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systeme.io vs ConvertKit comes down to which free plan is generous in the way you need. ConvertKit, renamed Kit, gives you 10,000 subscribers free and no automations, so a welcome sequence costs $33 a month. systeme.io gives you 2,000 contacts free with automations, landing pages, a checkout, and a course. If your list is small and you sell something, systeme.io is the better free plan. If your list is large and you only broadcast, Kit is.
systeme.io vs ConvertKit: side-by-side comparison
| systeme.io | ConvertKit (Kit) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan size | 2,000 contacts | 10,000 subscribers |
| Automations on free | 1 rule, 1 workflow | None |
| First paid plan | $17/mo for 5,000 contacts | $33/mo at 1,000 subscribers |
| Email sends | Unlimited on every plan | Unlimited broadcasts |
| Landing pages and forms | Included | Unlimited, well designed |
| Selling digital products | 0% platform fee | 3.5% + 30c on the free plan |
| Sales funnels with upsells | Yes | No |
| Courses and communities | Yes | No |
| Creator network and recommendations | No | Yes |
| Deliverability reputation | Good | Among the best |
Prices checked September 18, 2026.
The free-plan trade
This is the whole decision. Kit lets you collect subscribers almost indefinitely before paying, but the moment you want an automatic welcome email you are on the $33 plan. systeme.io caps you five times lower and gives you the sequence, the landing page, the checkout, and a course at zero. A creator with 400 subscribers and an ebook to sell is better off on systeme.io. A newsletter writer with 8,000 readers and nothing to sell is better off on Kit.
What Kit does better
Deliverability and distribution. Kit’s reputation for landing in inboxes is the best in the creator category, and its recommendations network grows lists through other newsletters, which systeme.io has no equivalent for. The editor is also built for the plain-text style that performs well in email. If the newsletter is the product, those are not small things.
What systeme.io adds
The machinery around the list: multi-step funnels with order bumps and one-click upsells, a course area, a community, a booking calendar, and an affiliate program you can run on any plan including free. None of that exists in Kit, and stitching it together is what the second and third subscriptions are for.
The price as the list grows
| Subscribers | systeme.io | Kit |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | Free | Free, or $33/mo with automations |
| 5,000 | $17/mo | Higher Creator tier |
| 10,000 | $47/mo | Free without automations, or a higher tier with them |
Kit stays cheaper at large list sizes if you never automate. systeme.io stays cheaper at every size if you do.
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Frequently asked questions
Is ConvertKit the same as Kit?
Yes. ConvertKit renamed itself Kit in 2024. The plans on this page are Kit's current ones.
Which has the better free plan?
Kit for raw subscriber count at 10,000. systeme.io for capability, since its free plan includes automations, a checkout, and a course.
Does systeme.io charge fees on product sales like Kit?
No. systeme.io charges 0% on every plan. Kit takes 3.5% plus 30 cents on its free plan.
Can I move my subscribers from Kit to systeme.io?
Yes. Export a CSV with tags from Kit and import it. Sequences and landing pages are rebuilt.
Related: ConvertKit alternatives, systeme.io pricing.