MailerLite vs Sender
We give MailerLite a 2.6 GPA and Sender a 2.8, out of 4.0. MailerLite grades higher on ease of use. Sender grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MailerLite
Email newsletters, automations, sites and paid subscriptions
Sender
Email and SMS marketing with a free plan for 2,500 subscribers
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAMailerLiteGood | 2.8GPASenderGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$12 a month for 500 subscribers, just under the middle of what email tools charge, and that already gets you 50 automations, 10 forms and 10 sites. It stays reasonable as you grow, at $89 a month for 10,000 subscribers, and yearly billing takes 10% off. | BStandard is $9 a month for 500 subscribers, inside the cheaper quarter of email tools, and $69 a month at 10,000. Yearly billing costs the same, but new customers get 30% off the first year: $75.60 instead of $108. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree for up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, with automations, one website and three forms. A fair start, but 250 people is a cap you'll hit, and then campaigns and automations lock until you pay. There's a 14-day trial of paid features too, no card needed. | BFree Forever covers 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, with automation, pop-ups, forms, 10 landing pages and transactional email. One person could really live on that. It's 1 seat, and everything carries Sender's branding. |
| Features | BThree email editors, a visual automation builder, websites, landing pages and forms, plus paid newsletters, digital products and bookings through Stripe. That's the whole job. Receipts and other transactional emails live in a separate product, MailerSend. | BDrag-and-drop and HTML editors, workflows with splits on every plan, over 40 pop-up and form templates, landing pages, SMS from Standard, transactional email over SMTP and an API, and shop segments. That's the whole job. |
| Ease of use | B4.67 from about 1,100 App Store ratings for its companion app, just under the 4.7 an A needs. The real work still happens in the web app, building emails and automations. | CNo App Store rating on record and no phone app. It's a web app where you import a list, build templates and set up workflows yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb and an iPhone app, with Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, Claude and ChatGPT, an API and an MCP server. No desktop app, so it can't go higher than a B. | BWeb only, with Shopify, WordPress, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Jumpseller and Zapier, and an API. No desktop or phone app keeps it at a B. |
| Best for | a newsletter with a simple website on the side | a free plan with automation for small shops |
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: MailerLite and Sender. How we grade
Price against what you get
MailerLite starts at $12 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Sender starts at $9 a month and scores 2.7.
MailerLite scores higher, and starts $3 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, 1 scores higher than MailerLite for less, and none scores higher than Sender 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
- MailerLite starts at $12 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly. Sender starts at $9 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly.
- Only MailerLite lists an iOS app.
- MailerLite also covers paid newsletters.
- Sender also covers business texting.
At a glance
| MailerLite | Sender | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $12 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly | $9 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly |
| Free plan | Up to 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month, 2 seats, automations, 1 website, 1 landing page and 3 forms. No sending through the API. | Free Forever plan: up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, 1 seat, automation, pop-ups, forms, 10 landing pages and transactional email, with Sender branding. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of paid features, no credit card required | 14-day trial of Professional features when you open a free account |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | MailerLite | UAB Sender.lt |
| Price read from | mailerlite.com | sender.net |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
MailerLite
- Creators and small businesses sending a regular newsletter
- People who want a simple website and email list in one tool
- Writers charging for a newsletter through Stripe
Sender
- Small online stores that want a free plan with automation
- Senders adding text messages to email campaigns
- Occasional senders who would rather buy credits than subscribe
Worth knowing
MailerLite
- The Free plan stops at 250 subscribers; above that, campaigns and automations are locked until you upgrade.
- Subscribers count cumulatively through each billing cycle, and passing your tier moves you up and charges the card automatically.
- Comfort caps monthly emails at 10 times the top of your subscriber tier; Power has no monthly cap, subject to fair use.
- Transactional email is not part of these plans; MailerLite points to its separate MailerSend product.
Sender
- The 30% yearly discount covers a new customer's first year only; the yearly list price is the same as twelve monthly payments.
- Free plan emails, forms and landing pages carry Sender branding.
- SMS credits are bought separately on Standard and priced by destination country.
- Pay-as-you-go credits are sold instead of a plan, from $29 for 5,000 emails with no Sender logo.
Key features
MailerLite
- Three email editors
- Drag-and-drop, custom HTML and a simple text editor on every plan. Paid plans add the AI writing assistant, multivariate testing and dynamic content.
- Automation builder
- A visual workflow builder with templates, e-commerce triggers, RSS campaigns and auto-resend. Comfort allows 50 active automations; Power has no cap.
- Websites, landing pages and forms
- Build sites with a blog, landing pages, embedded forms and pop-ups. Free allows one site and three forms; an iPad app collects sign-ups offline.
- Paid newsletters and digital products
- Sell one-time or recurring newsletter subscriptions, digital downloads and bookings, with payments taken through Stripe.
- Reports
- Click maps, list growth and comparative reports, e-commerce sales tracking, individual subscriber profiles and custom report exports.
- MCP server and API
- Claude, ChatGPT and other AI tools can manage campaigns through MailerLite's MCP server. Full API and MCP access, including sending, needs a paid plan.
Sender
- Email builder
- Drag-and-drop, HTML and plain-text editors with over 100 templates, product and abandoned-cart blocks, and a countdown timer on Professional.
- Automation workflows
- Pre-built and custom workflows with splits and custom triggers on every plan, Free included. SMS steps in workflows need Professional.
- Pop-ups, forms and landing pages
- Over 40 pop-up and form templates with exit-intent and spin-to-win options. Free allows 10 landing pages; paid plans have no cap and allow a custom domain.
- SMS campaigns
- Text campaigns from Standard, paid with credits priced by destination country. Professional includes free credits equal to its monthly fee.
- Transactional email
- Order and account emails over SMTP and an API on every plan, with event webhooks and email logs kept 1 to 30 days by plan.
- Segments and reports
- Behavioral and ecommerce segments, click heatmaps and audience growth reports; sales reports start at Standard.
Plans
MailerLite
Free$0
250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month, 2 seats, 1 website, 1 landing page and 3 forms. Community support only.
Comfort$12
per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly
Emails up to 10 times the tier (5,000 here), 3 seats, 50 automations, 10 forms and sites. Price rises with the list: $89 a month at 10,000 subscribers.
Power$25
per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly
Unlimited emails, seats, automations, forms and sites, plus 24/7 live chat. Price rises with the list: $129 a month at 10,000 subscribers.
EnterpriseCustom
For more than 200,000 subscribers: custom sending volume, a success manager, account audits and a dedicated IP as an add-on.
Sender
Free Forever$0
2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails a month, 1 seat and 10 landing pages, with Sender branding on emails, forms and pages.
Standard$9
per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly
Emails up to 12 times the list, 3 seats, no branding, SMS and A/B tests. $108 billed yearly, or $75.60 for a first year. $69 a month at 10,000 subscribers.
Professional$15
per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly
24 times the list in emails, 10 seats, SMS credits worth the fee, advanced automation and reports. $180 yearly, $126 for a first year. $127 a month at 10,000.
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited emails and users, a success manager, phone support, SSO, activity logs and a service level agreement.
Ways to pay less
MailerLite
- Annual discount
Save 10% with yearly billing
MailerLite's pricing page takes 10% off paid plans billed yearly: Comfort at 500 subscribers is $10.80 a month instead of $12.
- Nonprofit
30% off paid plans for nonprofits
Nonprofits get 30% off paid plans after sending support a document showing their status, such as an IRS tax exemption certificate.
Sender
- Annual discount
30% off the first year with yearly billing
First-time users who pay yearly get 30% off the first year: Standard at 500 subscribers is $75.60 instead of $108.
