Keila vs phpList (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Keila if

• Fits if you want a small newsletter tool priced by emails sent, with unlimited contacts
• Makes sense if you want open-source software you can move to your own server later

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a free plan or a trial: the vendor says it won't offer one
• Not for you if you need automated email sequences, as workflows aren't listed
• Pricey if you grow: the price doubles with each step, reaching €256 a month at 250,000 emails
• Watch out: self-hosting means running your own server and your own email sending
• Watch out: prices are in euros

Pick phpList if

• Fits if you would rather run the newsletter software on your own server than rent it
• Works for low-volume senders who want to pay per message, not per list size

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you are staying free: the hosted account stops at 300 messages a month
• Pricey if you send a lot, as pay-per-message reaches $240 a month at 150,000 messages
• Watch out: image storage, extra user accounts and exclude lists are part of the Plus option, which costs more
• Watch out: the features page says basic accounts start at US$1 a month, but the pricing slider's lowest paid step is $5
• Skip it if you want integrations, as the listing names only Google Analytics

Keila

• There is no free cloud plan or trial; the vendor says it will not offer one.
• Cloud prices are in euros and rise with monthly email volume, from €8 at 2,000 to €256 at 250,000 emails.
• Automation workflows are not listed among the features; the pages describe campaigns, segments and forms.
• Self-hosting means running your own server and email sending.

phpList

• The free account stops at 300 messages a month.
• Pay-per-message prices climb with volume, to $240 a month at 150,000 messages.
• A Plus option raises the price and adds items such as image storage, multiple user accounts and exclude lists.
• The features page says basic accounts start at US$1 a month, but the pricing slider's lowest paid step is $5.

Keila

Several ways to write emails

A visual block editor, Markdown (with or without a WYSIWYG view), MJML for custom layouts, or plain text.

Segments and custom data

Segments from contact data and tags, and Liquid templates to personalize emails from custom JSON data.

Forms

A form builder with custom fields, double opt-in and captcha protection through hCaptcha or Friendly Captcha.

Analytics and privacy options

Open and click tracking, which can be turned off entirely.

Sending options

Send with Keila's own delivery or bring your own SMTP, AWS SES, Mailgun, Postmark or Sendgrid.

API

An API to manage contacts and campaigns; a Zapier integration is described as being in private beta.

phpList

Lists, attributes and segments

Subscribers are organized into lists with attributes such as name, country and language, and exclude lists refine who receives a campaign.

Personalized campaigns

Plain text, HTML and templates with placeholders, plus scheduling and repeat sending.

Analytics

Opens, clicks and forwards by campaign, link and subscriber, and Google Analytics integration.

Deliverability handling

Bounce processing, abuse-complaint handling, DKIM and SPF setup, and sender-score and blacklist monitoring on the hosted service.

Double opt-in and unsubscribe handling

Confirmed sign-up, self-service preference updates and a do-not-send list for unsubscribers.

Open source and hosting choice

Run your own copy of the software or use the hosted service; the vendor says there is no vendor lock-in.

Keila

• Keila XS€8

  per month for up to 2,000 emails a month

  Unlimited contacts and projects; send with Keila or bring your own email server.

• Keila S€16

  per month for up to 5,000 emails a month

  Unlimited contacts and projects; send with Keila or bring your own email server.

• Keila M€32

  per month for up to 15,000 emails a month

  Unlimited contacts and projects; send with Keila or bring your own email server.

• Keila L€64

  per month for up to 50,000 emails a month

  Unlimited contacts and projects. Larger steps: €128 for 100,000 emails (XL) and €256 for 250,000 (XXL).

• Self-hosted$0

  AGPLv3-licensed; you host it yourself with the official Docker image. The vendor says there are no proprietary premium features.

phpList

• Free account$0

  per month for up to 300 messages

  Send 300 messages a month at no charge.

• Pay-per-message$5

  per month for up to 2,000 messages, billed monthly

  Price rises with volume: $60 a month at 30,000 messages. Billing for 6 months saves 5% and annual billing saves 10%.

• Pay-per-subscriber$8

  per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly

  Covers up to 1 million messages a month. $45 a month at 10,000 subscribers; 5% off for 6 months, 10% off annually.

• Pro marketer accountCustom

  Quote on request, for higher volumes and dedicated networks.

• Open source edition$0

  Software you host yourself, from phpList.org; community support through forums.

Keila

• Other savings

  Discounts for open source and nonprofits

  The pricing page says discounts may be possible for open-source projects, nonprofits and small businesses that have trouble affording a plan; you contact the vendor.

phpList

• Annual discount

  10% off annual billing, 5% off 6 months

  The pricing slider offers a discount of 5% when paying for 6 months and 10% when paying annually.