Kit, the email platform many people still call ConvertKit, looks simple on its pricing page: a Free plan, a Creator plan at $33 a month, and a Pro plan listed at $50 a month for the first year. The catch is that those paid prices are shown “for 1,000 email subscribers,” and the page does not show what happens at 5,000 or 10,000. I teach ecommerce and high-ticket dropshipping at Ecommerce Paradise, and I run my own stores, so I look at email tools by one test: what does it cost per year, and does it do the job I actually need?
Everything below comes from each vendor’s own pricing page as I reviewed it in October 2026. Where a page does not show a number, I write “not shown” instead of guessing, and where a vendor’s page conflicts with itself, I say so. Prices change often, so confirm them before you sign up. Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
Email is only one part of a store. If you are still choosing what to sell, start with my guide to what high-ticket dropshipping is, then come back and pick the email tool that fits.
Kit Alternatives at a Glance
| Option | Starting price | Free option | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omnisend | Standard listed at $16 a month, $11.20 with a 3-month prepay | Free plan, up to 250 contacts | Online stores that want email and SMS together |
| MailerLite | Comfort at $12 a month, Power at $25 | Free plan, up to 250 subscribers | Small lists and budget-conscious senders |
| beehiiv | Lite at $49 a month billed yearly | Free plan, up to 2,500 subscribers | Newsletter publishers who want ads and paid subscriptions |
| GetResponse | Starter at $19 a month, $15.58 billed yearly | Free trial, length not shown | Owners who want funnels, webinars and automation in one plan |
| AWeber | Lite at $15 a month at 500 subscribers | 14-day trial | Owners who want simple email with a long track record |
Email works best when there is a store behind it. If you want a high-ticket store built for you, with the products and suppliers already lined up, start here. See the done-for-you store build →
What Kit Costs and Where It Falls Short
The Kit pricing page lists a Free plan at $0, Creator at $33 a month or $390 billed yearly, and Pro at $50 a month for the first year, shown against a struck-through $66. The Free plan lists unlimited landing pages, forms, and broadcasts, tagging and segmentation, and the ability to sell digital products and subscriptions. Creator adds visual automations, email sequences, polls, SMS marketing, RSS campaigns, and removal of Kit branding. Pro adds engagement analytics, deliverability reporting, collaborative editing, and a newsletter referral system.
The page conflicts with itself in several places, so read it carefully. The Free plan is described as both “up to 10,000” subscribers and “for 1,000 email subscribers,” and the yearly Creator price of $390 does not equal 12 times $33. The Pro yearly price of $593 does not equal 12 times $50, and the renewal rate after the first year is not shown.
The sales fees are also unclear. The page lists 0.6% in one place and “3.5% + 30c” in another without labels, plus a 23.5% fee on paid recommendations. I could not tell which figure applies to which product, so check Kit’s current fee page before you sell through it. My Kit pricing breakdown covers the older plan names.
So where does Kit fall short for a store owner? The pricing page does not show ecommerce features such as abandoned cart emails or product recommendations. Kit is built for creators who sell digital products, which is a different job from running a product store.
How to Pick a Kit Alternative
Start with what you sell. A creator selling courses and a store selling physical products need different tools. Pick the email platform that matches the job, not the one with the longest feature list.
Next, price the tier you will actually be at. Many pricing pages show one low starting price and hide the cost at 10,000 contacts. Use the vendor’s pricing slider with your real list size.
Finally, check what you lose on the free plan. Some free plans lock campaigns when you pass a limit, and some remove automations. My guide to finding suppliers for high-ticket products pairs well with this, because your email content depends on what you sell.
1. Omnisend
Omnisend is the store-first option, and it is the one I recommend to most ecommerce owners. The pricing page lists Free at $0, Standard at $16 a month, Pro at $59 a month, and Custom for 150,000-plus profiles. A 30% discount for paying three months upfront gives $11.20 and $41.30.
Free lists up to 250 contacts, 500 emails a month, and 500 web push notifications a month, with no time limit and “Powered by Omnisend” branding. The page says the Free plan includes all features, including SMS. Standard lists 500 contacts, 6,000 emails a month, and unlimited web push. Pro lists 2,500 contacts and unlimited emails under fair use, plus an SMS add-on starting from $0.007 per SMS for US high-volume sending.
The page leaves several questions open. It does not state which contact tier the Standard and Pro prices apply to, and the Standard email limit appears as both 6,000 and “12 times list size.” It also does not say what Standard costs per month once the prepay period ends. Omnisend suits owners of online stores who want email, SMS, and push in one place.
2. MailerLite
MailerLite is the budget option. The pricing page lists Free at $0, Comfort at $12 a month, Power at $25 a month, and Enterprise with custom pricing. Annual billing is advertised as saving 10%, but dollar amounts are not shown, and the subscriber tier behind the $12 and $25 is not stated.
Free lists up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month, 3 active automations, 1 website, and 1 digital product or booking. Comfort lists 50 active automations, 10 websites, and 5 digital products. Power lists unlimited seats, automations, sites, forms, and digital products. Once you pass 250 subscribers on Free, campaigns and automations lock until you upgrade.
No transaction fees are mentioned on the page. I wrote a full MailerLite alternatives guide if you want the reverse comparison. A 14-day trial of premium features with no credit card is listed.
3. beehiiv
beehiiv is the newsletter-publisher option. The pricing page lists Free at $0 for up to 2,500 subscribers, Lite at $49 a month billed yearly for up to 100,000, and Pro at $95 a month billed yearly for up to 250,000. Monthly prices for Lite and Pro are not shown.
Free lists unlimited email sends, landing pages, and a recommendation network, with 30 days of analytics and one seat. Lite adds paid subscriptions with a 0% take rate, ad monetization, automations, and A/B testing. Pro adds branding removal, advanced analytics, and 24/7 priority support.
The page says beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription and digital product revenue, and Stripe’s standard fee of 2.9% plus 30 cents still applies. Ad monetization is listed with “Avg. $39/mo” that the page does not define. beehiiv suits publishers, but the pricing page shows no ecommerce tools for product stores. My Kit versus beehiiv comparison goes deeper on that matchup.
4. GetResponse
GetResponse is the all-in-one option. The pricing page lists Starter at $19 a month or $15.58 billed yearly, Marketer at $59 or $48.38, Creator at $69 or $56.58, and Enterprise with custom pricing. All plans list unlimited monthly email sends.
Starter lists a welcome series, 1 custom automation workflow, a landing page builder, and 3 users. Marketer adds unlimited automation workflows, abandoned cart recovery, sales funnels, and promo codes. Creator adds webinars, a website builder, a course creator, and premium newsletter subscriptions.
The page does not state subscriber caps or the list size behind each price. The meta description mentions plans starting at “$13.30,” which matches no listed plan. Trial length is not shown, and the comparison table was truncated, so verify features before you pay.
5. AWeber
AWeber is the long-track-record option. The pricing page lists Lite at $15 a month or $150 a year at 500 subscribers, Plus at $30 a month or $240 a year, and a Done For You plan at $20 a month billed annually plus a $79 setup fee. Headline prices of $12.49 and $19.99 appear on billed-annually plans.
Tier prices rise with your list. Lite is listed at $25 a month at 1,000 subscribers and $100 at 10,000, while Plus is listed at $45 at 1,000 and $135 at 10,000. Plans above 100,000 subscribers require contacting AWeber.
Ecommerce fees are listed at 1.0% on Lite and 0.6% on Plus and Done For You. Lite includes 1 email list, 3 landing pages, and 3 automations, while Plus lists unlimited lists, landing pages, and automations. A 14-day trial is listed for Plus and Lite, and the page shows a free option without giving its limits.
What Each Option Costs Per Year
These figures are my own math from the listed prices, and the subscriber tiers behind them differ, so treat this as a rough guide and not a quote. Kit Creator is $390 a year at the listed yearly price, and Pro is $593 for the first year. Omnisend Standard is $192 a year at the $16 list price, and Pro is $708 at $59 a month.
MailerLite Comfort is $144 a year at $12 a month, and Power is $300 at $25 a month, though the subscriber tier is not stated. beehiiv Lite is $588 a year at the yearly-billed price. GetResponse Starter is about $187 a year billed yearly, and Marketer is about $581.
AWeber Lite is $300 a year at 1,000 subscribers if you pay the monthly $25, and Plus is $540 at the same tier. So at the listed prices, Kit Creator costs more than Omnisend Standard, MailerLite Comfort, and AWeber Lite, and less than beehiiv Lite or AWeber Plus. Price alone should not decide it, because the plans do different jobs.
Which Option Fits Which Store Owner
If you run an online store, Omnisend is the one built for it, and GetResponse Marketer lists abandoned cart recovery. If you want the lowest listed price, MailerLite and AWeber Lite are the cheapest paid starting points on the pages I read.
If you publish a newsletter with ads, beehiiv is the clear match. If you sell digital products and courses, Kit and GetResponse Creator both list them. If Kit already fits you, there may be no reason to move.
Features Worth Paying For
Automation comes first. Kit’s Free plan lists no visual automations or sequences, MailerLite Free lists 3 active automations, and GetResponse Starter lists 1 custom workflow. If your email program depends on welcome flows, check the automation limit before you pick a plan.
Abandoned cart recovery comes second. GetResponse lists it on Marketer, and Omnisend lists a product recommender on its paid plans. Kit’s pricing page does not show abandoned cart recovery.
SMS comes third. Omnisend lists SMS as an add-on with per-message pricing, Kit lists SMS marketing on Creator, and Brevo, which I left out because its pricing page showed no dollar amounts, lists SMS credits as sold separately. If texting matters to you, price the credits, not only the plan.
Using Email With a High-Ticket Store
A high-ticket buyer takes weeks to decide, so email is a follow-up tool: a welcome message, a short guide, a price or financing reminder, and a personal check-in. Keep the list small and relevant. A few hundred real buyers beat thousands of cold names.
Pick a niche where buyers research before they purchase. My high-ticket niches list is a good place to start. The store itself can run on Shopify, though I did not verify each tool’s Shopify integration, so check that on the vendor’s page.
A Simple 30-Day Test Plan
Pick one platform and start on its free plan or trial. Import a small list, build one welcome email, and send it to yourself and five friends. Note what you could not find.
In week three, build one real automation, such as a welcome series. Check how many subscribers and sends it counts against your plan. Compare the result with the limits on the pricing page.
At the end of the month, decide whether the platform helped you sell. Cancel any trial before it converts, and export your list so you own a copy.
Costs to Watch as You Grow
The first cost is your list size. Prices rise with subscribers, and Kit’s page shows only the 1,000 tier. The second cost is add-ons, such as SMS credits at Omnisend or the $79 setup fee on AWeber Done For You.
The third cost is sales fees. Kit lists conflicting fees, beehiiv defers to Stripe’s 2.9% plus 30 cents, and AWeber lists 0.6% to 1.0%. The fourth cost is plan jumps, such as GetResponse Starter at $19 versus Marketer at $59.
Moving Away From Kit Safely
Do not cancel Kit the day you start a new platform. Export your subscribers with their tags, and note which sequences are running. Kit lists free migrations on its paid plans, and Omnisend lists free migration too, so ask any vendor before you pay.
Rebuild your welcome sequence first, then send a short note to your list so they expect the new sender. Keep the old account until your first full month of sends is clean.
When Kit Is Still the Right Pick
Kit may still be the right pick if you are a creator selling digital products, courses, or paid newsletters, and you value its simple setup. The Free plan lists unlimited landing pages, forms, and broadcasts, which is a generous place to start. If you want to test it, Kit lists a 14-day free trial on Creator and Pro.
If most of your needs match that description, test the numbers before you switch. A tool that fits your work is worth more than a cheaper one that does not.
Hiring Help to Run Your Email
Email needs a steady hand. A virtual assistant from OnlineJobs.ph can schedule sends, clean your list, and watch replies from a short guide. Write down your standards first, then hand the work over.
For a one-off job, such as a welcome sequence or an email template, a freelancer on Fiverr can save you time. Share access carefully and remove it when the job ends.
Common Mistakes With Email Platforms
The first mistake is picking a platform by its free plan and ignoring the paid tier you will land on. The second mistake is importing a purchased list, which hurts deliverability and breaks most vendors’ terms.
The third mistake is collecting emails before your business exists. If you have not formed your company, read my guide to business formation for high-ticket dropshipping. To file an LLC quickly, Bizee is one option I recommend.
The fourth mistake is skipping the test send. Send every new automation to yourself before it goes live.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Kit?
It depends on what you sell. Omnisend fits online stores, MailerLite and AWeber Lite are the cheapest paid starts on their pages, beehiiv fits ad-supported newsletters, and GetResponse fits owners who want funnels and webinars.
How much does Kit cost?
The pricing page lists Free at $0, Creator at $33 a month or $390 billed yearly, and Pro at $50 a month for the first year. Those paid prices are shown for 1,000 subscribers, and larger tiers are not shown.
Is Kit the same as ConvertKit?
Kit is the current name of the platform many people still search for as ConvertKit. Searches for both names land on the same company.
Which platform has the best free plan?
beehiiv lists up to 2,500 subscribers on Free, Kit lists unlimited landing pages and broadcasts, MailerLite lists 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, and Omnisend lists 250 contacts and 500 emails a month. Limits and locked features differ, so read each page.
Do I need email marketing for a dropshipping store?
For a high-ticket store, email is one of the few ways to follow up with a buyer who is still deciding. Start with a simple welcome sequence and grow from there.
Final Verdict on Kit Alternatives
Omnisend is the pick for online stores, MailerLite is the pick for tight budgets, beehiiv is the pick for ad-supported newsletters, GetResponse is the pick for all-in-one funnels, AWeber is the pick for simple email, and Kit is worth keeping if you are a creator selling digital products.
Start with a free plan or trial, confirm the current fees on each live page, and price the list size you will actually reach. Then put your attention on the offer, because no email tool can fix a product nobody wants.
Want a high-ticket store with the products, suppliers, and pages already set up? Let my team build it for you. Get your store built →
Prefer to learn the model yourself? Start with my free mini course, or go deeper in the masterclass and coaching. Free mini course → Masterclass → Coaching →
Related Articles
If you found this useful, these guides go deeper on related topics:
- Substack Alternatives: 5 Newsletter Platforms Compared by Fees (2026)
- MailerLite Alternatives: 5 Email Platforms Compared by Price, Free Plans and Fit (2026)
- GetResponse Alternatives 2026: Sorted by the Limit That Sent You Looking
- 9 Best AWeber Alternatives in 2026 for Your Email Marketing
- 10 Best Omnisend Alternatives in 2026: Email Marketing Platforms with Better Pricing, Stronger Niche Features, and Cleaner Use-Case Fit
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and world traveler from Seattle, Washington, and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
He maintains homes in Seattle and Bali, spends most of the year overseas, and usually returns to Seattle for about a month each summer.
