasts, tagging and segmentation, and the ability to sell digital products and subscriptions.
Best for: Creators, writers and course sellers
Pricing basis: Subscribers
Starting point: $0 up to 10,000 subscribers
Watch out for: Automation sits in the paid Creator plan ($33 a month at 1,000 subscribers on yearly billing).
What works well
- Very high free subscriber limit
- Unlimited broadcasts and landing pages
- Sell digital products from the free plan
Limitations to consider
- Automations and SMS require a paid plan
- Less ecommerce depth than store-focused tools
- Kit branding stays on free
Our take: The most generous free list size we found. Excellent for a creator who needs to grow, less so for a store.
2. EmailOctopus
EmailOctopus offers 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month free, with a drag-and-drop editor and 100+ templates. Paid Pro starts around $9 a month billed yearly.
Best for: Small senders who want a low-cost path to paid
Pricing basis: Subscribers and email volume
Starting point: $0 up to 2,500 subscribers
Watch out for: EmailOctopus branding on free emails, one user and one landing page.
What works well
- Generous monthly email allowance
- Low-cost Pro plan
- 20% lifetime nonprofit discount
Limitations to consider
- Branding on free emails
- Reports kept for 30 days on free
- One user only
Our take: A sensible choice for simple newsletters where price is the priority.
3. Brevo
Brevo’s free plan has no time limit. After account approval you can send up to 300 emails a day, and every Brevo plan includes transactional email (API and SMTP).
Best for: Small businesses mixing marketing and transactional email
Pricing basis: Emails sent
Starting point: $0; paid Starter from $9 a month
Watch out for: The 300-per-day cap limits larger campaigns in one go.
What works well
- No expiry on the free plan
- Transactional email included on all plans
- Cheap paid ladder
Limitations to consider
- Daily send cap
- Automation and A/B testing need Standard
- Logo removal appears as an add-on in the Starter plan builder
Our take: Strong value for small senders, especially if you also send order or password emails.
4. MailerLite
MailerLite’s free plan covers 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, with three automations of up to five steps, one site or landing page, three forms and two seats.
Best for: Beginners who want a clean editor and a taste of automation
Pricing basis: Subscribers
Starting point: $0 up to 250 subscribers; paid Comfort $12 a month at 500
Watch out for: Support on free is the knowledge base only, and the subscriber cap is the lowest in the list.
What works well
- Free automations
- Clear paid plans
- 14-day trial of paid features
Limitations to consider
- Only 250 subscribers free
- No live support on free
- One site and one landing page
Our take: Best for a small list that needs automation, with an easy upgrade path.
5. beehiiv
beehiiv’s free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited email sends, templates, landing pages and its recommendation network.
Best for: Newsletter publishers who plan to monetise
Pricing basis: Subscribers
Starting point: $0 up to 2,500 subscribers
Watch out for: Automations, A/B testing and paid subscriptions are on Lite ($49 a month at 1,000 subscribers, yearly billing).
What works well
- Unlimited sends
- Built for publishing and growth
- Recommendation network
Limitations to consider
- Paid tiers climb quickly
- Not aimed at ecommerce
- Branding removal is Pro only
Our take: A good fit for a newsletter business; less so for general business email.
6. Omnisend
Omnisend’s free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 emails a month and includes pre-built ecommerce workflows, segmentation, A/B testing, pop-ups and landing pages.
Best for: Small online stores testing automation
Pricing basis: Contacts
Starting point: $0 up to 250 contacts
Watch out for: The volume is small, and SMS requires Pro.
What works well
- Ecommerce workflows on free
- Pop-ups and landing pages included
- 24/7 support
Limitations to consider
- Low caps
- SMS on Pro only
- Upgrade needed quickly as the store grows
Our take: The most useful free plan for a store, if you can live with a small list.
7. Klaviyo
Klaviyo’s free plan includes up to 250 active profiles, 500 email sends, $5 of mobile messages and $5 of Composer usage a month, plus web forms, basic segmentation and built-in reporting.
Best for: Stores that want to learn Klaviyo before scaling
Pricing basis: Active profiles
Starting point: $0 up to 250 profiles
Watch out for: Email support lasts 60 days, and paid email starts at $20 a month for 500 profiles.
What works well
- Real ecommerce reporting
- Basic segmentation on free
- Easy path to a deeper platform
Limitations to consider
- Very small limits
- Price steps up quickly
- Support window is short
Our take: A good way to learn the platform, not a long-term home.
8. Mailchimp
Mailchimp’s free plan is limited to 500 monthly sends, one seat and one audience, with no automation flows. Mailchimp describes it as best for fewer than 500 contacts.
Best for: Complete beginners testing email
Pricing basis: Contacts and sends
Starting point: $0; paid Essentials from $8.86 a month
Watch out for: Sending pauses if you exceed the free limits.
What works well
- Familiar interface
- Large integration library
- Simple to test
Limitations to consider
- No automation
- Mailchimp branding stays
- Low sends
Our take: Fine to try, but competitors give more for free.
How to choose a free plan
- Start with the limit that will bind first. For newsletters it is subscribers; for stores it is automation and contacts; for senders of one-off emails it is monthly or daily volume.
- Check what is locked behind paid. Automations, branding removal and live support are the usual gates.
- Price the first upgrade. The free plan matters less than the first paid step, so compare it in our email marketing pricing comparison.
- Plan the exit. Make sure you can export lists and templates if you move on.
What Each Free Plan Actually Limits
The word free covers very different things. Some plans limit contacts, others limit emails, others limit both, and a few limit features that you will want within weeks. This table lines up the real ceilings we recorded from each vendor on 6 November 2026.
| Tool | Free plan ceiling | First paid step |
|---|---|---|
| Kit | Up to 10,000 subscribers; unlimited landing pages, forms, broadcasts | Creator, $33/month at 1,000 subs (yearly $390) |
| beehiiv | Up to 2,500 subscribers; unlimited sends | Lite, $49/month at 1,000 (yearly billing) |
| EmailOctopus | 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails, branding, 1 user | Pro from $9/month (yearly) |
| MailerLite | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails, 3 automations | Comfort, $12/month at 500 (monthly billing) |
| Omnisend | 250 contacts, 500 emails, 500 web push | Standard, $16/month at 500 |
| Klaviyo | 250 active profiles, 500 email sends | Email, $20/month at 500 |
| Brevo | 300 emails per day | Starter, $9/month for 5,000 emails |
| Mailchimp | 500 sends per month, 1 audience, no flows | Essentials, $8.86/month (≤500 contacts) |
Free plan terms change often; verify with the vendor before relying on them.
Two things jump out. Kit and beehiiv give creators the most generous list sizes. For small ecommerce, Omnisend and Klaviyo give the least list room but include store automation. Mailchimp’s free tier is the most restrictive for anyone who wants automation, because it has no flows at all.
Seven Free-Plan Traps to Check
Free plans are marketing, which is fine, provided you read the fine print. These are the points where users get caught.
- Branding. Most free plans keep the vendor’s logo in your emails. For a business sender that can look unprofessional.
- Sending caps by day versus month. Brevo’s 300 emails per day sounds large, but a single campaign to a list of 2,000 would take several days.
- Missing automation. A free plan without flows will not send welcome series or cart reminders.
- Approval gates. Some vendors review new accounts before enabling sending.
- Support limits. Free support is often email-only or time-limited, as with Klaviyo’s first 60 days of email support.
- Price cliff. The jump from free to paid can be steep: Kit goes from $0 to $33 at 1,000 subscribers.
- Data portability. Check that you can export subscribers and unsubscribes cleanly when you leave.
Which Free Plan for Which Situation
The right free plan depends on what you are building, not on which has the longest feature list.
| If you are… | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A creator or newsletter writer | Kit or beehiiv | Large free subscriber allowances and creator-focused features |
| A small ecommerce store | Omnisend or Klaviyo | Store automation is included on the free tier |
| A freelancer or small service business | MailerLite or Brevo | Automation and landing pages at low entry cost |
| A club or nonprofit with a big list but modest sending | EmailOctopus | 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails, plus nonprofit discounts on paid plans |
| Testing before a bigger migration | Whichever you are considering | A free trial of your future tool is the best test |
If you are weighing free against paid, our pricing comparison shows when upgrading makes sense, and the best email marketing software guide covers the paid leaders. If you want a related free-tool view in the automation space, see our free marketing automation software guide.
Final verdict
Our take: Free plans are best used as a proving ground. Kit gives creators the most room, MailerLite and Omnisend give a taste of automation, and Brevo is the safest long-term free option for light senders. Choose based on your first paid upgrade, not just the free limit, and see our best email marketing software guide for the full field.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free email marketing software?
It depends on your use. Kit offers the largest free list (up to 10,000 subscribers), MailerLite and Omnisend include some automation, and Brevo allows 300 emails a day on a free-forever plan.
Can I use email marketing software for free permanently?
Several tools offer free plans without a time limit, including Kit, EmailOctopus, beehiiv, Brevo, MailerLite, Omnisend, Klaviyo and Mailchimp, each with limits on contacts or sends.
Which free plan has the most subscribers?
Kit’s free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers, the highest in this comparison on 6 November 2026.
Do free plans include automation?
Some do. MailerLite includes three automations and Omnisend includes pre-built ecommerce workflows. Mailchimp’s free plan has no automation flows.
Will my emails carry the vendor’s branding?
On most free plans, yes. Mailchimp, EmailOctopus and Klaviyo show branding on free emails, and removing it is typically a paid feature.
What is the catch with free email marketing plans?
Limits on subscribers, sends, automation or support, plus the cost of the first paid tier. Compare the upgrade price before you build on a free plan.
Is there a truly free email marketing plan with no contact limit?
No. Every free plan limits contacts, sends, features or all three. Kit’s 10,000-subscriber allowance was the largest we found on 6 November 2026.
What is the best free plan for ecommerce?
Omnisend and Klaviyo both include store-oriented automation on their free plans, but with low limits (250 contacts or profiles). Choose based on how much you will grow.
Do free plans remove the vendor’s branding?
Often not. Several keep branding on emails until you move to a paid plan, so check before sending to customers.
Still comparing options?
Use the PreferWise comparison tool to put tools side by side, or ask for a free shortlist. Listings are alphabetical, with no paid placement in the directory order.
How this guide was made: PreferWise compares public product pages, pricing pages and documentation. We did not independently lab-test deliverability or inbox placement, and plans change often, so confirm current pricing on the vendor site before buying. PreferWise may earn a commission if you sign up through some links on this page; that never changes how tools are ordered or scored. See our affiliate disclosure and how we rank.