listmonk vs MailBluster (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, MailBluster grades higher than listmonk: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
listmonk grades higher on the free plan. MailBluster grades higher on value for money, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MailBluster
Email marketing with unlimited contacts, on your own SMTP or managed
Which one is for you
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
Pick MailBluster if
- Fits if you already have an Amazon SES account and want to avoid list-size pricing
- Works for ecommerce senders on WordPress or WooCommerce
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: 3,000 emails in total, not a month
- Watch out: your SMTP provider bills you separately, and Amazon SES adds a small SNS charge past 100,000 requests
- Watch out: Pro and Executive are shown only as billed yearly, with no monthly price
- Skip it if you want one bill, as the managed plans cost more and stop at 250,000 emails a month on the page
- Not for you if you want a mobile or desktop app, as it is web only
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAlistmonkFair | 2.4GPAMailBlusterFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | B$5 a month plus $0.60 per 1,000 emails on yearly billing is inside the cheapest quarter, before your SMTP provider's fees. A managed plan with sending included is $15.30 for 10,000 emails. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree and open source with no subscriber cap on record, but you pay for hosting and an SMTP service yourself. | CStarter is free with your own SMTP, but it allows 3,000 emails in total and keeps MailBluster branding. There is also a 14-day trial of Managed plans with no card. |
| Features | CLists, segmentation, templates, analytics, transactional messages and access control. The pages read describe no automation journeys or paid subscriptions. | CUnlimited leads, automation, A/B testing, custom fields, a WordPress plugin and API access. The listing shows no forms or landing pages. |
| Ease of use | DYou self-host it: a server, a Postgres database and an SMTP provider, plus updates. No rating on record. | CA web app where you connect your own SMTP provider on the cheaper plans, which is setup work. No rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no integrations listed on the pages read. | BWeb only, with WordPress, WooCommerce, Salesforce, Zoho, Zapier, Make, Pabbly Connect and Amazon SES. |
| Best for | self-hosted mailing lists for people who run servers | senders who bring their own SMTP and want low fees |
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: listmonk and MailBluster. How we grade
Price against what you get
listmonk has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. MailBluster starts at $5 a month and scores 2.3.
MailBluster scores higher, and starts $5 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other email marketing and newsletter tools on the chart, none scores higher than listmonk for less, and 2 score higher than MailBluster for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- listmonk is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- MailBluster also covers marketing automation and a/B testing.
At a glance
| listmonk | MailBluster | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $5 per month, plus $0.60 per 1,000 emails, billed yearly |
| Free plan | Free and open source; you host it yourself and supply your own SMTP service. | Starter plan with your own SMTP provider: up to 3,000 emails in total, with MailBluster branding on your emails. No credit card needed. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial of Managed plans, up to 100 emails a day, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Kailash Nadh | MailBluster |
| Price read from | listmonk.app | mailbluster.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
MailBluster
- With your own SMTP, provider fees are extra; Amazon SES also adds a small Amazon SNS charge past 100,000 requests a month.
- The Starter plan allows 3,000 emails in total, not per month, and keeps MailBluster branding.
- Managed plans cover up to 250,000 emails a month on the page; above that it is sold through sales.
- Pro and Executive are shown as billed yearly, and the page does not show a monthly price for them.
Key features
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.
MailBluster
- No list-size pricing
- Every plan allows unlimited leads; cost follows the number of emails sent.
- Bring your own SMTP
- Connects to Amazon SES, Postmark, Mailgun or SMTP2GO, whose own sending fees are billed by those providers.
- Managed sending
- Managed plans include sending infrastructure, IP blacklist monitoring and sender reputation management, with no separate SMTP account.
- Automation and A/B testing
- Pro and above include automation and A/B testing, with unlimited automation workflows on Executive.
- Ecommerce and WordPress connections
- A WordPress plugin and WooCommerce connection, plus Salesforce, Zoho, Zapier, Make and other connectors.
Plans
listmonk
Self-hosted$0
Free and open source; you host it yourself on a server with a Postgres database.
MailBluster
Starter$0
Bring your own SMTP provider. Up to 3,000 emails in total, with MailBluster branding. Meant for testing before upgrading.
Pro$5
per month, plus $0.60 per 1,000 emails (billed yearly)
Bring your own SMTP. Unlimited leads, automation, A/B testing, custom fields, no MailBluster branding, WordPress plugin and API access. SMTP fees are billed separately.
Executive$10
per month, plus $0.60 per 1,000 emails (billed yearly)
Pro plus dedicated 1-1 setup and support, 3 years of data retention, unlimited automation workflows and a 5% yearly reward on email sending.
Managed$15.30
per month for up to 10,000 emails, billed annually ($17 monthly)
MailBluster sends for you, with SMTP included. Steps up to 250,000 emails a month. Extra emails on the 10,000 pack cost $1.96 per 1,000.
Ways to pay less
listmonk
No public discounts listed.
MailBluster
- Annual discount
10% off Managed plans paid yearly
The pricing page marks yearly payment on Managed plans as saving 10%.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, listmonk or MailBluster?
As of Nov 12, 2026, listmonk is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $5 a month for MailBluster. listmonk is free, and MailBluster starts at $5 per month, plus $0.60 per 1,000 emails, billed yearly.
Which has a free plan, listmonk or MailBluster?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both listmonk and MailBluster have a free plan.
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.