Best email marketing tools for newsletters: Kit vs Mailchimp vs beehiiv
These three suit different kinds of senders. beehiiv leans toward publishers who earn from the newsletter itself, Kit toward creators selling their own products, and Mailchimp toward e-commerce and marketing teams.
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Read this first. The main source for this page was written by beehiiv, so its framing favors beehiiv. It also contradicts itself on the free-plan limits for Kit and Mailchimp. Confirm free-plan limits on each vendor's pricing page.
The short answer
beehiiv for newsletter income, Kit for selling your own products, Mailchimp for e-commerce brands.
- beehiiv. Pick it if you want to earn from the newsletter itself, through ads, paid recommendations or paid subscriptions.
- Kit. Pick it if you sell courses, ebooks or consultations and want funnels for them.
- Mailchimp. Pick it if you run an online store or a larger marketing team and want email tied to product sales.
Side by side
| beehiiv | Kit | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Newsletter creators and solo publishers who earn from the audience | Creators who sell courses, ebooks and consultations | E-commerce brands and larger marketing teams |
| Free plan | Up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited emails and one publication, per beehiiv's own page | Sources conflict on the limit. Check Kit's pricing page. Includes one basic automation | Sources conflict on the limit. Check Mailchimp's pricing page |
| Ways to earn | Ad network, paid recommendations and premium subscriptions, with no platform fee on paid subscriptions (payment processing fees still apply) | Paid newsletters, digital products and tips, with a small commission plus payment fees | No built-in tools for earning from newsletter content. Mainly promotes products through a connected store |
Figures for Kit and Mailchimp come from a page written by beehiiv and are not independently verified.
Each tool in a little more detail
beehiiv
Good for
- Built for newsletter publishers, with an ad network and paid recommendations.
- A free plan that includes unlimited emails.
Watch out for
- Our main source for it is beehiiv's own marketing page.
- Paid plans are priced by subscriber count.
Kit
Good for
- Suits creators who sell their own digital products.
- Lets you sell paid newsletters and tips.
Watch out for
- The free plan is limited to one basic automation.
- Free-plan subscriber limits were reported inconsistently, so confirm them.
Mailchimp
Good for
- Fits e-commerce brands and larger marketing teams.
- Supports email and SMS campaigns tied to product sales.
Watch out for
- No built-in way to earn directly from newsletter content.
- Free-plan limits were reported inconsistently, so confirm them.
Who should pick which
- You want the newsletter itself to earn moneyStart with beehiiv's free plan.
- You sell your own course, ebook or coachingStart with Kit.
- You run a shop and want email tied to ordersStart with Mailchimp.
- You are only starting outPick on the free plan that comfortably covers your first few hundred subscribers, and revisit when you grow.
Common questions
Which free plan is the biggest?
beehiiv says its free plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers. Limits for Kit and Mailchimp were reported inconsistently, so check their pricing pages directly.
Can I move my list later?
Most platforms let you export subscribers as a file. Confirm the export options before you commit, and keep a backup copy of your list.
Sources
We have not hands-on tested every tool on this page. Details come from the sources above. See how we review.