Email marketing is not optional in 2026. It is the one channel you actually own. Social media algorithms change. SEO rankings fluctuate. Ad costs keep rising. But your email list is yours. Nobody can take it away, throttle your reach, or charge you more to access your own audience.
The problem for beginners is that most email marketing platforms want to charge you before you have made a single dollar. Mailchimp wants $13/month. ConvertKit wants $29/month. ActiveCampaign wants $49/month. That adds up fast when you are just getting started.
The good news: every major email platform has a free tier that is powerful enough to build a real business on. You do not need to pay anything until you have hundreds or thousands of subscribers. And by then, the revenue from your list should easily cover the cost.
I tested every free email marketing tool available in 2026. This guide covers the 12 that are genuinely useful for beginners, with honest details about what the free tiers actually include and where the limitations hit.
The numbers do not lie. Email marketing has the highest return on investment of any marketing channel:
But the most important advantage is not ROI. It is ownership. When you build a following on Instagram, TikTok, or X, you are building on rented land. The platform decides who sees your content. Algorithm changes can cut your reach by 90% overnight. Email is different. When someone gives you their email address, you have a direct line to them. No algorithm. No middleman. No pay-to-play.
Every successful online business has one thing in common: a strong email list. Whether you are selling digital products, running a blog, promoting affiliate offers, or building a personal brand, email is the engine that drives revenue.
Not all email tools are created equal. Here is what matters for beginners:
Use the Email Warmup Planner to plan your email sending strategy from day one. Warming up your email domain properly is crucial for deliverability, and most beginners skip this step.
Free tier: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
Best for: Beginners who want automation on a free plan
What you get for free: Drag-and-drop email editor, automation builder, signup forms, landing pages, website builder, pop-ups, and email scheduling. This is the most feature-rich free tier in email marketing.
Limitations: No newsletter templates, no auto-resend to non-openers, and the MailerLite branding appears in your emails. You also cannot use a custom domain on the free plan.
Why I recommend it: MailerLite gives beginners everything they need to build a real email marketing system without paying. The automation builder alone is worth more than most paid tools. The learning curve is gentle, the interface is clean, and the documentation is excellent.
Upgrade price: $10/month for 500 subscribers, scaling with list size
Free tier: Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day (about 9,000/month)
Best for: People who want unlimited contacts from day one
What you get for free: Drag-and-drop editor, transactional emails, SMS marketing, automation workflows, CRM, signup forms, and landing pages. Brevo is actually a full marketing platform, not just email.
Limitations: 300 emails per day cap means you cannot blast your entire list at once if it grows large. Brevo branding on emails. No A/B testing on the free plan.
Why I recommend it: The unlimited contacts feature is unique. Most platforms charge based on subscriber count, so Brevo lets you grow your list as large as you want without paying. The built-in CRM and SMS marketing are bonuses you will not find elsewhere for free.
Upgrade price: $9/month for 5,000 emails/month (no daily limit)
Free tier: 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month (500/day limit)
Best for: Brand recognition and integrations
What you get for free: Email builder, basic templates, signup forms, landing pages, basic reporting, and 300+ integrations. Mailchimp integrates with virtually every platform and tool you might use.
Limitations: The free tier has been significantly reduced over the years. No automation, no email scheduling, no A/B testing, and only 500 contacts. Mailchimp branding on all emails. The free tier is more of a trial than a real free plan now.
Why I recommend it (with caveats): If you need integrations with other tools, Mailchimp is unmatched. But for a feature-complete free plan, MailerLite or Brevo are better choices. Mailchimp is best if you plan to upgrade to paid relatively quickly.
Upgrade price: $13/month for 500 contacts
Free tier: 1,000 subscribers, unlimited emails
Best for: Content creators, bloggers, and course sellers
What you get for free: Email broadcasts, subscriber management, landing pages, signup forms, basic automation (single-step), and digital product sales. ConvertKit was built specifically for creators, and it shows in the interface.
Limitations: No visual automation builder on the free plan (only basic sequences). No email templates -- emails are plain text by design (which actually improves deliverability). No advanced reporting.
Why I recommend it: If you are a blogger, YouTuber, or course creator, ConvertKit is purpose-built for your workflow. The focus on plain text emails might seem limiting, but plain text emails actually get higher open and click rates than heavily designed emails. The built-in digital product sales feature is a standout.
Upgrade price: $29/month for 1,000 subscribers
Free tier: 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends
Best for: Newsletter-first businesses
What you get for free: Beautiful newsletter editor, built-in website/blog, SEO optimization, custom domains, referral program, and boosts (paid recommendations from other newsletters). Beehiiv was designed by ex-Morning Brew employees for serious newsletter operators.
Limitations: No automation on the free plan. No A/B testing. Beehiiv branding. Limited analytics.
Why I recommend it: If your primary goal is building a newsletter audience, Beehiiv is unmatched. The 2,500 subscriber free tier is the most generous for newsletter platforms. The built-in referral program helps you grow virally. The boost network lets you earn money by recommending other newsletters.
Upgrade price: $49/month (Scale plan)
Free tier: 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month
Best for: E-commerce businesses and high-volume senders
What you get for free: Drag-and-drop editor, automation, pop-ups, forms, reporting, and e-commerce integrations. The free tier is extremely generous for both subscriber count and send volume.
Limitations: Sender branding on emails. Less well-known than competitors, which means fewer third-party integrations and community resources.
Why I recommend it: 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month for free is hard to beat. If you are focused on e-commerce and need high send volumes, Sender gives you the most room to grow before paying.
Upgrade price: $10/month for 2,500 subscribers (removes branding)
Free tier: 100 subscribers
Best for: Developers and writers who love simplicity
What you get for free: Markdown editor, clean newsletter design, subscriber management, RSS-to-email, and API access. Buttondown is minimal by design -- no bloated features, no visual clutter.
Limitations: Only 100 subscribers on the free tier. No automation. No templates. This is a newsletter tool, not a full marketing platform.
Why I recommend it: If you are a developer or writer who values simplicity and just wants to send clean emails, Buttondown is perfect. The Markdown editor is a joy to use, and the API is well-documented for custom integrations.
Upgrade price: $9/month for 1,000 subscribers
Free tier: 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails/month
Best for: Budget-conscious startups
What you get for free: Email campaigns, automation, landing pages, forms, and basic reporting. EmailOctopus keeps things straightforward and affordable.
Limitations: EmailOctopus branding on emails. Fewer templates and integrations than bigger platforms.
Upgrade price: $9/month for 2,500 subscribers
Free tier: 30-day free trial (then paid)
Best for: E-commerce with advanced automation needs
What you get for trial: Full access to all features including automation, personalization, landing pages, and e-commerce tracking. Moosend has some of the best automation features in the mid-range market.
Note: Moosend is a trial rather than a permanent free tier. I include it because the trial is generous enough to build and test your email system, and the paid pricing ($9/month) is affordable.
Free tier: 500 contacts, 3,500 emails/month
Best for: Beginners who want easy drag-and-drop design
What you get for free: Drag-and-drop editor, responsive templates, signup forms, basic reporting, and email automation (limited to single triggered emails).
Upgrade price: $13/month for 500 contacts
Free tier: 1,000 contacts, 2,000 sends/month
Best for: SaaS companies and product-led businesses
What you get for free: Transactional emails, marketing emails, event-triggered automation, and a clean interface designed for product teams. Loops is newer but gaining traction fast in the tech startup space.
Upgrade price: $49/month for 5,000 contacts
Free tier: 2,000 contacts, unlimited emails
Best for: All-in-one business builders
What you get for free: Email marketing, funnels, online courses, community, automation, blogging, and more. Systeme.io is not just email -- it is an entire online business platform with a generous free tier.
Limitations: The email editor is more basic than dedicated email tools. Jack of all trades means it is not the best at any single thing.
Why I recommend it: If you want email marketing plus course hosting plus funnel building plus a blog in one free tool, Systeme.io delivers. The free tier supports a complete online business without paying for separate tools.
Upgrade price: $27/month for unlimited everything
| Platform | Free Subscribers | Free Emails/Month | Automation | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | 1,000 | 12,000 | Yes | Full feature set |
| Brevo | Unlimited | ~9,000 | Yes | Unlimited contacts |
| Mailchimp | 500 | 1,000 | No | 300+ integrations |
| ConvertKit | 1,000 | Unlimited | Basic | Creator-focused |
| Beehiiv | 2,500 | Unlimited | No | Newsletter platform |
| Sender | 2,500 | 15,000 | Yes | High send volume |
| Buttondown | 100 | Unlimited | No | Markdown editing |
| EmailOctopus | 2,500 | 10,000 | Yes | Budget-friendly |
| Benchmark | 500 | 3,500 | Limited | Easy design |
| Loops | 1,000 | 2,000 | Yes | SaaS-focused |
| Systeme.io | 2,000 | Unlimited | Yes | All-in-one platform |
Here is how to go from zero to sending your first email campaign in under an hour:
For most beginners, I recommend MailerLite. It has the best balance of free features, ease of use, and room to grow. Create your free account.
Add your business name, physical address (required by law), and default "from" name and email. Verify your email domain for better deliverability.
Build an embedded signup form to place on your website. Keep it simple: name, email, and one compelling reason to subscribe. "Get weekly marketing tips that actually work" is better than "Subscribe to our newsletter."
Your welcome email is the most-opened email you will ever send (average 50-60% open rate). Use it wisely. Deliver on whatever you promised in your signup form. Set expectations for future emails. Include one link to your best content or product.
Use the Email Sequence Builder to plan your entire welcome sequence before you start writing. Having a roadmap makes the writing process much faster.
Before sending anything, run your subject line through the Email Subject Line Tester. A great email with a bad subject line never gets opened. Test 3-5 variations and use the highest-scoring one.
Send your first email. Wait 24 hours. Check your open rate and click rate. Aim for 30%+ open rate on your first sends (small, engaged lists typically see higher rates). Iterate based on data.
The biggest challenge for beginners is not choosing a tool. It is getting people to actually subscribe. Here are proven strategies that work even when you have zero audience:
A lead magnet is something valuable you give away for free in exchange for an email address. The best lead magnets solve a specific, urgent problem. Use the Lead Magnet Builder (if you sell digital products) to create something compelling. Examples:
A content upgrade is a lead magnet that is specific to one piece of content. If you write a blog post about "10 marketing strategies," offer a downloadable PDF checklist of those strategies as a content upgrade. Relevance drives higher conversion rates than generic lead magnets.
Deliverability is the percentage of your emails that actually reach the inbox (not spam or promotions). It is the single most important technical aspect of email marketing, and most beginners ignore it.
Set up three DNS records for your domain:
Every email platform will walk you through setting these up. It takes 15-30 minutes and dramatically improves your deliverability.
Use the Email Warmup Planner to create a proper warmup schedule for your domain. Sending too many emails too fast from a new domain is the fastest way to land in spam.
Remove inactive subscribers every 3-6 months. A smaller, engaged list has better deliverability than a large, inactive one. Send a re-engagement campaign to inactive subscribers first ("We miss you -- do you still want to hear from us?"), then remove anyone who does not respond.
Email automation is where the real leverage is. You set up a sequence once, and it runs automatically for every new subscriber. Here are the essential sequences every beginner should build:
Plan this entire sequence with the Email Sequence Builder before writing a single word. Having the structure mapped out makes writing 10x faster.
If someone adds a product to their cart but does not complete the purchase:
Abandoned cart emails recover 5-15% of lost sales on average. For an e-commerce business doing $10,000/month, that is $500-$1,500 in recovered revenue.
Most beginners obsess over open rates. But open rates are unreliable (Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates them artificially). The metric that actually matters is revenue per email. How much money does each email you send generate? Track this from day one. If an email sequence generates $500 from 1,000 subscribers, your revenue per subscriber is $0.50. Every new subscriber is worth $0.50. Now you know exactly how much you can afford to spend to acquire a subscriber.
We built free tools specifically to help with email marketing. No signup required:
Plan automated email flows and welcome sequences.
Test and optimize subject lines before sending.
Plan your domain warmup for maximum deliverability.
Create compelling lead magnets to grow your list.
Plan your email content calendar for consistency.
Build landing pages for your email signups.
MailerLite is the best overall for complete beginners. It has an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, automation on the free plan, and 1,000 subscribers with 12,000 emails/month. If you want unlimited contacts, Brevo is the better choice.
It varies: Mailchimp allows 500, MailerLite allows 1,000, ConvertKit allows 1,000, Brevo allows unlimited, Beehiiv allows 2,500, and Sender allows 2,500. For most beginners, 500-1,000 free subscribers is enough to validate your strategy.
Yes. MailerLite, Brevo, Sender, and Systeme.io include automation on their free plans. Mailchimp removed automation from its free tier. If automation matters, choose MailerLite or Brevo.
Email marketing covers all email communications including newsletters, automated sequences, and promotional campaigns. Newsletters are a specific type -- regular content updates on a schedule. Newsletters build relationships; other email types drive specific actions.
Once per week is the sweet spot for most beginners. Frequent enough to stay top-of-mind, not so frequent that people unsubscribe. Some niches support daily emails, but test carefully before increasing frequency.
Use a reputable email platform, authenticate your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), avoid spam trigger words, maintain a clean list, include unsubscribe links, and only email people who opted in. Engagement is the biggest factor -- if people open your emails, providers trust you.
The average across all industries is 21-22%. Beginners with small, engaged lists often see 30-50%. Focus on click-through rate (2-5%) as a better engagement metric. Rates decrease as your list grows.
Create a valuable lead magnet, promote it everywhere (social media, website, communities), add signup forms to every page, guest post on relevant blogs, and make the value proposition clear. People need a compelling reason to give you their email.
Start free. Every tool on this list has a free tier sufficient for beginners. Upgrade when you hit limits or need advanced features. Paying before you need to is a waste of money.
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