Kit raised Creator to $33/mo and Pro to $66/mo in September 2025 (roughly 30 percent across the board), while extending the Newsletter Free tier to 10,000 subscribers. The cost flips when a focused alternative covers the one or two Kit features you actually use: writers want Buttondown, all-rounders want MailerLite, idle large lists want Brevo, and webinar-bundlers want GetResponse.
Where alternatives win
MailerLite Growing Business at $10/mo unlimited subscribers is the closest direct competitor to Kit Creator at less than a third of the new $33 entry tier with landing pages bundled.
Buttondown free covers 100 subscribers with a markdown-first editor and paid newsletters built in; standard add-ons at $9/mo for the first paid tier.
Brevo free covers 300 sends per day across unlimited subscribers and prices on send volume rather than list size, which inverts the economics for an idle large list.
GetResponse Email Marketing at $15.58/mo bundles email plus marketing automation plus landing pages plus webinars in one subscription for creators running paid courses.
By Subrupt EditorialPublished Reviewed
Kit, the platform formerly known as ConvertKit, made its name by being unapologetically built for creators. Tag-based subscriber management, visual automation that does not require a sales-engineer to configure, and a billing model that lets you grow a free list without immediate paywall. The Newsletter Free tier extension to 10,000 subscribers in 2025 made it more generous on entry; the September 2025 price increase made it more expensive on exit.
The trade-off is the new price floor. Kit Creator opens at $33/mo (up from $25 in late 2025), and the Creator Pro features most readers actually want (advanced reporting, Newsletter Referral System, Sparkloop integration) sit on the $66/mo plan. For a creator monetizing a list with paid newsletters, courses, or sponsorships, that math still pencils out. For a writer with 800 subscribers and a once-a-week broadcast, it now penalizes you twice — once for capability you do not use and once for the recent price hike.
Six exit lanes arrive here. Writers who want a markdown-first newsletter without funnel surface. Creators who also need landing pages and forms in the same plan. Solopreneurs who want a permanent free tier. Owners of large mostly-idle lists where send-volume pricing wins. Marketers running paid courses with bundled webinars. And teams whose automation has hit Kit's ceiling and want a real CRM.
Quick map by Kit-feature you actually use: writing equals Buttondown. Editor plus landing pages equals MailerLite. Free tier under 500 equals AWeber. Idle large list equals Brevo. Webinars and courses equal GetResponse. Hit the automation ceiling equals ActiveCampaign upgrade.
Affiliate disclosure: Subrupt earns a commission when you switch to a service through our recommendation links. This never changes the price you pay. We only recommend services where there's a real cost or feature advantage for you, and our picks are based on the data on this page, not on which programs pay the most.
Quick pick by use case
If you only have thirty seconds, find your situation below and skip to that pick.
GetResponse Email Marketing at $15.58/mo bundles email, automation, landing pages, and webinars in one subscription.
Skip these picks if: If you actively use Kit Creator Network for cross-promotion subscriber growth, Sparkloop integration, or paid newsletters with Stripe payouts at meaningful volume, Kit's $33-$66 monthly is doing real work and any pick below trades capability for savings.
At a glance: ConvertKit alternatives
Quick comparison across pricing floor, best fit, and switching effort. Tap a row to jump to the full pick.
Paid newsletters built inStripe payouts native to the platform
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SMS in same plan
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Native CRM
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Cost at your volume
Approximate cost per pick at typical USD/mo.
Pick
1,000 subscribers1,000 USD/mo
5,000 subscribers5,000 USD/mo
25,000 subscribers25,000 USD/mo
Buttondown
$9/mo
$29/mo
$79/mo
MailerLite
$10/mo
$32/mo
$162/mo
Brevo
$9/mo
$19/mo
$65/mo
GetResponse
$16/mo
$35/mo
$145/mo
Modeled at the entry paid tier per pick on monthly billing for the listed subscriber level. Buttondown standard add-ons add to a base account; the $9 row reflects the standard add-on cost. Brevo is send-volume priced; the cost reflects the typical Starter plan covering monthly sends for the listed subscriber count.
Buttondown is the most quietly focused tool in this space. Markdown first, paid subscriptions and tipping built in, no marketing funnel surface to scroll past.
The trade: No visual automation builder, smaller integration catalog than Kit, and no landing page builder bundled. The pricing model restructured in 2025 to base-plus-add-ons: Free 100 subscribers, then standard add-ons at $9/mo (tagging, segments, paid subs, surveys, analytics, RSS), advanced at $29/mo (custom domain, multiple newsletters, automations), enterprise at $79/mo.
The upside: If your real use of Kit is sending a weekly email to a list you built, Buttondown is the leading fit at roughly a quarter of the new Kit Creator monthly rate. Indie-owned, no enterprise upsell pressure, and the markdown-first editor is genuinely faster than Kit's WYSIWYG for writer workflows.
“Buttondown has been perfect for my email list.”
Strengths
+Markdown-native authoring with live preview
+Paid newsletters and Stripe payouts built in
+Full RSS-to-email automation without configuration
+Indie tool; no enterprise upsell pressure
Trade-offs
−No visual automation builder
−Smaller integration catalog than Kit
−No landing page builder bundled
Free
100 subscribers
Standard
$9/mo add-ons
Advanced
$29/mo automations
Pricing verified
2026-05-03
Migration steps
Export your Kit subscribers as a CSV (Subscribers > Export) with their tags intact.
Sign up for Buttondown's free tier (up to 100 subscribers) and verify your sending domain.
Import the CSV; Buttondown auto-creates matching tags so your segmentation does not break.
Recreate any active automations as simple sequences, then send a test broadcast before redirecting your sign-up forms.
Not for: Skip Buttondown if you depend on visual automation builders or run a list with active sales funnels; Buttondown is shaped for writers, not marketers.
MailerLite is the closest direct competitor to Kit on day-to-day workflow. The drag-and-drop editor is faster than Kit's, the automation builder reaches the same conditional depth, and a real landing page builder ships in the same plan.
The trade: The free tier dropped from 1,000 to 500 active subscribers in 2025. Smaller creator-focused community than Kit, no native equivalent to Kit Creator Network, and signup approval can take 24 hours.
The upside: Growing Business at $10/mo unlimited subscribers and emails sits at less than a third of the new Kit Creator monthly rate. Migration tooling pulls subscribers, tags, and basic flows directly from Kit. Advanced at $20/mo adds AI writing assistant and enhanced automations for teams that grow past Growing Business needs. Free assisted migration is bundled on paid plans.
Strengths
+Drag-and-drop editor faster than Kit's
+Landing pages and pop-ups in the same plan
+Free assisted migration from Kit on paid plans
+Less than a third of Kit Creator at unlimited subs
Trade-offs
−Free tier dropped from 1,000 to 500 active subs in 2025
−Smaller creator community than Kit
−Signup approval can take 24 hours
Growing Business
$10/mo unlimited subs
Advanced
$20/mo with AI writer
Free
500 subs, 12K sends/mo
Pricing verified
2026-05-03
Migration steps
Export your Kit subscribers as CSV (Subscribers > Export) with their tags intact.
Sign up for MailerLite and request free assisted migration on a paid plan.
Map your Kit tags and segments during the assisted import process.
Rebuild your top automation in MailerLite's workflow builder, send a test broadcast, then redirect sign-up forms.
Not for: Skip MailerLite if your contact list is over 100,000 or your automation logic depends on conditional splits MailerLite's builder cannot match.
AWeber's free plan is the most generous in the audited mainstream category for 500-subscriber lists: unlimited sends, full automation, landing pages, and forms, no credit card.
The trade: Editor UI feels older than Kit and MailerLite. Template library is dated in places. Free-tier deliverability is good but not category leader.
The upside: When you outgrow the free tier, the Lite plan is flat priced rather than contact tiered, so list growth does not silently bump you across pricing bands. Founded 1998 with US support based in Pennsylvania (real humans, not chatbots), and a 365-day affiliate cookie window for creators who want to recommend AWeber to readers.
Strengths
+Permanent free tier with full automation
+Flat-priced paid plans; no contact-band escalation
+365-day affiliate cookie window
+US support based in Pennsylvania, real humans
Trade-offs
−Editor UI feels older than Kit and MailerLite
−Template library is dated in places
−Free-tier deliverability good but not category leader
Lite
$12.50/mo flat tier
Free
500 subs full automation
Pricing model
Flat, not contact-tiered
Pricing verified
2026-05-03
Migration steps
Pull your subscribers as CSV from your current platform's export tool.
Open AWeber's free tier (500 subscribers, no card) and verify your sending domain.
Import the CSV; tags need a manual pass since AWeber does not auto-import them.
Rebuild one or two top automations in Campaigns, send a test broadcast, then redirect sign-up forms.
Not for: Skip AWeber if you want a modern, fast editor; the UI shows its age compared to Kit, MailerLite, or Brevo.
Brevo prices on emails sent rather than subscribers held, which inverts the economics for anyone with a large idle list. The platform also bundles SMS, a transactional API, and a working CRM.
The trade: Editor is functional but not as polished as Kit. Tagging and segmentation feel less native than Kit's purely creator-focused model. Some advanced features are behind the Business plan.
The upside: If your stack today is Kit plus Twilio plus Postmark plus a CRM, Brevo can collapse two or three subscriptions into one bill at $9/mo entry. Free tier covers 300 sends/day across unlimited subscribers, which beats Kit's contact-based math for any list with low send frequency.
Strengths
+Pricing per send; generous on idle lists
+SMS and transactional API in the same plan
+Native CRM with deal pipelines
+Free tier 300 sends/day across unlimited subs
Trade-offs
−Editor functional but not Kit-polished
−Tagging less native than Kit
−Some advanced features behind Business plan
Starter
$9/mo entry tier
Free
300 sends/day unlimited subs
Business
$25/mo with automation depth
Pricing verified
2026-05-03
Migration steps
Export contacts and lists from your current tool with tags intact.
Open a Brevo account and configure your sender domain with SPF and DKIM.
Import the CSV; map fields and tags during the wizard step.
Recreate your top automation, send a test broadcast, then redirect transactional and broadcast traffic.
Not for: Skip Brevo if your work is creator-led newsletters; Brevo's strengths are CRM, transactional email, and SMS, not editorial publishing.
GetResponse is the all-in-one tool that actually delivers on the all-in-one promise. Email, marketing automation, landing pages, and live or evergreen webinars in one subscription.
The trade: Editor and UI are denser than Kit. Many bundled tools you may never use. Pricing scales as your contact list grows, so the cost-per-feature math degrades as you grow above 25K contacts.
The upside: If your Kit setup currently lives next to a separate WebinarJam or LiveStorm bill plus a Carrd or Leadpages bill, GetResponse Email Marketing at $15.58/mo collapses three subscriptions into one. Native webinar tool with no third party required, 120-day affiliate cookie, and a free plan up to 500 contacts for evaluation.
Strengths
+Native webinar tool; no third party required
+Bundled landing pages, forms, and pop-ups
+120-day affiliate cookie
+Free plan up to 500 contacts
Trade-offs
−Editor and UI denser than Kit
−Many bundled tools you may never use
−Pricing scales as contact list grows
Email Marketing
$15.58/mo entry
Free
500 contacts evaluation
Webinars
Included natively
Pricing verified
2026-05-03
Migration steps
Pull contacts and tags from your current platform as CSV.
Open a GetResponse account and pick the tier matching your contact count.
Use Tools > Import & Export to load each CSV with field mapping.
Rebuild your top automation in the workflow builder, send a test broadcast, then redirect sign-up forms.
Not for: Skip GetResponse if you do not actually use the bundled webinars and landing pages; standalone email tools are cheaper for the same audience.
ActiveCampaign is not the cheaper choice. It is the upgrade choice. Multi-step conditional flows, lead and contact scoring, native sales CRM, predictive send-time optimization, and event tracking that actually works.
The trade: Steeper learning curve than Kit. Pricing scales aggressively above 5,000 contacts. Editor is functional but not Kit-pretty. No free tier.
The upside: The day a Kit user feels Kit's automation hit a wall is the day to look at ActiveCampaign. Marketing Lite at $15/mo opens with the most capable SMB automation builder in this category, native sales CRM with deal pipelines, and a third-party integration catalog Kit cannot match.
Strengths
+Most capable automation builder in the SMB tier
+Native sales CRM with deal pipelines
+Strong third-party integration catalog
+Conditional content and dynamic personalization
Trade-offs
−Steeper learning curve than Kit
−Pricing scales aggressively above 5,000 contacts
−Editor functional but not Kit-pretty
Marketing Lite
$15/mo entry
CRM
Native, included
Free tier
None
Pricing verified
2026-05-03
Migration steps
Export your contacts and segments from your current email tool as CSV.
Sign up for ActiveCampaign and pick the Plus tier if you need automation depth.
Use the import wizard to load contacts; ActiveCampaign auto-detects fields and tags.
Rebuild your top automation in the visual workflow builder, run a test send, then point sign-up forms at ActiveCampaign.
Not for: Skip ActiveCampaign if your list is under 1,000 and you do not need its automation depth; the price step over MailerLite is hard to justify.
Paid plans from $15.00/mo
When to stay with ConvertKit
Stay with Kit if you are actively monetizing a list with paid newsletters, courses, or sponsorships, you depend on the Creator Network referral system, or your Newsletter Free tier (now up to 10,000 subscribers) genuinely covers your daily use. The picks below are honest exits for paid Kit Creator subscribers (now $33/mo, up from $25 in late 2025) who do not need the full Creator tier surface.
Kit alternatives are scored on five things in this order: dominant use case fit, migration cost, day-to-day editor quality, pricing trajectory as the list grows, and integration coverage with the tools the reader is already paying for. Picks are ordered by user-fit, not by affiliate payout, and the Subrupt FTC disclosure on every page contains the full conflict of interest statement.
We test the free tier of every recommendation and at least one paid tier on a real list. The picks list is reviewed quarterly, and any time a major pricing change ships from Kit or an alternative, we revisit the page within two weeks.
Update history2 updates
Initial published version.
Backfilled to Stage 2 schema with structured verdict, 4-paragraph intro, Quick Verdict, Feature Matrix, Usage Cost Table, sourced testimonials, and per-pick author ratings. Kit Creator $25 → $33/mo and Pro $50 → $66/mo (September 2025 pricing increase, roughly 30 percent). Kit Newsletter Free tier extended to 10,000 subscribers. MailerLite Free dropped from 1,000 to 500 active subscribers. Buttondown restructured to base + add-on tiers ($9 standard, $29 advanced, $79 enterprise).
Frequently asked questions about ConvertKit alternatives
What changed when ConvertKit became Kit?
Brand and visual identity changed in 2024. Pricing tiers, feature scope, and the underlying product are the same. Existing ConvertKit users were migrated automatically and the URL still resolves to the same dashboard.
Which Kit alternative has the most generous free tier?
MailerLite is the most generous overall at 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 sends per month. AWeber's free tier is smaller at 500 subscribers but includes full automation and an unlimited send count, which neither MailerLite free nor Kit free offers.
Will I lose my tags, segments, and automations when migrating?
Tags and contact data port cleanly between any of the alternatives listed here. Automations are platform specific and need to be rebuilt by hand. The visual builders in MailerLite, ActiveCampaign, and Brevo are at least as capable as Kit's, so the rebuild is typically a few hours per active flow rather than days.
What about Kit Creator Network and Sparkloop?
Creator Network is exclusive to Kit and worth weighing if cross promotion drives meaningful subscriber growth for you. Sparkloop is a separate product that can be wired to MailerLite, ActiveCampaign, and most other major platforms, so you do not lose access to it by leaving Kit.
Is the migration worth it if my list is already on Kit and working?
Not always. The break-even point is usually around 60 dollars a month in Kit billing for tools that have not heavily invested in Kit-specific automations. Below that, the savings are real but small, and the rebuild time often eats them. Above that, the case to switch gets stronger every billing cycle.
Should I switch if I am under 1,000 subscribers?
Probably yes if you are paying for Kit Creator. AWeber's free tier covers most under-500 setups, and MailerLite's free tier covers most under-1,000 setups, both with full automation. Save the 25 dollars a month until you actually need a paid plan.
Ready to switch?
Our top ConvertKit alternative: MailerLite
MailerLite Growing Business at $10/mo unlimited subscribers is the closest direct competitor to Kit Creator at less than a third of the new $33 entry tier with landing pages bundled.
The team behind subrupt.com. We track subscriptions, surface cheaper alternatives, and publish comparisons where the score formula is on the page so you can recompute it yourself. We do not claim 30,000 hours of testing. What we claim is live pricing from our database, a transparent composite score, and honest savings math against a category baseline.
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Buttondown
MailerLite
AWeber
Brevo
ActiveCampaign
GetResponse