MailerLite vs Substack
Pricing
MailerLite: Free up to 1k subs, paid from $9/mo
Substack: Free, 10% of paid subs
Description
MailerLite: Simple email marketing at great prices
Substack: The OG paid newsletter platform
Pros
- 5x cheaper than Mailchimp for comparable features
- Free tier covers 1,000 subscribers with full email builder
- Drag-and-drop editor that actually produces good-looking emails
- Built-in audience discovery
- No upfront costs
- Simple and focused
Cons
- Automation is simpler than Kit (formerly ConvertKit) or Customer.io
- Fewer native integrations: may need Zapier for your stack
- 10% cut is steep at scale
- Limited customization
Details
MailerLite is email marketing without the bloat or the price tag. Founded in Lithuania by Ignas Rubezius, bootstrapped until acquired for $90M in 2022. 5x cheaper than competitors because remote team + Lithuanian base. Great for creators who want simple and affordable.
Substack pioneered the paid newsletter model. Founded by Chris Best and Hamish McKenzie in 2017. Free to start, they take 10% of paid subscriptions. Over 5M paid subscriptions on the platform. Great for writers who want zero setup friction.
Verified
