Best ConvertKit Alternatives for Newsletter Creators
For a creator-focused newsletter, ConvertKit (now Kit) usually wins on automations, and both platforms have solid deliverability when you keep your list clean and engaged. Kit was built for creators, so its visual automation builder, tag-based segmentation, and creator monetization tools tend to fit newsletter workflows better than Mailchimp, which is a broader small-business marketing suite with automations tuned more toward ecommerce and campaigns. Deliverability is comparable and depends more on your sending habits, authentication, and list hygiene than on the brand. If Kit feels close but not quite right, the strongest alternatives are beehiiv for newsletter-first creators, MailerLite for lean email marketing, and Substack or Ghost if publishing comes first.
When ConvertKit (Kit) is still the right choice
Kit remains a strong pick when your priority is automation depth for a creator business. Its visual automation builder, tags, and conditional sequences make it easy to run onboarding flows, segment by behavior, and trigger emails based on what subscribers do. It also includes creator-friendly tools like landing pages, forms, and paid subscriptions. If you already sell digital products or courses and want your email automations tightly connected to those launches, Kit does that well. It is also a known quantity with a large user base and plenty of documentation. Switching away only makes sense if you want more built-in publishing, growth, or monetization in one place.
Criteria that actually matter: automations, deliverability, pricing, monetization
Judge these platforms on four things. Automations: how easily you can build sequences, segment by behavior, and trigger sends. Kit leads here for creators; Mailchimp is capable but broader. Deliverability: largely determined by your authentication, list hygiene, and engagement rather than the vendor, so treat vendor claims skeptically and test with your own list. Pricing: most tools scale with subscriber count, so model the cost at the list size you expect in a year, not today. Monetization: whether the platform lets you run paid subscriptions, ads, or sell products without bolting on extra tools. Rank your own priorities before comparing, because the best tool depends on which of these you weigh most.
beehiiv: best all-in-one for newsletter-first creators
beehiiv is an all-in-one newsletter platform for creators, publishers, and businesses who want to create, grow, and monetize without coding. If your product is the newsletter itself, rather than a course catalog with email attached, beehiiv keeps the newsletter, a website, and even podcasts under one roof. That reduces the number of separate tools you stitch together for sending, publishing, growth, and monetization. It fits creators who want to focus on writing and audience building instead of assembling a stack. If you lean on complex marketing automations tied to product launches, evaluate Kit alongside it, since automation depth is Kit's traditional strength. Test both against your real workflow.
Mailchimp and MailerLite: broader email marketing options
Mailchimp is a broad email and marketing platform. It offers automations, templates, audience management, and integrations across ecommerce and small business use cases. If your newsletter is one channel inside a wider marketing effort with a store, ads, and CRM needs, Mailchimp covers a lot of ground, though that breadth can feel heavy for a pure newsletter. MailerLite is the leaner counterpart. It focuses on straightforward email marketing with automations, landing pages, and a clean interface, and it tends to appeal to creators who want simplicity and predictable pricing. Between the two, choose Mailchimp for range and MailerLite for a lighter, easier setup.
Substack and Ghost: publishing-first alternatives
Substack and Ghost approach the problem from publishing rather than email marketing. Substack is the simplest way to launch a paid newsletter with almost no setup, and it has strong discovery through its network and recommendations, though you trade away control and flexibility. Ghost is open-source publishing software with a polished editor, membership and subscription features, and the option to self-host for full ownership. Both are excellent if writing and publishing come first and you do not need deep behavioral automations. They are weaker if your priority is marketing-style sequences and segmentation, which is where Kit and, to a lesser degree, Mailchimp still lead.
Which alternative fits which creator
Pick Kit if automation depth tied to a creator product business is your top need. Pick beehiiv if the newsletter is the product and you want sending, a website, growth, and monetization in one place without coding. Choose Mailchimp if the newsletter is part of a broader marketing operation with ecommerce. Choose MailerLite if you want simple, affordable email marketing with light automation. Choose Substack if you want the fastest path to a paid newsletter with built-in discovery, and Ghost if you want ownership, a strong editor, and the option to self-host. Model pricing at your projected list size before committing.
Bottom line
For a creator-focused newsletter, Kit usually edges out Mailchimp on automations, while deliverability comes down to your own sending habits. If the newsletter itself is your product, beehiiv is worth testing as an all-in-one alternative that covers sending, publishing, growth, and monetization. Choose MailerLite for lean simplicity, Mailchimp for broad marketing, and Substack or Ghost when publishing matters more than automations. Match the tool to your top priority and model pricing at your future list size.
Frequently asked questions
- ConvertKit vs Mailchimp: which has better automations for a newsletter?
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit) generally offers automations better suited to creators, with tag-based segmentation and behavior-triggered sequences. Mailchimp has capable automations too, but they lean toward ecommerce and broader marketing use cases.
- Which one has better deliverability?
- Deliverability is comparable between the two and depends mostly on your authentication setup, list hygiene, and subscriber engagement rather than the platform. Test with your own list before deciding.
- Is beehiiv a good ConvertKit alternative?
- beehiiv fits creators whose newsletter is the core product, since it combines newsletter sending, a website, podcasts, growth, and monetization without coding. If you rely on complex product-launch automations, compare it against Kit directly.
- Should I use Substack or Ghost instead?
- Choose Substack for the fastest path to a paid newsletter with built-in discovery, or Ghost for ownership and a strong editor with self-hosting options. Both are publishing-first and lighter on marketing automations.
- How should I compare pricing across these tools?
- Most of these platforms scale cost with subscriber count, so model your expected list size a year out rather than pricing at today's numbers. Compare what is included at that tier, not just the entry price.