Newsletter platforms split between creator-monetization-first (Substack, beehiiv, ConvertKit/Kit), audience-building tools (Mailchimp, Sendinblue), and developer-focused tools (Buttondown, Resend Newsletters). The choice depends on whether monetization is the headline.

Editor's pick

Read our hand-curated buyer's guide: Best Free Newsletter Platforms in 2026 →

In-depth analysis with named leaders, real pricing, and decision framework. The ranked list below shows the top 10 of the 24 tools we evaluated in this category.

## Top 3 newsletter tools

1. [Constant Contact](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) #1 Top pick Established email marketing for small businessesStarting priceFrom $12 /moCheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 20264.2 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 10,413 ratings, Sep 2026Our takeBest overall[Read the review](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact)
2. [Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) #2 Simple, affordable email marketing for growing businessesStarting priceFrom $12 /moCheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 20264.7 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra · 3,514 ratings, Sep 2026Our takeBest free tier[Read the review](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite)
3. [Sender](https://toolradar.com/tools/sender) #3 Create, automate, and send emails that people want to read, without complicated setup or high costs.PricingFree plan4.8 /5 across G2 and Trustpilot · 1,724 ratings, Sep 2026Our takeHighest rated[Read the review](https://toolradar.com/tools/sender)

## 10 top newsletter tools compared

| Tool | Our take | Starting price (Nov 2026) | Rating | Watch out for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Constant Contact](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) | Best overall | Price: $12/mo | 4.2 out of 5, from 10,413 ratings across G2 and Capterra G2 4.1 · Capterra 4.3 | Watch out: Potential for increased costs with additional users on Lite. |
| [Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) | Best free tier | Price: $12/mo | 4.7 out of 5, from 3,514 ratings across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra Capterra 4.7 · G2 4.6 | n/a |
| [Sender](https://toolradar.com/tools/sender) | Highest rated | Price: Free + paid | 4.8 out of 5, from 1,724 ratings across G2 and Trustpilot Trustpilot 4.8 · G2 4.7 | n/a |
| [EmailOctopus](https://toolradar.com/tools/emailoctopus) | Most affordable | Price: $9/mo | 4.6 out of 5, from 701 ratings across G2 and Capterra Capterra 4.8 · G2 4.2 | n/a |
| [Aweber](https://toolradar.com/tools/aweber) |  | Price: $15/mo | 4.3 out of 5, from 973 ratings across G2 and Capterra G2 4.2 · Capterra 4.4 | Watch out: Done For You is an add-on, not core platform. |
| [Buttondown](https://toolradar.com/tools/buttondown) |  | Price: $9/mo | 4.8 out of 5, from 115 ratings across G2 and Capterra Capterra 4.8 · G2 4.6 | Watch out: Add-ons can significantly increase monthly cost |
| [beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/tools/beehiiv) |  | Price: $43/mo | 4.5 out of 5, from 56 ratings across G2 and Capterra G2 4.5 · Capterra 4.4 | n/a |
| [Sendy](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendy) |  | Price: Usage-based | 4.3 out of 5, from 42 ratings on G2 G2 4.3 | n/a |
| [Substack](https://toolradar.com/tools/substack) |  | Price: Free + paid | 2.4 out of 5, from 179 ratings across G2 and Trustpilot Trustpilot 1.3 · G2 4.3 | Watch out: Stripe payment processing fees (approx. 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) |
| [Curated](https://toolradar.com/tools/curated) |  | Price: Free | Rating: n/a | n/a |

## Newsletter Tools pricing compared

| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Free plan | Billing basis |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Constant Contact](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) | Cheapest paid plan: Lite, $12/mo | Free plan: No | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) | Cheapest paid plan: Comfort, $12/mo | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [Sender](https://toolradar.com/tools/sender) | Cheapest paid plan: Not published | Free plan: Yes (Free Forever!) | Billing: Not published |
| [EmailOctopus](https://toolradar.com/tools/emailoctopus) | Cheapest paid plan: PRO, $9/mo (billed yearly) | Free plan: Yes (STARTER) | Billing: Billed yearly |
| [Aweber](https://toolradar.com/tools/aweber) | Cheapest paid plan: Lite, $15/mo | Free plan: No | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [Buttondown](https://toolradar.com/tools/buttondown) | Cheapest paid plan: Basic, $9/mo | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Billing term not published |
| [beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/tools/beehiiv) | Cheapest paid plan: Scale, $43/mo | Free plan: Yes (Launch) | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [Sendy](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendy) | Cheapest paid plan: Not published | Free plan: No | Billing: Not published |
| [Substack](https://toolradar.com/tools/substack) | Cheapest paid plan: Not published | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Not published |
| [Curated](https://toolradar.com/tools/curated) | Cheapest paid plan: No paid plan | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Free |

Toolradar pricing data, last verified November 2026. Prices are the cheapest paid plan converted to a monthly figure; "Not published" means the vendor publishes no price for a self-serve paid plan. 6 of 10 tools publish a paid price; median cheapest paid plan $12/mo.

Toolradar data

## The newsletter tools market in numbers

**Toolradar data:** Toolradar tracks 24 newsletter tools as of November 1, 2026. 83% of the newsletter tools on Toolradar are free, freemium or open source. Toolradar re-checked the pricing of 83% of newsletter tools in the last 90 days. Toolradar aggregates 17,720 public user reviews (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and other review sites) across 11 rated newsletter tools. The most cross-shopped newsletter tool is Mailerlite, listed as an alternative to 29 other tools on Toolradar. The most compared newsletter tool on Toolradar over the last 90 days is Substack, with 126 side-by-side comparisons. Computed from the Toolradar catalog and on-site activity.

- 24 newsletter tools tracked
- 83% are free, freemium or open source
- 83% of prices re-checked in the last 90 days
- 17,720 public user reviews aggregated across 11 rated tools

| Rank | Tool | Listed as an alternative to |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) | 29 tools |
| 2 | [Constant Contact](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) | 24 tools |
| 3 | [beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/tools/beehiiv) | 19 tools |

| Rank | Tool | Comparisons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Substack](https://toolradar.com/tools/substack) | 126 |
| 2 | [beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/tools/beehiiv) | 98 |
| 3 | [Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) | 66 |

Source and method: [live newsletter tools statistics](https://toolradar.com/statistics/newsletter-tools)

## Newsletter Tools leaderboards from Toolradar data

Toolradar ranks Newsletter Tools tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Oct 2026.

CSV download of these Newsletter Tools leaderboards, licensed CC BY 4.0

### Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit

Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.

Counted among 8 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.

| # | Tool | Entry plan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Keila](https://toolradar.com/tools/keila) | $8.56/mo, billed monthly |
| 2 | [Buttondown](https://toolradar.com/tools/buttondown) | $9/mo |
| 2 | [EmailOctopus](https://toolradar.com/tools/emailoctopus) | $9/mo, billed yearly |
| 4 | [HeyNews](https://toolradar.com/tools/heynews) | $10/mo, billed monthly |
| 5 | [Constant Contact](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) | $12/mo, billed monthly |

A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 8 of 23 Newsletter Tools tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. [How we compute this](https://toolradar.com/how-we-rate#toolradar-data). Cite this: Toolradar, “Newsletter Tools leaderboards”, Oct 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. [All Newsletter Tools statistics](https://toolradar.com/statistics/newsletter-tools).

## How the top newsletter tools compare

7 of the 10 newsletter tools listed here have a free plan (Mailerlite, Sender, EmailOctopus, Buttondown, beehiiv, Substack, Curated); the other 3 (Constant Contact, Aweber, Sendy) are paid only. Teams on a budget should start with Mailerlite, our free pick.

Rankings are computed from G2/Capterra review volume and rating, and media mentions. [Editorial policy](https://toolradar.com/editorial-policy)

## Top newsletter tools

Order: Toolradar ranking score, which is the public review volume times the average rating on G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and other review sites, plus media mentions (recent ones count more). Paid placements are labelled and never change the score. [How we rank](https://toolradar.com/how-we-rate).

### Constant Contact

Paid

Established email marketing for small businesses

4.2 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 10,413 ratings, Sep 2026

Constant Contact has done email marketing for small businesses since before most competitors existed. The platform handles the basics well-email campaigns, automation, contact management-without overwhelming complexity. Templates make creating emails straightforward. The list management is reliable. Deliverability benefits from years of sender reputation. Small businesses wanting established, reliable email marketing without learning curves choose Constant Contact for proven basics.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) [Visit website](https://www.constantcontact.com) [Constant Contact alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/constant-contact)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Constant Contact? Rate it

- Pro: Easy to use
- Pro: Good for beginners
- Pro: Event marketing

- Con: Expensive for features
- Con: Limited automation

Fair value

Constant Contact's pricing is on the higher side compared to some market alternatives, especially for the Lite tier at $12/month which offers limited features and contacts.

Watch out

Potential for increased costs with additional users on Lite.

### Mailerlite

Free plan

Simple, affordable email marketing for growing businesses

4.7 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra · 3,514 ratings, Sep 2026

MailerLite provides email marketing with simplicity and value. Clean interface, solid features, and pricing that works for growing lists. The interface is intuitive. The automation is capable. The pricing is friendly. Growing businesses wanting straightforward email marketing choose MailerLite for accessible email.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) [Visit website](https://www.mailerlite.com) [Mailerlite alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/mailerlite)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Mailerlite? Rate it

- Pro: Affordable email marketing
- Pro: Good free tier
- Pro: Easy to use

- Con: Less powerful automation
- Con: Basic segmentation

Great value

Mailerlite's pricing is very fair and generous, especially with its robust free tier.

### Sender

Free plan

Create, automate, and send emails that people want to read, without complicated setup or high costs.

4.8 /5 across G2 and Trustpilot · 1,724 ratings, Sep 2026

Sender is an email marketing platform designed to help businesses of all sizes create, automate, and send effective email campaigns. It provides a user-friendly interface with a drag-and-drop newsletter builder, a vast library of mobile-responsive templates, and tools for email automation and personalization. The platform focuses on high email deliverability through continuous monitoring of sender scores and IP reputation, ensuring emails reach inboxes efficiently. The platform is suitable for various industries including e-commerce, small businesses, B2B, events, SaaS, and non-profits. It offers features like A/B testing, an HTML email builder, auto-branded emails, and dynamic content for personalization. Sender also integrates with popular CMS, CRM, and e-commerce platforms like WordPress, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Zapier, and Shopify, making it easy to incorporate into existing workflows. With 24/7 customer support, onboarding assistance, and a free migration service, Sender aims to provide a hassle-free email marketing solution.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/sender) [Visit website](https://toolradar.com/visit/sender?p=best&c=newsletter-tools) [Sender alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/sender)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Sender? Rate it

- Pro: Generous Free Forever plan with premium features included
- Pro: High email deliverability (99.98%) due to continuous monitoring
- Pro: User-friendly drag-and-drop editor and extensive template library

- Con: Specific limitations of the free plan (e.g., contact and email limits) might be restrictive for rapidly growing businesses.
- Con: While integrations are listed, the depth of integration with all platforms isn't fully detailed on the main page.

Good value

Sender offers a very generous 'Free Forever!' tier, providing substantial features for up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, which is excellent for startups and small businesses.

### EmailOctopus

Free plan

Email marketing made easy with intuitive tools and competitive pricing.

4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 701 ratings, Sep 2026

EmailOctopus is an email marketing platform designed to simplify the process of creating, sending, and analyzing email campaigns. It focuses exclusively on email marketing, avoiding additional features like SMS to keep the platform streamlined and cost-effective. The tool is suitable for businesses and individuals looking for an easy-to-use solution to connect with their audience through engaging and personalized emails. The platform offers a drag-and-drop editor for quick email creation, powerful automation capabilities, effective forms for subscriber collection, and intuitive reports for performance tracking. Users can integrate EmailOctopus with over 1,000 other applications and benefit from unique, brand-aligned templates. It also includes features for subscriber segmentation, personalization, and scheduled campaigns to optimize engagement and deliverability. EmailOctopus aims to provide a robust email marketing solution without the complexity and high costs often associated with larger, multi-service platforms.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/emailoctopus) [Visit website](https://emailoctopus.com) [EmailOctopus alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/emailoctopus)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used EmailOctopus? Rate it

- Pro: Very competitive pricing compared to alternatives
- Pro: Easy to use and intuitive interface
- Pro: Excellent and responsive customer support, even for free users

- Con: Focuses solely on email marketing, no SMS or other marketing channels
- Con: EmailOctopus branding on emails for the free plan

Good value

EmailOctopus offers a very generous free tier for up to 2,500 subscribers, which is excellent for startups and small businesses.

### Aweber

Paid

Email marketing for small business

4.3 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 973 ratings, Sep 2026

AWeber provides email marketing tools small businesses can actually use. Build subscriber lists, design emails with templates, and send automated sequences that turn subscribers into customers. The platform has been around long enough that deliverability is solid. Integrations connect to common business tools. The learning curve is gentle for teams new to email marketing. Small businesses wanting to get started with email marketing without enterprise complexity find AWeber does what they need without overwhelming them.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/aweber) [Visit website](https://www.aweber.com) [Aweber alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/aweber)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Aweber? Rate it

- Pro: Simple email marketing
- Pro: Good for beginners
- Pro: Reliable deliverability

- Con: Limited automation
- Con: Dated interface

Fair value

Aweber's pricing is on the expensive side, especially the 'Lite' tier at $15/month for only 500 subscribers and limited features, considering competitors offer more for less or even free.

Watch out

Done For You is an add-on, not core platform.

### Buttondown

Free plan

Minimalist newsletter platform for simplicity and privacy

4.8 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 115 ratings, Sep 2026

Buttondown is a minimalist newsletter platform focused on simplicity and privacy, offering rich text editing, custom domains, and modular add-on features.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/buttondown) [Visit website](https://buttondown.email) [Buttondown alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/buttondown)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Buttondown? Rate it

- Pro: Simple and clean
- Pro: Markdown native
- Pro: Affordable

- Con: Basic features
- Con: Less automation

Good value

Buttondown's pricing is quite generous, especially for smaller newsletters.

Watch out

Add-ons can significantly increase monthly cost

### beehiiv

Free plan

Newsletter platform for growth

4.5 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 56 ratings, Sep 2026

beehiiv is a newsletter platform built for growth, offering custom websites, monetization tools, recommendation network, and advanced analytics for content creators.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/beehiiv) [Visit website](https://www.beehiiv.com) [beehiiv alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/beehiiv)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used beehiiv? Rate it

- Pro: Generous free tier
- Pro: Great growth features
- Pro: Built-in monetization

- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Some features need higher tiers

Good value

beehiiv's pricing is quite generous, especially with its robust free 'Launch' tier supporting up to 2,500 subscribers.

### Sendy

Paid

Send newsletters 100x cheaper via Amazon SES with this self-hosted email application.

4.3 /5 on G2 · 42 ratings, Sep 2026

Sendy is a self-hosted email newsletter application designed to significantly reduce the cost of sending bulk emails. It leverages Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), allowing users to pay only for the emails they send, at a rate of $1 per 10,000 emails, rather than incurring increasing monthly fees based on subscriber count. This model is particularly beneficial for businesses and individuals with growing subscriber bases who want to avoid the escalating costs associated with traditional email marketing platforms. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of features for managing email campaigns, including detailed reporting, autoresponders, list segmentation, and subscriber management. It also supports white-labeled client accounts, enabling agencies or businesses to manage multiple brands and even set their own pricing and sending limits for clients. Sendy aims to provide a cost-effective and feature-rich solution for email marketing, ensuring high deliverability rates through Amazon SES and offering integrations with popular third-party applications via Zapier.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendy) [Visit website](https://sendy.co)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Sendy? Rate it

- Pro: Significantly lower email sending costs compared to traditional platforms.
- Pro: No monthly fees based on subscriber count.
- Pro: High deliverability rates through Amazon SES.

- Con: Requires technical knowledge for self-hosting and setup.
- Con: One-time purchase fee for the software itself.

Great value

Sendy's one-time purchase of $69 is incredibly fair and generous, especially considering it offers unlimited subscribers and a comprehensive feature set.

### Substack

Free plan

Newsletter platform for writers

2.4 /5 across G2 and Trustpilot · 179 ratings, Sep 2026

Substack powers newsletter businesses. Writing platform for paid newsletters-where independent writers build audiences. The platform defined independent newsletters. The discovery helps growth. The business model is clear. Writers building newsletter businesses often start on Substack.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/substack) [Visit website](https://substack.com)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Substack? Rate it

- Pro: Completely free to start
- Pro: Built-in payments
- Pro: Simple to use

- Con: 10% revenue cut
- Con: Limited customization

Great value

Substack's pricing is incredibly generous, offering a full-featured free tier and only taking a 10% cut of revenue for paid newsletters.

Watch out

Stripe payment processing fees (approx. 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)

10

### Curated

100% free

Win inbox attention with editorial newsletters, designed for content creators and publishers.

Curated is a specialized platform designed for creating and publishing high-quality editorial newsletters. Unlike typical email platforms, it's built from the ground up to support the unique needs of newsletter creators, publishers, and marketers. It streamlines the entire workflow, from collecting content to delivering polished emails and web versions. The platform allows users to easily capture links and content using a bookmarklet, Chrome extension, or secret email address. They can then effortlessly assemble issues, add commentary, and publish stunning, customizable newsletters that look great across all email clients. Curated also provides an optional publication site with searchable back issues, and robust analytics to help creators understand their audience and improve each issue. It supports various monetization goals, including sponsorships and paid subscriptions, handling the entire sponsorship process and taking 0% commission on paid subscriptions.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/curated) [Visit website](https://curated.co) [Curated alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/curated)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Curated? Rate it

- Pro: Specifically designed for newsletters, not generic email marketing
- Pro: Streamlined workflow for content curation and publishing
- Pro: Supports monetization (sponsorships, paid subscriptions) with no commission on subscriptions

- Con: Pricing scales with subscriber count, which can become costly for very large lists

Good value

Curated's Free tier is generous, offering up to 1,500 subscribers at no cost, which is a strong entry point for new content creators.

## Why other newsletter tools didn't make our top 10

We evaluated 24 tools in this category and these 13 ranked 11 through 23. They're solid options that fell short on one or two axes (review depth, pricing transparency, feature parity), but worth a look if the leaders don't fit your stack or budget.

[HeyNewsCreate and publish your newsletter in minutes, directly from your browser.](https://toolradar.com/tools/heynews)[Demand CurveConnect your brand with a highly engaged audience of startup founders and marketers.](https://toolradar.com/tools/demand-curve)[God’s Eye ViewDeep dives into AI, AR/VR, and robotics](https://toolradar.com/tools/god-s-eye-view)[ListmonkSelf-hosted, open-source platform for managing newsletters, mailing lists, and transactional messages.](https://toolradar.com/tools/listmonk)[SparkLoopGrow and monetize your newsletter with paid and free recommendations](https://toolradar.com/tools/sparkloop)[ZetikYour personalized feed for deep dives, not distractions](https://toolradar.com/tools/zetik)[Prosper SocialPublish podcasts, articles and newsletters, grow your audience and earn](https://toolradar.com/tools/prosper-social)[MailcoachPowerful email marketing tools for newsletters, drip campaigns, and transactional emails.](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailcoach)[TerlidoSend multichannel outreach and newsletters from your own mailbox](https://toolradar.com/tools/terlido)[KeilaOpen-source email newsletter tool for easy and reliable campaign management.](https://toolradar.com/tools/keila)[KitAutomated email marketing and newsletter platform for creators to grow their audience and income.](https://toolradar.com/tools/kit)[SendfoxSimple and affordable email marketing for content creators to grow their audience.](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendfox)[DuppleStay ahead with daily industry news and AI training to future-proof your career.](https://toolradar.com/tools/dupple)

## Popular newsletter tools comparisons

See how the leading newsletter tools stack up head-to-head.

- [Constant Contact vs beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/compare/beehiiv-vs-constant-contact)
- [Mailerlite vs beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/compare/beehiiv-vs-mailerlite)
- [Sender vs beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/compare/beehiiv-vs-sender)
- [EmailOctopus vs Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/compare/emailoctopus-vs-mailerlite)
- [EmailOctopus vs Constant Contact](https://toolradar.com/compare/constant-contact-vs-emailoctopus)
- [Aweber vs beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/compare/aweber-vs-beehiiv)
- [Buttondown vs beehiiv](https://toolradar.com/compare/beehiiv-vs-buttondown)
- [Buttondown vs Substack](https://toolradar.com/compare/buttondown-vs-substack)
- [Buttondown vs Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/compare/buttondown-vs-mailerlite)
- [beehiiv vs Substack](https://toolradar.com/compare/beehiiv-vs-substack)
- [Sendy vs Listmonk](https://toolradar.com/compare/listmonk-vs-sendy)
- [Sendy vs Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/compare/mailerlite-vs-sendy)

Compare all 24 newsletter tools side by side

## Pricing breakdowns for newsletter tools

Real plans and the hidden costs for each tool.

- [Constant Contact pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact/pricing)
- [Mailerlite pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite/pricing)
- [Sender pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/sender/pricing)
- [EmailOctopus pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/emailoctopus/pricing)
- [Aweber pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/aweber/pricing)
- [Buttondown pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/buttondown/pricing)
- [beehiiv pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/beehiiv/pricing)
- [Sendy pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendy/pricing)

## Browse all newsletter tools

24 tools

Pricing

- [100% free](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?pricing=free#browse)
- [Free plan](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?pricing=freemium#browse)
- [Paid](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?pricing=paid#browse)

Platform

- [Web](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?os=Web#browse)
- [iOS](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?os=iOS#browse)
- [Android](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?os=Android#browse)
- [Windows](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?os=Windows#browse)
- [macOS](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?os=macOS#browse)
- [Linux](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?os=Linux#browse)
- [Chrome](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools?os=Chrome#browse)

[RevueNewsletter platform acquired by Twitter100% free](https://toolradar.com/tools/revue)

Showing the top 1 of 24. Filter to narrow down.

## In-depth: why these tools made the cut

### Why beehiiv leads the creator newsletter category

beehiiv review

beehiiv is the Substack alternative built specifically for newsletter operators who treat newsletters as a business. The product has ad/sponsor marketplaces, referral programs, premium subscription support, and analytics depth Substack lacks. For serious newsletter publishers, beehiiv is increasingly the right pick.

beehiiv's free tier is generous; paid tiers price reasonably for the feature depth. Substack's network effect (discovery, recommendations) is its main remaining advantage. For pure operations and revenue control, beehiiv wins.

## How to choose newsletter tools

1. Decide on monetization pathPaid subscriptions (Substack-style): Substack, beehiiv, Ghost Newsletter. Sponsorships in free newsletter: beehiiv (built-in marketplace), or any tool + manual sponsor ops. Lead gen (newsletter as funnel): ConvertKit, Mailchimp. Each tier optimizes for different revenue models.
2. Audit deliverability + open ratesNewsletter deliverability is the most-underrated criterion. Substack and beehiiv handle this well at scale; smaller tools vary. Use a deliverability test (Mail-Tester) on the platform's IP reputation before committing.
3. Plan for platform vs portabilitySubstack is platform-first, your subscribers live on Substack and you cross-promote with other Substacks. Self-hosted (Ghost, Buttondown) keeps the list portable. The trade-off is reach vs ownership.

## Honorable mentions

Tools that didn't crack the headline list but deserve a look depending on what you optimize for.

- [Loops](https://toolradar.com/tools/loops) Best for transactional + marketing email combinedLoops is the modern email platform that handles both transactional emails (signup confirmations, password resets) and marketing campaigns. Useful for SaaS where the same user gets both flavors.

## Best Newsletter Tools for

- [Newsletter Tools for Startups](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools/for/startups)
- [Newsletter Tools for Small Businesses](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools/for/small-businesses)
- [Newsletter Tools for Freelancers](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools/for/freelancers)
- [Newsletter Tools for Solopreneurs](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools/for/solopreneurs)
- [Newsletter Tools for Nonprofits](https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools/for/nonprofits)

## How we ranked these newsletter tools

We rank by real-world signal: G2/Capterra review volume and rating, and media mentions (volume and recency). Pricing is re-checked and the ranking refreshed monthly.

Tools evaluated24 With free plan78%18 of the 23 tools we rank Last updatedNovember 2026

Toolradar Research

## The data behind newsletter tools

First-party analyses built from our full catalog, methodology published.

- [Which software categories are actually free](https://toolradar.com/reports/free-software-report-2026)
- [What B2B software really costs per month](https://toolradar.com/reports/saas-price-points-2026)
- [The most crowded software markets](https://toolradar.com/reports/most-crowded-software-markets-2026)

All Toolradar research

Ask your AI assistant

Toolradar works inside Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and VS Code. Every price comes with the date it was read on the vendor's page. No API key needed.

“What is the best newsletter tool for a 5-person team under $50 a month? Give me a short list with prices.”

[Add to Cursor](cursor://anysphere.cursor-deeplink/mcp/install?name=toolradar&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rvb2xyYWRhci5jb20vYXBpL21jcCJ9)[Add to VS Code](vscode:mcp/install?%7B%22name%22%3A%22toolradar%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Ftoolradar.com%2Fapi%2Fmcp%22%7D)[Claude, ChatGPT and others](https://toolradar.com/for-agents?src=category)

claude mcp add --transport http toolradar https://toolradar.com/api/mcp

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the best newsletter tool in 2026?

Based on our analysis of 24 newsletter tools, Constant Contact is our overall newsletter pick. The next tools on the list are Mailerlite, Sender, EmailOctopus. Rankings use G2/Capterra review volume and rating, and media mentions.

### What are the top 3 newsletter tools?

The top 3 newsletter tools in 2026, ranked by Toolradar, are: 1) Constant Contact, Established email marketing for small businesses. 2) Mailerlite, Simple, affordable email marketing for growing businesses. 3) Sender, Create, automate, and send emails that people want to read, without complicated setup or high costs.

### Are there free newsletter tools?

Yes. Mailerlite is our free newsletter pick (free plan alongside paid plans). 7 of the 10 tools on this page have a free plan. Among the 23 newsletter tools we rank, 18 have a free plan.

### How do I choose the right newsletter tool?

Start by defining your team size, budget, and must-have features. Constant Contact is our overall newsletter pick. Mailerlite is our free newsletter pick. Compare all 24 options side by side on Toolradar.

Cite this page: Toolradar, "Best Newsletter Tools in 2026", updated November 2026, https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools

[Newsletter Tools statistics catalog size, ratings and pricing data, updated monthly](https://toolradar.com/statistics/newsletter-tools)

For newsletter vendors

## Selling a newsletter product? Reach 930K+ buyers through Toolradar & Dupple.

Newsletter ads and directory listings: the same surfaces buyers use to shortlist. Maximum 3 sponsors per issue, native layout, no ad design needed.

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Book a Spotlight, Primary Ad, or Native Advertorial yourself. Live in 1-2 weeks.

See ad pricing →

Full-service: let us run it

Our agency owns the media + executes the campaigns. Demand, SEO, content, end-to-end.

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Some offers on this page may be paid placements or contain affiliate links.

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Source: https://toolradar.com/best/newsletter-tools
