Best MailerLite Alternatives for Your Email Marketing Needs [2026 Update]

MailerLite has earned its reputation as a reliable email marketing tool, offering a wide array of features that are particularly useful when you’re just starting out. However, as your business scales, MailerLite might lack advanced functionality in areas like complex automation or integrations. In this post, we’ll explore alternatives to MailerLite for different budgets and needs you can switch to.

TL;DR MailerLite alternatives head to head

Here’s a quick rundown of the best MailerLite alternatives covered in this post, along with their noteworthy features. Click on each tool to jump to its detailed overview.

MailerLite features

MailerLite is a digital marketing platform that provides various tools for building websites, creating sign-up forms, and running email campaigns. Since our post is focused on email marketing, let’s review the platform’s key capabilities that allow users to create and manage email campaigns.

• Three email editors. You can use a drag-and-drop editor with various content elements, a rich-text editor for plain-text emails, and an HTML editor to code custom campaigns from scratch.
• Newsletter templates. The platform offers pre-made templates that cover popular topics and fields like events, holidays, eCommerce, etc.
• AI writing tool. You can utilize the built-in AI assistant to quickly generate subject lines and email copy.
• Paid newsletters. MailerLite lets you monetize your emails on a yearly or monthly fee subscription basis.
• Email automation. Using this platform, you can set up automated email flows with multiple triggers based on date, user actions, etc.
• Targeted campaigns. By utilizing segmentation, tagging, and personalization features, you can send relevant content based on various parameters.
• Analytics and reporting. You can determine email campaign performance by monitoring the reporting dashboard, click maps, opens by location, and A/B test results. In addition, MailerLite offers comparative, custom date range, list growth reports, and more.

As you can see, the platform delivers all the essentials to help users get started and tailor personalized email campaigns.

Why users look for MailerLite alternatives

When determining whether a tool is suitable for you, it’s important to weigh all the pros and cons. Here’s a list of MailerLite’s disadvantages mentioned by users on G2:

• High cost. MailerLite pricing has gone up recently, making it particularly expensive to scale contact lists.
• Low email deliverability. A couple of MailerLite reviews contained information about high bounce rates, emails frequently ending up in spam folders, and lower open rates compared to other platforms.
• Technical issues. Several reviews highlight technical issues encountered at different stages of managing email campaigns, such as campaigns getting “stuck” or inaccurate email previews.
• Learning curve. Many users reported that MailerLite’s interface is not intuitive enough, especially with more advanced features like automated flows and segmentation.
• Complicated integrations. Businesses that use various software found it challenging to integrate MailerLite with tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and other CRM systems.
• Poor customer support. Some MailerLite reviews mention that customer support addresses issues selectively and provides slow resolutions. Additionally, some users found it difficult to obtain a refund, even when eligible.

As you can see, despite its robust feature set, MailerLite has several drawbacks that may be critical for some companies and should be noted.

12 best MailerLite alternatives

If you’re actively looking for platforms similar to MailerLite and want to compare your options, we’ve got you covered. In this section, you’ll find the best free and paid email marketing platforms worth considering.

SendPulse

G2: 4.6 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.6 ⭐

SendPulse is an all-in-one marketing platform designed to help businesses automate their communications with customers across multiple channels, including email, SMS, push notifications, social media, and messaging apps.

As a MailerLite alternative, it offers dozens of responsive templates for holidays, events, abandoned carts, and other occasions. You can also use an intuitive drag-and-drop builder to create your template from scratch, adding text, image, button, separator, video, social, and checkout elements and then editing the template background, width, text and link colors, font size, etc.

To customize your template images, you can adjust their properties, add and format text, incorporate shapes, and use various filters. SendPulse also offers an HTML editor to fine-tune your email templates with HTML tags and CSS properties.

You can also integrate payment buttons and pricing details in your emails, accommodating a variety of payment methods. Additionally, you can add event links from Google and other calendars to your campaigns, enabling recipients to save events like webinars or promotions to their personal calendars. The platform also lets you launch transactional and triggered emails and create complex automated flows.

Moreover, SendPulse automation builder is powered by an AI assistant that helps you create flows, logic, and copy and provides guidance on element settings. What’s more, you can segment your audience using tags and variables or dynamically – based on real-time user behavior or data updates.

Here are some key features of this alternative to MailerLite:

• drag-and-drop email builder;
• HTML email builder;
• 100+ responsive email templates;
• AI email assistant;
• AI flow-building assistant;
• static and dynamic audience segments;
• contact tags and custom variables;
• “Resend to unopened” option and email categories;
• built-in spam checker and email address verifier;
• integration and app marketplace.

Pricing. SendPulse offers a free plan that includes up to 500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month. For $8/month, billed annually, you can send unlimited emails to 500 contacts. You can also adjust the pricing plan based on your mailing list size.

Moosend

G2: 4.7 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.6 ⭐

Moosend is another MailerLite alternative that lets you design professional newsletters, segment your audience, and automate various marketing tasks. With this platform, you can create emails based on customizable pre-made templates or start from scratch to experiment with different layouts, color combinations, and fonts until you have a comprehensive email design that accurately reflects your brand style.

The platform also supports transactional emails and offers AI-powered tools to generate compelling copy, optimize subject lines, and deliver personalized product recommendation emails.

Here are some notable features of this MailerLite alternative:

• intuitive drag-and-drop builder;
• 130+ ready-made templates;
• AI Writer for email copy and subject lines;
• email automation builder;
• AI product recommendations;
• personalization and segmentation;
• conditional visibility content;
• 80+ native integrations.

Pricing. Moosend provides a 30-day free trial, after which you’ll need to switch to a paid plan. The cheapest one costs $7/month, billed annually, and includes 500 subscribers and unlimited emails.

Sender

G2: 4.7 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.7 ⭐

Sender is an email marketing platform that also provides tools for SMS and omnichannel campaigns. Within the email drag-and-drop builder, there are various blocks for different types of content. Each block has specific settings, so you can give your template a layout that fits your needs.

To give you an idea, eCommerce businesses can use the “Product” block to seamlessly import items from any online store. Once you add the product’s link to this block, information like name, image, description, price, currency, rating, etc., will be extracted right to your template. You can also incorporate the “Timer” block for limited-time offers in your emails.

Additionally, Sender allows you to code custom email templates using an HTML editor and offers automation capabilities to create tailored welcome, post-purchase, and abandoned cart flows.

Key capabilities of this MailerLite alternative include:

• drag-and-drop email builder;
• custom HTML editor;
• 100+ pre-made email templates;
• product picker, timer, feedback, video blocks;
• smart contact segmentation;
• auto-resend to non-openers;
• SPAM check;
• pre-build automation flows;
• automation splits and triggers.

Pricing. Sender offers a free plan that includes up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month. If you send a higher email volume or have more subscribers on your list, you can scale by choosing a paid plan starting from $13/month (billed annually) for up to 2,500 subscribers and 30,000 emails.

Mailchimp

G2: 4.4 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.5 ⭐

Mailchimp is one of the most popular email marketing platforms, designed to help businesses connect with their audiences across multiple channels. It combines user-friendly design tools with smart automation to make campaign creation smooth and efficient. The platform offers advanced personalization, detailed analytics, and over 300 integrations with eCommerce, CRM, and social media tools.

The built-in Intuit Assist generates subject lines, body text, and full email drafts tailored to your audience and brand voice. It can also analyze your top-performing campaigns and provide suggestions to improve your copy, images, and layout.

This MailerLite alternative also offers an advanced segmentation builder with complex, nested logic and includes pre-built segments based on email engagement, purchase history, and customer behavior.

Here are some key features of this alternative to MailerLite:

• drag-and-drop email builder;
• 250+ customizable templates;
• custom-coded template support;
• automation flow builder with pre-made templates;
• generative AI for content creation and optimization;
• dynamic content for different audience segments;
• multivariate testing with up to eight variations;
• tags and custom fields for contact organization.

Pricing. Mailchimp offers a free plan that includes 250 subscribers and 500 emails per month. Paid plans start from $13/month for 500 subscribers and 5,000 emails. Note that pricing changes after 12 months of using the platform.

EmailOctopus

G2: 4.1 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.8 ⭐

EmailOctopus is an easy-to-use email solution with essential features for creating and launching email campaigns. Similar to MailerLite, it offers pre-designed templates and a drag-and-drop editor. You also have the option to import HTML templates for greater creative control.

EmailOctopus allows you to set up automated flows and send tailored messages based on user location, age, gender, or preferences. It’s also easy to segment your audience using custom contact fields and engagement patterns. On top of that, the platform provides detailed insights and reports on email performance, including opens, click-through rates, and subscriber engagement.

Here are some features this alternative to MailerLite offers:

• drag-and-drop and HTML email editors;
• 100+ deeply customizable templates;
• multi-step automation sequences triggered by user actions;
• list management and segmentation with custom fields;
• real-time campaign and automation reports.

Pricing. EmailOctopus offers a free plan with 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 monthly emails, and only 1 user seat. For more flexibility, you can opt for a paid plan starting from $9/month (billed annually) for 500 subscribers, 10,000 emails, and unlimited user seats.

ActiveCampaign

G2: 4.5 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.6 ⭐

ActiveCampaign is an AI-first marketing automation and customer experience platform that offers granular control and advanced targeting for cross-channel campaigns. Its easy-to-navigate email builder provides flexible content blocks for text, images, buttons, videos, menus, and custom HTML. It includes mobile-specific formatting controls for adjusting heading sizes, button text, content margins, and button widths to ensure campaigns display properly across devices.

This MailerLite alternative lets you build sophisticated “set-and-forget” workflows tailored to each contact’s data, preferences, and behavior. There are also hundreds of ready-made automation templates that include all the necessary actions, conditions, and logic.

Beyond hundreds of pre-built automation templates with configured actions, conditions, and logic, the platform provides AI-powered automation recommendations tailored to your industry and business goals. These AI-generated automations come fully built with industry-specific actions and email content based on the objective you define.

Here’s the overview of the key features this alternative to MailerLite offers:

• drag-and-drop, plain text, and HTML editors;
• 250+ customizable templates;
• AI-driven automation builder;
• 900+ automation templates;
• multi-step cross-channel automation flows;
• AI-suggested segments;
• AI-optimized send time;
• AI brand kit for consistent design;
• 900+ integrations, API and webhook support;
• reporting and analytics.

Pricing. ActiveCampaign doesn’t offer a free plan but provides a 14-day free trial. Email-only paid plans start from $15/month, billed annually, for 1,000 contacts, 10,000 emails, and 1 user seat.

Mailercloud

G2: 4.5 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.7 ⭐

Mailercloud is a versatile email marketing platform that lets both beginners and experienced users create and optimize email campaigns. It offers a drag-and-drop email builder with image, text, button, divider, social media icon, spacer, menu, and HTML blocks with different settings you can manage. Alternatively, you can jumpstart your campaign with pre-made templates or code unique templates in the HTML editor.

The platform is equipped with an efficient contact tag system. It allows you to easily categorize your contacts based on specific criteria, such as interests, demographics, recent campaign interactions, or any other information you have, and segment your audience for targeted campaigns.

Here are the key features of this MailerLite alternative:

• drag-and-drop email builder;
• pre-made email templates;
• custom HTML editor;
• AI subject line generator;
• blacklist monitoring;
• segmentation based on status, contact rating, tags, gender, nationality, etc.
• email automation with multiple trigger points;
• email delivery based on time zones and timestamps;
• 400+ integrations.

Pricing. If you have less than 1,000 contacts, you can use Mailercloud’s free plan to send them up to 12,000 emails per month. The cheapest paid plan costs $7/month, billed annually, for up to 1,000 contacts and unlimited emails.

Elastic Email

G2: 4.4 ⭐ | Capterra: 3.9 ⭐

Elastic Email is a cost-effective solution that combines email marketing, automation, and transactional email tools. It features a drag-and-drop template editor and an HTML builder, so users with different levels of technical expertise can compose unique templates. You can also generate templates and content blocks using AI-powered tools.

Besides, this MailerLite alternative offers more flexibility and interactivity for tech-savvy users, with the option to insert JavaScript markup into emails. The platform also supports personalization, allowing you to include recipients’ names, countries, and other custom fields.

Here are some features that this alternative to MailerLite provides:

• drag-and-drop email editor;
• custom HTML editor;
• personalization based on different criteria;
• advanced scheduling options;
• single and bulk email address verification;
• AI text generation tool;
• AI template designer;
• email automation;
• real-time delivery monitoring.

Pricing. Elastic Email has no free plan, but you can start a free trial. The cheapest paid plan costs $29/month and includes 2,500 contacts and 37,500 monthly emails. You can also purchase add-ons for dedicated support or private IPs.

Sendlane

G2: 4.7 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.2 ⭐

Sendlane is an email marketing and automation platform that comes with a bunch of features similar to MailerLite. To create an email template, you can opt for the platform’s drag-and-drop builder with layout blocks to organize your content and elements that actually determine the type of content you add, such as static or dynamic images, YouTube or Vimeo video links, etc.

Sendlane’s cutting-edge feature is its machine learning-driven open predictability that considers the activity patterns and habits of every contact who received your past campaigns to define the optimal times for sending future emails. Beyond email marketing, this platform also provides tools for SMS marketing, creating forms, and collecting customer reviews.

Here are the top features of this MailerLite alternative:

• drag-and-drop, HTML, and plain text builders;
• 40+ customizable templates;
• dynamic content;
• machine learning open predictability;
• multivariable segmentation;
• multivariate testing;
• real-time analytics.

Pricing. Sendlane doesn’t have a free plan, but you can request a demo to see how the platform functions or give it a test drive for 60 days. Paid plans for email marketing start from $100/month for unlimited contacts and 50,000 emails.

SmartrMail

G2: 4.7 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.8 ⭐

SmartrMail is a feature-loaded email marketing tool aimed at helping eCommerce businesses grow and sell more. Its email builder lets you add some unique elements like handpicked or AI-recommended products, coupon codes, and last-purchased items. When you start using the platform, you can set up brand kits to keep your design consistent across all campaigns — the styles you set will be applied to your templates by default.

SmartrMail also supports a variety of automated flows critical to the success of eCommerce businesses. These include abandoned cart and back-in-stock notifications, review requests, announcements for new arrivals and bestsellers, reorder reminders, and more.

This MailerLite alternative offers the following core features:

• HTML email builder;
• customizable email templates;
• 10+ pre-made automation templates;
• AI-generated email text and product recommendation blocks;
• AI-powered subject line rotation;
• segmentation based on purchase history, location, Facebook sync, etc.;
• reports on email engagement and sales;
• Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and other integrations.

Pricing. SmartrMail has a free plan that you can use if you have 200 or fewer contacts. It allows you to send 3 emails per contact and set up unlimited automated flows. The cheapest paid plan costs around $9/month, billed annually, and includes 200 contacts with 12 emails per contact.

CleverReach

G2: 4.0 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.4 ⭐

CleverReach is an intuitive email solution that allows businesses to launch and manage targeted email campaigns. It features a drag-and-drop builder and offers various customizable email templates. If you’re looking to quickly optimize your email content, CleverReach offers an AI-driven content generator that gives intelligent suggestions.

With this MailerLite alternative, you can launch single-track or multi-level automated flows and deliver tailored content based on contact tags and preset triggers. Plus, it’s possible to create sign-up forms and set up transactional emails.

Here are some features offered by this alternative to MailerLite:

• drag-and-drop and source code editors;
• 100+ email templates;
• AI content generator;
• dynamic content;
• email converter for third-party newsletter templates;
• segmentation with up to 45 data fields;
• email automation flows;
• email spam, accessibility, and client tests;
• reports on open and click rates, bounces, and more.

Pricing. CleverReach offers a free plan that includes 1,000 monthly emails and 250 recipients. For $13.5/month, billed annually, you can send unlimited emails to 500 recipients.

SendX

G2: 4.6 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.6 ⭐

SendX is a feature-packed marketing software focused on email marketing and automation. As an alternative to MailerLite, it offers a large degree of design flexibility, allowing you to create emails from scratch in a WYSIWYG builder or customize existing templates.

Additional features include tagging and segmentation based on contact behavior or custom attributes. SendX supports automated flows, A/B testing, and performance tracking through reporting and heat mapping tools.

Here are some features offered by this MailerLite alternative:

• WYSIWYG email editor;
• 50+ responsive email templates;
• AI-generated text and images;
• broadcast and drip campaigns;
• tagging and segmentation based on any attributes;
• advanced auto-flows and autoresponders;
• access to royalty-free stock photos;
• “resend emails to non-openers” option;
• geo-optimized smart sending.

Pricing. SendX has no free plan, but you can start a free trial. The cheapest paid plan costs $7.5/month, billed annually, and includes 1,000 subscribers and unlimited emails.

The bottom line

With so many MailerLite alternatives available, finding a platform that ticks all the right boxes doesn’t have to be difficult. If you’re looking for an affordable, easy-to-use solution that still handles advanced marketing and automation tasks, SendPulse is worth exploring. Beyond email marketing, it brings chatbots, CRM, and sales tools together in one platform, so you can grow without juggling multiple services.

You can start with a free SendPulse account and explore its features at your own pace to see how it fits your workflow.