Newsletter platforms compete aggressively on free tiers — most let you grow to 500-1,000 subscribers for nothing. Substack is fully free to launch (they take 10% of paid subscriptions instead). beehiiv's free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers. Kit (ConvertKit) is free up to 10,000 subscribers with limited automations. The real question isn't cost at zero — it's which platform's paid tier you'll want when you're ready to monetize. Below are the platforms with real free access, followed by the full category.
10 tools with free access highlighted below, plus 0 more in this category.
Free plan + paid tiers · Cloud · Free trial
Beehiiv is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Free plan + paid tiers · Cloud · Free trial
AWeber is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Free plan + paid tiers · Cloud · Free trial
Buttondown is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Flat monthly fee · Cloud · Free trial
Ghost is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Free plan + paid tiers · Cloud · Free trial
Kit (ConvertKit) is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Usage-based pricing · Cloud · Free trial
Loops is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Free plan + paid tiers · Cloud · Free trial
Mailchimp is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Free plan + paid tiers · Cloud · Free trial
MailerLite is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Per-subscriber · Cloud · Free trial
Moosend is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Freemium · Cloud · Free trial
Substack is positioned here as a newsletter platform software option for creators comparing workflow fit, output quality, pricing structure, and how much creative effort the product is likely to save after adoption.
Substack, beehiiv (up to 2,500 subscribers), Kit/ConvertKit (up to 10,000 subscribers with limited features), Ghost (self-hosted only for free), and Mailchimp (up to 500 contacts). Most don't charge until you grow or want premium features.
Substack takes 10% of all paid subscription revenue — not a monthly fee, but a perpetual revenue share. beehiiv's free plan excludes monetization, referral programs, and advanced analytics. Kit's free plan omits automations and sequences. The ceiling of the free tier is where platforms make their money.
beehiiv if you plan to monetize with ads, sponsorships, or a paid subscription and want to keep more revenue long-term. Substack if you want the simplest possible launch with no monthly cost and don't mind the 10% cut. Both have strong built-in discovery for growing your audience.
