Best Free Email Marketing Software 2026
Six free email marketing plans ranked by usable limits, included features, and the cost of growing beyond free.
New to this? Start here with how to pick a free email marketing tool — the framework behind this ranking.
Free Plans Compared at a Glance
| Platform | Free allowance | Best for | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 MailerLite | 250 subscribers · 2,500 emails/mo | Ease of use | Small subscriber cap |
| #2 Systeme.io | 2,000 contacts · Unlimited emails | All-in-one funnels | Broader suite, less email depth |
| #3 Brevo | Unlimited contacts · 300 emails/day | Large, infrequent lists | Daily send cap |
| #4 Kit (ConvertKit) | 10,000 subscribers · Unlimited broadcasts | Creators | Limited free automation |
| #5 Mailchimp | 250 contacts · 500 sends/mo | Familiar setup | Tight contact and send caps |
| #6 AWeber | 500 subscribers · 3,000 emails/mo | Traditional newsletters | Smaller subscriber allowance |
MailerLite
Free: 250 subscribers · 2,500 emails/mo
The best overall balance of an easy editor, automation, landing pages, and a clear upgrade path, despite a smaller 2026 free allowance.
Systeme.io
Free: 2,000 contacts · Unlimited emails
An all-in-one free plan for solopreneurs who need email alongside funnels, a course, and a website builder.
Brevo
Free: Unlimited contacts · 300 emails/day
Unlimited stored contacts make Brevo useful for a larger list that sends less frequently; the daily cap is the trade-off.
Kit (ConvertKit)
Free: 10,000 subscribers · Unlimited broadcasts
The strongest subscriber allowance for creators, with landing pages and forms included but limited automation on the free tier.
Mailchimp
Free: 250 contacts · 500 sends/mo
A familiar starting point with strong templates, but its 2026 contact and send limits make the free tier restrictive.
AWeber
Free: 500 subscribers · 3,000 emails/mo
A straightforward free tier with templates and landing pages for users who value a traditional email workflow.
How We Chose These Platforms
We compared free-plan limits on subscribers, monthly sends, and feature access. We only included platforms where the free plan is genuinely usable for building a list, not a stripped-down teaser.
We also reviewed each upgrade path, since a free plan should help you grow into paid features without forcing a migration.
Free: 2026 ESP Comparison Chart
Download the side-by-side comparison of the 19 email platforms in our chart