AcelleMail vs listmonk (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, AcelleMail grades higher than listmonk: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
AcelleMail grades higher on value for money, features and platforms. listmonk grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
AcelleMail
Self-hosted email marketing software sold as a one-time license
From $80 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick AcelleMail if
- Fits if you can host it and want no per-subscriber fees
- Works for people who want to resell it with the $199 Extended licence
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a free trial, as none is listed
- Skip it if you don't want to run a server and an SMTP service
- Watch out: updates and support last 6 months and the page doesn't say what renewal costs
- Watch out: the Regular License covers one domain and doesn't allow charging end users
- Watch out: prices exclude VAT or GST
Pick listmonk if
- Fits if you can run a server and want a mailing list you fully control
- Works for developers who want a transactional and newsletter tool without a monthly fee
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you do not want to host and update a server
- Skip it if you want automation journeys, which the pages do not describe
- Watch out: you supply a Postgres database and an SMTP provider, which cost money
- Watch out: the latest release shown is a v7 beta from 10 Nov 2026
- Skip it if you want one-click hosting backed by the project: third-party hosts exist, and the project says it has no affiliation with them
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAAcelleMailFair | 2.0GPAlistmonkFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$80 once for the Regular License, far under a year of this category's middle price. Servers and SMTP sending cost extra. | CThe software is free, but you need a server and an SMTP provider for sending, so it is not free in practice. Software that is free only if you host it yourself needs a server, so it sits at an ordinary C. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free: no free plan or trial in the listing. | BFree and open source with no subscriber cap on record, but you pay for hosting and an SMTP service yourself. |
| Features | BCampaign builder, automation, list management and deliverability tools, sending through your own provider. We found no gap named in the listing. | CLists, segmentation, templates, analytics, transactional messages and access control. The pages read describe no automation journeys or paid subscriptions. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. You host and maintain it yourself, so a D. | DYou self-host it: a server, a Postgres database and an SMTP provider, plus updates. No rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only on your server, with Amazon SES, SendGrid, SparkPost, Mailgun, Postmark and Elastic Email. | CWeb only, with no integrations listed on the pages read. |
| Best for | self-hosted email marketing for an $80 one-time licence | self-hosted mailing lists for people who run servers |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: AcelleMail and listmonk. How we grade
Where they differ
- AcelleMail can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- listmonk is open source, according to its own site.
- AcelleMail also covers marketing automation and forms.
- listmonk also covers transactional email.
In commonWebSelf-hostablePublic APIEmail campaigns
At a glance
| AcelleMail | listmonk | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| Starts at | $80 one-time (Regular License) | Free |
| Free plan | None | Free and open source; you host it yourself and supply your own SMTP service. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | AcelleMail | Kailash Nadh |
| Price read from | acellesend.com | listmonk.app |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
AcelleMail
- You host and maintain it yourself; the price covers the software, not servers, SMTP sending or deliverability.
- Updates and support are included for 6 months only; the pricing page does not state what renewal costs.
- The Regular License covers a single domain and one end product and does not allow charging end users for access.
- Prices exclude VAT or GST, which is added at checkout.
listmonk
- You install, host and update it yourself, and supply a Postgres database and an SMTP provider for sending.
- It is a one-way mailing list tool; the pages read do not describe automation journeys or built-in paid subscriptions.
- The latest release shown is a v7 beta, released 10 Nov 2026.
- Third-party one-click hosting exists, but the project says it has no affiliation with those providers.
Key features
AcelleMail
- Campaign builder
- A drag-and-drop editor with more than 100 templates, A/B testing, scheduling and spintax for email campaigns. The same builder is listed for landing pages and signup forms.
- Marketing automation
- Trigger-based workflows, drip series, behavioral targeting, RSS-to-email and birthday emails.
- List management
- Mass import, advanced segmentation, tags, embeddable signup forms and double opt-in.
- Deliverability tools
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC setup, IP warmup, spam scoring, click maps and real-time analytics.
- Bring your own sending service
- Sends through Amazon SES, SendGrid, SparkPost, Mailgun, Postmark, Elastic Email or your own SMTP server, so sending costs are paid to that provider.
- Multi-tenant SaaS mode
- On the Extended License, separate customer workspaces, subscription plans, payment gateways and white-label branding for running an email service of your own.
listmonk
- Lists and segmentation
- Manage single and double opt-in lists with millions of subscribers, and query and segment subscribers with SQL expressions.
- Templates and editors
- Go-templated emails with logic and 100+ functions, written in a visual drag-and-drop builder, a WYSIWYG editor, Markdown or raw HTML.
- Analytics
- Built-in analytics show campaign performance, bounces and top links across campaigns.
- Transactional messages
- An API sends arbitrary messages from pre-defined templates, and messenger interfaces can send SMS or WhatsApp through HTTP webhooks.
- Access control and privacy
- OIDC single sign-on, granular roles, scoped API tokens, and subscriber data export and deletion on request.
Plans
AcelleMail
Regular License$80
one-time
Full PHP source for one end product on a single domain. Unlimited subscribers and emails, 6 months of updates and support. You host it; no charging end users.
Extended License$199
one-time
Everything in Regular, plus multi-tenant user management, built-in subscription plans and billing, and white-label branding, so you can charge customers.
listmonk
Self-hosted$0
Free and open source; you host it yourself on a server with a Postgres database.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, AcelleMail or listmonk?
As of Nov 13, 2026, AcelleMail starts at $80 one-time (Regular License), and listmonk is free.
Which has a free plan, AcelleMail or listmonk?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only listmonk has a free plan. AcelleMail does not.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.