10 Best ConvertKit Alternatives (Free and Paid) in 2023

ConvertKit is one of the most popular email newsletter software tools for online creators. But with hundreds of email newsletter software platforms on the market, is ConvertKit really the best newsletter app for you?

The truth is, it depends. Freelancers, solopreneurs, and bloggers will all have different priorities. For some users, templates are essential, while others want advanced reporting and A/B testing.

Before you commit to a subscription, consider some ConvertKit alternatives. That way, you’ll find the best email newsletter software suited to your marketing goals.

First, let’s dig into ConvertKit and learn what makes it so popular.

What are ConvertKit’s features?

Built to meet founder Nathan Barry’s need to sell courses and books to his blogging audience, ConvertKit is geared toward helping creators build their audience and monetize their content. Currently, over 428,000 creators use the platform, making it one of the most popular choices available.

ConvertKit’s key features:

• Build automated email funnels. Send targeted content to the right people at the right time. Whether you’re welcoming new subscribers, sending a daily podcast, or offering special promotions, use smart filters to manage who receives your content and when.
• Create landing pages. Include a landing page or a sign-up page on your website to help grow your subscriber list.
• Advanced segmentation. Instead of having to create a new subscriber list for every announcement or product launch, create customizable segments for users based on tags, locations, demographics, and interests.
• Free courses. If you want to sharpen your email marketing skills, take free ConvertKit courses designed to help you build profitable newsletters.

Why you may want a ConvertKit alternative

Although it’s a trusted and popular email newsletter platform, there are limitations to using ConvertKit.

• Easy to lose content. Some content doesn’t autosave, making it easy to lose content if you don’t hit Save after completing each section.
• Not always easy to use. The lack of intuitive drag-and-drop functions can make the platform seem harder to use.

Compared to other newsletter platforms on this list, ConvertKit is also more pricey. To get access to integrations and automated email sequences, creators need to pay a minimum of $15/month.

Depending on your newsletter goals, ConvertKit could be a great choice. But at the same time, if you’re a founder, entrepreneur, or artist, you might need more specific features to help you reach your goals.

So without further ado, let’s jump in. Here are our top 10 ConvertKit alternatives to jumpstart your email marketing campaigns.

10 best ConvertKit alternatives in 2023

Here are 10 of the best ConvertKit alternatives to help you build successful email marketing campaigns.

1. SendFox [Best for lifetime plans]

Developed by AppSumo, SendFox is the best ConvertKit alternative (OK, we might be a bit biased).

It’s got a simple user interface so you can focus on writing without getting distracted by potentially unnecessary features.

Plus, SendFox is a great choice for online creators who might not already have a website. Let’s say you’re a vlogger or podcaster exclusively on YouTube or Instagram. With SendFox, you can create a landing page entirely personalized to you.

SendFox comes with two payment plans:

• Free: $0 for up to 1,000 subscribers
• Lifetime plan: $49 for up to 5,000 subscribers (+$49 for every additional 5,000 subscribers)

For users looking for more features to optimize their campaign, there’s an add-on Empire plan.

2. GetResponse [Best for optimizing conversions]

GetResponse is a great ConvertKit alternative for users looking to boost their conversions. Different from other software on this list, GetResponse prioritizes a combination of automation and scheduling features to help your email marketing campaigns run more smoothly.

Email autoresponders let you send messages to subscribers automatically based on time or a specific event. There’s also a solid advertising functionality that lets you perform split testing.

Unlike ConvertKit, GetResponse has a “website builder” option that lets you create a website without any coding.

Creating emails with this tool is super easy because it has a library of readymade templates, free photos, and GIFs to make the process seamless.

GetResponse comes with four payment plans:

• Free: $0 per month for up to 500 contacts
• Email Marketing: $15.58 per month for up to 1000 contacts
• Marketing Automation: $48.38 for up to 1000 contacts
• Ecommerce Marketing: $97.58 for up to 1000 contacts

 The price then increases according to the number of contacts on your list.

3. Mailchimp [Best for new users]

Mailchimp is probably the most well-known email marketing platform on this list. It’s simple to get started, intuitive to use, and has comprehensive features.

With a large template library, Mailchimp is ideal for people new to building email newsletters. The quick drag-and-drop editor also makes it easy to create visually pleasing emails. Unlike ConvertKit, Mailchimp’s autosave means you won’t lose any of your content when you step away from your screen.

With the live preview option, you can see how your campaign will look on your audience’s devices.

Robust reporting lets you view data on clicks, opens, unsubscribes, and purchases, plus integrate your Mailchimp reports with your social media and Google Analytics.

Mailchimp comes with four payment plans:

• Free: $0/month
• Essentials: $11/month
• Standard: $17/month
• Premium: $299/month

These prices are for up to 2000 contacts; the price scales up according to the number of contacts on your list.

4. Campaign Monitor [Best for promotional emails]

Campaign Monitor is a great option for time-pressed businesses that need to send out lots of visually pleasing, branded emails.

There’s an extensive library of customizable templates and fonts to help you send emails to customers and followers. The drag-and-drop email editor makes it straightforward to edit campaigns and maintain consistency across your brand.

Plus, there’s an auto-email responder that lets you send automated emails to your audience if they perform certain actions, like buying a product or downloading an ebook.

There’s also a new SMS feature, so you can implement SMS marketing for more results.

Campaign Monitor comes with three payment plans:

• Basic: $29/month
• Unlimited: $59/month
• Premier: $149/month

These prices are for up to 2000 contacts; the price scales up according to the number of contacts on your list. There’s also a free trial.

5. Sendinblue [Best all-in-one marketing tool suite]

Instead of exclusively sticking to email marketing software, Sendinblue aims to bring all your digital marketing tools into one platform.

Unlike ConvertKit, Sendinblue features tools to help you create Facebook ads as well as manage SMS campaigns. You can even use the platform to set up a chatbot on your website.

There are also tools to help you build signup forms and landing pages. Like other newsletter platforms on this list, there’s an intuitive drag-and-drop editor.

The pricing structure lets marketers send more emails for less money. Sendinblue is much friendlier to growing subscriber lists than ConvertKit, which can get expensive for businesses sending lots of emails each month.

Sendinblue comes with four payment plans:

• Free: $0/month
• Lite: $25/month
• Premium: $65/month
• Enterprise: Contact for details

These prices are for unlimited contacts; the price scales up according to the number of emails you send each month.

6. Drip [Best for ecommerce stores]

Drip is a data-driven email marketing platform that aims to boost conversions. Tie it into your CRM or online store and Drip gathers information to inform your upcoming campaigns. The software easily integrates with Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce.

Just like the name suggests, Drip is designed with drip email campaigns in mind, using collected customer data to push leads down the sales funnel.

Using the Facebook Lead ad feature, you can add potential customers to your email list when they input their details through your ads. The Facebook custom audience feature lets you share unique ads with your customers based on their interaction with your brand, such as if they bought a product.

Another standout feature is Drip’s ability to educate users about their customers.  By clicking on each customer profile, you can learn about their experience with your brand, how they interact with your business, and which emails they’ve opened. Discovering patterns of behavior among your customers can help you identify what you’re doing right and where to improve.

Drip comes with scalable pricing plans:

• $39/month includes up to 2500 contacts and unlimited emails

There’s also a free 14-day trial that lets you test out all of Drip’s features.

7. ActiveCampaign [Best for integrations]

Another ConvertKit alternative that’s geared toward drip campaigns is ActiveCampaign.  Great for building automated sales funnels, ActiveCampaign integrates with your CRM, segments audiences, and helps you nurture leads.

It has a simple user interface with a drag-and-drop editor that makes customization a breeze. It also has 125+ email design templates, which means you might never have to touch HTML again (unless you want to).

ActiveCampaign also connects with 880+ apps, so it’s easy integrate into your tech stack.

ActiveCampaign comes with four payment plans:

• Lite: $61/month
• Plus: $125/month
• Professional: $187/month
• Enterprise: Contact for details

These plans are for up to 2,500 contacts; they then scale up according to your subscriber list. There’s also a 14-day free trial for you to test out the platform’s features.

8. MailerLite [Best for tight budgets]

With 700,000+ users and 1 billion emails sent per month, MailerLite is a popular ConvertKit alternative.

One reason why it’s so loved is because of its focus on relationship building and accessible plans.

Just like many other email service providers on this list, MailerLite has a set of easily customizable templates with a drag-and-drop editor.

There’s also a dashboard for analyzing your email performance such as CTR, new subscribers, and unsubscribers.

One of the most convincing reasons to choose MailerLite over other email newsletter apps is because of its generous payment plans.

MailerLite comes with four payment plans:

• Free: $0/month for up to 12,000 emails
• Growing Business: $10/month for unlimited emails
• Advanced: $21/month for unlimited emails
• Enterprise: Contact for details

Each of these plans allows for up to 1,000 subscribers. Plans then scale up according to the number of subscribers.

9. AWeber [Best for small businesses]

AWeber is a top ConvertKit alternative for small businesses and solopreneurs. While the editing tools are simple, the platform includes 700+ email design templates.

One cool feature is the Smart Designer Tool, which automatically creates unique templates based on the look of your website. There’s also a gallery of 6,000+ photos, so you don’t have to spend time sourcing original pictures in order to create distinct emails.

You can also send out personalized automated emails after your audience makes specific actions, such as signing up.

AWeber comes with two payment plans:

• Free: $0/month for up to 3,000 email sends
• Pro: $29.99/month for unlimited email sends

The Pro plan allows up to 2,500 subscribers for the above plan; it then scales up according to the number of subscribers.

10. Substack [Best for writers]

If you want to earn money for your writing, then Substack could be the right newsletter platform for you. The platform lets bloggers and writers charge a subscription fee for their newsletters. It’s become a popular way for writers to earn money without relying on an intermediary publisher.

Creators receive a unique website that ends with “substack.com,” to which audiences can subscribe. You’ll get a profile page and a bio to let your audience put an identity to your newsletters.

Substack pricing:

Substack is free to start using. Once your subscribers start paying for your exclusive content, Substack takes 10%.

ConvertKit alternatives FAQ

Which is better: AWeber or ConvertKit?

ConvertKit offers more advanced features for email marketing, but AWeber is a great email marketing platform for users starting email marketing campaigns.

Which is better: Mailchimp or ConvertKit?

Mailchimp has a better free plan for up to 2,000 subscribers, while ConvertKit’s free plan only allows for up to 1,000 subscribers. ConvertKit has more features for creators, while Mailchimp is best for businesses and solopreneurs.

Should I use ConvertKit?

Use ConvertKit if you’re a creator ready to build and monetize your audience. If you need a more affordable or simpler email newsletter tool, choose a ConvertKit alternative like SendFox.

Which ConvertKit alternative is best in 2023?

The right ConvertKit alternative for you will depend on your unique email marketing needs and goals. Think about which features and tools are most important to your campaigns. Also, think about how much time you want to spend learning a new platform.

If you’re a creator who wants to build your audience, ConvertKit is still a solid all-around option. But if you manage an ecommerce store, Drip or ActiveCampaign may be better.

Don’t have a subscriber list or a website? Use SendFox to build an engaged subscriber list with personalized landing pages. Grab the SendFox lifetime deal on AppSumo for $49 today.