listmonk vs SendPortal (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SendPortal 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
SendPortal grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
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 SendPortal if
- Fits if you have a Laravel developer and want a free newsletter tool
- Works for people who already pay for an email sending service
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want automation or a drag-and-drop editor, which aren't listed
- Skip it if you don't want to install PHP, Composer and a database
- Watch out: it has no sending of its own, so deliverability depends on the service you connect
- Watch out: no paid support plan is named
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAlistmonkFair | 2.2GPASendPortalFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CFree with unlimited users, subscribers and messages, but self-hosted, so a C. You pay your own server and sending service. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree and open source with no subscriber cap on record, but you pay for hosting and an SMTP service yourself. | BFree outright with no plan limits. You need a server and sender first, so a B. |
| Features | CLists, segmentation, templates, analytics, transactional messages and access control. The pages read describe no automation journeys or paid subscriptions. | CSubscribers, segments, templates, campaigns and tracking. The pages list no automation workflows or drag-and-drop editing. |
| Ease of use | DYou self-host it: a server, a Postgres database and an SMTP provider, plus updates. No rating on record. | DNo store rating on record. Version 4 needs PHP 8.3, Composer and MySQL or PostgreSQL, so a D. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no integrations listed on the pages read. | BWeb, with a REST API and AWS SES, Postmark, SendGrid, Mailgun, Mailjet and Postal. No apps. |
| Best for | self-hosted mailing lists for people who run servers | free open-source newsletters you host yourself |
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 SendPortal. 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. SendPortal has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
SendPortal scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other email marketing and newsletter tools on the chart, none scores higher than listmonk for less, and none scores higher than SendPortal 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 also covers transactional email.
- SendPortal also covers templates.
In commonFree planWebOpen sourceSelf-hostablePublic APIEmail campaigns
At a glance
| listmonk | SendPortal | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source; you host it yourself and supply your own SMTP service. | Free open-source software with unlimited users, subscribers, segments and messages; you pay only for your own server and sending service. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Kailash Nadh | Mettle |
| Price read from | listmonk.app | sendportal.io |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
SendPortal
- You install and maintain it yourself; version 4 needs PHP 8.3 or newer, Composer, and MySQL 5.7+ or PostgreSQL 10+.
- The pages describe campaigns, segments and tracking; they do not list automation workflows or drag-and-drop editing.
- It has no sending infrastructure of its own, so deliverability depends on the email service you connect.
- The vendor's pages name no paid support plan.
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.
SendPortal
- Subscribers and segments
- Import or update subscribers through the API or a CSV upload, and group them with tags and custom-defined segments.
- Campaigns and templates
- Send a campaign to every subscriber or to selected segments, using templates you build yourself.
- Message tracking
- Sends, opens, clicks, bounces and unsubscribes are tracked for each campaign.
- Workspaces
- Several workspaces or teams can be handled from a single interface.
- REST API
- API endpoints for templates, subscribers, tags and campaigns.
- Bring your own sender
- The documentation covers AWS SES, Postmark, SendGrid, Mailgun, Mailjet, Postal and plain SMTP as email services.
Plans
listmonk
Self-hosted$0
Free and open source; you host it yourself on a server with a Postgres database.
SendPortal
Self-hosted$0
Open-source software you host yourself, with unlimited users, subscribers, segments and messages. Sending costs are paid to your chosen email service.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, listmonk or SendPortal?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both listmonk and SendPortal are free to use.
Which has a free plan, listmonk or SendPortal?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both listmonk and SendPortal 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.