Mailchimp Alternatives Free in 2026

MailerLite is the easiest free alternative for a small list. You can build a newsletter with drag-and-drop templates, add a signup form or landing page, and send a regular campaign without learning a complex automation builder. That simplicity suits bloggers, clubs, small shops and new businesses that mail weekly or monthly.

The free limit is the main catch. Current guides put the free plan at 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails per month, which is enough for a new list but not for a growing audience. Paid plans start low and scale by subscriber count, so check the price at your next subscriber milestone before you commit to a template library.

Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, suits a different free user: someone with a large contact list who mails infrequently. Its free plan stores up to 100,000 contacts in some guides and sends 300 emails per day, which is generous for storage but slow for a large single campaign. Basic automation, signup forms and a simple CRM are included.

If you mail a large list weekly, the daily cap will frustrate you. You will need to split campaigns across days or move to a paid plan starting at $9 per month for higher volume. For a business that mails monthly or holds a dormant list, Brevo free plan is one of the most useful free options available.

Mailjet is a strong free choice for teams that send both newsletters and transactional messages, such as order confirmations or password resets. Its free plan allows 6,000 emails per month, with a daily cap of 200, and includes an email editor and template tools. That split suits small shops that need both types of mail from one account.

The daily cap is the limit to plan around. A 200-per-day cap means a campaign to 1,000 subscribers takes five days on the free plan, unless you upgrade. Paid plans start at $9 per month for higher volume, so check your list size and send frequency before you rely on free sending alone.

Kit, formerly ConvertKit, is built for creators, writers and newsletter publishers. Its free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers, which is far more generous than most free email plans, and it includes forms and landing pages for audience growth. Paid newsletters and creator tools make it a natural home for writers who monetize an audience.

The catch is automation. The free plan does not include automations, so welcome sequences and behaviour-based follow-ups need a paid plan. If you only send a regular newsletter, Kit free plan is excellent. If you need automation from day one, MailerLite or Brevo may suit you better.

EmailOctopus is a quiet favourite for small lists that send often. Its free plan covers 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails per month, which beats many rivals for send volume. The interface is simple, with templates, signup forms and basic reporting, so a small business can start quickly.

Advanced users will notice limits. Automation, ecommerce integrations and template depth are thinner than in Brevo, Omnisend or HubSpot. For a straightforward newsletter to a small list, EmailOctopus free plan gives more sending room than most alternatives at no cost.

Sender suits small businesses that want a high free allowance plus some automation. Its free plan covers 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month, with Sender branding on messages. That combination is useful for a shop that sends weekly offers and wants a welcome email without paying yet.

Branding is the trade-off, and some automation features are limited compared with paid tools. If branding matters for your business, check the paid plan price before you build a large list. If you can live with branding while you grow, Sender gives strong free value.

Omnisend is built for online stores, and its free plan reflects that focus. It connects with Shopify and other ecommerce platforms, and it supports automation for small lists, including welcome and cart recovery flows. For a new store with a small list, that ecommerce focus saves setup time.

The free limits are small: 250 contacts and 500 emails per month in current guides. That is enough to test the tool, but a growing store will need a paid plan starting at $16 per month for 500 contacts. Choose Omnisend free if you run a store and want ecommerce automation early, not if you need a large free send allowance.

HubSpot Marketing Hub suits small businesses that want email plus a CRM in one free account. The free plan includes contact management, forms and 2,000 emails per month with HubSpot branding, which helps a team track leads, deals and email engagement together. That CRM link is a real advantage over email-only tools.

The free plan is not a full marketing automation suite. Advanced workflows, A/B testing depth and reporting sit behind paid plans, and branding appears on free emails. If you want a CRM-led free start and plan to grow into paid HubSpot tools, this is a strong choice. If you only need email, MailerLite or EmailOctopus may be simpler.