MailerLite vs Kit – Don’t Choose Before Reading This

Last Updated: 06 Jan 2026

MailerLite vs Kit (ConvertKit): I Used Both — Here’s What You Should Know

I remember this exact moment — sitting at my desk with two tabs open:
MailerLite on one side, ConvertKit (now just called Kit) on the other.

I had finally committed to growing my list properly, but now I was stuck between these two tools — both popular, both highly recommended, and both claiming to be “the best for creators.”

And honestly?
Making this choice felt way harder than it should’ve been.

I stopped overthinking it… and signed up for both.

I ran real email campaigns. Built automations. Designed newsletters. Sent broadcasts.
I used both MailerLite and Kit for my own business and clients — so I could finally see which one truly worked in practice, not just on paper.

And now, I’m breaking it all down for you — in plain English, no fluff, just real insights from someone who’s actually used both.

Let’s Start the battle of Mailerlite vs Convertkit 👇

👉 My Final Take:

• If you’re a creator who just wants a free plan with a big subscriber limit, Kit is attractive.

Get Kit for free now

• But if you’re building a real business and care about design, automation, and long-term affordability, MailerLite wins in almost every key area.

                                                                       Get Mailerlite for free Now

Email Editor: Which One Actually Makes Email Creation Easier?

Both MailerLite and Kit say their email editors are easy to use. But after sending 20+ email campaigns using both tools, the difference becomes clear while actually creating emails.

In real use, email creation is mostly about writing the message, adding a button or link, quickly checking the mobile view, and sending the email without spending too much time on design.

MailerLite’s Email Editor

Using MailerLite’s drag-and-drop editor feels smooth from the start. I could write the email and then quickly improve it without breaking my flow.

MailerLite’s Email editor

During real campaigns, I was able to:

• Add text and buttons in seconds

• Move sections freely

• Insert images or dividers easily

• See a live mobile preview while editing

I didn’t have to fix spacing or layout issues again and again. This helped me build and send emails faster, especially when sending emails regularly.

MailerLite’s editor works well if you want speed, flexibility, and more control over design.

Kit’s Email Editor (Formerly ConvertKit)

Kit’s email editor has improved a lot. It offers a simple drag-and-drop system where you can add text, images, buttons, and layouts using a side panel.

Kit’s email editor

You also get a mobile preview, so you can check how emails look on phones before sending. The editor stays clean and focused, which makes it easy to write and send emails quickly.

However, the editor still feels more structured than flexible. You work within fixed layouts, which is fine for plain, text-based emails but limiting if you want more visual control.

My Verdict

If you want to build emails faster and have more freedom with layout and design, MailerLite is the better choice.

Kit works well for simple emails, but for regular marketing emails with more structure, it feels limited.

Score:
MailerLite 1️⃣ – Kit 0️⃣

Design & Templates: How Much Freedom Do You Really Get?

When you send emails often, design isn’t just about looks — it’s about trust and keeping people interested. And here, these two tools feel very different.

MailerLite gives you a lot of creative freedom.
With the move to New MailerLite, the editor feels more modern and powerful. You get 70+ ready-made templates that look clean, mobile-friendly, and professional. I always found something close to what I needed for newsletters, promos, or launches.

MailerLite has also added AI tools to help write content and subject lines faster, plus new blocks like surveys, quizzes, and product sections for online stores. If you like tweaking designs, you can even use custom HTML/CSS.

The downside? Most of these templates and features are available only on the paid plan or during the free trial. Still, once unlocked, the quality is hard to beat.

Kit keeps things simple — by choice.
After rebranding, Kit doubled down on clean, text-first emails. You get around 20 basic templates, and instead of heavy design tools, Kit focuses on writing. You type / to add images, buttons, or countdowns, which feels fast and distraction-free.

Kit also added Snippets, so you can save things like a bio or CTA and reuse them everywhere. That’s very handy. But layout options are still limited, and design-heavy emails aren’t really its thing.

My verdict?
MailerLite wins for design freedom and advanced tools.
But Kit deserves a point for simplicity, writing speed, and clean delivery.

Score: MailerLite 2️⃣ – Kit 1️⃣

Email Automation: Who Makes It Easier (and Smarter)?

This is where both tools really step up — but in different ways.

When I use MailerLite, everything feels simple and fast. In late 2025 and early in 2026, MailerLite updated its automation builder, and it feels much better now. The builder is fully drag-and-drop, so I can move things around without stress.

Mailerlite Automation builder

You can now:

• Rearrange emails, delays, actions, and conditions just by dragging them

• Duplicate steps instantly across branches

• Test the entire automation in one click by sending every email in the sequence to your inbox

• Start one automation from multiple triggers (like joining a group or clicking a link)

• Manually add subscribers—or even whole groups—into an automation, or drop them into a specific step

That last feature is surprisingly powerful. It’s perfect for high-touch sales, manual follow-ups, or fixing edge cases without breaking your main automation.

Best part?
All of this is available on the free plan, which is huge for beginners.

Overall, MailerLite’s automation feels visual, fast, and beginner-friendly—without feeling limited as you grow.

Kit takes a “creator business” approach.

Kit’s automations are built around Sequences and Rules. You write emails directly inside a sequence, which feels smooth once you get used to it.

In 2025, Kit added smarter features like:

• More triggers from tools like Thinkific and Typeform

• Automation based on survey answers

• Built-in tools for selling products and subscriptions

• A/B testing inside automation emails (not just subject lines)

Kit also lets you use quick Rules for simple tasks, so you don’t always need to open the full automation builder.

That said, Kit’s system is tag-based, so there’s a learning curve. It’s powerful, but can feel confusing at first. Also, the free plan only allows one automation, which is limiting.

My verdict?
MailerLite wins for simplicity, visuals, and free access.
Kit wins for deep targeting, personalization, and creator-focused automations.

Both are strong — just built for different people.

Score update:
 MailerLite 3️⃣ – Kit 2️⃣

Segmentation & List Management: Which One Is Easier to Manage?

Both MailerLite and Kit help you organize your email list, but they take very different approaches — and that affects how easy they feel to use.

MailerLite is simple and structured.
MailerLite lets you organize subscribers using Groups (manual lists) and Segments (lists created by rules). This setup is easy to understand and works well if you want things to stay clean and predictable.

You can now build segments based on exact actions, like which automated email someone opened or which link they clicked. You can also trigger automations the moment someone enters a segment, which makes follow-ups and re-engagement emails easy to set up.

Working with large lists feels smooth. The subscriber page is clean, fast, and easy to scan — even with thousands of contacts.
The only real limit is custom fields. They stay basic, which is fine for most users but not ideal if you want very detailed data.

Kit is flexible and tag-driven.
Kit uses one main list and organizes people using tags. Tags are added or removed automatically based on what subscribers do — signing up, clicking links, or buying products.

Kit also lets you change email content based on tags, so two people can receive different messages inside the same email. This is especially useful if you sell multiple products or want deeper personalization.

Kit has also improved how it handles purchase data, making it easier to group subscribers based on what they buy and how valuable they are.
The trade-off is complexity. If you’re new, the tag system can feel confusing at first.

Verdict

Choose MailerLite if you want something easy to manage, clean, and beginner-friendly.
Choose Kit if you want deeper control and more advanced targeting.

Total Score: MailerLite 4️⃣ – Kit 3️⃣

Registration Forms: Who Makes List Building Easier?

If email marketing is important to you, registration forms matter a lot. They decide how easily people join your list — and how good that first impression feels.

Both MailerLite and Kit let you create GDPR-friendly forms like pop-ups, slide-ins, embedded forms, and landing pages. You can even build full pages without having a website. So on basics, both tools do the job.

The real difference is how much control you get.

MailerLite focuses on design and flexibility

MailerLite’s form builder feels like a smaller version of a website builder. You can freely move blocks, change layouts, and adjust colors, fonts, images, countdown timers — all with drag and drop.

Pop-ups are especially strong. You can control when they appear, like:

• when someone tries to leave the page

• after scrolling

• after spending some time on the page

MailerLite also lets you A/B test forms, so you can compare two designs or messages and see which one gets more sign-ups.

Another useful improvement is multi-step forms. Instead of showing a long form all at once, you can split it into smaller steps, which feels easier for visitors and often improves sign-ups.

Overall, MailerLite gives you more freedom to match your forms to your brand and test what works best.

Kit focuses on speed and simplicity

Kit’s form builder is built for creators who want things done fast. Instead of freely dragging elements, you choose from ready-made templates for inline forms, pop-ups, and slide-ins.

One standout feature is incentive delivery. When someone signs up, Kit can automatically send them a download (like an ebook or checklist) right after email confirmation — without setting up extra automation. This saves time and works very well for lead magnets.

Kit also uses simple block commands to add things like images or countdowns quickly. And all forms and landing pages connect to your Creator Profile, so you can share one link that shows all your active pages and forms.

The downside is customization. If you want full design control or unique layouts, Kit can feel limiting.

Verdict

MailerLite is better if you want full control, better design options, and testing tools to improve sign-ups.
Kit is better if you want speed, simple forms, and fast lead-magnet delivery without much setup.

Updated Total Score: MailerLite 5️⃣ – Kit 3️⃣

Landing Page Builder: Which One Actually Converts?

When you want to collect leads, promote offers, or launch something new, landing pages matter. And while both tools let you make pages without a website, the experience is very different.

MailerLite gives you more control.
With the new MailerLite, the landing page builder feels modern and flexible. You can choose from many templates, use drag-and-drop to move blocks around, and add interactive elements like surveys, quizzes, or product sections.

MailerLite also added AI tools to quickly generate landing page content, and you can save custom blocks to reuse across pages. A/B testing for multiple versions helps see what converts best. On the free plan, you can publish up to 10 landing pages, which is plenty to start.

Kit keeps it fast and simple.
Kit focuses on speed. You get unlimited landing pages on the free plan, and they automatically feed into your Creator Profile for easy sharing. You can deliver lead magnets instantly and tweak elements with a click-to-edit system.

The trade-off? Layout options are very limited. There’s no free-form drag-and-drop, so design flexibility is low. It works, but you won’t get highly customized pages.

My verdict?
MailerLite wins for flexibility, creative control, and conversion features.
Kit earns a point for simplicity and quick setup.

Total Score: MailerLite 6️⃣ – Kit 4️⃣

Reporting: Who Helps You Actually Understand What’s Working?

Reporting: Knowing What’s Working

Good reporting helps me quickly see what’s working and what’s not — without digging around.

MailerLite keeps things clear.

MailerLite shows open rates, clicks, unsubscribes, and device data all in one place. In 2026, the dashboard got even better with visual graphs for subscriber growth and e-commerce sales.

I also like that I can download PDF reports, which is useful for reviewing or sharing results. Plus, purchase tracking for Shopify and WooCommerce makes it easy to see what actually brings in money.

Overall, MailerLite’s reporting feels clean, visual, and easy to understand.

Kit got smarter in 2026.

Earlier, Kit’s reporting felt basic. But in 2026, Kit introduced Kitlytics, which uses AI to explain why something worked.

Instead of just showing opens and clicks, it tells me what kind of subject lines my audience likes. It feels less like reading numbers and more like getting advice.

That said, Kit still lacks a strong visual dashboard, so spotting trends takes more effort.

My verdict? Tie

• MailerLite wins for clear dashboards and easy-to-read reports.

• Kit wins for smart insights that help improve future emails.

Score: MailerLite 6️⃣ – Kit 5️⃣

Score: MailerLite 7️⃣ – Kit 6️⃣

Integrations & Extras: Do They Play Nice With Other Tools?

If you’re like me, email marketing doesn’t live in a bubble. It connects with your store, your website, your forms, your payment systems — everything. So integrations? Yeah, they matter.

Kit (ConvertKit) connects with a solid list of tools — around 90 integrations, including big names like Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, WordPress, and Wix.

You also get access to Zapier, which opens the door to thousands more workflows if you’re willing to set them up.

But here’s the catch: some of the “integrations” they list aren’t actually native. You’ll need to copy and paste HTML or mess with code to make things work — which feels a bit outdated, honestly.

And strangely enough, no direct integrations with major CRMs like HubSpot or Salesforce, which could be a dealbreaker for advanced setups.

MailerLite is pretty much neck and neck here.
You get native integrations with tools like Shopify, WordPress, Stripe, and Zapier. Plus, if you (or your developer) want to go custom,

MailerLite offers a well-documented API that gives you more control over how it plugs into your tech stack.

For most users — especially solopreneurs and small teams — both platforms offer enough to cover your main needs. But if you’re building a more advanced, multi-platform funnel, you might find yourself looking for workarounds with either.

My verdict?
It’s a tie. Both MailerLite and Kit offer solid integration options for everyday tools, but neither goes super deep when it comes to CRM or advanced ecosystem support.

Score: MailerLite 8️⃣ – Kit 7️⃣

Customer Support: Who’s Got Your Back When You Need Help?

Let’s be real — no matter how simple a tool is, you’re going to run into questions. And when that happens, having responsive, helpful support can save you a lot of frustration.

Luckily, both MailerLite and Kit offer solid support options. You get email and live chat on both platforms, and from my experience, the response times are pretty decent.

Kit’s support team was responsive and seemed to know their stuff. No canned answers, and they helped me troubleshoot without bouncing me around.

MailerLite’s support also impressed me. I noticed I was getting replies from the same small group of agents — and their responses were detailed, thoughtful, and clearly written by real people who understood the tool inside out. 🙌

If you’re more of a DIY person, both platforms offer good help centers and tutorials — though I found MailerLite’s knowledge base a bit more comprehensive and easier to search.

My verdict?
This one’s close. Both are solid, but MailerLite edges out slightly thanks to its well-built knowledge base and consistently helpful replies.

Score: MailerLite 9️⃣ – Kit 7️⃣

Pricing: Which One Gives You More for Your Money?

Let’s talk money — because at the end of the day, your email tool needs to fit your budget and your goals.

When I tested both platforms, I was honestly surprised at how much Kit (ConvertKit) has leveled up its free plan. Their Newsletter Plan now gives you up to 10,000 subscribers and unlimited emails

One thing to understand is how Kit manages to offer such a big free plan. Kit automatically shows recommendations for other creators on your thank-you pages or sometimes inside emails. If your subscribers sign up for those other lists, Kit earns money from it, or the other creator pays Kit for the signup.

 and that’s a huge win if you’re a creator just starting out and want to build your audience without immediately pulling out the credit card. 🙌

MailerLite, on the other hand, recently reduced its free plan limit from 1,000 subscribers to just 500 subscribers.

You still get 12,000 emails/month, which is decent — but the new 500-subscriber cap makes the free plan far more restrictive. And once you cross 500 subscribers, you must upgrade to keep sending campaigns or adding new contacts.

But here’s where the tables turn…

Once you move beyond the free tier, MailerLite becomes the more budget-friendly long-term option. Their Growing Business plan starts at just $10/month for 500 subscribers,

and it stays affordable as your list grows — making it perfect for businesses thinking long-term.

Kit’s Creator Plan? Starts at $29/month for 1,000 subscribers, and it gets pricey pretty quickly at higher levels. Great if you’re monetizing early, but not ideal if you’re watching your marketing costs closely.

And to add to that, Kit increased its prices — starter plans went up by about $10–$20/month to help cover development costs for their newer features. So now, getting started with Kit is even more expensive than before.

My verdict?
If you’re a new creator and want maximum reach for $0, Kit wins.
If you’re building a business and thinking about long-term growth + value? MailerLite is the better deal.

Score: MailerLite 9️⃣ – Kit 7️⃣

By now, you know MailerLite brings more design flexibility, built-in AI smarts, and robust testing tools — while Kit (ConvertKit) leans into simplicity, strong deliverability, and creator-first workflows. But who is each tool truly for? Let’s cut through the hype and match you with your right fit.

Choose MailerLite if…

• You want an easy, all-in-one email tool with a clean drag-and-drop editor.
• You care about design freedom — 70+ templates, countdowns, and surveys make your emails stand out.
• You need affordable pricing that scales as your list grows.
• You like AI help for writing, subject lines, and smart send times.
• You prefer clear visual analytics like heatmaps and click tracking.

👉 Best for creators and businesses who want flexibility, automation, and great value.

Choose Kit (ConvertKit) if…

• You’re a creator, blogger, or writer who prefers simple, text-first emails.
• You value strong deliverability and clean audience segmentation
• You want a minimal workflow without complex design tools.
• You like light AI support for subject lines and writing tone (via Lex).

👉 Best for creators who want simplicity, connection, and reliable performance.

✅ MailerLite vs Kit — Which One Should You Choose?

After spending real time inside both platforms, running my own email campaigns, automations, and lead-gen setups — I can confidently say:

👉 MailerLite is the better all-around tool for most people.
It’s more flexible, easier to design with, and gives you more control over your automations, landing pages, and subscriber experience — all at a more affordable price point as you grow.

That said, Kit (formerly ConvertKit) isn’t a bad tool at all. In fact, if you’re a content-first creator who just wants to write and send, and you love the idea of a generous free plan to reach up to 10,000 subscribers — Kit might be a great place to start.

But here’s the honest truth from someone who’s tested both:

• If you want a more visual experience, better templates, smoother editing, and great automation without a headache…

(You can also explore more Mailerlite alternatives)

→ Go with MailerLite.

• If you want something simple, writing-focused, and you’re building an audience without needing fancy design or deep automations just yet…
  → Kit could work just fine.

But if you’re serious about growing, testing, and building a real email marketing machine, I’d say:
👉 Start with MailerLite. You’ll have more room to grow — and fewer limits.

Final Score:

MailerLite 9️⃣ – Kit 7️⃣

If this helped you decide, I’d love to hear what you went with — and if you’re still stuck, drop your situation in the comments or send me a message. I’ll happily point you in the right direction based on your goals.

Here’s to sending better emails 🚀

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