THE SHORT ANSWER
Our conclusion
For an 800-reader free newsletter, choose Kit on published capacity. For 200 readers and four issues, either fits; choose using the actual editor and required welcome workflow. MailerLite’s affiliate relationship does not change this conclusion.
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 | Kit | What this means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free audience | 250 subscribers | 10,000 subscribers | Kit provides more published free audience capacity. |
| Free broadcasts | 2,500 monthly sends | Unlimited email broadcasts | Kit removes this particular monthly broadcast cap. |
| Signup assets | Forms and landing pages within plan limits | Unlimited forms and landing pages listed | Check the specific form and branding requirements. |
| 200 readers, four issues | 800 broadcast sends fit | 800 broadcast sends fit | Capacity does not distinguish these simple workloads. |
| 800 readers, four issues | Exceeds the free audience and send allowance | Fits the published broadcast allowance | Kit is the capacity choice for this example. |
Strengths and trade-offs
MailerLite
Why choose it: A viable small-list option with campaign and signup tools.
Trade-off: Growing beyond 250 subscribers forces a plan decision.
Kit
Why choose it: Substantially more free broadcast/audience headroom.
Trade-off: Unlimited broadcasts do not establish unlimited automation.
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 | Kit provides more published free audience capacity. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
| Free broadcasts | Kit removes this particular monthly broadcast cap. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
| Signup assets | Check the specific form and branding requirements. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
| 200 readers, four issues | Capacity does not distinguish these simple workloads. Record the exact plan, observed result and any workaround. |
| 800 readers, four issues | Kit is the capacity choice for this example. 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.
The free-plan difference
MailerLite lists a ceiling of 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails. Kit lists up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited email broadcasts. These are published allowances, not a promise that every automation or integration is included.
A small list: test the whole journey
For 200 subscribers and four newsletters, your baseline is 800 sends per month. Add 30 new readers receiving two welcome emails and the workload becomes 860. That fits MailerLite’s published audience and send limits. At this size, evaluate the signup form, editor and unsubscribe experience before choosing on capacity alone.
A growing list: separate audience from frequency
At 800 subscribers and four newsletters, you need 3,200 broadcasts per month before any automated messages. That audience exceeds MailerLite’s free ceiling. Kit’s published free audience allowance accommodates it. This makes Kit worth investigating if the newsletter itself is your main product, but it does not establish that its free workflow meets every requirement.
Automation is a separate decision
Write down your desired sequence: signup, welcome, a follow-up after two days, and a different message after a purchase. Check each step in the current plan comparison. A generous broadcast allowance does not mean that conditional sequences, integrations or branding controls are free.
Compare the paid bill before migrating
Request prices for your current list and your expected list in six months, using the same billing period and currency. Include the features that force an upgrade. An annual price expressed per month is not the same payment commitment as a cancellable monthly plan. We do not declare a paid-price winner because the relevant quote depends on those choices.
Our decision
For a first list below 250 people, shortlist both and try a form and welcome message with your own address. For a larger newsletter on a zero subscription budget, investigate Kit first because of its published audience allowance. Before moving real subscribers, confirm consent records, export fields and the exact automation you need. We have not compared deliverability or support.
What other reviewers and users report
MailerLite: editor flexibility
EmailTooltester’s comparison, updated 4 September 2026, favours MailerLite’s email editor for flexibility and ease of arranging content. Its reviewers see Kit as more focused on creators. This is their editorial assessment; we have not reproduced their tests.
Kit: automation versus email design
TechRadar’s Kit review praises the workflow builder while finding the email layout and template choices more restrictive. The review covers different tiers: do not assume a feature praised in a paid-plan test is available free.
Setup can be a separate hurdle
In a discussion in r/Newsletters, one poster reports difficulty setting up a business email and completing MailerLite verification. A respondent presenting themselves as a MailerLite representative points to domain-authentication troubleshooting. The thread does not establish how common the problem is or whether the product caused it.
How to use this evidence
An editor can be convenient once an account works, while initial domain setup can still be difficult. Treat these reports as questions for your own trial: can you recreate your preferred layout, build the required sequence on your chosen plan, and authenticate your domain? We selected these sources because they address different parts of that journey, not because they establish an overall winner.
Review publishers may earn affiliate income. Read their disclosures and test dates. We use provider documentation for current plan allowances and identify opinions separately. No review text, screenshots or star ratings have been copied into this article.
Sources and further reading
- MailerLite pricing
- Kit pricing (source: https://kit.com/pricing; provider link not active)
Plan terms can change. Confirm the current allowance and total price before subscribing.
Considering MailerLite?
Use the comparison above to check whether it fits your workflow.
We may earn a commission if you sign up through this link and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you. Check the current plan and terms before subscribing.