#AFFILIATE-PLACEHOLDER-* in our code) until we join programs — at which point every affected page gets a clear, conspicuous disclosure. Full disclosure.Email is the one channel creators actually own. We compared four platforms on published 2026 pricing, verified AI features, and free-plan limits. Method: no tool was tested by us; everything below is built on official published specs plus cited public community feedback. Every product here is a real, currently operating platform. Prices last verified: September 2026.
| Platform | Free Plan | Entry Paid Tier | Mid / Top Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit (formerly ConvertKit) | $0 — up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends; automations removed from free plan (Sept 2026) | Creator from $39/mo (1,000 subs; $59 at 3k; $89 at 5k) | Creator Pro from $79/mo (1,000 subs) |
| Mailchimp | $0 — 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo (250/day cap); no automation or scheduling; Mailchimp branding | Essentials from $13/mo (500 contacts; 10x send limit) | Standard from $20/mo (500 contacts; 12x sends) · Premium from $350/mo (10,000-contact minimum) |
| beehiiv | $0 — Launch: up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, 10 AI credits/day | Scale $43/mo billed annually ($49/mo monthly) | Max $96/mo billed annually ($109/mo monthly) · Enterprise custom |
| ActiveCampaign | No free plan — free trial only | Starter from $15/mo (annual; 1,000 contacts) | Plus from $49/mo · Pro from $79/mo · Enterprise from $145/mo |
Prices last verified: September 2026. Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign prices scale with contact count — the figures above are starting prices at the listed contact tiers.
| Platform | Published AI Features | AI Access Level |
|---|---|---|
| Kit | AI-powered subject line generator | Included; EmailTooltester (2026) notes Kit currently offers little beyond this for AI |
| Mailchimp | Generative AI (content assistance), predictive segmentation, send-time optimization | Generative AI on Standard and above; predictive segmentation on Standard |
| beehiiv | beehiiv AI (writing assistance), AI website builder, AI credit system | 10 AI credits/day on Launch; 25/day on Scale; 50/day on Max — published on beehiiv.com/pricing |
| ActiveCampaign | Marketed as an "AI-first" platform: goal-aware automation and personalized experiences across email, SMS, WhatsApp | Platform-wide positioning; 950+ integrations |
Kit's Newsletter plan is the most generous free tier in email marketing: 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends, unlimited landing pages and forms, plus built-in commerce (sell digital products and paid newsletters; 3.5% + $0.30 per transaction). The catch, updated September 2026: automations were removed from the free plan, and it carries Kit branding. Creator ($39/mo at 1,000 subs) unlocks unlimited automations, sequences, A/B testing, and free migration from another tool. Creator Pro ($79/mo at 1,000 subs) adds advanced reporting, subscriber scoring, and a referral system.
Best for: bloggers, course sellers, and newsletter operators who want to grow a large list free and monetize in-platform. Watch out for: pricing scales steeply past ~50k subscribers, and design options are narrower than Mailchimp's.
Mailchimp's free plan is far tighter than it used to be — 250 contacts and 500 sends/month with a 250/day cap, no automation or scheduling. Its strength is breadth at the low paid tiers: Essentials ($13/mo at 500 contacts) adds A/B testing, 24/7 support, and branding removal; Standard ($20/mo) adds multi-step Customer Journey automation, generative AI, predictive segmentation, and send-time optimization. Contact-based pricing means costs rise with list size (e.g., ~$110/mo Essentials at 10,000 contacts per August 2026 data), and all contacts — including unsubscribed — count as billable.
Best for: creators who also run a small business and want landing pages, ads, and journey automation in one suite. Watch out for: the free plan is the weakest of the four, and costs escalate quickly with list growth.
beehiiv is purpose-built for newsletters: every email also publishes as an SEO-friendly blog post, and monetization is the differentiator — a native ad network, paid recommendations (Boosts), and paid subscriptions with 0% platform take (you keep everything minus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30). The Launch plan is free up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends and 10 AI credits/day. Scale ($43/mo annual) unlocks email automations, the ad network, paid subscriptions, digital products, and referral programs. Max ($96/mo annual) adds branding removal, a sponsorship storefront, dynamic content, and up to 10 publications.
Best for: newsletter-first creators who want growth tools (referral programs, recommendation network) and multiple revenue streams in one platform. Watch out for: it's not a general marketing suite — no CRM pipelines or ecommerce automation like ActiveCampaign.
ActiveCampaign is the automation heavyweight: advanced visual automations, 950+ integrations, and an "AI-first" positioning with goal-aware automation across email, SMS, and WhatsApp. There's no free plan (trial only). Starter starts at $15/mo (annual, 1,000 contacts) but caps automations at 5 actions with no branching; most serious users land on Plus ($49/mo) or Pro ($79/mo). Public pricing analyses flag that the $15 headline rarely reflects the real bill — CRM pipelines and SMS are add-ons, and since late 2025 new accounts are billed for all contacts including unsubscribed ones.
Best for: creators running sophisticated funnels, courses with behavioral triggers, or multi-channel campaigns. Watch out for: the steepest learning curve of the four and the fastest-escalating bill as contacts grow.
Kit: up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends at $0. beehiiv's free plan caps at 2,500 subscribers (also unlimited sends). Mailchimp's free plan is limited to 250 contacts and 500 sends/month, and ActiveCampaign has no free plan.
Yes — beehiiv's own pricing FAQ states it takes 0% of paid subscription revenue; you keep everything minus Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 per-transaction fee. (For comparison, Substack takes 10%.)
Only if you'll use its automation depth — behavioral triggers, split automations, multi-channel campaigns. For simple newsletters, Kit or beehiiv deliver more value per dollar; ActiveCampaign's real cost typically lands on Plus ($49/mo) or higher.