Marketing / RESEARCH COMPARISON
MailerLite vs EmailOctopus
A practical newsletter shortlist
We have not conducted hands-on tests of this pair. Product scope comes from the official sources below; the selection advice and suggested exercise are our editorial analysis. Labelled affiliate links can earn us a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Our method and funding.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Our conclusion
Choose EmailOctopus for the 800-reader, four-issue example on a zero subscription budget. Choose MailerLite for a small list if its two-seat setup and actual editing workflow matter more. Both need plan checks for the automation you require. We have not measured delivery quality.
Check the option that fits
These are our available affiliate links for this pair. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Partnership status does not determine the conclusion above; compare the current plan before subscribing.
Side-by-side comparison
Read across each row: the same criterion, two approaches and the practical consequence. Capabilities describe the product offering, not a promise that every free or entry plan includes them.
| Criterion | MailerLite | EmailOctopus | What this means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free audience | Up to 250 subscribers | Up to 2,500 subscribers | EmailOctopus has more published free audience capacity. |
| Free monthly sends | 2,500 emails | 10,000 emails | Count campaigns plus automation, not contacts alone. |
| Free user access | 2 seats listed | 1 user listed | MailerLite may suit a two-person editing workflow. |
| Free restrictions | Branding remains; feature limits apply | Branding; 30-day reports; one form and landing page | Capacity is only part of the free-plan decision. |
| 800 readers, four issues | Audience and 3,200 sends exceed free limits | Fits the published audience and send limits | EmailOctopus wins this capacity example, not deliverability. |
Strengths and trade-offs
MailerLite
Why choose it: More listed free user seats for a tiny shared newsletter.
Trade-off: The free subscriber ceiling is reached quickly by a growing list.
EmailOctopus
Why choose it: Larger published free audience and sending capacity.
Trade-off: Single-user access and short report retention constrain teamwork/history.
A decision for two realistic workloads
Source check: 23 September 2026. This is a calculation from published allowances, not a deliverability test.
| Workload | MailerLite Free | EmailOctopus Starter | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 readers, four issues, two editors | 800 sends; within 250 subscribers and 2,500 sends. Two seats listed. | Within 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 sends, but only one user listed. | Investigate MailerLite first if separate access for both editors is essential. |
| 800 readers, four issues, one editor | Audience exceeds the free subscriber ceiling. | 3,200 sends; within the published audience and sending allowances. | Investigate EmailOctopus first for this workload at zero subscription cost. |
What could change that conclusion?
Add welcome sequences and resends before deciding. If an automation, integration or reporting requirement forces a paid plan, obtain quotes for the same list size and billing term. Compare the whole annual commitment, taxes and renewal cost; a monthly equivalent is not a cancellable monthly contract.
Before moving a real list
Use your own test addresses to check signup, consent fields, unsubscribe and export. Save the exact plan and test date in the worksheet below. Keep suppression information intact. For a European business, confirm the processing agreement and transfer arrangements for your situation. We have not verified either service as compliant for every reader.
Official pricing sources: MailerLite and EmailOctopus. Both are affiliate partners; that does not change the workload calculation.
Make the decision with your own evidence
Choose the two criteria below that matter most to your work. Run the same small task in both products and record a pass, a fail or an unresolved question. An untested requirement is unknown, not a pass. A failed must-have outweighs optional extras.
| Criterion to test | What to record for each product |
|---|---|
| Free audience | EmailOctopus has more published free audience capacity. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
| Free monthly sends | Count campaigns plus automation, not contacts alone. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
| Free user access | MailerLite may suit a two-person editing workflow. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
| Free restrictions | Capacity is only part of the free-plan decision. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
| 800 readers, four issues | EmailOctopus wins this capacity example, not deliverability. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
Download this comparison's worksheet (CSV)
If both products pass
Compare the total cost for the same workload, then the effort to move your files and train the next user. Keep a working setup when neither alternative solves a concrete problem. If neither passes, return to the software finder with the missing requirement.
Before purchasing in Europe
Check availability in your country, invoice currency and applicable VAT, renewal and cancellation terms, supported languages and support hours. For uploaded business data, review the provider's processing terms and export/deletion options. These are checks to make, not a claim that either provider meets every requirement.
Evidence: official product information; free-plan figures checked 20 September 2026 where shown. The practical implications and conclusion are WePickTools’ editorial assessment. No hands-on performance scores. See the source section on this page.
Why this conclusion?
Both support the basic newsletter workflow. Evaluate MailerLite and EmailOctopus using the same signup, welcome sequence and campaign rather than choosing from the headline subscriber allowance alone. These are the two providers on this page for which we currently have confirmed affiliate links.
A useful trial exercise
Use a small test list of addresses you control. Build a form, send a welcome email and create a regular newsletter. Test an unsubscribe and check that the address no longer receives the next campaign. Inspect the result in both desktop and mobile inboxes.
Record completion time, manual corrections and unresolved requirements in the evaluation worksheet. This is a suggested exercise for you to run, not a report of tests we performed.
Three questions to resolve
- Does the selected plan cover contacts and actual sends?
- Can existing consent and suppression information be preserved?
- Which automation and branding controls are included?
Compare the full cost
Calculate normal and peak monthly sends, including automated messages. Check the current plan directly; this article does not claim that either provider is cheaper for every audience.
Use the same workload and billing period in our software cost calculator. Obtain current plan details, currency, applicable taxes and cancellation terms before committing.
When to pause the purchase
Do not import purchased lists or assume an existing address automatically gives permission to send marketing.
Official sources and available links
Sources were checked on 20 September 2026. Provider statements describe their products; they do not establish comparative performance. Source addresses are shown for verification. Purchase links appear only for confirmed partnerships.