Free Newsletter Platforms
Which newsletter platforms a founder can publish with for free today, how many subscribers the free plan allows, how it lets you earn, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, read from each platform's own page.
Free allowances read on each provider's own pages, all checked on or after . Newsletter platforms change their free plans and subscriber caps from time to time: confirm the terms on the platform's page before you move your list.
Newsletter platforms you can publish with for free today include Substack (Free to use, no subscriber limit), Sender (Up to 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails a month), Kit (Up to 10,000 subscribers, $0 a month), EmailOctopus (Up to 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails a month), and beehiiv (Up to 2,500 subscribers). Each of the 11 free plans below links to the platform's page that states it, with its main limit, how it lets you earn, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs.
A newsletter is how many founders build an audience before and after launch: product updates, a founder's notes, a list to announce to. Several platforms let you start one for free, from newsletter-first tools to email marketing services with a free plan.
The headline rarely tells you how far it goes. A free plan can stop at a subscriber cap or a number of sends a month, put the platform's branding on every email, or take a share of paid subscriptions. Each platform below shows what is free, its main limit, how it lets you earn, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, quoted from the platform's own page with the date we read it.
Which platforms we picked and the order they appear in are our editorial choices; the terms are the platforms'. Some of these platforms pay us a referral commission when someone signs up through our link: those links are labeled, and they play no part in which platforms are listed or where.
Newsletter platforms with a free plan
Platforms built for publishing a newsletter, with a website for it, subscriber growth tools and, on some, paid subscriptions.
- 1
Substack
Writers who want no cap and pay only once they earn
Substack is free to use, with no subscriber limit on its free tier. It takes a 10% revenue share only when a creator earns money through paid subscriptions.
- 2
Kit
Creators growing a list to 10,000 subscribers free
Kit's Free plan costs $0 for as long as you stay under 10,000 subscribers, and includes digital products and subscriptions. Automations and sequences need Creator, which starts at $39 a month.
Start free at Kit (formerly ConvertKit)Referral linkTerms read on help.kit.com on Kit: the free allowance and how to start - 3
beehiiv
Newsletter writers who want a free site and sends
beehiiv's Free plan is free forever with no credit card, for up to 2,500 subscribers. Paid subscriptions start on Lite, which is $49 a month billed yearly.
- Earning on free
- Paid subscriptions start on Lite (source: beehiiv.com)
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: beehiiv.com)
- First paid plan
- Lite: $49 a month, billed yearly (source: beehiiv.com)
Start free at beehiivReferral linkTerms read on beehiiv.com on beehiiv: the free allowance and how to start - 4
Buttondown
Small lists up to 100 subscribers, with no card
Buttondown costs nothing for your first 100 subscribers, and no card is needed to start. Paid subscriptions are a +$9 a month add-on, and the Basic plan is $9 a month for up to 1,000 subscribers.
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: buttondown.com)
Start free at ButtondownTerms read on buttondown.com on Buttondown: the free allowance and how to start - 5
Ghost
Trying Ghost(Pro) for 14 days before paying
Ghost(Pro) starts every new account on a 14-day free trial, with a card placed on file at signup. The Starter plan is $18 a month billed yearly.
- Payment card
- Card on file at signup (source: ghost.org)
- First paid plan
- Starter: $18 a month, billed yearly (source: ghost.org)
Email marketing tools with a free plan for newsletters
Email marketing tools whose free plan is enough to send a regular newsletter to a first list of subscribers.
- 1
Sender
Lists up to 2,500 that send up to 15,000 a month
Sender's Free Forever plan never expires and covers up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, with no card. Standard is $6.30 a month for the first year.
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: sender.net)
- First paid plan
- Standard: $6.30 a month, first year (source: sender.net)
- 2
EmailOctopus
Lists up to 2,500 with no time limit
EmailOctopus's Free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month, with no time limit and no credit card needed. Pro is $9 a month billed yearly.
- Payment card
- No credit card needed (source: emailoctopus.com)
- First paid plan
- Pro: $9 a month, billed yearly (source: emailoctopus.com)
Start free at EmailOctopusReferral linkTerms read on emailoctopus.com on EmailOctopus: the free allowance and how to start - 3
Loops
SaaS teams with a growing list and no card
Loops' free plan stores unlimited contacts and includes 4,000 sends per 30 days, with Loops branding on each email. Loops is free to start, with no credit card required. Growth is $49 a month.
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: loops.so)
- First paid plan
- Growth: $49 a month (source: loops.so)
- 4
MailerLite
Small lists under 250 subscribers, two seats
MailerLite's Free plan gives up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, with 2 user seats, and needs no credit card. Its Comfort plan starts at $12 a month.
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: mailerlite.com)
- First paid plan
- Comfort: starting $12 a month (source: mailerlite.com)
Start free at MailerLiteTerms read on mailerlite.com on MailerLite: the free allowance and how to start - 5
Omnisend
Ecommerce stores testing email on a small list
Omnisend's Free plan lets you use all features for an unlimited time, with up to 500 emails a month to 250 contacts and no credit card. Standard is $11.20 a month for the first 3 months.
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: omnisend.com)
- 6
Mailchimp
Very early lists under 250 contacts
Mailchimp's basic Free plan is free for business lists under 250 contacts. Essentials starts at $13 a month when you move to a paid plan.
- First paid plan
- Essentials: starts at $13 a month (source: mailchimp.com)
Start free at MailchimpTerms read on mailchimp.com on Mailchimp: the free allowance and how to start
Also useful for email and newsletters
Referral links, picked for fit and ordered by fit (70%) and what a signup earns us (30%), at no cost to you. They never change this page's ranking.
GetResponseAll-in-one email marketing, automation and landing pagesFree plan (500 contacts)Referral link
SigniticCentral management of branded email signatures and banner campaignsFree planReferral link
Mission InboxEmail sending infrastructure with pre-warmed mailboxes for outbound20% off for 3 monthsReferral linkCompare the top options
How this comparison is built
The list covers newsletter platforms and email marketing tools a founder can use for free today without applying to a program. The order and the "best for" notes are our editorial reading of each platform's terms. Every term comes from the platform's own pricing or help page on the date shown, never from a third-party list; follow each link for the full conditions. A subscriber cap, a monthly send limit, the platform's branding or a fee on paid subscriptions can matter more than the headline, so the comparison quotes them wherever the platform states them. Some of these platforms pay StartupPerks a referral commission, and their links are labeled as referral links; that decides neither whether nor where a platform appears, and no platform pays for a placement on this page.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
What is the best free newsletter platform?
It depends on what you plan to do with the list. By the terms each platform states, Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers, beehiiv's up to 2,500 with no card needed, and Substack is free to use with no subscriber limit but keeps 10% of paid subscriptions. Sender and EmailOctopus give up to 2,500 subscribers with their branding on each email.
Is beehiiv free?
Yes, up to 2,500 subscribers, with no credit card required. The free plan keeps 30 days of analytics, and paid subscriptions start on the Lite plan, at $49 a month billed yearly.
Is Kit free?
Yes. Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers for $0 a month and lets you sell digital products and subscriptions; automations and sequences need the Creator plan, at $39 a month for up to 1,000 subscribers.
Is Substack free?
Substack is free to use with no subscriber limit. When you charge for subscriptions, Substack keeps 10% of that revenue.
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