In-Depth Comparison
ConvertKit vs MailerLite
In-depth comparison of ConvertKit (Kit) and MailerLite for B2B SaaS companies. We analyze features, pricing, deliverability, API quality, automation, and real-world use cases to help you choose the right email platform.
Last updated: 2026-03-15
ConvertKit
kit.comThe creator marketing platform. Grow your audience, automate your marketing, and sell digital products.
Ideal for: Online creators, bloggers, course creators, and solopreneurs
MailerLite
www.mailerlite.comCreate email marketing your audience will love.
Ideal for: Small businesses, creators, and startups wanting affordable email marketing
TL;DR: ConvertKit vs MailerLite
ConvertKit wins for creators who want to grow and monetize their audience with built-in commerce, paid newsletters, and the creator recommendations network. MailerLite wins for small teams that want the most affordable, beautiful email marketing with a website builder included. Neither is built for B2B SaaS lifecycle email. Sequenzy is the strongest choice for SaaS teams needing billing-aware automation.
The creator-focused email platform for audience growth and monetization
Beautiful, affordable email marketing for small teams
Purpose-built SaaS email with native billing integration
Editor's Note
ConvertKit and MailerLite are both excellent for creators and small businesses, but neither was built for B2B SaaS lifecycle email. If you run a SaaS company and need billing-triggered workflows (trial conversion, dunning, churn prevention), Sequenzy (sequenzy.com) is purpose-built for that use case at $19/mo.
ConvertKit vs MailerLite vs Sequenzy: Quick Comparison
| Feature | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Creators monetizing audiences | Small teams wanting affordable email | B2B SaaS lifecycle email | Sequenzy |
| Starting Price | Free (10K subscribers) | Free (1K subscribers, 12K emails) | $19/mo for 15,000 emails | ConvertKit |
| Email Editor | Clean, text-focused editor | Beautiful drag-and-drop editor | SaaS-specific visual editor | MailerLite |
| Transactional Email | Not supported | Via MailerSend (separate) | Included with SaaS templates | Sequenzy |
| Automation | Visual builder for creator workflows | Simple builder for basic sequences | Pre-built SaaS workflows | Sequenzy |
| Segmentation | Tag-based segments | Group and engagement segments | Subscription-aware segments | Sequenzy |
| Creator Commerce | Built-in paid newsletters, digital products, tips | Digital product sales included | Not applicable | ConvertKit |
| Website Builder | Landing pages | Full website and blog builder | Not included | MailerLite |
| Payment Integration | Stripe for creator commerce | Stripe for digital products | Native Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, LemonSqueezy | Sequenzy |
| Trial Conversion | Not designed for this | Not designed for this | Pre-built, optimized templates | Sequenzy |
| Dunning Emails | Not applicable | Not applicable | Built-in, auto-triggered | Sequenzy |
| Deliverability | Excellent (text-focused helps) | Strong (strict approval process) | Strong (SaaS-only pools) | ConvertKit |
Score Breakdown
Each category scored out of 10. Totals: ConvertKit 66/100, MailerLite 70/100, Sequenzy 86/100.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Detailed feature analysis across every category that matters for B2B SaaS email.
📧 Email Campaigns
| Feature | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop editor | 6/10 Simple, text-focused for high deliverability | 9/10 Beautiful, intuitive editor with modern templates | 8/10 Visual editor with SaaS content blocks |
| Campaign scheduling | 7/10 Basic scheduling with timezone | 8/10 Scheduling with smart delivery | 8/10 Timezone and plan-based optimization |
| A/B testing | 6/10 Subject line only | 7/10 Subject and content testing | 7/10 Subject and send-time testing |
| Template library | 5/10 Minimal, text-focused templates | 8/10 90+ clean, modern templates | 9/10 SaaS lifecycle templates |
| Newsletter support | 9/10 Excellent with paid subscriptions and recommendations | 9/10 Excellent with blog integration | 7/10 Product update newsletters |
⚙️ Automation & Workflows
| Feature | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow builder | 7/10 Clean builder for creator workflows | 6/10 Simple builder for basic sequences | 9/10 Builder with pre-built SaaS templates |
| Event-based triggers | 6/10 Tag added, form submitted, link clicked, purchase | 5/10 Group join, form submit, link click | 10/10 Billing events from Stripe/Paddle |
| Drip sequences | 8/10 Email sequences with basic branching | 7/10 Time-based drip sequences | 9/10 Pre-built SaaS lifecycle drips |
| Conditional logic | 6/10 If/else by tags and custom fields | 5/10 Basic if/else by subscriber data | 9/10 Branch by plan, MRR, trial, payment |
| Wait steps | 7/10 Time delays and event waits | 6/10 Time delays | 8/10 Smart send-time optimization |
👥 Contacts & Segmentation
| Feature | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact management | 7/10 Subscriber-centric with tags | 7/10 Subscriber management with groups | 9/10 Contacts enriched with billing data |
| Segmentation | 7/10 Tag-based with basic filters | 7/10 Groups, engagement, basic data | 9/10 SaaS-native: trial, churned, power users |
| Event tracking | 4/10 Form submissions and link clicks only | 4/10 Basic website tracking | 9/10 Product + billing events auto-tracked |
| Custom properties | 7/10 Custom fields with basic types | 7/10 Custom fields | 8/10 Custom + auto-synced billing properties |
| Import/export | 7/10 CSV and API | 8/10 CSV, copy-paste, API | 7/10 CSV + billing provider import |
💻 Developer Experience
| Feature | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| API design | 6/10 Simple REST API for subscribers and tags | 6/10 Simple REST API | 8/10 Clean REST API with SaaS endpoints |
| SDK support | 5/10 Ruby gem, limited others | 5/10 PHP SDK | 7/10 Node.js and Python SDKs |
| Webhook reliability | 6/10 Basic subscriber webhooks | 6/10 Basic subscriber webhooks | 8/10 Webhooks with retry and billing events |
| Documentation | 7/10 Clear, developer-friendly docs | 7/10 Simple documentation | 8/10 SaaS billing integration docs |
| Integrations | 7/10 90+ creator-focused integrations | 7/10 100+ integrations via Zapier | 7/10 25+ SaaS billing and analytics |
🚀 Deliverability & Infrastructure
| Feature | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared IP reputation | 9/10 Excellent, text-focused emails and strict policies help | 8/10 Well-maintained with strict sender approval | 8/10 SaaS-only shared IPs |
| Dedicated IP | 5/10 Not widely available | 7/10 On Advanced plan | 7/10 On Growth plan |
| Domain authentication | 8/10 SPF, DKIM, DMARC | 8/10 SPF, DKIM, DMARC | 8/10 Guided setup |
| Bounce handling | 8/10 Strict list hygiene | 8/10 Automatic with cleaning | 8/10 Payment-status-aware suppression |
| Sending speed | 7/10 Optimized for engagement | 7/10 Good for small/mid lists | 7/10 Reliable for lifecycle email |
ConvertKit vs MailerLite vs Sequenzy: Pricing
ConvertKit charges by subscribers with feature-gated plans. MailerLite charges by subscribers with a generous free tier. Sequenzy charges by email volume with all features included.
Free plan: up to 10,000 subscribers (limited features)
Free plan: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
Free trial: 14 days, then $19/mo for 15,000 emails
| Tier | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / Starter | Free (10K subs) / $25/mo Creator Free: landing pages, forms. Creator: automations, sequences | Free (1K subs) / $10/mo Growing Free: basic features. Growing: unlimited emails, digital products | $19/mo 15,000 emails/month, all SaaS workflows, billing integration | 1K-10K subs / 1K subs / 15K emails |
| Growth | $50/mo (Creator Pro, 5K subs) Subscriber scoring, advanced reporting, referral system | $18/mo (Advanced, 10K subs) All features, Facebook integration, promotion pop-ups | $49/mo 50,000 emails/month, dedicated IP, advanced analytics | 5K subs / 10K subs / 50K emails |
| Scale | $100+/mo (25K+ subs) All features, priority support | Custom (100K+ subs) Dedicated IP, success manager | $149/mo 200,000 emails/month, SLA, SSO | 25K+ subs / 100K+ subs / 200K emails |
ConvertKit: Watch Out For
- !Free plan has no automations or integrations
- !Creator plan ($25/mo) needed for any automation
- !No transactional email
- !Not designed for SaaS use cases
MailerLite: Watch Out For
- !Free plan has limited automation
- !No transactional email (needs MailerSend)
- !Not designed for SaaS
- !Advanced features on paid plans only
Sequenzy: Watch Out For
- !No free plan (14-day trial)
- !No creator commerce features
- !Smaller integration ecosystem
Pricing Verdict: Both ConvertKit and MailerLite are excellent values for creators and small businesses. MailerLite is cheaper for the same subscriber count. For B2B SaaS teams, neither offers relevant lifecycle features. Sequenzy at $19/mo provides SaaS-specific value that neither competitor matches.
Cost Comparison Note
Both platforms are affordable for general email marketing. For B2B SaaS teams, the pricing conversation is different: neither offers SaaS lifecycle features at any price. Sequenzy at $19/mo provides billing-aware automation that would require significant custom development on either ConvertKit or MailerLite.
B2B SaaS Use Cases
How each platform handles the email workflows that matter most for B2B SaaS companies.
🎯 User Onboarding Sequences
Automated sequences guiding new SaaS signups.
ConvertKit
Create email sequences triggered by tag additions. Basic drip with some branching. Not optimized for product onboarding.
MailerLite
Simple drip sequences triggered by group membership. Time delays between emails. Very basic.
Sequenzy
Pre-built onboarding templates with billing-aware branching and plan-specific flows.
Verdict: Sequenzy wins for SaaS onboarding. Neither ConvertKit nor MailerLite is designed for product-led onboarding workflows.
Real-World Example
A SaaS wants onboarding that adapts to plan type and feature adoption.
Example subject line: Welcome to [App]. Here is your quickstart checklist.
💰 Trial-to-Paid Conversion
Converting trial users to paying customers.
ConvertKit
Not designed for SaaS trial workflows. Could build basic time-based reminders.
MailerLite
Not designed for SaaS trials. Basic sequences only.
Sequenzy
Purpose-built sequences with native billing awareness and pre-built templates.
Verdict: Sequenzy is the only suitable option for trial conversion. Neither ConvertKit nor MailerLite has SaaS trial awareness.
Real-World Example
A SaaS needs conversion emails based on engagement level.
Example subject line: Your trial ends in 3 days.
💳 Payment Failed (Dunning)
Recovery emails for failed payments.
ConvertKit
Not applicable for SaaS dunning. ConvertKit handles its own subscriber dunning for paid newsletters.
MailerLite
Not designed for payment recovery workflows.
Sequenzy
Automatic dunning from billing events. Pre-built escalating templates.
Verdict: Sequenzy is the only option for SaaS dunning. Neither ConvertKit nor MailerLite supports this.
Real-World Example
A SaaS needs escalating payment recovery emails.
Example subject line: Your payment for [App] failed
📰 Audience Building & Newsletters
Growing an email audience through content.
ConvertKit
Purpose-built for this. Landing pages, forms, paid newsletters, recommendations network for cross-promotion.
MailerLite
Excellent newsletter support with website/blog builder. Paid newsletter subscriptions available.
Sequenzy
Product update newsletters. Not designed for audience building.
Verdict: ConvertKit is the strongest for creator-style audience building with its recommendations network. MailerLite is excellent with its website/blog builder. Sequenzy is not designed for content-first audience growth.
Real-World Example
A SaaS founder runs a weekly industry newsletter alongside their product.
Example subject line: This week in SaaS: 5 growth strategies
📢 Product Announcements
Feature announcements to existing users.
ConvertKit
Clean broadcast emails with tag-based targeting. High deliverability for plain-text announcements.
MailerLite
Beautiful campaign emails with segment targeting. Great visual design.
Sequenzy
Plan-aware segmentation. Auto-target by subscription tier.
Verdict: MailerLite has the best visual editor for announcements. Sequenzy adds plan-aware targeting. ConvertKit delivers clean, high-deliverability broadcasts.
Real-World Example
A SaaS announces a feature with plan-specific messaging.
Example subject line: New: AI-powered reports are here
🛒 Creator Commerce
Selling digital products and paid subscriptions.
ConvertKit
Built-in commerce: digital products, courses, paid newsletters, tip jars. Native Stripe.
MailerLite
Digital product sales with Stripe. Website/blog builder for content delivery.
Sequenzy
Not applicable. SaaS lifecycle focused.
Verdict: ConvertKit leads creator commerce with the broadest monetization features. MailerLite is strong with digital products and website. Sequenzy is not designed for this.
Real-World Example
A SaaS founder sells a course alongside their product.
Example subject line: Your new course module is ready
🔄 Churn Prevention
Re-engaging declining SaaS users.
ConvertKit
Segment inactive subscribers. Basic re-engagement sequences.
MailerLite
Segment by engagement. Basic re-engagement.
Sequenzy
Combine product usage with billing signals. Pre-built win-back sequences.
Verdict: Sequenzy wins for SaaS churn prevention. Neither ConvertKit nor MailerLite has the product or billing awareness needed for effective SaaS churn prevention.
Real-World Example
A SaaS wants to re-engage users with plan-specific incentives.
Example subject line: We noticed you have not logged in. Everything OK?
📈 Upsell & Expansion
Plan upgrade campaigns.
ConvertKit
Basic upgrade emails via tags. No billing context.
MailerLite
Basic upgrade campaigns via segments. No billing awareness.
Sequenzy
Auto-triggers at plan limits. Personalized by billing history.
Verdict: Sequenzy is the only option for billing-aware upselling. Neither ConvertKit nor MailerLite supports this use case.
Real-World Example
An API SaaS wants to upsell users at plan limits.
Example subject line: You have used 90% of your API calls
The Bigger Picture
The SaaS use cases highlight a fundamental gap: both ConvertKit and MailerLite excel at audience building and content marketing, but they lack the product event tracking, billing integration, and lifecycle automation that SaaS companies need. Sequenzy fills this gap with native billing provider integrations.
Automation Capabilities
Email automation is critical for B2B SaaS. Here is how ConvertKit, MailerLite, and Sequenzy compare.
| Capability | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow builder | Yes Clean builder for creator workflows | Yes Simple builder for basic sequences | Yes Builder with pre-built SaaS templates |
| Time-based triggers | Yes Time delays and date triggers | Yes Time-based delays | Yes Billing-aware scheduling |
| Event-based triggers | Yes Tag, form, link, purchase | Yes Group join, form, link | Yes Billing events from Stripe/Paddle |
| Conditional branching | Yes Basic by tags and fields | Yes Basic by subscriber data | Yes By plan, MRR, trial, payment |
| Multi-step sequences | Yes With basic branching | Yes Basic multi-step | Yes Pre-built SaaS templates |
| Goal tracking | No Not available | No Not available | Yes Auto-remove on billing events |
| Send time optimization | No Not available | Yes Smart sending | Yes Timezone + engagement |
| Dynamic content | Yes Liquid templating | Yes Basic personalization | Yes With billing data |
API & Developer Experience
For B2B SaaS teams, the API quality directly impacts how fast you can integrate and iterate on email.
ConvertKit API
- SDKs: Ruby (official gem), REST API for all languages
- Docs: 7/10
- Webhooks: Subscriber created, tag added, form submitted, purchase
- Rate Limit: 120 requests/minute
- Batch: Bulk subscriber import
MailerLite API
- SDKs: PHP (official), REST API for all languages
- Docs: 7/10
- Webhooks: Subscriber added, unsubscribed, bounced
- Rate Limit: 10 requests/second
- Batch: Batch subscriber import
Sequenzy API
- SDKs: Node.js (official), Python (official), REST API for all languages
- Docs: 8/10
- Webhooks: Email events plus billing events. With retry.
- Rate Limit: 50 requests/second
- Batch: Batch sending with personalization
ConvertKit Code Example
const response = await fetch(
"https://api.convertkit.com/v4/subscribers",
{
method: "POST",
headers: {
"Content-Type": "application/json",
Authorization: "Bearer your_api_key",
},
body: JSON.stringify({
email_address: "user@company.com",
first_name: "Sarah",
}),
}
);MailerLite Code Example
import MailerLite from "@mailerlite/mailerlite-nodejs";
const mailerLite = new MailerLite({
api_key: "your_api_key",
});
await mailerLite.subscribers.createOrUpdate({
email: "user@company.com",
fields: { name: "Sarah" },
groups: ["trial_users"],
});Sequenzy Code Example
import { Sequenzy } from "sequenzy";
const sq = new Sequenzy("sq_your_api_key");
await sq.subscribers.add({
email: "user@company.com",
firstName: "Sarah",
stripeCustomerId: "cus_abc123",
});
await sq.sequences.trigger({
email: "user@company.com",
sequence: "trial_onboarding",
});Email Deliverability Comparison
Your emails are useless if they do not reach the inbox. Here is how all three platforms handle deliverability.
| Factor | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Managed infrastructure with strict sender policies | Well-maintained pools with strict sender approval | SaaS-only sender pools |
| Inbox Placement Rate | ~96-98% (text-focused emails help) | ~95-97% (strict approval helps) | ~96-98% (SaaS-only pools help) |
| Dedicated IP | Not widely available | On Advanced plan | On Growth plan ($49/mo) |
| Auth Protocols | SPF, DKIM, DMARC | SPF, DKIM, DMARC | SPF, DKIM, DMARC, Custom Return-Path |
| IP Warmup | Managed by ConvertKit | Manual with guidelines | Guided warmup |
| Spam Testing | Content filtering | Basic checking | Spam score with inbox preview |
ConvertKit has an edge in deliverability due to its text-focused email philosophy and strict sender approval. MailerLite also benefits from strict approval. Sequenzy has SaaS-only IP pools. All three deliver strong inbox placement.
Integration Ecosystem
ConvertKit has ~90 integrations, MailerLite has ~100, and Sequenzy has ~25. Here is how they compare across key B2B SaaS categories.
Payment & Billing
| Service | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Yes (Native) | Yes (Native) | Yes (Native) |
| Paddle | No (None) | No (None) | Yes (Native) |
| LemonSqueezy | No (None) | No (None) | Yes (Native) |
Creator & Content
| Service | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable | Yes (Native) | Yes (3rd Party) | No (None) |
| Patreon | Yes (Native) | Yes (3rd Party) | No (None) |
| WordPress | Yes (Official) | Yes (Native) | No (None) |
Product Analytics
| Service | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segment | No (None) | No (None) | Yes (Official) |
| Mixpanel | No (None) | No (None) | Yes (3rd Party) |
Automation & Workflow
| Service | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Yes (Official) | Yes (Official) | Yes (Official) |
| Make (Integromat) | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (Official) | Yes (Official) |
| n8n | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (3rd Party) |
E-commerce
| Service | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Yes (Native) | Yes (Official) | No (None) |
| WooCommerce | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (Official) | No (None) |
Analytics & Reporting
What data you can track and how each platform helps you measure email performance.
| Metric | ConvertKit | MailerLite | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open rate tracking | Broadcast and sequence analytics | Campaign and automation analytics | Per-campaign, per-sequence, per-lifecycle-stage |
| Click tracking | Link-level tracking | Link-level with click maps | Link-level with conversion attribution |
| Bounce tracking | Automatic handling | Automatic with cleaning | With payment-status suppression |
| Revenue attribution | Commerce product sales tracking | Digital product sales tracking | Native MRR impact per sequence |
| Dashboard | Subscriber-focused metrics | Clean essential metrics | MRR and churn focused |
| Unsubscribe tracking | One-click unsubscribe | Built-in management | With preference center |
| Export | CSV and API | CSV and API | CSV plus API |
ConvertKit: Unique Features
- + Subscriber engagement scoring (Creator Pro)
- + Recommendations network performance
- + Commerce sales analytics
- + Subscriber source attribution
MailerLite: Unique Features
- + Click heatmap visualization
- + Subscriber growth reporting
- + Digital product sales analytics
- + Clean analytics interface
Sequenzy: Unique Features
- + MRR impact per sequence
- + Trial conversion rate tracking
- + Dunning recovery dashboard
- + Churn prevention metrics
- + Lifecycle stage overview
Pros & Cons
ConvertKit
Pros
- + Best for creators with built-in commerce
- + Generous free plan (10K subscribers)
- + Excellent deliverability
- + Paid newsletters and digital products
- + Creator recommendations network
- + Simple, intuitive interface
- + Bootstrapped and profitable
- + Strong creator community
Cons
- - Not designed for B2B SaaS
- - No product event tracking
- - No billing integration for SaaS
- - No transactional email
- - Basic email editor (text-focused)
- - Limited A/B testing
- - No CRM or lead scoring
- - No product analytics integrations
MailerLite
Pros
- + Very affordable with free plan
- + Beautiful, intuitive email editor
- + Built-in website and blog builder
- + Digital product selling
- + Easy to learn
- + Bootstrapped and profitable
- + Good deliverability
- + Unlimited emails on paid plans
Cons
- - Not designed for SaaS lifecycle email
- - Basic automation capabilities
- - No product event tracking
- - No transactional email
- - No billing integration for SaaS
- - Limited conditional logic
- - No Segment/Mixpanel integration
- - No CRM or scoring
Who Should Use What?
Specific recommendations based on your company type and needs.
B2B SaaS needing lifecycle email
Trial conversion, dunning, churn prevention.
Neither ConvertKit nor MailerLite supports SaaS lifecycle email. Sequenzy was built for it.
Creator building audience
Growing a newsletter with monetization.
ConvertKit is purpose-built for creators with paid newsletters and recommendations.
Small team on tight budget
Need the cheapest email marketing.
MailerLite is cheaper at every subscriber tier with more visual design capabilities.
SaaS founder with personal brand
Running a newsletter alongside a SaaS product.
ConvertKit for the newsletter, paired with Sequenzy for SaaS lifecycle email.
Small business needing website + email
Want email marketing and a simple website in one tool.
MailerLite includes a website and blog builder alongside email.
Bootstrapped SaaS watching costs
5,000 users, need SaaS lifecycle email affordably.
Sequenzy at $19-49/mo provides all SaaS features. ConvertKit and MailerLite lack SaaS workflows.
SaaS with multiple billing providers
Using Stripe + Paddle.
Sequenzy natively supports both. Neither ConvertKit nor MailerLite has SaaS billing integration.
Need maximum deliverability
Email delivery rate is the top priority.
ConvertKit has the best deliverability reputation among these options, partly due to text-focused emails.
Migration Guide
Migrating from ConvertKit to MailerLite
Steps
- 1. Export subscribers from ConvertKit with tags
- 2. Import to MailerLite via CSV
- 3. Map tags to MailerLite groups
- 4. Recreate sequences in MailerLite
- 5. Recreate landing pages and forms
- 6. Configure domain authentication
- 7. Test all flows
Watch Out For
- ! ConvertKit Commerce products do not transfer
- ! Paid newsletter setup must be recreated
- ! Recommendations network audience is lost
- ! MailerLite has fewer automation capabilities
Migrating from MailerLite to ConvertKit
Steps
- 1. Export subscribers from MailerLite
- 2. Import to ConvertKit via CSV
- 3. Map groups to ConvertKit tags
- 4. Recreate automations in ConvertKit
- 5. Set up landing pages and forms
- 6. Configure domain authentication
- 7. Test all sequences
Watch Out For
- ! MailerLite website/blog content does not transfer
- ! Digital product setup must be recreated in ConvertKit Commerce
- ! ConvertKit has a simpler email editor (less visual)
- ! ConvertKit may cost more for the same subscriber count
The Bottom Line
Choose ConvertKit if...
- ✓ You are a creator wanting to grow and monetize an audience
- ✓ You want paid newsletters and digital product selling
- ✓ Deliverability is your top priority
- ✓ You want the creator recommendations network
- ✓ You prefer text-focused, minimal email design
- ✓ You want the most generous free plan (10K subscribers)
Choose MailerLite if...
- ✓ Budget is your primary concern
- ✓ You want the most beautiful email editor
- ✓ You need a built-in website and blog builder
- ✓ You prefer visual, design-rich emails
- ✓ You want unlimited emails on paid plans
- ✓ You need a simple, easy-to-learn platform
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ConvertKit or MailerLite better for SaaS?
Neither is designed for SaaS. Both are general email marketing platforms. For SaaS lifecycle email (trial conversion, dunning, churn prevention), use a purpose-built tool like Sequenzy. ConvertKit and MailerLite can handle basic newsletters and announcements for SaaS products.
Which is cheaper: ConvertKit or MailerLite?
MailerLite is cheaper at every subscriber tier. MailerLite starts at $10/mo for 1K subscribers, while ConvertKit Creator starts at $25/mo. However, ConvertKit has a more generous free plan (10K subscribers vs. 1K).
Which has better deliverability?
ConvertKit has a slight edge due to its text-focused email philosophy, which email providers tend to trust more. Both have strict sender approval processes. Sequenzy benefits from SaaS-only IP pools.
Can I use ConvertKit for transactional email?
No. Neither ConvertKit nor MailerLite supports transactional email. You would need a separate service (MailerSend, Postmark, Resend). Sequenzy includes transactional email with SaaS templates.
Which has a better email editor?
MailerLite has a significantly better visual editor with more templates and design flexibility. ConvertKit intentionally uses simpler, text-focused designs that tend to have better deliverability.
Can I sell digital products with both?
Yes. ConvertKit has more robust commerce features (tip jars, subscriptions, recommendations). MailerLite supports digital product sales with Stripe integration. Both support selling e-books, courses, and downloads.
Is ConvertKit now called Kit?
ConvertKit rebranded to "Kit" in 2024. The product is the same. Both names are used.
Which is better for a SaaS product newsletter?
Both are good for newsletters. MailerLite offers more visual design flexibility. ConvertKit offers the recommendations network for audience growth. For plan-aware product announcements (different content for free vs. paid users), Sequenzy is the better choice.
Can I migrate between them easily?
Yes. Both migrations are relatively easy (3-7 days). Subscriber data exports via CSV. The main challenge is recreating automations and landing pages in the new platform.
Do both support GDPR?
Yes. Both provide consent management, DPAs, and data export capabilities for GDPR compliance.