In-depth two-product 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. Verify current features, pricing, limits, and integrations on official vendor pages.
Short answer
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.
ConvertKit
The creator-focused email platform for audience growth and monetization
MailerLite
Beautiful, affordable email marketing for small teams
Quick comparison
| Decision area | ConvertKit | MailerLite | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Creators monetizing audiences | Small teams wanting affordable email | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Starting Price | Free (10K subscribers) | Free (1K subscribers, 12K emails) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Email Editor | Clean, text-focused editor | Beautiful drag-and-drop editor | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Transactional Email | Not supported | Via MailerSend (separate) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Automation | Visual builder for creator workflows | Simple builder for basic sequences | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Segmentation | Tag-based segments | Group and engagement segments | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Creator Commerce | Built-in paid newsletters, digital products, tips | Digital product sales included | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Website Builder | Landing pages | Full website and blog builder | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Payment Integration | Stripe for creator commerce | Stripe for digital products | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Trial Conversion | Not designed for this | Not designed for this | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Dunning Emails | Not applicable | Not applicable | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Deliverability | Excellent (text-focused helps) | Strong (strict approval process) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
Feature comparison
| Feature | ConvertKit | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop editor | 6/10
Simple, text-focused for high deliverability | 9/10
Beautiful, intuitive editor with modern templates |
| Campaign scheduling | 7/10
Basic scheduling with timezone | 8/10
Scheduling with smart delivery |
| A/B testing | 6/10
Subject line only | 7/10
Subject and content testing |
| Template library | 5/10
Minimal, text-focused templates | 8/10
90+ clean, modern templates |
| Newsletter support | 9/10
Excellent with paid subscriptions and recommendations | 9/10
Excellent with blog integration |
| Visual workflow builder | 7/10
Clean builder for creator workflows | 6/10
Simple builder for basic sequences |
| Event-based triggers | 6/10
Tag added, form submitted, link clicked, purchase | 5/10
Group join, form submit, link click |
| Drip sequences | 8/10
Email sequences with basic branching | 7/10
Time-based drip sequences |
| Conditional logic | 6/10
If/else by tags and custom fields | 5/10
Basic if/else by subscriber data |
| Wait steps | 7/10
Time delays and event waits | 6/10
Time delays |
| Contact management | 7/10
Subscriber-centric with tags | 7/10
Subscriber management with groups |
| Segmentation | 7/10
Tag-based with basic filters | 7/10
Groups, engagement, basic data |
| Event tracking | 4/10
Form submissions and link clicks only | 4/10
Basic website tracking |
| Custom properties | 7/10
Custom fields with basic types | 7/10
Custom fields |
| Import/export | 7/10
CSV and API | 8/10
CSV, copy-paste, API |
| API design | 6/10
Simple REST API for subscribers and tags | 6/10
Simple REST API |
| SDK support | 5/10
Ruby gem, limited others | 5/10
PHP SDK |
| Webhook reliability | 6/10
Basic subscriber webhooks | 6/10
Basic subscriber webhooks |
| Documentation | 7/10
Clear, developer-friendly docs | 7/10
Simple documentation |
| Integrations | 7/10
90+ creator-focused integrations | 7/10
100+ integrations via Zapier |
| Shared IP reputation | 9/10
Excellent, text-focused emails and strict policies help | 8/10
Well-maintained with strict sender approval |
| Dedicated IP | 5/10
Not widely available | 7/10
On Advanced plan |
| Domain authentication | 8/10
SPF, DKIM, DMARC | 8/10
SPF, DKIM, DMARC |
| Bounce handling | 8/10
Strict list hygiene | 8/10
Automatic with cleaning |
| Sending speed | 7/10
Optimized for engagement | 7/10
Good for small/mid lists |
Pricing and operating cost
ConvertKit
Free plan: up to 10,000 subscribers (limited features)
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
Free plan: 1,000 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
Free plan has limited automation No transactional email (needs MailerSend) Not designed for SaaS Advanced features on paid plans only
| Tier or usage case | ConvertKit | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Scale | $100+/mo (25K+ subs) All features, priority support | Custom (100K+ subs) Dedicated IP, success manager |
Pros and 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 choose what?
Trial conversion, dunning, churn prevention.
Recommendation: MailerLite
Growing a newsletter with monetization.
Recommendation: ConvertKit
Need the cheapest email marketing.
Recommendation: MailerLite
Running a newsletter alongside a SaaS product.
Recommendation: ConvertKit
Want email marketing and a simple website in one tool.
Recommendation: MailerLite
5,000 users, need SaaS lifecycle email affordably.
Recommendation: MailerLite
Using Stripe + Paddle.
Recommendation: MailerLite
Email delivery rate is the top priority.
Recommendation: ConvertKit
Final verdict
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FAQ
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.
Related reading: B2B email marketing guide , alternatives hub , and B2B SaaS tool stack .