Looking for an email marketing tool for your blog? Finding the right mailing provider that suits your needs, and that is affordable and easy to use is not always easy.
After using Mailchimp for several years, I finally decided to switch to a new provider, but I wasn’t sure whether I should go for Mailerlite or Convertkit. I decided to sign up for both since I have multiple blogs, so I could test them both out.
I’ll start by saying that both Mailerlite and Convertkit are much better than Mailchimp and I wish I had moved earlier.
But unlike me, you may have one blog, so which is better? Which one should you pick?
Mailerlite vs Convertkit: Main Differences
- Both email tools offer free plans for up to 1000 subscribers.
- Both email tools allow you to sell your own products/subscriptions.
- Both email tools let you create automations.
- Convertkit is more text orientated while Mailerlite is more visual.
- Both email providers allow you to do A/B testing.
So far, it looks as though these two email providers are quite similar, but some features are not supported in the free plan version.
So, let’s take a look at what’s offered in the free plans vs the paid plans.
Mailerlite vs Convertkit: Free Versions
Depending on your needs, the free version could work just fine. I’ll give you examples of how I’m using Mailerlite and Convertkit for two of my websites.
The free plan on Mailerlite is ideal if you have different freebies and need automations. For example, on Nomad Life 101, I have different types of freebies for bloggers, SEO, and freelancers.
That said, I needed a plan that allowed me to create automations so I could easily deliver my freebies to the new subscribers. I also wanted to have access to landing pages, but I found that 5 landing pages was a small number and I hit it quickly.
The free plan on Convertkit is ideal if your newsletter doesn’t require automation because you send a monthly or weekly newsletter.
On A Broken Backpack, I didn’t need an automated Welcome Sequence (more on that later), but I wanted to be able to sell products easily. I was able to make sales via the free plan without leaving Convertkit.
I’ve been using Mailerlite and Convertkit for several months now, and here are my thoughts on the free versions.
- At first, I thought Mailerlite was a lot easier to use, as it gives access to a visual builder with drag and drop features which is easy to use.
- On Convertkit, I struggled a bit at first because they use a different vocabulary. For example, to send an email (usually called campaign) you need to click on Broadcast.
- But after playing around both tools for a while, I realized that Mailerlite was sending my emails to the spam box, and I needed to sort out this problem. In order to fix this issue, I had to connect to my blog hosting dashboard and play around with the settings. You can learn how to do this here. Convertkit had no deliverability issues.
- After a few months, I finally decided to upgrade my account on Convertkit so that I could send automations and a welcome sequence.
Below, you’ll find the main differences between the free plans on both email providers. There are obviously more differences, but these are the ones that matter the most to me.
| What’s included | Mailerlite | Convertkit |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | Up to 1000 subscribers | Up to 1000 subscribers |
| Automations and sequences | Yes | No |
| Deliverability | Yes (but you need to do a few steps on your own) | Yes |
| Landing pages | Limited to 5 | Unlimited |
| Selling products/subscriptions | Yes (but you need to add your products via Stripe) | Yes |
| Embedded forms | 3 types | 9 types |
Mailerlite vs Convertkit: Paid Versions
Now, let’s see the differences between the Mailerlite and Convertkit paid plans. Like I said above, I upgraded my account on Convertkit so that I could have access to sequences and automations.
The main reason for that was because I believe Welcome Sequences are important and after being without one for several months, I wanted to have it again (I used to have it with Mailchimp).
As soon as I upgraded, I was surprisingly happy to realize the number of automations I was able to create. I could have multiple triggers that would lead to one automation (and this was the first time I’d seen this) so I was very happy about this.
On Mailerlite, I didn’t find a reason to upgrade my account because I clean up my list regularly, and while it could be fun to have access to unlimited landing pages, it wasn’t necessary for me.
Below, you’ll find the both the features and differences between Mailerlite SitesPro & Convertkit Creator plan. Both work up to 1000 subscribers. After that, the pricing goes up as the subscriber count goes up.
| What’s included | Mailerlite SitesPro | Convertkit Creator |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | Up to 1000 subscribers | Up to 1000 subscribers |
| Automations and sequences | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | $10 per month or $84 per year | $29 per month or $290 per year |
| Landing pages | Unlimited | Unlimited |
As you can see in the table, Mailerlite is more affordable than Convertkit but the SitesPro plan only offers unlimited landing pages and sites – which will only be worth it if you need this feature.
As a blogger, you probably host your website yourself, so I don’t think this feature is important.
On the other hand, the automations and sequences on Convertkit Creator plans are worth the price. While I still think it’s a shame to have to pay for this feature, I can see how valuable it is. The automations are powerful and I’ve never seen such a detailed funnel on other tools.
Set-Up Process
The initial setup was easy with both tools. I had previously downloaded a CSV with my subscribers on Mailchimp, so I was able to transfer my list easily to both tools.
Mailerlite offers a 14 day free trial including all the premium features so you can see it in action.
Convertkit also offers a 14 day free trial so you can try all the features.
Since both tools offer a free plan, it’s easy to get started for free.
Campaigns
To send a campaign on Convertkit, you’ll need to click on Broadcast and then on New Broadcast.
You can either use a template or start writing your email from scratch. It’s not as user-friendly as Mailerlite, but once you get the hang of it, it gets easier.
To send a campaign on Mailerlite, click on Campaign and then on Create Campaign. You can select a premade template or a blank one to get started from scratch. Since the builder is visual, it’s quite easy to use.
Pricing
As I mentioned above, the pricing might be an issue since Convertkit is quite pricey compared to Mailerlite. As your list grows on Convertkit, the price will increase.
So, to avoid paying a few hundred dollars every month, you’ll need to clean up your mailing list.
Mailerlite is definitely more affordable than Convertkit. Below, you’ll find a table with the prices according to the number of subscribers.
| Subscribers | Mailerlite | Convertkit |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Free | Free |
| 3000 | Between $126 and $252* | $490 per year |
| 5000 | $420 per year | $790 per year |
| 8000 | $420 per year | $1390 per year |
| 10,000 | $420 per year | $1670 per year |
* Mailerlite is $126 per year for 1000-2500 subscribers and $252 per year for 2501-5000 subscribers.
The only way to make your Convertkit fee more affordable is to regularly clean your mailing list – which is a must anyway. Every few months, I clean up my list and remove inactive subscribers.
Automation
If automation and sequences are important to you, Mailerlite has got you covered on the free plan.
Although, on Convertkit, you’ll need to upgrade your account to access the automation. Here’s an overview of automation created on Mailerlite.
Here’s an overview of automation created on Convertkit.
As you can see, Converkit offers a powerful automation system, but if you don’t mind having to duplicate your automation manually on Mailerlite, you could end up with similar results there too.
Landing Pages
Mailerlite offers 5 landing pages as part of their free plan. Alternatively, you can pay $10 per month to have unlimited sites and landing pages. They offer templates and a visual builder to speed up the process.
Convertkit offers unlimited landing pages as part of their free plans. They have many templates too.
Although, if you already own a blog, landing pages can be created straight in your blog which means it may not be a feature you need.
Products and Subscriptions
You can sell products and subscriptions on both Mailerlite and Convertkit.
The main difference between the two is that Convertkit allows you to do so right in their platform, while Mailerlite requires you to set your products up in Stripe.
That said, the process is quite easy, but includes more steps in Mailerlite.
Forms
Regarding forms and popups, Convertkit offers more options that, in my opinion, look nicer. While Mailerlite does offer templates, I’m not able to customize them as much as I’d like.
Here’s an example of the basic form on Convertkit.
Here’s an example of the basic embedded form on Mailerlite.
However, form options are less important to me. Depending on your needs, it could be an important factor to consider when picking your email provider.
Final Thoughts On Mailerlite Vs Convertkit
Finally, the right platform for you may differ depending on…
- Your budget
- The number of subscribers
- The features needed
- Deliverability
If you’re looking for the most affordable tool, you should pick Mailerlite.
If you’re looking for a powerful way to automate your newsletter and tag and segment your subscribers, you should pick Convertkit.
If you’re not tech-savvy, you may have problems ensuring Mailerlite doesn’t end in a spam box, so you may want to opt for Convertkit.
That said, if you’re all about visuals, the visual builder offered by Mailerlite is great and easy to use.
Both websites used to test these mailing providers have different needs. I love Convertkit for several reasons but I also do enjoy Mailerlite for other reasons.
I love Convertkit because…
- The deliverability is easy
- I can sell products right on Convertkit
- The automation tool is powerful
- I like the look of the emails (text orientated) since I don’t use images in my newsletter (they don’t always appear anyway)
- A/B testing
Things I dislike about Convertkit:
- The monthly fee is high for a mailing provider
- The website is harder to use at first
I love Mailerlite because…
- You can create automation for free
- The visual builder is easy to use
- The whole platform is easy to use and navigate
- The free plan allows you to do lots of things (sequences, automation)
- A/B testing
Things I dislike about Mailerlite:
- Lots of manual steps outside of the platform (to sell products, to ensure deliverability)
- Some features are not automated and require manual steps (need to duplicate, and make sure that the footer is on each page (double opt-in, thank you page).
I haven’t moved both sites onto the same provider because they both fit my needs for now. In the future, I may feel the need for a change, and I’ll make sure to update this post if this happens.
Click here to try Mailerlite for free
Click here to try Convertkit for free
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