Why Look for Kit Alternatives?
First, a note on the name. Kit is ConvertKit. The company renamed itself Kit, and convertkit.com links now point to kit.com. The product is the same creator email platform, with newsletters, landing pages, automations, digital product sales, a recommendations network and sponsorships. Its free plan is now labeled "Free" (some older Kit pages call it "Newsletter").
Kit is still one of the best tools for creators. So why look around? For most newsletter writers, it comes down to four things:
- The free plan has no automations. Kit Free covers up to 10,000 subscribers, but no visual automations and no email sequences. A welcome series means paying for Creator.
- The jump to Creator is steep. Creator is $39/month at 1,000 subscribers on monthly billing and $379/month at 50,000.
- Fees on earnings. Sales and paid subscriptions cost 3.5% + 30c each. Paid recommendations carry a 23.5% Kit fee.
- Growth tools are split. Deliverability reporting, the newsletter referral system and unlimited users are Pro only, which starts at $79/month.
Meanwhile, newsletter platforms have changed. beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscriptions and runs an ad network. Substack is free at any size and has reader apps. Ghost takes 0% and lets you own the whole site. This guide compares them for creators and newsletter writers on free tiers, cost at 1,000, 10,000 and 50,000 subscribers, fees on paid subscriptions, and recommendations networks.
All prices are in USD, checked on each vendor's site in October 2026.
Kit review
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is an email platform built for creators.
Pricing
- Free: up to 10,000 subscribers, 1 user, unlimited broadcasts, landing pages and forms, tagging, digital products and paid newsletters, free recommendations, 2-subject-line A/B tests. No automations or sequences.
- Creator, monthly: 1,000 subscribers $39; 3,000 $59; 5,000 $89; 10,000 $139; 25,000 $199; 50,000 $379. 2 users.
- Pro, monthly: 1,000 $79; 5,000 $139; 10,000 $189; 25,000 $279; 50,000 $519. Unlimited users.
- Enterprise: custom, with dedicated IPs.
Annual billing costs 10x the monthly price (two months free), so Creator is $390/year at 1,000 subscribers. Until November 7, 2026, Pro annual is 25% off the first year for lists up to 65,000, then renews at the standard annual rate. Creator and Pro have a 14-day trial with no card.
Key features
- Visual automations and sequences (Creator and Pro)
- Paid newsletters, digital products, subscriptions and tip jars on all plans, at 3.5% + 30c per sale (Kit says it keeps 0.6% after card processing)
- Free recommendations on all plans; paid recommendations on Creator and up, run with SparkLoop, with a 23.5% Kit fee
- Newsletter sponsorships: Kit matches you with brands and you approve each offer (Creator and up)
- Pro adds deliverability reporting, Subscriber Signals and a newsletter referral system
Pros
- The free plan lasts until 10,000 subscribers and can take paid subscriptions.
- Automations and sequences on Creator are some of the best for selling products.
- Recommendations, sponsorships and commerce are all in one account.
Cons
- No automations on Free.
- Creator becomes the most expensive option here at 50,000 subscribers, apart from Mailchimp.
- Creator has only 2 users.
Who should use it
Creators who sell courses, templates or other products and need tag-based automations.
Who should avoid it
Pure newsletter writers who want ads and paid subscriptions without a per-sale fee.
beehiiv review
beehiiv is a newsletter platform with a website builder, podcast hosting, community, digital products, an ad network and paid subscriptions.
Pricing
- Free: up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, 1 seat, 1 publication, free recommendations. No paid subscriptions, ad network or automations.
- Lite, monthly / per month billed yearly: 1,000 $59 / $49; 2,500 $79 / $69; 5,000 $109 / $95; 10,000 $139 / $119; 25,000 $199 / $169; 50,000 $299 / $249; 100,000 $469 / $399 (maximum). 2 seats, 10 automations, 1 paid tier.
- Pro: 1,000 $109 / $95; 10,000 $239 / $199; 50,000 $469 / $399; 100,000 $699 / $599. 10 seats, unlimited automations and paid tiers, branding removal.
- Enterprise: custom.
Prices are per bucket ("up to" a subscriber count). The 14-day trial gives Pro features without a card, but paid subscriptions, ads, paid recommendations and custom domains stay locked until you pay.
Key features
- 0% platform fee on paid subscriptions and digital products; beehiiv states Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction applies
- Ad Network on Lite and up: CPC or CPM offers, you choose which to run, paid monthly
- Paid recommendations on Lite and Pro: you set a price per verified subscriber; beehiiv's 20% fee is built in
- Website builder, podcast hosting and community on every plan
- Migration tools for Substack, including copying Stripe subscriptions at the same prices
Pros
- No platform cut of subscription revenue.
- More ways to earn than any other tool here: subscriptions, ads, paid recommendations, sponsorships.
- Unlimited sends on every plan.
Cons
- Earning features need Lite, which costs $59/month even at 1,000 subscribers (monthly).
- Free stops at 2,500 subscribers, a quarter of Kit's free limit.
- You cannot connect an existing Stripe account.
Who should use it
Newsletter writers who plan to earn from subscriptions and ads, and Kit users who mainly send broadcasts.
Who should avoid it
Creators who sell many digital products through complex automations, or anyone who wants to stay free above 2,500 subscribers.
MailerLite review
MailerLite is a low-cost email tool with websites, landing pages, digital products and paid newsletters. It renamed its plans on June 16, 2026 and cut its free plan.
Pricing
- Free: 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 automations.
- Comfort, monthly / annual per month: 1,000 $19 / $17.10; 5,000 $49 / $44.10; 10,000 $89 / $80.10; 25,000 $179 / $161.10; 50,000 $319 / $287.10. 50 automations. Sends capped at 10x your tier.
- Power: 1,000 $39 / $35.10; 10,000 $129 / $116.10; 50,000 $389 / $350.10. Unlimited automations and sends (fair use).
Annual saves 10%. Every new account gets a 14-day trial with no card.
Key features
- Paid newsletters (Comfort and Power) and digital products
- 50 automations with up to 100 steps on Comfort
- Websites, blogs and landing pages
- RSS campaigns and auto-resend
- Multivariate testing on paid plans
Pros
- Half of Kit Creator's price at 1,000 subscribers.
- Real automations on the first paid plan.
- A website and blog in the same account.
Cons
- The free plan is tiny for a creator: 250 subscribers.
- No recommendations or ad network.
- The pricing page does not state the fee on paid newsletter sales, so check before you rely on it.
Who should use it
Creators who want Kit-style automations for less, at lists under about 25,000.
Who should avoid it
Writers who need discovery or ad income.
Substack review
Substack is a free publishing platform for newsletters, podcasts and video, with reader apps and a social feed called Notes.
Pricing
There are no plans. Publishing is free with no subscriber limits. If you charge, Substack takes 10% of each payment, plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% Stripe Billing on recurring payments. Subscriptions bought in the iOS app go through Apple, which adds its own fee (Substack says 15-30%). The minimum price is $5/month or $30/year. A custom domain is a one-time $50, but emails still come from an @substack.com address.
From December 1, 2026, Substack will calculate, collect and remit sales tax and VAT on paid subscriptions at no extra cost.
Key features
- iOS and Android reader apps, Notes, explore page and Bestseller badges
- Free recommendations shown in the subscribe flow and digest emails
- Substack Boost: automatic discount offers to win and keep paid subscribers
- Podcasts with private paid feeds, video and live video
- Subscriber referral program with rewards
Pros
- Free at any size.
- The only tool here with a reader app network built for discovery.
- Podcast and video hosting are included.
Cons
- 10% of paid revenue with no way to switch to a flat fee.
- No public API and no visual automation builder.
- Apple in-app subscribers cannot be moved if you leave.
Who should use it
New writers who want to start free and grow through Substack's network.
Who should avoid it
Writers with large paid audiences, where 10% becomes more than a flat-fee plan elsewhere.
Mailchimp review
Mailchimp is a general small-business email platform, priced by contacts.
Pricing
- Free: 250 contacts, 500 emails/month.
- Essentials, monthly: 500 $13; 1,500 $26.50; 10,000 $110; 25,000 $270; 50,000 $385. Flows limited to 4 steps.
- Standard, monthly: 500 $20; 1,500 $45; 10,000 $135; 50,000 $450. Up to 200 flows.
- Premium: from $350/month at 10,000 contacts.
Annual plans are only through Sales. The 14-day trial needs a card.
Key features
- Customer Journey automations with branching (Standard)
- 300+ integrations, including Shopify and WooCommerce
- SMS add-on from $20/month for 1,000 credits
- Landing pages and pop-up forms
- Generative AI and send time optimization (Standard)
Pros
- The largest integration catalog here.
- SMS in the same account.
- Strong automation on Standard.
Cons
- Paid subscriptions, recommendations and an ad network are not among its listed plan features.
- The free plan sends only 500 emails a month.
- Expensive at 50,000 contacts.
Who should use it
Creators whose newsletter supports a store or service business.
Who should avoid it
Anyone who wants to earn directly from the newsletter.
Flodesk review
Flodesk is a design-focused email tool with forms, landing pages, link in bio, workflows and a checkout.
Pricing
Flat-rate pricing ended for new members on December 2, 2025. Plans scale by subscribers (monthly / annual per month):
- Lite: 1,000 $25 / $19; 5,000 $52 / $48; 10,000 $72 / $66; 25,000 $162 / $149 (maximum). 1 workflow.
- Pro: 1,000 $28 / $25; 10,000 $79 / $72; 25,000 $169 / $155; 50,000 $329 / $302. Unlimited workflows.
- Everything: 1,000 $54 / $49; 10,000 $137 / $126; 25,000 $257 / $236. Subscriptions, payment plans, abandoned cart.
Flodesk's Free plan does not include email sending, so you need a paid plan to send.
Key features
- Designer templates and custom fonts
- Unlimited sends on paid plans
- Visual workflows
- Checkout with subscriptions and payment plans (Everything), Stripe rates and no Flodesk fee
- Link-in-bio and landing pages
Pros
- The best-looking emails for the least effort.
- Unlimited sends.
- No Flodesk cut on sales.
Cons
- No recommendations, ads or sponsorship tools.
- Paid subscriptions need the Everything plan.
- Lite's single workflow is limiting.
Who should use it
Visual creators who sell a few products and care about design first.
Who should avoid it
Writers who need growth networks or a large free plan.
Ghost review
Ghost is open-source publishing software for websites, newsletters and paid memberships, run by a non-profit foundation. You can self-host it for free or pay for Ghost(Pro) hosting.
Pricing
- Self-hosted: free software; you pay for the server and email delivery.
- Starter: $18 monthly or $180/year ($15/month), 1,000 members only, no paid subscriptions, official themes only.
- Publisher, monthly / per month billed yearly: 1,000 $35 / $29; 5,000 $75 / $63; 10,000 $105 / $88; 25,000 $169 / $141; 50,000 $249 / $208; 100,000 $329 / $274. Paid subscriptions, custom themes, integrations.
- Business: from $239 monthly or $199/month billed yearly (up to 10,000 members), 15 staff users.
Ghost takes 0% of paid subscriptions on Publisher and up; Stripe's processing fees still apply. All Ghost(Pro) plans include a free custom domain. Ghost's pricing page offers a free trial but does not state its length.
Key features
- Website, blog and newsletter in one, on your own domain
- Paid tiers, tips, special offers and gift subscriptions through your own Stripe account
- Welcome email sequences, including tier-specific ones (October 2026)
- Recommendations (beta) and ActivityPub social web distribution
- Substack migrator that brings over paid subscribers through the same Stripe account
Pros
- 0% Ghost fee and your own Stripe account.
- The cheapest paid plan here at 50,000 members.
- Full control of design with custom themes.
Cons
- No free hosted plan, and Starter cannot charge.
- Self-hosting takes technical work.
- No ad network or sponsorship marketplace.
Who should use it
Writers building a long-term paid publication who want to own the site and the payment relationship.
Who should avoid it
Beginners who want a free start, or anyone who wants a built-in ad network.
Head-to-Head: Free Tiers by Subscriber Count
| Tool | Free up to | Paid subscriptions on free? | Automations on free? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substack | No limit | Yes (10% fee) | Welcome emails and simple drips |
| Kit | 10,000 subscribers | Yes (3.5% + 30c) | No |
| beehiiv | 2,500 subscribers | No | No (welcome email only) |
| MailerLite | 250 subscribers | No | 3 automations |
| Mailchimp | 250 contacts (500 emails/month) | No | No |
| Flodesk | Forms and pages; no email sending | No | No |
| Ghost | Self-host only | Self-hosted, yes | Self-hosted |
For a free start, Substack and Kit are the two real options. Kit Free lasts until 10,000 subscribers and still lets you charge. beehiiv Free is good for testing up to 2,500 subscribers, but you cannot earn on it.
Head-to-Head: Cost at 1,000, 10,000 and 50,000 Subscribers
Monthly billing on the cheapest plan that supports paid subscriptions (or the cheapest paid plan where the tool has none). Annual figures in brackets.
| Tool | Plan | 1,000 | 10,000 | 50,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit | Free / Creator | $0 or $39 ($33) | $0 or $139 ($1,390/yr) | $379 ($3,790/yr) |
| beehiiv | Lite | $59 ($49) | $139 ($119) | $299 ($249) |
| MailerLite | Comfort | $19 ($17.10) | $89 ($80.10) | $319 ($287.10) |
| Substack | n/a | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Mailchimp | Essentials | $26.50 (1,500 tier) | $110 | $385 |
| Flodesk | Everything / Pro | $54 ($49) | $137 ($126) | Pro $329 ($302) |
| Ghost | Publisher | $35 ($29) | $105 ($88) | $249 ($208) |
Notes: Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers but has no automations. Flodesk's Everything plan is needed for subscriptions; we could not find an Everything price at 50,000, so that column shows Pro. Mailchimp has no 1,000 tier, so a 1,000-contact list pays the 1,500 price.
At 50,000 subscribers, Ghost Publisher ($249) and beehiiv Lite ($299) are the cheapest paid platforms. Kit Creator ($379) and Mailchimp Essentials ($385) are the most expensive. Substack is $0, but see the next section.
Head-to-Head: Paid Subscription Fees
Plan prices only tell half the story once you charge. Here is a worked example using each vendor's published rates: 10,000 subscribers, 500 paying $8/month, $4,000 gross per month, monthly billing. These are our calculations, not vendor figures.
| Tool | Monthly plan | Payment fees | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit Free | $0 | $290 (3.5% + 30c) | $3,710 |
| Ghost Publisher | $105 | $266 (Stripe 2.9% + $0.30) | $3,629 |
| Flodesk Everything | $137 | $266 (Stripe) | $3,597 |
| beehiiv Lite | $139 | $266 (Stripe, as beehiiv states) | $3,595 |
| Kit Creator | $139 | $290 | $3,571 |
| Substack | $0 | $694 (10% + Stripe + 0.7% Billing) | $3,306 |
How we got there: Substack's fee is $400 (10%), plus $116 and $150 in Stripe card fees, plus $28 in Stripe Billing. Ghost and Flodesk say Stripe's fees apply without listing them, so we used the 2.9% + $0.30 US card rate that beehiiv and Substack quote. Substack's help notes Stripe Billing's 0.7% on recurring payments; other Stripe-based platforms may see it too. MailerLite's pricing page does not state a fee on paid newsletters, so it is left out.
What it shows:
- Substack's 10% is the biggest cost once you have paying readers. In this example creators keep $265 to $404 a month less than with the alternatives.
- Kit Free is surprisingly strong for a paid newsletter under 10,000 subscribers, if you can live without automations.
- Ghost, beehiiv and Flodesk land within $35 of each other. Choose on features, not fees.
- Substack's iOS in-app purchases add Apple's fee on top, and those subscribers cannot be moved later.
Head-to-Head: Recommendations Networks and Sponsorships
| Tool | Free recommendations | Paid recommendations | Ads or sponsorships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit | All plans | Creator+, 23.5% Kit fee (with SparkLoop) | Sponsorships matched by Kit (Creator+) |
| beehiiv | All plans | Lite+, 20% fee built in | Ad Network (Lite+); sponsorship storefront (Pro) |
| Substack | Yes | No (Boost offers discounts instead) | Creator Kits for Bestsellers or 100+ paid subscribers |
| Ghost | Recommendations (beta) | No | None built in |
| MailerLite, Mailchimp, Flodesk | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
beehiiv and Kit both run paid recommendation markets where you can earn per subscriber you send to another newsletter, or pay to get subscribers. beehiiv's fee is lower (20% vs 23.5%), and its minimum deposit is $20. beehiiv says its network has more than 60,000 active creators and publishers.
Substack works differently. Recommendations are free, and discovery comes from its reader apps, Notes and explore page. Boost is not paid growth: it shows automatic discount offers to convert and keep paid readers.
Ghost has recommendations in beta and distributes posts to the social web through ActivityPub. MailerLite, Mailchimp and Flodesk have no recommendations network in their listed features.
How to Choose: Decision Framework
- Starting from zero, want $0? Substack (any size) or Kit Free (up to 10,000).
- Earning from a paid newsletter today? Run the fee math above. beehiiv or Ghost will usually keep more than Substack once you have a few hundred paying readers.
- Want ad income? beehiiv's Ad Network, or Kit's sponsorships on Creator.
- Want paid growth? beehiiv (20% fee) or Kit (23.5% fee) paid recommendations.
- Selling products with automations? Stay with Kit, or move to MailerLite Comfort to save money.
- Want to own the site and the payments? Ghost.
- Design comes first? Flodesk.
- Newsletter supports a store? Mailchimp.
Before you move, export your subscribers with tags, and check how paid subscribers transfer. beehiiv can copy Stripe subscriptions at the same prices. Ghost can import Substack paid members through the same Stripe account. Substack's Apple in-app subscribers cannot be moved.
The Verdict: Final Recommendations
- Most newsletter writers leaving Kit: beehiiv. 0% on subscriptions, an ad network, paid recommendations, and unlimited sends.
- Writers who want a free start and discovery: Substack, knowing the 10% cut grows with you.
- Long-term paid publications: Ghost Publisher, cheapest at 50,000 members with 0% fees and your own Stripe.
- Budget creators who need automations: MailerLite Comfort.
- Visual brands: Flodesk.
- Store-first businesses: Mailchimp.
- Product sellers with tag-based funnels: stay with Kit.
Conclusion
Kit, the former ConvertKit, is still a strong creator platform, and its free plan up to 10,000 subscribers is generous. But it lacks automations on Free, Creator gets expensive at 50,000 subscribers, and every sale pays 3.5% + 30c.
If you mainly write a newsletter, beehiiv and Ghost let you keep more of your subscription revenue, and beehiiv adds ads and paid recommendations. Substack costs nothing until you earn, then takes 10%. Pick by your list size, how you plan to earn, and how much you want to own, and run the fee math with your own numbers before you move.
Marcus Williams