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Free Mailchimp alternatives exist because Mailchimp’s free plan is small: 250 contacts, 500 sends a month, one seat, and no automations. Kit is free to 10,000 subscribers but also has no automations on free. MailerLite is free to 250 with three automations. systeme.io is free to 2,000 contacts with unlimited sends, one automation rule and one workflow, landing pages, and a checkout. Which one wins depends on whether the problem is the contact cap, the send cap, or the missing welcome sequence.
Free plans compared
| Tool | Contacts | Sends per month | Automations | Landing pages | Selling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| systeme.io | 2,000 | Unlimited | 1 rule, 1 workflow | Yes, plus funnels | Checkout at 0% |
| Kit | 10,000 | Unlimited broadcasts | None | Unlimited | 3.5% + 30c |
| MailerLite | 250 | 2,500 | 3 | 1 | No |
| HubSpot | 1,000 in the CRM | 2,000, branded | Limited | Yes | No |
| Mailchimp | 250 | 500 | None | Yes | No |
Checked September 17, 2026 on each vendor’s pricing page.
What the Reddit threads say
The recurring advice in the email-marketing and small-business threads is the same: Mailchimp’s free plan is fine for a hobby list and painful past 250 contacts, MailerLite is the usual recommendation for a cheap newsletter, Kit for creators who expect the list to grow, and Brevo for people who send a lot to a small list. systeme.io appears in the threads where the poster also wants pages and a checkout.
Which free plan for which list
- Under 250 contacts, newsletter only: MailerLite, for the three automations and the editor.
- A big list you rarely email and no automations needed: Kit.
- Any list up to 2,000 that needs a welcome sequence, landing pages, or a product: systeme.io.
- A sales team that wants a CRM under the emails: HubSpot.
What the same setup costs on systeme.io
Free plan, no card. Affiliate link; we earn a commission on paid plans.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free Mailchimp alternative?
For a newsletter under 250 subscribers, MailerLite. For a list up to 2,000 with automations, systeme.io. For a large list with no automations, Kit.
Is Mailchimp still free?
Yes, for 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, without automations.
Which free email tool has automations?
MailerLite includes 3 on free. systeme.io includes 1 rule and 1 workflow, and 10 on the $17 plan. Kit and Mailchimp free have none.
Is there an open source Mailchimp alternative?
Yes, listmonk and Mautic. They are free to license but need a server and an email sending service; see the open source page.
Related: open source Mailchimp alternatives, systeme.io pricing.