LISTSERV vs Mautic (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mautic grades higher than LISTSERV: 2.4 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mautic grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms. 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.
LISTSERV
Email list server software for newsletters and discussion groups
Mautic
Open source marketing automation you can self-host
Which one is for you
Pick LISTSERV if
- Fits if you run discussion lists, for example for a university or a society
- Works for non-profit hobby lists that fit inside 10 lists of 500 members
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you are commercial: licences start at $2,875 and climb to $29,440
- Skip it if you want a price list, as only ranges are published and prices are for the US and Canada
- Not for you if you need marketing features, which need the Maestro add-on
- Watch out: the hosted ListPlex service has a $500 per node setup fee and $750 per node a year
Pick Mautic if
- Fits if you have developers or a hosting partner and want to own your marketing data
- Makes sense if you need full automation and want no per-contact price
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you do not want to host a server or pay for a hosting partner
- Pricey if you want it managed: from 247.50 euros a month billed annually, and Professional starts at 1,237 euros
- Watch out: managed plans come from Dropsolid, not Mautic itself, and are priced in euros
- Watch out: email sending is set up separately and costs extra
- Skip it if you want a quick start, as setup and migration fees are not stated
How we grade them
| 1.6GPALISTSERVWeak | 2.4GPAMauticFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DLite is $2,875 to $4,945 once, nearly six times the $495 middle of this category's one-time prices, and Classic runs to $19,435. HPO is $28,060 or more. | CThe software is free, but you run, update and secure it, and sending is separate. Managed hosting from Dropsolid starts at 247.50 euros a month, so one person pays either way. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free edition is limited to 10 lists of 500 subscribers each, for non-profit hobby or interest lists only, which is a cap you will hit. | BThe open-source software is free to self-host. There is no free managed plan, and no trial is listed. |
| Features | CAll list types, archives, self-service, bounce and content handling. Marketing features need the separate Maestro add-on. | BCampaign builder, email and landing pages, lead nurturing and scoring, a REST API and plugins. The listing shows no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. It runs on a server you maintain, 64-bit Windows, RHEL or Solaris. | DSelf-hosting means a server, updates and security, and setup and migration fees vary by hosting partner. No rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb interface, on Windows, Red Hat Linux and Solaris servers. The listing names no integrations. | BWeb only, with a REST API, plugins and a Drupal integration. |
| Best for | mailing lists for discussion groups and announcements | marketing teams that can host their own automation |
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: LISTSERV and Mautic. How we grade
Where they differ
- Mautic is open source, according to its own site.
- LISTSERV also covers templates.
- Mautic also covers marketing automation.
At a glance
| LISTSERV | Mautic | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $2,875 and up, one-time (Lite); free edition for non-commercial use | €247.50 per month, billed annually (€275 billed quarterly) |
| Free plan | LISTSERV Lite Free Edition: up to 10 mailing lists with 500 subscribers each, for hobby or interest lists that do not make a profit. | The open source software is free to self-host on your own infrastructure. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | L-Soft international, Inc. | Mautic project |
| Price read from | lsoft.com | mautic.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
LISTSERV
- No fixed price list: the vendor publishes perpetual license ranges and asks buyers to contact sales for a quote; academic discounts are mentioned.
- Prices shown are for the United States and Canada only.
- The hosted ListPlex service charges a $500 per node setup fee, $750 per node a year, and a $1,050 a year support plan for up to 20 lists plus $2.50 per 1,000 deliveries.
- Runs on 64-bit Windows, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 to 9 and Solaris; marketing features need the separate Maestro add-on.
Mautic
- Managed plans come from Dropsolid, not Mautic itself, and are priced in euros: from €247.50 a month billed annually.
- Self-hosting means you run, update and secure the install, and email sending is set up separately.
- Essential covers up to 50K contacts and 50K emails a month; Professional starts at €1237 a month.
- Setup and migration fees vary by hosting partner and are not stated on the pricing page.
Key features
LISTSERV
- All list types
- Supports newsletters, announcement lists and both moderated and unmoderated discussion groups, with open or closed membership.
- Archives
- Searchable message archives with classic, forum and blog views, plus RSS.
- Subscriber self-service
- People can subscribe, unsubscribe and set digest or index delivery themselves on one web screen, with double opt-in and one-click unsubscribe on Classic.
- Bounce and content handling
- Automatic bounce processing, plus content and attachment filters that list owners set on Classic.
- Newsletter templates
- A library of mobile-friendly HTML newsletter templates and a builder for your own.
- Maestro add-on
- Adds email marketing and analytics, including tracking, subscriber management and GDPR tools.
Mautic
- Campaign builder
- A click-and-drag builder for multi-step campaigns that respond to what contacts do.
- Email and landing pages
- Drag-and-drop email and landing page builders, built for mobile and cross-client use.
- Lead nurturing and scoring
- A central contact overview with point scoring to prioritize leads.
- REST API and plugins
- A REST API and a plugin ecosystem let teams connect Mautic to other systems and extend it.
- Data control
- Self-hosting keeps data on your own infrastructure, and the project lists privacy features aimed at data-protection laws.
Plans
LISTSERV
Lite Free Edition$0
Freeware limited to 10 lists of up to 500 subscribers each, for non-profit hobby or interest lists. Runs on Windows or Unix.
LISTSERV Lite$2,875
one-time, perpetual license, up to $4,945 by size
Entry-level version for small workloads. Price depends on lists and subscribers; the vendor publishes only a range. Annual licenses are also offered.
LISTSERV Classic$2,905
one-time, perpetual license, up to $19,435 by size
The full-featured version, including moderation sharing, topics, content filters and one-click unsubscribe. Price depends on lists and subscribers.
LISTSERV HPO$28,060
one-time, perpetual license, up to $29,440
High-performance version for large numbers of lists and subscribers.
Mautic
Mautic Essential€247.50
per month for up to 50K contacts, billed annually (€275 quarterly)
Shared managed hosting by Dropsolid, 50K emails a month, 100 emails a minute, standard workflows. Priced in euros.
Mautic Professional€1237
per month and up
Dedicated managed hosting from 50K contacts, extendable to 3M, with a dedicated IP, dynamic content and a support manager.
Mautic EnterpriseCustom
Dedicated infrastructure, up to 6M emails a month, SSO, custom plugin support. Sold through sales.
Self-hosted$0
The open source software, which you host and maintain yourself; email sending is separate.
Ways to pay less
LISTSERV
- Education
Academic discounts
The license pricing page says academic discounts are available; details come from L-Soft sales.
Mautic
- Annual discount
10% off managed Essential billed annually
Mautic Essential is €247.50 a month billed annually against €275 a month billed quarterly, a 10% discount.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, LISTSERV or Mautic?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LISTSERV starts at $2,875 and up, one-time (Lite); free edition for non-commercial use, and Mautic starts at €247.50 per month, billed annually (€275 billed quarterly).
Which has a free plan, LISTSERV or Mautic?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both LISTSERV and Mautic 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.