MailerLite vs Zoho Campaigns
We give MailerLite a 2.6 GPA and Zoho Campaigns a 3.0, out of 4.0. MailerLite grades higher on ease of use. Zoho Campaigns 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
Zoho Campaigns
Email, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns that tie into Zoho's apps
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAMailerLiteGood | 3.0GPAZoho CampaignsVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AStandard is $3 a month for 500 contacts on yearly billing, or $4 monthly, well under 60% of the cheaper quarter of email tools. Even Professional is $4.50, and Standard is $49 a month billed monthly at 10,000 contacts. |
| 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. | BForever Free covers 2,000 contacts, 6,000 emails a month and 5 users, with templates and AI writing help. That's three emails a month to a full list, which one person could live on. No automated workflows, though. |
| 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. | BA drag-and-drop editor, workflows triggered by sign-ups and email actions, A/B tests, the Zia AI for copy and send times, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns, and syncs with Zoho CRM, Desk and Books. That's the whole job. Cart emails and pop-ups need Professional. |
| 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. If you already use Zoho it slots right in, but otherwise it's a web app with lists, workflows and templates to set up. |
| 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 Zoho CRM and Bigin, Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, WooCommerce, Eventbrite 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 | email marketing for businesses on Zoho |
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 Zoho Campaigns. 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. Zoho Campaigns starts at $3 a month and scores 2.7.
MailerLite scores higher, and starts $9 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 Zoho Campaigns 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. Zoho Campaigns starts at $3 per month for up to 500 contacts, billed yearly.
- Only MailerLite lists an iOS app.
- MailerLite also covers paid newsletters.
- Zoho Campaigns also covers business texting.
At a glance
| MailerLite | Zoho Campaigns | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $12 per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly | $3 per month for up to 500 contacts, billed yearly |
| 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. | Forever Free plan: up to 2,000 contacts, 6,000 emails a month and 5 users, with templates, generative AI and basic reports. No automation workflows. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of paid features, no credit card required | 14-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | MailerLite | Zoho Corporation |
| Price read from | mailerlite.com | zoho.com |
| 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
Zoho Campaigns
- Businesses already using Zoho CRM or other Zoho apps
- Small lists that fit within the free 2,000-contact plan
- Online stores wanting cart and purchase follow-ups at a low price
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.
Zoho Campaigns
- The free plan has no automated workflows and stops at 6,000 emails a month.
- Standard tops out at 100,000 contacts; larger lists need Professional, up to 500,000.
- SMS and WhatsApp are paid for with separate credits, and a dedicated IP costs $360 a year.
- Abandoned-cart, purchase follow-up and pop-up forms need Professional.
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.
Zoho Campaigns
- Drag-and-drop editor and templates
- Pre-designed templates, HTML import and dynamic content blocks; Standard adds over 120 templates, attachments and A/B tests.
- Automated workflows
- Triggered by form sign-ups, list entry, segments and email actions. Professional adds date, tag and open triggers, abandoned cart and purchase follow-ups.
- Zia AI
- Writes campaign copy from your subject line and audience, recommends subject lines and products, and times sends. You can also bring your own AI model.
- SMS and WhatsApp
- Text and WhatsApp campaigns and workflow steps on paid plans, paid for with separate credits.
- Zoho suite integrations
- Syncs with Zoho CRM, Bigin, Desk, Books, Survey and Backstage, plus Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, WooCommerce and Zapier.
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.
Zoho Campaigns
Forever Free$0
2,000 contacts, 6,000 emails a month, 5 users, drag-and-drop and HTML templates, and basic reports.
Standard$3
per month for up to 500 contacts, billed yearly ($4 monthly)
Unlimited emails, 10 users, A/B tests, basic workflows and priority support; up to 100,000 contacts. $49 a month billed monthly at 10,000 contacts.
Professional$4.50
per month for up to 500 contacts, billed yearly ($6 monthly)
Advanced segments, scoring, dynamic content, pop-ups, cart and purchase workflows, 20 users; up to 500,000 contacts. $81 a month billed monthly at 10,000.
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.
Zoho Campaigns
- Annual discount
Save 25% with yearly billing
Zoho Campaigns' pricing page takes 25% off paid plans billed yearly: Standard at 500 contacts is $3 a month instead of $4.
