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SaaSScored
Updated March 2026

Best Platforms for Running a Newsletter

Running a newsletter is different from running email marketing campaigns. You need a clean writing experience, reliable delivery to inboxes, built-in ways to grow your audience, and ideally a path to monetisation — whether through paid subscriptions, sponsorships, or ad networks. We evaluated each platform specifically for newsletter operators: how good is the editor, how easy is subscriber management, and what do real newsletter creators say about their experience? This is not a ranking of marketing automation tools — it is a ranking of platforms where writing and sending a great newsletter is the core job.

Transparency note: We earn affiliate commissions from some tools listed here. This never influences our rankings — our scoring methodology is published and open for scrutiny.

What to look for

  • Writing and editing experience — is the editor built for long-form writing, or is it a drag-and-drop marketing builder?
  • Monetisation options — paid subscriptions, ad network access, sponsorship tools, or digital product sales?
  • Growth and discovery features — recommendation networks, referral programmes, SEO-friendly web archives
  • Subscriber management — tag-based organisation, easy imports, and clean unsubscribe handling
  • Deliverability — nothing else matters if your newsletter lands in spam instead of the inbox

Quick Picks

#1
beehiiv—Newsletter creators and media companies who want to monetise their audience through ads, paid subscriptions, and cross-promotion
7
Read review
#2
Mailchimp—Complete beginners who want the easiest interface and maximum third-party integrations
6.5
Read review
#3
Kit (ConvertKit)—Solo creators, bloggers, and podcasters who value simplicity and built-in monetisation
7.2
Read review
beehiiv logo
Our #1 Pick

beehiiv

beehiiv is the best platform for newsletter creators who want to turn their audience into revenue. The monetisation stack — ad network, Boosts, paid s...

7/10
Try beehiiv →

How They Compare

RankToolScorePriceFree?Best For
#1beehiiv
7/10
From $43/moNewsletter creators and media companies who want to monetise their audience through ads, paid subscriptions, and cross-promotion
#2Mailchimp
6.5/10
From $13/moComplete beginners who want the easiest interface and maximum third-party integrations
#3Kit (ConvertKit)
7.2/10
From $33/moSolo creators, bloggers, and podcasters who value simplicity and built-in monetisation
#4MailerLite
7.5/10
From $10/moSmall businesses and creators on a budget who want simplicity
#5GetResponse
7.2/10
From $19/moCourse creators and small businesses who want email + webinars + funnels in one platform
#6Brevo
7.3/10
From $9/moSmall businesses that need email, CRM, SMS, and chat in one affordable platform — especially those with large contact lists but low send volume
#7AWeber
6.2/10
From $15/moNon-technical beginners who value phone support and simplicity above all else, and digital product sellers who want built-in payment processing on landing pages
#8ActiveCampaign
7.4/10
From $19/moMid-sized businesses (1K-25K contacts) that actively use complex automation daily
#9Omnisend
7.1/10
From $16/moSmall-to-mid Shopify stores that want email + SMS + push in one platform without Klaviyo's price tag or learning curve
#10Klaviyo
7.5/10
From $20/moShopify stores doing $500K+ in revenue that need serious segmentation and revenue attribution
#11Drip
6.8/10
From $39/moSmall-to-mid ecommerce stores ($100K-$1M revenue) on Shopify or WooCommerce who want powerful automation without Klaviyo's price tag
beehiiv logo
#1

beehiiv

The newsletter platform built for monetisation — not marketing

7/10
Best for: Newsletter creators and media companies who want to monetise their audience through ads, paid subscriptions, and cross-promotion
Not for: Ecommerce businesses (zero ecommerce features), anyone needing complex automation or advanced segmentation, and integration-heavy tech stacks
Try beehiivFull review
Mailchimp logo
#2

Mailchimp

The biggest name in email — coasting on reputation

6.5/10
Best for: Complete beginners who want the easiest interface and maximum third-party integrations
Not for: Anyone with 5,000+ contacts (dramatically overpriced), ecommerce businesses (Klaviyo is far superior), or anyone who needs real customer support
Try MailchimpFull review
Kit (ConvertKit) logo
#3

Kit (ConvertKit)

Built for creators — but the price just tripled

7.2/10
Best for: Solo creators, bloggers, and podcasters who value simplicity and built-in monetisation
Not for: Ecommerce businesses, anyone needing detailed analytics, or large lists where cost becomes hard to justify vs MailerLite
Try KitFull review
MailerLite logo
#4

MailerLite

Clean, affordable, and easy to use

7.5/10
Best for: Small businesses and creators on a budget who want simplicity
Not for: E-commerce needing deep analytics, or anyone in finance/health/dating niches where deliverability drops significantly
Try MailerLiteFull review
GetResponse logo
#5

GetResponse

The all-in-one platform with a billing problem

7.2/10
Best for: Course creators and small businesses who want email + webinars + funnels in one platform
Not for: Simple newsletter senders (you will overpay), WordPress users (no plugin), or anyone who might need to cancel quickly
Try GetResponseFull review
Brevo logo
#6

Brevo

The best-value all-in-one — if support doesn't ghost you

7.3/10
Best for: Small businesses that need email, CRM, SMS, and chat in one affordable platform — especially those with large contact lists but low send volume
Not for: Ecommerce stores needing deep Shopify integration and revenue attribution (Klaviyo and Omnisend are far better), or anyone who needs responsive customer support
Try BrevoFull review
AWeber logo
#7

AWeber

The veteran platform coasting on loyalty — after a brutal price hike

6.2/10
Best for: Non-technical beginners who value phone support and simplicity above all else, and digital product sellers who want built-in payment processing on landing pages
Not for: Ecommerce businesses (lacks pre-built flows and deep platform integrations), advanced marketers needing sophisticated automation, or cost-conscious users at scale — MailerLite does the same job for significantly less
Try AWeberFull review
ActiveCampaign logo
#8

ActiveCampaign

The automation king — if you can stomach the pricing

7.4/10
Best for: Mid-sized businesses (1K-25K contacts) that actively use complex automation daily
Not for: Beginners, budget-conscious solopreneurs, or simple newsletter senders — MailerLite offers 80% of the functionality at 30-50% of the cost
Try ActiveCampaignFull review
Omnisend logo
#9

Omnisend

The budget Klaviyo with genuine omnichannel chops

7.1/10
Best for: Small-to-mid Shopify stores that want email + SMS + push in one platform without Klaviyo's price tag or learning curve
Not for: Stores with heavy Outlook/Hotmail customer bases (38.7% Microsoft deliverability), B2B businesses, enterprise operations at 50K+ contacts, or advanced marketers who need Klaviyo-level segmentation depth
Try OmnisendFull review
Klaviyo logo
#10

Klaviyo

The ecommerce email powerhouse — at a premium price

7.5/10
Best for: Shopify stores doing $500K+ in revenue that need serious segmentation and revenue attribution
Not for: Bloggers, creators, coaches, SaaS businesses, or anyone without an ecommerce store — zero advantage over tools at half the price
Try KlaviyoFull review
Drip logo
#11

Drip

Solid ecommerce automation — quietly falling behind Klaviyo

6.8/10
Best for: Small-to-mid ecommerce stores ($100K-$1M revenue) on Shopify or WooCommerce who want powerful automation without Klaviyo's price tag
Not for: Anyone needing SMS marketing (discontinued for new customers), non-ecommerce businesses (Drip is ecommerce-only), or large stores needing predictive analytics and AI-powered optimisation
Try DripFull review

Compare the Top Picks Head-to-Head

beehiiv vs Mailchimp
beehiiv vs Kit (ConvertKit)
Mailchimp vs Kit (ConvertKit)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best email marketing tool for newsletters in 2026?

Based on our research, beehiiv ranks #1 for newsletters. The newsletter platform built for monetisation — not marketing. Score: 7/10.

How did you rank these email marketing tools?

We score each tool across 6 criteria: Deliverability (20%), Automation (20%), Ease of Use (20%), Value for Money (20%), Templates (10%), and Analytics + Support (10%). Scores are based on independent deliverability data, verified pricing, and real user reviews from G2, Capterra, Reddit, and Trustpilot.

Are these rankings influenced by affiliate commissions?

No. We earn affiliate commissions from some tools listed, but commissions never influence rankings. Our scoring methodology is published on our methodology page and open for scrutiny. Tools with higher commissions do not rank higher — Mailchimp has the lowest score despite being one of the biggest brands.

What is the best platform for running a newsletter?

beehiiv is the best dedicated newsletter platform — built specifically for newsletter creators with a clean editor, built-in ad network, paid subscriptions (0% take rate on Scale), Boosts for cross-promotion, and SEO-friendly web archives. For newsletter creators who also need marketing automation, Kit (ConvertKit) or MailerLite offer more versatility.

Is beehiiv or Substack better for newsletters?

beehiiv offers more monetisation options (ad network, Boosts, 0% take rate on Scale), better analytics, custom domains, and SEO-friendly archives. Substack takes 10% of subscription revenue permanently but has built-in social discovery and a simpler setup. For serious newsletter businesses, beehiiv is the better long-term platform.

Can I make money from a free newsletter?

Yes, through beehiiv's ad network you can earn from free subscribers via sponsored placements. beehiiv Boosts also pay you when other creators promote their newsletters to your audience. Typical earnings are $1-5 per new subscriber from Boosts. This is unique to beehiiv — Substack and Kit only monetise through paid subscriptions.

Which newsletter platform has the best deliverability?

MailerLite leads with 89.8% inbox placement in independent testing. Brevo scores 89.1%. beehiiv and Kit don't publish independent deliverability data, which is a gap. For newsletters where deliverability is the top priority, MailerLite or Brevo offer the best documented inbox rates.

How we rank these tools

Rankings based on 6 weighted criteria: Deliverability (20%), Automation (20%), Ease of Use (20%), Value for Money (20%), Templates (10%), Analytics + Support (10%). All scores are research-backed — sourced from real user reviews on Reddit, G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot, plus verified pricing and independent deliverability data. Read our full methodology

Last updated: March 2026

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Our top pick for this category: beehiiv (7/10)