Kit (formerly ConvertKit) vs Mailerlite: Which Email Platform for Bloggers? (Honest Research-Based Comparison)

When I was choosing an email marketing platform for The Income Plug, Kit (formerly ConvertKit) and MailerLite were both at the top of my shortlist.

I didn’t just glance at a comparison chart and move on. I went deep. I watched hours of YouTube reviews. I read comparison articles, dozens of them. I joined Facebook groups specifically to ask real users what they actually thought. I studied pricing calculators, pored over feature lists, and read reviews on G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot until my eyes glazed over.

And then I chose neither.

I ultimately went with Systeme.io for The Income Plug, for reasons I’ll explain later in this post. But the research I did on Kit and MailerLite was thorough, thorough enough that I feel confident helping you choose between them.

Here’s my honest upfront disclosure: I have not personally used ConvertKit or MailerLite. I use Systeme.io. If that matters to you, I respect that completely. But what I can offer you is the following:

The extensive research I did when evaluating both platforms
What real users, bloggers, course creators, newsletter writers, consistently say about each
A clear feature and pricing breakdown based on verified information
An honest recommendation based on your specific situation

Here’s why both platforms matter:

Thousands of successful bloggers use both ConvertKit and MailerLite. They’re not runner-up tools; they’re legitimate, excellent choices. But they serve different types of bloggers:

Kit (formerly ConvertKit): Creator-focused, powerful automation, premium pricing
Mailerlite: Budget-friendly, beautifully designed, best value for money

Neither is universally “better.” This comparison helps you decide which option is better for you, based on your budget, goals, and where you are in your blogging journey.

I’ll share what my research uncovered and what real users say about each, and I’ll be completely transparent about why I chose Systeme.io instead. No hype, no fluff, just the honest picture you need to make a smart decision on Kit (formerly ConvertKit) vs Mailerlite.

Let’s get into it.

Why I Researched ConvertKit and Mailerlite (My Email Platform Journey)

Before The Income Plug, I used MailChimp for years. And for a while, it was great.

MailChimp used to offer 2,000 free contacts with generous features. It was the default recommendation in every “start a blog” guide, and honestly, it deserved that reputation — at the time. But then things changed.

What MailChimp became:

Free contact limit dropped to 500 (from 2,000!)
Then they added a 500 emails/month cap on the free plan
Forced branding on every email, even on free ones
Paid plans crept up to $13/month just for 500 contacts
The interface got bloated and confusing

I watched that decline happen in real time. When the limits became genuinely ridiculous, I decided enough was enough and started researching alternatives from scratch.

My research process for The Income Plug:

I spent over three weeks digging into email platforms. My top contenders were:

Systeme.io — caught my eye immediately with its free plan (2,000 contacts, unlimited sends)
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — wildly popular among the bloggers I followed
Mailerlite — beautiful, affordable, praised by beginners everywhere
ActiveCampaign — powerful, but the pricing was out of my range as a beginner

To properly evaluate my options, I:

Read dozens of comparison blog posts from bloggers I trusted
Watched YouTube reviews from people who had actually used the tools
Joined Facebook groups (including ConvertKit Users groups and Mailerlite communities) and asked real questions
Read hundreds of user reviews on G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot
Had conversations with bloggers who were actively using each platform
Compared pricing across different list sizes (this matters more than the entry price!)
Explored the free plans directly where I could

What drew me toward Kit during research:

Hugely popular among the successful bloggers I admired (massive social proof)
Known for a clean, simple interface that isn’t overwhelming
Powerful visual automation builder is highly praised
Excellent deliverability reputation
Strong affiliate program at 30% recurring commission

What drew me toward Mailerlite:

By far the cheapest quality option ($10/month vs ConvertKit’s $29)
Consistently praised for beautiful, modern email templates
Generous free plan: 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 sends per month
24/7 support even on the free plan — which impressed me
Described over and over as the most beginner-friendly platform available

Why I ended up choosing Systeme.io instead:

In the end, Systeme.io’s free plan was simply more generous than both:

2,000 subscribers (vs 1,000 on both ConvertKit and Mailerlite free plans)
Unlimited email sends (vs Mailerlite’s 12,000/month cap)
Sales funnels included — neither ConvertKit nor Mailerlite has this
Course hosting built in — relevant since I might create courses later
50% recurring affiliate commission — the best program of the three

I was a broke beginner. Systeme.io gave me the most for nothing. Simple as that.

But ConvertKit and Mailerlite might be the smarter choice for your situation — and that’s exactly what this comparison is designed to help you figure out.

Quick Note: Most Blogs Have Outdated Mailerlite Pricing

Before I go further, this is important.

Mailerlite recently updated its free plan. The subscriber limit was changed from 1,000 to 500. Many comparison articles still show the old 1,000 number, which means readers are making decisions based on wrong information.

I’ve verified Mailerlite’s current pricing directly from their website. Throughout this post, I’m using confirmed 2026 numbers, not assumptions. More on that in the Mailerlite section.

Also worth noting: ConvertKit officially rebranded to Kit in late 2024. You’ll see both names used online; they refer to the same platform. I’ll use “Kit (formerly ConvertKit)” on the first mention and “Kit” throughout. For SEO purposes, “ConvertKit” is still widely searched, which is why this post uses both.

Kit (formerly ConvertKit): What My Research Showed

Kit markets itself to creators, bloggers, YouTubers, course makers, and podcasters. Based on everything I researched and what active users consistently say, it delivers on that promise in meaningful ways.

What ConvertKit Does Exceptionally Well

1. Simplicity That Non-Tech Creators Actually Love

If there’s one thing ConvertKit users mention over and over, it’s how easy it is to use.

The interface is deliberately clean. There’s no cluttered dashboard overwhelming you with features you’ll never touch. The visual automation builder uses drag-and-drop. Forms are simple to create and embed. Landing pages go live quickly, with no design skills required.

For bloggers who aren’t tech-savvy, which is most of us when we start, this matters enormously. The faster you can learn a tool, the more time you have to actually create content.

This simplicity isn’t an accident. ConvertKit was built specifically for individual creators, not marketing teams or enterprise businesses. That focus shows in how the product feels to use.

2. Automation That Actually Works (And Is Easy to Build)

This is where ConvertKit genuinely earns its premium price tag, at least for users who need it.

The visual automation builder lets you map out email workflows graphically. You can see exactly what happens when someone subscribes, clicks a link, makes a purchase, or gets tagged. The logic is powerful: multi-step sequences, behavior-based triggers, subscriber tagging based on interests, and evergreen funnels that run automatically once you set them up.

Bloggers who sell digital products or run courses use ConvertKit automation to generate sales while they sleep. Set up a welcome sequence once. Build a product launch sequence once. Then let the system do the work.

Users who have switched from other platforms consistently describe ConvertKit’s automation as more intuitive and more sophisticated than what they’d used before, including MailerLite.

For affiliate marketers especially: Automated email sequences that go out based on subscriber behavior can significantly lift your affiliate conversion rates. That’s a real business case for ConvertKit’s automation tools.

3. Landing Pages Included (Even on Free Plan)

Every ConvertKit plan, including the free one, includes landing pages.

This matters because landing pages are one of the primary ways bloggers grow their email lists. A dedicated opt-in page for a lead magnet, a webinar signup, or a freebie delivery converts far better than a generic form buried in a sidebar.

Dedicated landing page tools like Leadpages or Unbounce can cost $37–$99/month on top of your email platform. ConvertKit includes them at no extra charge.

The templates aren’t as visually stunning as MailerLite’s, but they’re clean, functional, and effective. Many successful bloggers use ConvertKit landing pages exclusively and have no complaints.

4. Features Built Specifically for Creators

ConvertKit isn’t trying to serve every small business under the sun. It is specifically designed for creators like you and me who are building audiences.

What this means in practice:

Subscriber tagging lets you segment your list by interest, behavior, or where someone signed up
Subscriber scoring (on paid plans) identifies your most engaged readers
Commerce features let you sell digital products directly through email
Integrations connect with the tools creators actually use: WordPress, Teachable, Thinkific, Gumroad, Patreon, and Zapier

That specialized focus means the features you get are relevant to your actual use case — not generic business marketing tools you’ll never touch.

5. Deliverability: Emails Actually Reach Inboxes

ConvertKit has a strong reputation for deliverability in the creator community, and user-reported open rates back this up — 20–40% open rates are common among active ConvertKit users.

In email marketing, deliverability is everything. The best email you’ve ever written is completely worthless if it lands in a spam folder. ConvertKit’s reputation in this area is a genuine asset.

Honest Considerations Before Choosing ConvertKit

1. It’s More Expensive Than Competitors

This is the big one, and it’s worth being direct about.

Pricing comparison at 1,000 subscribers:

ConvertKit Creator: $29/month
Mailerlite Growing Business: $10/month
Difference: $228/year

And prices grow with your list:

Subscribers	ConvertKit	Mailerlite	Annual Savings
1,000	$29/month	$10/month	$228/year
3,000	$49/month	$21/month	$336/year
5,000	$79/month	$30/month	$588/year
10,000	$119/month	$50/month	$828/year

If your email is generating income from affiliate commissions, course sales, or consulting leads, $29/month is easily justified. If you’re a new blogger with $0 in revenue, that same $29/month hits differently.

2. The Free Plan Has Real Limitations

ConvertKit’s free plan offers 1,000 subscribers and unlimited sends, which sounds solid. But key features are locked behind paid plans:

Advanced automation (Visual Builder is paid only)
Sequences (automated email series, this is huge!)
Integrations with third-party tools
Removing ConvertKit branding from emails

For genuine use as a growing blogger, most people find they need to upgrade fairly quickly. The free plan is great for testing, but limited for building.

Compared to MailerLite free (which includes more features) or Systeme.io free (which includes 2,000 subs plus sales funnels), ConvertKit’s free plan is the most restrictive of the three.

3. Fewer and Simpler Email Templates

ConvertKit’s email templates are clean and professional, but they’re minimal by design. The platform leans toward plain-text-style emails, which some creators love (it feels more personal), but others find limiting.

MailerLite, by comparison, offers 100+ visually rich templates with modern, mobile-responsive designs.

If the visual beauty of your emails matters to you, if you want your newsletter to look like a designed product, ConvertKit might feel underwhelming. If you prefer clean and simple, it’s perfectly fine.

My Research Verdict on ConvertKit

ConvertKit is excellent for:

Professional bloggers who can comfortably afford $29/month
Course creators and digital product sellers (built specifically for this!)
Anyone who wants powerful automation and is ready to use it
Creators who value community and social proof (hundreds of thousands of creators use it)
Bloggers growing lists from 1,000 to 50,000+ subscribers

ConvertKit is NOT the right choice if:

You’re on a tight budget, and $29/month is genuinely difficult
You want beautiful email templates as a priority
You’re just starting out and won’t use advanced automation yet
You’d rather save $200+/year and put it toward other tools

The most consistent sentiment I found from users who’ve tried multiple platforms: “ConvertKit is worth it if you’re actually using the automation. If you’re just sending newsletters, you’re paying for features you’re not touching.”

Mailerlite: What My Research Showed (The Budget-Friendly Beautiful Option)

MailerLite’s whole positioning offers more features for less money, and it backs that up. Based on everything I researched, MailerLite consistently punches above its price point.

Updated 2026 Pricing (Verified from Mailerlite’s Website)

Important: Most comparison posts still show Mailerlite’s old free plan at 1,000 subscribers. That number is outdated. Here is the verified current pricing:

Free Plan — $0:

Up to 500 subscribers (reduced from 1,000)
12,000 emails per month
1 user seat
Drag and drop email editor
Email automation builder
Signup forms and pop-ups
1 website
10 landing pages (not unlimited — limited on free)
Comparative reporting
1 digital product or booking (new feature!)
24/7 email and chat support — for your first 14 days only

Growing Business — $10/month (or $9/month billed yearly):

Unlimited monthly emails
3 user seats
24/7 email support (ongoing)
Unlimited templates
Unlimited landing pages
Unlimited websites and blogs
Up to 3 digital products or bookings
Campaign auto-resend
Dynamic emails
Multivariate testing
Unsubscribe page builder

Advanced — $20/month (or $18/month billed yearly):

Everything in Growing Business, plus:
Unlimited user seats
24/7 live chat and email support
AI writing assistant
Facebook integration
Smart sending
Enhanced automations
Custom HTML editor
Promotion pop-ups
Unlimited digital products or bookings
Preference center
Partner discounts

Enterprise: Custom pricing for 100,000+ subscribers.

What Mailerlite Does Exceptionally Well

1. Best Value for Money — By a Significant Margin

Even with the free plan reduction to 500 subscribers, Mailerlite’s paid plans remain the most affordable quality email option available.

At $10/month versus Kit’s $29/month, you save $228 per year at the entry level. At 5,000 subscribers, that gap grows to nearly $600 per year. The bloggers who’ve switched from Kit to Mailerlite consistently say the same thing: “I’m getting 80–90% of the features at 30% of the price.” For most beginner to intermediate bloggers, that’s a compelling argument.

2. Beautiful Email Templates That Make You Look Professional

This is Mailerlite’s most visible strength. The template library is modern, mobile-responsive, and varied, covering newsletters, promotional campaigns, course announcements, seasonal emails, and more. The drag-and-drop editor makes customization intuitive with no design background required.

Users who’ve migrated from Kit specifically highlight the templates: their emails simply look better on Mailerlite. That’s not a cosmetic vanity; beautifully designed emails get opened, read, and clicked more consistently.

3. Expanding Beyond Email

Mailerlite has been quietly growing its feature set. The platform now includes digital product selling, appointment booking, paid newsletter subscriptions, and e-commerce integrations — features that used to require entirely separate tools. The free plan now includes one digital product or booking, and paid plans unlock more.

This makes Mailerlite increasingly capable for bloggers who want to start monetizing without building out a separate tech stack.

4. Genuinely Beginner-Friendly Interface

Mailerlite consistently earns the “easiest to use” label in user comparisons. The dashboard is uncluttered, the navigation is logical, and most users report feeling operational within an hour of signing up. The drag-and-drop editor requires no technical knowledge.

For someone who has never used email marketing software before, this low intimidation factor is not a small thing. It’s the difference between actually using the tool versus logging in, feeling overwhelmed, and closing the tab.

5. Automation That Works for Most Bloggers

Mailerlite’s automation handles the essentials well: welcome sequences, drip campaigns, tag-based triggers, and basic workflows. For the vast majority of beginner bloggers, those sending welcome emails, weekly newsletters, and simple email courses, this covers everything they need.

It’s not as powerful as Kit’s visual automation builder for complex multi-branch funnels. But for most people starting out, Mailerlite’s automation is genuinely sufficient.

Honest Considerations Before Choosing Mailerlite

1. The Free Plan Changed — 500 Subscribers Is Less Runway

The reduction from 1,000 to 500 free subscribers is a real change. You’ll hit that ceiling faster than the old limit, especially if you’re actively promoting a lead magnet. When you reach 500 subscribers, you’ll need to upgrade to Growing Business at $10/month.

Also worth knowing: the 24/7 support on the free plan is only available for your first 14 days. After that, free users have limited support access. If you’re a beginner who relies on support while learning a new tool, plan for either the learning curve to happen within two weeks or budget for the paid plan.

2. Automation Is Good But Not Kit-Level

Users who have experience with both platforms agree: Kit’s automation is more sophisticated and more intuitive to build for complex workflows. Mailerlite handles basic sequences well. For advanced multi-branch behavioral funnels, Kit is the stronger tool.

The practical question is what you actually need. If you’re building a welcome series, a weekly newsletter, and a simple email course, Mailerlite handles that comfortably. If you’re building complex behavioral funnels with advanced triggers, Kit is worth the premium.

3. Less Creator-Specific Than Kit

MailerLite serves a broad audience for small businesses, e-commerce stores, nonprofits, bloggers, and startups. This isn’t a flaw, just a difference in positioning. Kit has spent years building specifically for content creators, and that specialization shows in features like native integrations with course platforms and a large active creator community with blogger-specific tutorials and resources.

My Research Verdict on Mailerlite

MailerLite is excellent for:

Bloggers on a tight budget ($10/month is the best-value quality option)
Beginners who want a smooth learning curve
Anyone who values beautiful email design and 100+ templates
Bloggers who want a generous free plan with real functionality
Those who need landing pages and a simple website in one tool
Basic automation users, welcome series, newsletters, and simple sequences

MailerLite is NOT the right choice if:

You need complex, visual automation workflows (ConvertKit wins here)
You’re heavily invested in creator-specific integrations
You want the largest community of blogger users for support and resources

The consistent user consensus I found: “MailerLite does 80–90% of what ConvertKit does for 30% of the price. For most bloggers, that’s more than enough.” That’s a strong endorsement.

ConvertKit vs Mailerlite: Head-to-Head Comparison

Mailerlite wins: Budget/value, templates, overall free plan features, support, landing pages + website builder. ConvertKit wins: Automation power, creator focus, integrations, creator community Ties: Ease of use, deliverability, affiliate programs

Category Breakdown

Budget and Value: Mailerlite wins decisively. The price difference is significant at every list size, and the savings compound over time. For budget-conscious bloggers, this alone can make the decision.

Ease of Use: Tie. Both platforms are genuinely beginner-friendly. Users of both describe their experience as easy to learn. Neither will overwhelm you.

Features: ConvertKit wins — but it depends which features you need. ConvertKit has more powerful automation and more creator-specific tools. But Mailerlite includes more in terms of sheer quantity (templates, website builder, more functional free plan).

Design: Mailerlite wins clearly. The template library is bigger, more beautiful, and more varied. If visual presentation is a priority, Mailerlite is the better choice.

Creator Focus: ConvertKit wins. If you want a tool that “gets” what bloggers and creators specifically need, ConvertKit has invested more deeply in that niche.

Who Should Choose ConvertKit vs MailerLite? (Decision Framework)

Choose Kit (formerly ConvertKit) If…

✅ You have $29+/month in budget and email is a business investment

If $29/month is manageable and you’re treating your blog as a business from day one, ConvertKit is worth it. It’s a professional tool at a professional price.

✅ Automation is a priority

If you’re planning to build automated sequences, welcome series, product launch sequences, and evergreen funnels, ConvertKit’s visual builder is genuinely superior. If you’ll actually use it, it’s worth paying for.

✅ You’re selling courses or digital products

ConvertKit was built with digital product creators in mind. The integrations (Teachable, Thinkific, Gumroad), the commerce features, the behavior-based tagging — all of these were built to help people sell things via email. If this is your model, ConvertKit serves it better.

✅ You want to be surrounded by other creators using the same tool

ConvertKit has a large, active community of bloggers and creators. Tutorials, Facebook groups, podcast episodes, blog posts, the ecosystem is rich. There’s real value in learning from people who use the same platform.

✅ You’re building a list beyond 5,000 subscribers and want to grow into a professional tool

ConvertKit scales well and offers the features you’ll want as your blog grows. Some creators start with a budget option and migrate later; you can too, but starting on ConvertKit means staying put.

ConvertKit users consistently say, “It pays for itself through automated sales. Once I set up my sequences, email became passive income.”

Choose MailerLite If…

✅ Budget is a genuine constraint ($10/month is your ceiling). At $9–10/month, Mailerlite is the best-value quality email platform available. The $228+ per year you save compared to Kit is real money, especially in your first year when you’re investing in hosting, themes, plugins, and everything else.

✅ Beautiful design is important to your brand. If you want your emails to look like polished, designed content, not just functional text, MailerLite’s template library is a clear advantage. Your newsletters will look professional from day one without any design skills.

✅ You want the most beginner-friendly onboarding. Mailerlite is consistently described as the easiest email platform to learn. If you want to feel confident from your first session, Mailerlite’s interface delivers that.

✅ Simple automation covers your needs: Welcome sequences, basic drip campaigns, tag-based sends. Mailerlite handles all of this well. If you’re not building multi-branch behavioral funnels, you won’t miss Kit’s advanced automation.

✅ You want to start selling digital products affordably. The Growing Business plan ($10/month) includes up to 3 digital products or bookings, and the free plan now includes 1. For bloggers starting to sell simple products, this is built in without needing a separate platform.

MailerLite users consistently say, “I get everything I need at a fraction of ConvertKit’s price.” It does 80% of what ConvertKit does, and that 80% is all I actually need.”

Still Can't Decide? Answer These Four Questions

Question 1: What’s your monthly budget for email marketing?

$0: Kit free plan (1,000 subs) or Systeme.io free (2,000 subs)
$10: Mailerlite Growing Business (best value)
$29+: Kit Creator (worth it if you need automation)

Question 2: How important is automation to your strategy?

Just newsletters and welcome emails: Mailerlite handles this well
Complex sequences and behavioral funnels: Kit is the stronger tool

Question 3: Are you selling courses or digital products right now?

Yes, launching soon: Kit (built specifically for this)
Selling simple products: Mailerlite Growing Business works well
No plans to sell: Mailerlite (save the money)

Question 4: Do beautiful email templates matter to your brand?

Yes, design is important: Mailerlite
Function over aesthetics: Kit

Mostly Mailerlite answers? Start with Mailerlite. Mostly Kit answers? Invest in Kit. Mixed? Both are genuinely excellent; you won’t make a wrong choice.

Why I Chose Systeme.io Instead (And Should You?)

I want to be transparent about this because it’s relevant context for everything I’ve written above.

After all that research, I chose Systeme.io for The Income Plug. Here’s the honest breakdown of why.

Free plan comparison — this was the deciding factor for me:

Platform	Free Subscribers	Free Sends	Extra Features
Systeme.io	2,000	Unlimited	Funnels, courses, and affiliate management
Mailerlite	500	12,000/month	Website, 10 landing pages, 1 digital product
ConvertKit	1,000	Unlimited	Basic landing pages

Systeme.io’s free plan gave me 2,000 contacts with unlimited sends, plus three sales funnels, course hosting, and affiliate program management, all at zero cost. With Kit or Mailerlite, I’d need separate tools for funnels and course hosting, potentially adding $50–100+ per month in additional subscriptions.

The affiliate angle also mattered: Systeme.io pays 50% recurring commission. Kit and Mailerlite both pay 30%. If affiliate income from recommending tools is part of your strategy, that difference adds up.

My situation was specific: I was starting with $0, I knew I wanted funnels eventually, and I might create courses. Systeme.io solved all of that at once.

Should YOU choose Systeme.io over Kit or Mailerlite?

Choose Systeme.io if:

Your budget is genuinely $0 and you need the most generous free plan
You want email marketing, funnels, and course hosting in a single tool
You’re planning to build and sell courses or digital products soon
You want to promote an email tool as an affiliate at the highest commission rate

Stick with Kit or Mailerlite if:

You need more third-party integrations (both integrate with far more tools)
You want a larger established community with abundant tutorials
You prefer a focused, specialized email-only tool
You have $10–29/month available and want depth in email specifically

All three are excellent. I chose based on my priorities. You should choose based on yours.

Want to see exactly how I use Systeme.io for The Income Plug? Read my full Systeme.io review here.

All-in-one tools included in the Systeme.io free plan:

Email marketing
Sales funnels (ConvertKit and Mailerlite don’t have this)
Course hosting (this was relevant for me; I plan to create courses)
Affiliate program management
Website builder

With ConvertKit or MailerLite, I’d need separate tools for funnels and course hosting, potentially adding $50–100+/month in additional subscriptions. Systeme.io packages it all together.

The affiliate angle: Systeme.io pays a 50% recurring commission, compared to 30% for both ConvertKit and MailerLite. If you’re planning to recommend email tools and earn affiliate income, that’s a meaningful difference.

My honest situation: I was broke. I needed maximum functionality for free. Systeme.io won on those terms.

Should YOU choose Systeme.io over ConvertKit or Mailerlite?

Choose Systeme.io if:

Your budget is $0, and you need the most generous free plan available
You want email marketing, sales funnels, and course hosting in a single tool
You’re planning to create and sell courses or digital products soon
You want to promote email tools as an affiliate at the highest commission rate

Stick with ConvertKit or Mailerlite if:

You need more third-party integrations (both integrate with more tools than Systeme.io)
You want a larger, established community with more tutorials and resources
You prefer a specialized email-only tool that does one thing exceptionally well
You have $10–29/month available and want the depth of a focused platform

All three are excellent. I chose based on my situation. You should choose based on yours.

Want the full picture? Read my complete Systeme.io review to see exactly how I use it for The Income Plug.

FAQs: ConvertKit vs Mailerlite for Beginner Bloggers

Q1: Which is better for beginners — ConvertKit or Mailerlite?

For most beginners, MailerLite is the stronger starting point, and the reason is mostly about money.

At $10/month vs $29/month, the $228/year difference is significant when you’re just starting out. Mailerlite’s free plan is also more functional — 12,000 sends per month, unlimited landing pages, and 24/7 support even at $0.

The templates are beginner-friendly, the interface is intuitive, and the learning curve is gentle. Most beginners don’t need ConvertKit’s advanced automation out of the gate.

That said, ConvertKit is beginner-friendly too; it’s just more expensive. If the budget isn’t a concern and automation is a priority from day one, ConvertKit is absolutely a valid starting platform.

My research takeaway: start with MailerLite, and upgrade to ConvertKit later if you outgrow it. You’ll save money in the meantime and only pay for what you actually need.

Q2: Which has better automation — ConvertKit or Mailerlite?

ConvertKit has more powerful automation, full stop. Users who’ve used both consistently say this.

ConvertKit’s visual automation builder lets you map complex multi-step workflows with behavioral triggers, subscriber scoring, and advanced branching logic. It’s a proper visual tool; you can see exactly what happens to different subscribers in different scenarios.

Mailerlite’s automation covers the essentials: welcome sequences, basic drip campaigns, tag-based sends, and simple workflows. It works well; most bloggers will never exhaust what MailerLite’s automation can do.

The practical question is, “What do you need?” If you’re sending a welcome series, a weekly newsletter, and maybe a simple product launch sequence, Mailerlite handles that fine. If you’re building sophisticated behavioral funnels that branch based on specific subscriber actions, ConvertKit is worth the premium.

My research estimate: 80% of bloggers will never need automation beyond what Mailerlite provides.

Q3: Is ConvertKit worth the extra money over Mailerlite?

It depends on how you’re using email and what you’re earning from it.

ConvertKit is worth $29/month if:

Your email list generates affiliate commissions, course sales, or service leads
You use or plan to use advanced automation to create passive income sequences
The simplicity and creator-specific features justify the professional investment
$29/month is a manageable business expense for you

ConvertKit is NOT worth it if:

You’re earning $0 from your blog, and $29/month is painful
You’re primarily sending newsletters without complex automation
You’d rather put $228/year toward traffic-building tools

The math I always come back to: ConvertKit costs $348/year at 1,000 subscribers. Mailerlite costs $120/year. Is ConvertKit $228/year better? For some bloggers, absolutely. For beginners just starting out, usually not yet.

A reasonable path: start with MailerLite, switch to ConvertKit when your email marketing is generating $500+/month. At that point, the cost is trivial relative to the revenue.

Q4: Can I switch from Mailerlite to ConvertKit (or vice versa) later?

Yes, both platforms support subscriber imports, so switching is possible.

What migrates easily:

Subscriber list (email addresses, names, custom fields)
Tags and segments

What requires manual rebuilding:

Automation workflows (must recreate from scratch)
Email templates (must rebuild in the new platform)
Landing pages (must recreate)

Realistically, a full migration takes 2–8 hours depending on how many automations and landing pages you have.

The most common path I saw in my research: start with MailerLite, build to 3,000–5,000 subscribers, switch to ConvertKit once email revenue justifies the higher cost. It’s a manageable transition, and plenty of bloggers have done it without significant disruption.

Q5: Which platform has better deliverability?

Both have excellent deliverability; they’re roughly equivalent on this dimension.

ConvertKit has a strong reputation for deliverability in the creator community, and so does Mailerlite. User-reported open rates of 20–40% are common on both platforms, which is solid performance.

Here’s the practical truth: deliverability depends much more on your own practices than on which platform you use. Writing non-spammy content; maintaining a clean list (removing hard bounces, re-engaging, or removing cold subscribers), and sending consistently rather than in sudden large blasts, these factors drive deliverability outcomes far more than platform choice.

Choose ConvertKit or Mailerlite based on budget, features, and fit. Don’t let deliverability anxiety push you toward the more expensive option; they’re genuinely comparable here.

Q6: Do I need ConvertKit Creator Pro ($59/month), or is Creator ($29/month) enough?

For most bloggers, Creator ($29/month) is more than sufficient.

Creator Pro adds a newsletter referral system, advanced reporting, Facebook custom audience integration, and priority support. These are genuinely useful features, but primarily for bloggers with larger lists (10,000+ subscribers) who are running paid ads and need detailed analytics.

If you’re starting or growing toward your first 5,000–10,000 subscribers, start with Creator. Upgrade to Pro when your list is large enough that the referral system and advanced reporting have a real impact on your growth and revenue.

Don’t pay for features you won’t use yet. $30/month is another $360/year.

Q7: Does Mailerlite have good customer support?

Yes, Mailerlite’s support is actually one of its standout features, particularly at lower price points.

The 24/7 support, even on the free plan, is genuinely unusual in this industry. Most platforms reserve live support for paid users. Mailerlite offers it to everyone.

User reviews consistently mention quick response times (under 30 minutes is common), helpful answers, and a support team that actually solves problems rather than pointing you to documentation. For a beginner troubleshooting an automation issue at an inconvenient hour, that accessibility is reassuring.

By comparison, ConvertKit’s free plan has more limited support access. Paid ConvertKit plans have good support, but Mailerlite simply makes it more available at all levels.

Q8: Can I use Mailerlite or ConvertKit with WordPress?

Yes, both integrate seamlessly with WordPress.

Both platforms offer free WordPress plugins that handle opt-in form embedding, pop-ups, and list syncing. Setup typically takes 5–15 minutes once you have your account created.

Both also integrate with popular WordPress tools like Elementor (for landing pages), WooCommerce (for e-commerce), and major page builders.

If you’re running a WordPress blog — which most bloggers are — you won’t hit compatibility issues with either platform. This doesn’t need to be a deciding factor.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, check out my guide on how to build an email list with WordPress.

Q9: Which is better for selling courses — ConvertKit or Mailerlite?

ConvertKit is meaningfully better for course sellers.

It integrates natively with Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, and Podia, the platforms most course creators use. It includes commerce features that let you sell digital products directly through email. Its automation was essentially designed for course launches: automated sequences that deliver course content, follow up with non-buyers, upsell existing students, and re-engage past purchasers.

MailerLite can be used to sell courses; it’s not incapable, but it’s more general. The integrations are fewer and less tailored to the course creator workflow.

If launching online courses is a primary revenue strategy, ConvertKit is worth the premium. If courses are a “maybe someday” consideration, either platform works fine for now; you can always migrate when you’re ready to launch.

Q10: MailerLite vs. ConvertKit vs Systeme.io — which should I pick?

The honest breakdown:

Choose Mailerlite if: Budget is $10–20/month, beautiful templates matter, you’re starting out and want the best value for money, and basic automation covers your needs.

Choose ConvertKit if: Budget is $29+/month, powerful automation is a priority, you’re selling or planning to sell courses or digital products, and you want to be part of a large creator community.

Choose Systeme.io if: Budget is $0 (you need the most generous free plan), you want email marketing plus sales funnels plus course hosting in one tool, and you’re not worried about third-party integrations.

All three are excellent. I use Systeme.io. If I had a $10/month budget and wanted an email-focused tool, I’d seriously consider Mailerlite for the value and templates. If I had a $29/month budget and was selling digital products, I’d strongly consider ConvertKit for the automation and creator community.

Conclusion: The Honest Truth About ConvertKit vs. MailerLite

After weeks of research, hundreds of reviews, and conversations with bloggers who use both platforms, here’s what I know for certain:

Both ConvertKit and MailerLite are excellent email marketing platforms. Thousands of successful bloggers use each one. Choosing either is not a mistake.

ConvertKit is phenomenal if your budget allows $29+/month, automation is central to your strategy, you’re selling courses or digital products, and you want to invest in a premium creator-focused tool.

MailerLite is phenomenal if budget is a real constraint, you want beautiful templates that make your emails look designed, you’re in the early stages of building your list, or you simply want the best features-for-dollar ratio available.

Neither is “better” in an absolute sense. They serve different bloggers at different stages with different priorities.

My practical advice:

Starting out with zero budget? → Mailerlite free plan (1,000 subs, 12,000 sends) or Systeme.io free (2,000 subs, unlimited sends)

Have $10–20/month and want the best value? → Mailerlite paid

Have $29+/month and automation/courses are a priority? → ConvertKit Creator

Can’t afford anything yet and need funnels + courses too? → Systeme.io free plan

Once you’ve chosen your platform, the real work begins: building your list, writing emails your subscribers actually want to read, and monetizing with affiliate products, digital offers, or services. The platform is just the vehicle. You provide the destination.

Pick one. Start building. The bloggers who win are the ones who act, not the ones who spend six more weeks researching.

You’ve done the research. You know what to do.

Now go do it. 🚀

Are you interested in exploring Systeme.io, the platform I currently use for The Income Plug? Read my full Systeme.io review here.

Looking for all your email platform options? Check out my comparison of the best email marketing platforms for bloggers.

New to blogging? Start here: How to Start a Blog in 2026 (Step-by-Step Guide)

Want to grow your income? Read: Email Marketing for Affiliate Marketing: How to Use Your List to Earn Commissions