Best newsletter platforms
The shortlist, with pricing checked on the vendors' own pages and a verdict for each situation.
Read itPick the right newsletter platform without the sales pitch
Comparisons built from vendors' own pricing pages and advice from Lewis, who grew his newsletter, Anywhere Income, to 12,000 subscribers. Real cons included.
Pricing last checked 23 Oct 2026.
Best email marketing for small business
Cheap, simple and honest about when a newsletter tool isn't enough.
Read itFree newsletter platforms
Free plans compared by what they actually let you do, not just subscriber limits.
Read itSubstack alternatives
What a move costs you, and which tool fits which reason for leaving.
Read itMailchimp alternatives
Cheaper or simpler options, plus what to check before you migrate.
Read itPricing tracker
Plans and prices for the platforms we cover, date-stamped, with sources.
Read itHead-to-heads and reviews
Narrowed it down? Go deeper on two tools, or read a single review.
- beehiiv vs Substack and Ghost vs Substack for writers choosing where to publish.
- Mailchimp vs MailerLite for small businesses watching cost.
- Reviews: beehiiv, Kit, MailerLite, AWeber, Ghost, Substack.
- Guides: how to start a newsletter, list quality, pruning and open rates, switching platforms safely, SPF, DKIM and DMARC, how to sell a newsletter, newsletter valuation calculator.
Who writes this, and what we haven't tested
Lewis is a UK-based founder (UDG Development Ltd, Wales). He grew his newsletter, Anywhere Income, to 12,000 subscribers (roughly 60% paid ads, 40% organic, mostly Twitter) and later sold it on Microns. He has used beehiiv, Substack and Mailchimp, and attended Matt McGarry's newsletter bootcamp. That is the experience behind the advice on list pruning, open rates, paid growth and selling a newsletter.
We have not hands-on tested every platform we list, and each page says so. Pricing comes from the vendors' own pages and is date-stamped. We earn commission from some links, which never changes what we say about a product, and we show you the downsides.