Best free newsletter platforms
Most platforms let you start free up to a subscriber limit. Check what happens past it, and whether the free plan puts the platform's branding in your emails.
Quick answer beehiiv is the top pick, followed by Kit and Substack.
Top pick
beehiiv by beehiiv
Newsletter platform with websites, an ad network, paid subscriptions and automations.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $49/mo
- Cut of paid subs
- None
- Paid subscriptions
- Yes
- Platform cut
- None
- Free plan subscribers
- 2,500
- Website
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $49/moTry beehiiv free
Kit by Kit
Email marketing for creators (formerly ConvertKit) with automations and paid newsletters.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $33/mo
- Cut of paid subs
- 0.6%
- Paid subscriptions
- Yes
- Platform cut
- 0.6%
- Free plan subscribers
- 10,000
- Website
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $33/moTry Kit free
Substack by Substack
Free publishing platform for newsletters, podcasts and video; takes 10% of paid subs.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free
- Cut of paid subs
- 10%
- Paid subscriptions
- Yes
- Platform cut
- 10%
- Website
- Yes
- Automations
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026FreeTry Substack free
MailerLite by MailerLite
Email marketing with automations, websites, landing pages and paid newsletters.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $10.80/mo
- Cut of paid subs
- None
- Paid subscriptions
- Yes
- Platform cut
- None
- Free plan subscribers
- 250
- Website
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $10.80/moTry MailerLite free
Buttondown by Buttondown
Simple newsletter tool with a Markdown editor, paid subscriptions and web archives.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $9/mo
- Cut of paid subs
- None
- Paid subscriptions
- Yes
- Platform cut
- None
- Free plan subscribers
- 100
- Website
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $9/moTry Buttondown free
EmailOctopus by EmailOctopus
Email marketing platform with campaigns, automations, forms and landing pages.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $9/mo
- Free plan subscribers
- 2,500
- Website
- No
- Automations
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $9/moTry EmailOctopus free
Brevo by Brevo
Email, SMS and WhatsApp marketing with automations, CRM and transactional email.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $8.08/mo
- Free plan subscribers
- 100,000
- Automations
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $8.08/moTry Brevo free
Mailchimp by Intuit
Email marketing platform with automations, segmentation, landing pages and websites.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $13/mo
- Free plan subscribers
- 250
- Website
- Yes
- Automations
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $13/moTry Mailchimp free
LinkedIn Newsletters by LinkedIn
Free newsletters built into LinkedIn; subscribers get in-app, push and email alerts.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free
- Website
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026FreeTry LinkedIn Newsletters free
Flodesk by Flodesk
Design-focused email marketing with forms, landing pages, workflows and checkout.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $19/mo
- Cut of paid subs
- None
- Paid subscriptions
- Yes
- Platform cut
- None
- Website
- Yes
- Automations
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $19/moTry Flodesk free
Compare the top picks
| App | Price | Cut of paid subs | Paid subscriptions | Platform cut | Free plan subscribers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv | Free plan · paid from $49/mo | None | Yes | None | 2,500 |
| Kit | Free plan · paid from $33/mo | 0.6% | Yes | 0.6% | 10,000 |
| Substack | Free | 10% | Yes | 10% | – |
| MailerLite | Free plan · paid from $10.80/mo | None | Yes | None | 250 |
| Buttondown | Free plan · paid from $9/mo | None | Yes | None | 100 |
| EmailOctopus | Free plan · paid from $9/mo | – | – | – | 2,500 |
| Brevo | Free plan · paid from $8.08/mo | – | – | – | 100,000 |
| Mailchimp | Free plan · paid from $13/mo | – | – | – | 250 |
| LinkedIn Newsletters | Free | – | – | – | – |
| Flodesk | Free plan · paid from $19/mo | None | Yes | None | – |
How we picked
We compared 15 newsletters apps and kept the 13 that fit this guide. We don't test apps ourselves: features and prices come from each app's own site, and the order follows what independent reviewers recommend. No app pays to be listed or placed higher, and whether an app pays us a commission never changes its place.
Questions
How are these apps ranked?
Apps that independent "best of" roundups recommend come first, the most often recommended at the top; the rest follow with the best-known first. Every app listed meets this guide's needs.
Are these links sponsored?
Links to apps whose affiliate programs have approved Build Your Toolkit are affiliate links, marked as such, so we may earn a commission if you sign up for a paid plan. It doesn't change what you pay, and no app pays to be listed or placed higher.
Where do the prices come from?
From each app's own pricing page, on the date shown next to the price. Prices for newsletters apps change often, so check the vendor's page before you buy.