Best free newsletter platform in 2026
"Free" means different things on different platforms — unlimited subscribers, or just 100. Zero revenue cut, or 10% forever. We compared 6 newsletter platforms on what their free tier actually gives you: subscriber limits, revenue cut, deliverability, and features.
Start your free newsletter →What "free" actually means on newsletter platforms
Free subscribers — how many?
Check the subscriber cap before you commit. 100 subscribers (Buttondown), 500 contacts (Mailchimp), 2,500 subscribers (Beehiiv), 10,000 subscribers (ConvertKit), unlimited (blogrr, Substack). The ceiling determines how long the free tier lasts for you.
Free to send — how often?
Some free tiers limit how many emails you can send per month. Mailchimp's free tier caps at 1,000 emails/month. Most other platforms don't cap send frequency — verify before choosing.
Free to monetise — at what cost?
Some platforms are free to use but take a percentage of your paid subscription revenue. Substack takes 10% indefinitely. ConvertKit takes 3.5% + fees. blogrr takes 0%. Understand the monetisation model before you build your paid audience.
Free with what features?
Free tiers often restrict advanced features: automation (ConvertKit), analytics (Beehiiv), custom domains, or A/B testing. Verify which features you actually need are available on the free tier, not just on paid plans.
Free newsletter platforms compared
blogrr
Newsletter + blog + AI — genuinely free
Free tier
Unlimited subscribers
Revenue cut
0%
Blog
Yes
Deliverability
Excellent
The most generous free tier of any newsletter platform — unlimited subscribers, 0% revenue cut, built-in SEO blog, and AI writing assistant. No subscriber cap means you never face a paywall mid-growth. The only platform where free isn't just a limited trial.
Start for free →Substack
Free newsletter with 10% revenue cut
Free tier
Unlimited subscribers
Revenue cut
10% of paid subscriptions
Blog
Limited
Deliverability
Good
Genuinely free to start with unlimited subscribers and no monthly fee. The cost is the 10% perpetual cut on paid subscription revenue. On $1,000/month in paid subs, that's $100/month to Substack forever. Free to start; expensive at scale.
ConvertKit / Kit
Free up to 10,000 subscribers
Free tier
10,000 subscribers
Revenue cut
3.5% + fees on paid content
Blog
No
Deliverability
Excellent
One of the most generous subscriber caps on the market — free up to 10,000. The free tier limits automation features. Revenue cut of 3.5% on paid content adds up at scale. Purely an email tool with no blog or AI.
Beehiiv
Free newsletter analytics up to 2,500 subs
Free tier
2,500 subscribers
Revenue cut
0% (Scale plan), revenue cut on lower tiers
Blog
No
Deliverability
Excellent
Strong analytics and ad network access even on the free tier. But the 2,500 subscriber cap means most growing newsletters will hit the paywall within 6–18 months. No blog, no AI writing.
Mailchimp
Free email marketing up to 500 contacts
Free tier
500 contacts
Revenue cut
N/A
Blog
No
Deliverability
Good
Very limited free tier — 500 contacts and only 1,000 sends/month. Designed for e-commerce and marketing teams, not creator newsletters. The free tier is more of a product trial than a genuine free plan.
Buttondown
Simple free newsletter for 100 subscribers
Free tier
100 subscribers
Revenue cut
0%
Blog
No
Deliverability
Good
Developer-favourite for simplicity. The 100-subscriber free tier is too limited for most use cases — it's really only useful for testing before upgrading. Paid plans are reasonably priced. No blog, no AI.
Free newsletter. Actually free.
blogrr has no subscriber cap, no monthly fee, and 0% revenue cut. Plus a built-in blog and AI writing assistant. Free to start and free to stay.
Start your free newsletter →