MailerLite Free Plan Review 2026: They Just Cut It Again (Here’s What’s Left)
- ✓A/B testing free
- ✓Email templates unlocked
- ✓Best UI design
- ✓Website builder included
- ✕250-subscriber ceiling
- ✕No custom sender domain
- ✕Support drops after 14 days
- ✕3 free plan cuts in 2 years
Last updated: June 22, 2026 | Tested by: Mr Review AI Team | Data verified against: MailerLite official free plan update FAQ
Disclosure: Some links in this review are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects our scores or recommendations.
⚠️ Update Log
June 22, 2026 — Article published. All data reflects MailerLite’s updated free plan effective June 16, 2026: 250 subscribers / 2,500 emails per month / 3 automations max. Source: MailerLite free plan update FAQ. Note: Subscriber and email limits apply to existing accounts from July 1, 2026. Feature use limits (automations, forms, etc.) apply to existing accounts from August 2026.
Mr Review AI Score
MailerLite Free Plan — 2026
Tested hands-on June 2026 · Real account · No vendor demos
Quick Answer: MailerLite Free Plan (June 2026)
| Subscribers | 250 (hard ceiling — reduced from 500 on June 16, 2026) |
| Emails/month | 2,500 (reduced from 12,000) |
| Automations | 3 active max (reduced from unlimited) |
| Forms | 3 max |
| Landing pages | 1 |
| Website | 1 |
| User seats | 2 (increased from 1) |
| Email templates | Unlocked (previously paid only) |
| A/B testing campaigns | ✅ Free |
| Custom sender domain | ❌ Paid only |
| Remove MailerLite branding | ❌ Paid only |
| Support | Email + chat for first 14 days only |
| Trial trap risk | None — free plan is permanent, no auto-charge |
Quick verdict: MailerLite’s June 16, 2026 update cut the free plan significantly — 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month puts it below Mailchimp’s already-criticized limits. The trade-off: email templates, A/B testing, and promotional pop-ups are now unlocked for free users. For most creators starting from zero, Kit.com (10,000 free subscribers, unlimited sends) or Brevo (unlimited contacts, 9,000 emails/month) offer more room to grow.
🎯 Is MailerLite Free Right for You?
✅ USE IT IF YOU…
- Are just starting — expect under 250 subs for 3–6 months
- Want A/B testing at $0 — no other platform offers this free
- Need a website builder bundled with email
- Selling one digital product — no commission fees
- Plan to upgrade to $12/mo Comfort quickly
❌ SKIP IT IF YOU…
- Expect fast list growth — 250 ceiling hits quickly
- Need a custom sender domain free — use Kit.com
- Have more than 3 lead magnets or automations
- Want a large contact list free — use Brevo
- Rely on platform stability — 3 cuts in 2 years
What Just Changed — June 16, 2026
MailerLite announced a free plan restructure on June 16, 2026. The headline numbers went down sharply. Here is exactly what changed, verified directly from MailerLite’s own help documentation.
| Feature | Before June 16 | After June 16 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | 500 | 250 | 🔴 Cut 50% |
| Emails/month | 12,000 | 2,500 | 🔴 Cut 79% |
| Active automations | Unlimited | 3 max | 🔴 Cut |
| Active forms | Unlimited | 3 max | 🔴 Cut |
| Landing pages | Unlimited | 1 | 🔴 Cut |
| Websites | 1 | 1 | ➡️ Same |
| User seats | 1 | 2 | ✅ Improved |
| Email templates | ❌ Paid only | ✅ Unlocked | ✅ Improved |
| Promotional pop-ups | ❌ Paid only | ✅ Unlocked | ✅ Improved |
| A/B testing campaigns | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | ➡️ Same |
| Digital products (limit) | Unlimited | 1 max | 🔴 Cut |
When do changes take effect? New accounts are affected immediately as of June 16, 2026. Existing free accounts: subscriber and email limits transition on July 1, 2026. Feature use limits (automations, forms, digital products) apply to existing accounts from August 2026. MailerLite said they will notify users “well in advance.”
Context — MailerLite’s history of free plan cuts:
- Pre-late 2025: approximately 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month (MailerLite historical pricing — MailerLite does not publish a formal changelog)
- Late 2025: Cut to 500 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
- June 16, 2026: Cut to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 automations max
Each cut has been paired with feature unlocks — templates, pop-ups, seats — but the core numbers (subscribers, sends) have gone in one direction only: down. For the third time in two years, MailerLite has reduced what free users can do.
How We Tested
We set up a real MailerLite account for mrreviewai.com in June 2026 — the same account used for our Kit.com vs MailerLite comparison. That account was created before June 16 (tested June 7, 2026), so it currently operates under the old subscriber and email limits, which transition on July 1. Feature use limits (automations, forms) apply from August 2026. We verified the new plan limits directly against MailerLite’s official pricing page and free plan update FAQ, both accessed June 22, 2026.
Budget transparency: Mr Review AI is an independent review platform. We are on MailerLite’s free plan. We have not tested the paid Comfort or Power plans with our own money. Where we describe paid features, we note this clearly and rely on MailerLite’s official documentation. When we upgrade, we will update this review with first-hand paid plan data.
What’s Still Free — Feature by Feature
Email Campaigns
Sending email campaigns is fully functional on the free plan. You get the drag-and-drop editor, the simple text editor, and the HTML editor — all three available without upgrading. Email templates are now unlocked for free users (previously paid only), which is a genuine improvement. A/B testing on subject lines is also free — unusual at this price point, and a differentiator vs Mailchimp (which locks A/B testing behind paid plans).
The main constraint: 2,500 emails per month. With 250 subscribers, that gives you 10 emails per subscriber per month — enough for a weekly newsletter with room to spare. But you cannot email your full list more than 10 times per month. If your list is close to 250, you are effectively limited to 10 broadcasts per month before hitting the cap.
Automations (3 Max — This Is the Real Limit)
Three active automations sounds reasonable until you count what a basic affiliate funnel actually needs: welcome sequence (1), lead magnet delivery (1 per lead magnet), re-engagement flow (1). Three automations is exactly enough for one welcome sequence, one lead magnet, and one re-engagement — with nothing left over. If you have two lead magnets, you have already used all three slots.
Before June 16, MailerLite’s unlimited automation builder was its single biggest advantage over Kit.com’s free plan (which only allows 1 automation). That advantage is now gone. At 3 automations vs Kit’s 1, MailerLite still edges ahead — but the gap has closed dramatically.
Forms and Landing Pages
Three forms and one landing page. Promotional pop-ups are now unlocked on the free plan — previously this was a paid feature. This is a genuine addition that compensates slightly for the subscriber cap cut. In practice: you can run one embedded form, one pop-up, and one standalone landing page. If you need a separate form for each lead magnet, you will hit the limit at three lead magnets.
Website Builder
One website is available on the free plan. MailerLite’s website builder includes blog support, SEO fields, and a clean drag-and-drop editor. This is still a competitive differentiator — Mailchimp’s free plan includes a basic website builder, but Kit.com does not offer full website hosting on any plan.
Digital Products
One active digital product or booking. Previously unlimited on free. If you sell a single ebook or course, the free plan covers it. If you have a product catalog, you need to upgrade.
What’s Locked — Paywalled Features
- Custom sender domain — emails send from @ml.mailerlite.com on free. Paid plans unlock your own domain. This is a significant deliverability and trust signal difference vs Kit.com, which includes custom sender domain on the free plan.
- Remove MailerLite branding — every email has “Powered by MailerLite” in the footer. Requires Comfort plan ($12/mo).
- More than 3 automations — Comfort: 50 max. Power: unlimited.
- More than 3 forms — Comfort: 10. Power: unlimited.
- More than 1 landing page / website — Comfort: 10. Power: unlimited.
- Smart sending (timezone-based optimization) — Comfort and above.
- AI writing assistant — Comfort and above.
- Email support after 14 days — free plan loses personal support after day 14. You are on your own with the knowledge base after that.
- MCP server (full access) — MailerLite has an MCP server for Claude/ChatGPT integration, but API and MCP usage is limited on free.
Deliverability on the Free Plan
MailerLite’s deliverability reputation is strong — independent testing by EmailTooltester consistently places it above 90% inbox placement. The free plan shares IP infrastructure with paid users. You cannot get a dedicated IP on free (or even on Comfort — dedicated IPs require Power or Enterprise).
The key deliverability gap vs competitors: no custom sender domain on the free plan. Your emails go out from a MailerLite shared domain. Kit.com gives you a verified custom sender domain (hello@yourdomain.com) for free. For professional communication and long-term deliverability building, this is a real difference.
SPF and DKIM authentication are supported and guided during onboarding. DMARC documentation exists but is not automated. For new senders under 250 subscribers, shared IPs are fine — the risk of shared IP reputation issues grows as list size scales, which is not a free plan problem.
Free Plan Comparison: MailerLite vs Top Alternatives (2026)
All data verified June 22, 2026 from each platform’s official pricing page.
| Feature | MailerLite Free | Kit.com Free | Mailchimp Free | Brevo Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free subscribers | 250 | 10,000 | 250 | Unlimited contacts |
| Emails/month | 2,500 | Unlimited | 500 | 9,000 (300/day) |
| Automations | 3 active max | 1 sequence | 1 basic flow | Draft only (not active) |
| A/B testing | ✅ Free | ❌ Paid | ❌ Paid | ❌ Paid |
| Email templates | ✅ Free (June 2026) | ❌ Paid | Limited on free | ✅ Free |
| Landing pages | 1 | Unlimited | 1 basic | ❌ Paid |
| Website builder | 1 website free | ❌ No website builder | Basic website | ❌ No website |
| Custom sender domain | ❌ Paid | ✅ Free | ❌ Paid | ✅ Free (verify own domain) |
| Remove branding | ❌ Paid | ❌ Paid | ❌ Paid | ❌ $10.80/mo add-on |
| CRM (deals pipeline) | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Full CRM free |
| Trial trap risk | None | None | 🔴 $20 auto-charge | None |
| Support on free | 14 days only | Community | 30 days only | |
| Paid plan starts at | $12/mo (500 subs) | $39/mo (1,000 subs) | $13/mo (250 subs) | $9/mo (5,000 emails) |
When to Pick Each One
Pick MailerLite free if: You want A/B testing at $0, need a full website builder included, plan to sell one digital product, and expect to stay under 250 subscribers for a while. MailerLite’s free plan now has the most feature-complete editor of any free tier — templates, pop-ups, drag-and-drop, A/B testing all included. The constraint is purely on volume (subscribers + sends).
Pick Kit.com free if: Volume is your priority. 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts means you can grow a serious list before paying anything. The single automation limit is the main trade-off. Custom sender domain on free is Kit’s biggest deliverability advantage.
Pick Brevo free if: You have a large existing contact list (thousands of contacts) and send infrequently. Unlimited contacts with 9,000 emails/month is genuinely unmatched. The 300/day cap is painful for large broadcasts, but if you spread sending over multiple days it is workable. Full CRM included free is unique.
Avoid Mailchimp free if: You are starting fresh. The $20 auto-charge trial trap, 250-contact ceiling, and 500 emails/month make it the weakest free option of the four. The only reason to use Mailchimp free is if you are already deeply integrated into their ecosystem and migration cost exceeds the benefit of switching.
mailerlite — Rating Breakdown
Drag-and-drop & A/B testing free — best design of 4 tools
90%+ inbox rate, shared IPs, no custom domain on free
Cleanest onboarding, best dark-themed dashboard
3 active max — was unlimited, cut June 2026
250 subscribers & 2,500 emails is the tightest ceiling
MailerLite Free Plan Pros and Cons
✅ Pros
- A/B testing campaigns — free. No other major platform includes split testing at $0. This is MailerLite’s clearest free plan advantage in 2026.
- Email templates now unlocked. 100+ templates available without upgrading — a meaningful improvement from the June 16 update.
- Promotional pop-ups now free. Previously paid. Useful for list building.
- Website builder (1 site free). Full website with blog support. Kit.com has no website builder at all.
- No trial trap. Free plan is permanent. No credit card required, no auto-charge. Sign up and the free plan applies immediately.
- 2 user seats on free. Increased from 1 — useful for small teams.
- 3 automations. More than Kit.com (1) and Mailchimp (1 basic flow).
❌ Cons
- 250 subscribers — the same ceiling as Mailchimp. The platform that users have been fleeing TO from Mailchimp now has the same contact limit. For any list that will grow beyond 250, you will hit the ceiling fast.
- 2,500 emails/month — severe. That is 10 emails to your full 250-subscriber list per month. One weekly newsletter is fine, but if you use automations + broadcasts + transactional sequences, the math gets tight quickly.
- No custom sender domain. Your emails go from @ml.mailerlite.com. Kit.com includes custom domain on free. This affects deliverability and professional appearance.
- Support disappears after 14 days. Once you are past the first two weeks, you are on the knowledge base only. No live chat, no email support.
- History of cuts. Three reductions in two years. The free plan has shrunk every time MailerLite has restructured pricing. Users who depend on free plan specs being stable have been caught out repeatedly.
Who Should Use MailerLite Free in 2026?
Use MailerLite free if you:
- Are just starting and expect to stay under 250 subscribers for 3–6 months
- Want to A/B test subject lines before committing to any paid tool
- Need a website builder bundled with email marketing at $0
- Want to sell one digital product without paying commission fees
- Plan to upgrade to Comfort ($12/mo) as soon as your list grows — MailerLite’s paid plans are the most affordable of the major platforms at small list sizes
Do NOT use MailerLite free if you:
- Expect your list to grow past 250 quickly — the upgrade triggers fast
- Need a custom sender domain on a budget — use Kit.com instead
- Need unlimited automations — MailerLite no longer offers this free
- Want long-term platform stability — three free plan cuts in two years is a pattern, not an anomaly
- Have more than 3 lead magnets — you will hit the form and automation limits immediately
⭐ Mr Review AI Rating
Is mailerlite right for you?
- ✓ Just starting — expect under 250 subs for 3–6 months
- ✓ Want A/B testing at $0 — no other platform offers this free
- ✓ Need a website builder bundled with email
- ✓ Selling one digital product — no commission fees
- ✓ Plan to upgrade to $12/mo Comfort quickly
- ✕ Expect fast list growth — 250 ceiling hits quickly
- ✕ Need a custom sender domain free — use Kit.com
- ✕ Have more than 3 lead magnets or automations
- ✕ Want a large contact list free — use Brevo
- ✕ Rely on platform stability — 3 cuts in 2 years
Mr Review AI Verdict
Overall rating on the free plan: 3.6 / 5.0
MailerLite’s June 2026 update is a net negative for users who value volume over features. The subscriber and sending cuts are sharp — 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month puts MailerLite free on par with Mailchimp free, a platform users were actively fleeing to MailerLite to escape. The feature additions (templates, pop-ups) are genuine improvements but do not compensate for a list ceiling that most creators will hit within their first few months.
The platform itself remains excellent. The drag-and-drop editor is one of the best in the industry. Paid plans start at $12/month for 500 subscribers — the most affordable first paid tier of any major platform. If your goal is to start free and transition to paid quickly, MailerLite makes a strong case for the paid upgrade. As a free-forever tool, its 2026 version is harder to recommend than it was in 2025.
Best free alternative: Kit.com (10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends, custom sender domain) for creators. Brevo (unlimited contacts, full CRM) for businesses with large lists. See our full comparison: Best Free Email Marketing Tools 2026 — We Tested All 4
Is MailerLite Free Still Worth It in 2026?
Get our free comparison chart: MailerLite vs Kit.com vs Brevo — which one wins for your list size.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MailerLite free plan subscriber limit in 2026?
As of June 16, 2026, the MailerLite free plan allows up to 250 active subscribers. This was reduced from 500 (which was itself a reduction from 1,000 in late 2025). Existing free accounts transition to the 250-subscriber and 2,500 email limits on July 1, 2026. Feature use limits (automations, forms, etc.) apply to existing accounts from August 2026.
How many emails can I send for free with MailerLite?
2,500 emails per month as of June 16, 2026 — reduced from 12,000/month. With 250 subscribers, this gives you approximately 10 emails per subscriber per month. One weekly newsletter (250 sends × 4 weeks = 1,000 sends) fits well within the limit.
Does MailerLite free plan include automations?
Yes — up to 3 active automations with up to 5 steps each. Reduced from unlimited as of June 16, 2026. Comfort plan allows 50 automations. Power plan: unlimited.
Is MailerLite free forever?
Yes. MailerLite’s free plan is permanent with no time limit and no auto-charge risk. No credit card required to sign up. The plan limits have been reduced multiple times, but the free tier itself has never been eliminated.
What happened to MailerLite’s free plan in June 2026?
On June 16, 2026, MailerLite restructured the free plan: subscribers cut from 500 → 250, emails cut from 12,000 → 2,500/month, automations capped at 3, forms capped at 3, landing pages capped at 1. In exchange: email templates, promotional pop-ups, and a second user seat were unlocked. Subscriber and email limits transition for existing accounts: July 1, 2026. Feature use limits (automations, forms): August 2026.
Is MailerLite free better than Mailchimp free in 2026?
After June 2026, both have the same 250-subscriber ceiling. MailerLite edges ahead: A/B testing, email templates, pop-ups, and website builder are all free. Mailchimp has a $20 auto-charge trial trap, no A/B testing on free, and drops support after 30 days. MailerLite free is the better option of the two — but neither is a strong choice for a growing list. Kit.com (10,000 free subscribers) or Brevo (unlimited contacts) serve most creators and businesses better.
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🖊️ About the Author
Mr Review AI Team
This review was researched and tested hands-on by the Mr Review AI editorial team. We create real accounts, run actual campaigns, and document every limitation we encounter — no vendor demos, no copied spec sheets. Our reviews are editorially independent: no tool pays for a score or placement, ever. Where we have affiliate relationships, we disclose them transparently on each page.
Want to know who founded this site and what drives our editorial standards? → Meet the founder on our About page
About the Author
Mr Review AI Team
This review was researched and tested hands-on by the Mr Review AI editorial team. We create real accounts, run actual campaigns, and document every limitation we encounter — no vendor demos, no copied spec sheets. Our reviews are editorially independent: no tool pays for a score or placement, ever. Where we have affiliate relationships, we disclose them transparently on each page.
Want to know who founded this site and what drives our editorial standards? → Meet the founder on our About page
