Published-specification comparison. No affiliate links are active in this edition. Disclosure.
Three free plans, three different boundaries
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Plan | Subscribers | Emails/month | Automations / steps each |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kit Free | 10,000 | Unlimited | 0 / 0 |
| MailerLite Free | 250 | 2500 | 3 / 5 |
| EmailOctopus Starter | 2,500 | 10000 | 3 / 5 |
Kit’s zero means no automated follow-up sequence, not no confirmation email. These are current new-plan limits; trial access is not permanent free access.
Sources: Kit, MailerLite, EmailOctopus. See also EmailOctopus automation guidance.
Count the emails, not just the readers.
For example, 2,500 readers receiving four broadcasts account for 10,000 emails before any welcome messages. That uses the entire stated Starter sending allowance. A list below the subscriber cap can still exceed its sending cap.
Make an estimate for regular campaigns, book-launch messages and new-reader automations together. Leave room for uneven months rather than treating a theoretical maximum as a comfortable operating target.
Keep the first workflow small.
Write a short welcome flow on paper. Count the delivery email, each waiting step, and any other action. If the plan cannot fit that flow, simplify the journey or compare a paid option. Do not create extra accounts just to evade limits.
Free does not always include the whole setup.
A file needs somewhere to live. EmailOctopus supports linking to an externally hosted file; its email plan is not a file-hosting quote. BookFunnel is a separate service with separate charges. Read the reader magnet guide before adding one.
If a free plan covers the workflow you actually need, stay free. Move up for a specific constraint, not because your newsletter ought to look more established.