The listmonk Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about listmonk in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
listmonk
The Insider’s Guide
Free self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email marketing and newsletter tools, read from listmonk’s own pages.
Made by Kailash Nadh · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from listmonk’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on listmonk’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 7 of the 57 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade
listmonk is a free, open source newsletter and mailing list manager that you run on your own server. It ships as a single binary that works alongside a Postgres database, handles one-way mailing lists, campaigns and transactional messages, and exposes an API for most of its features.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about listmonk, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It sends one-way mail, and the pages read describe no automation journeys.
- 1
Best for self-hosted mailing lists for people who run servers
That is the catch: you install, host and update it.
- 2
It is free
listmonk has no paid plan at all. Free and open source; you host it yourself and supply your own SMTP service.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Lists and segmentation
Manage single and double opt-in lists with millions of subscribers, and query and segment subscribers with SQL expressions.
- 5
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.
- 6
Analytics
Built-in analytics show campaign performance, bounces and top links across campaigns.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 7 of 57
That is against the other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
listmonk is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
listmonk at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Kailash Nadh, since 2018
- Category
- Email Marketing & Newsletters
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for self-hosted mailing lists for people who run servers
listmonk is free, open-source software for newsletters and mailing lists, which you host yourself with a Postgres database and your own SMTP service. That is the catch: you install, host and update it. It sends one-way mail, and the pages read describe no automation journeys.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The 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. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free and open source with no subscriber cap on record, but you pay for hosting and an SMTP service yourself. |
| Features | C | Lists, segmentation, templates, analytics, transactional messages and access control. The pages read describe no automation journeys or paid subscriptions. |
| Ease of use | D | You self-host it: a server, a Postgres database and an SMTP provider, plus updates. No rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with no integrations listed on the pages read. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who listmonk is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Developers and teams comfortable running their own server
- Newsletters with large lists that would be costly on per-contact pricing
- Organizations that want full control of subscriber data
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
listmonk is free to use.
The software is free, but you need a server and an SMTP provider for sending, so it is not free in practice.
Self-hosted
$0
Free and open source; you host it yourself on a server with a Postgres database.
The free plan
Free and open source; you host it yourself and supply your own SMTP service.
Read from listmonk.app on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, email campaigns, transactional email.
Lists, segmentation, templates, analytics, transactional messages and access control.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
listmonk is made by Kailash Nadh, and has been around since 2018.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
7/57
Other email marketing and newsletter tools it is graded above
listmonk's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 7 of the 57 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 43 of 57) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
listmonk has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 58 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. listmonk’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 10 of 57
- BFree plan and trialAbove 43 of 57
- CFeaturesAbove 3 of 57
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 57
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 57
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 50 email marketing and newsletter tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. listmonk is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
listmonk is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 41 of the 57 other email marketing and newsletter tools grade higher.
What you could not
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- Mail servers with a good name among inbox providers.
- An API that other software can build on.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on.
What this rests on. listmonk’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Mautic, Sendy, Mailcoach, Buttondown and EmailOctopus
The 5 tools listmonk is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Mautic
Free plan · from €247.50/mo
Open source marketing automation you can self-host.
- listmonk also covers transactional email.
- Mautic also covers marketing automation.
- 2.0GPA
Sendy
From $69 one-time
Self-hosted newsletter app that sends through Amazon SES.
- listmonk has a free plan. Sendy does not.
- listmonk is open source, according to its own site.
- Sendy can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
Mailcoach
Free trial · from $9.99/mo
Email campaigns priced by emails sent, hosted or self-hosted.
- listmonk has a free plan. Mailcoach does not, though it has a free trial.
- listmonk is open source, according to its own site.
- listmonk also covers transactional email.
- 2.4GPA
Buttondown
Free plan · from $9/mo
Newsletter software priced by active subscribers, with add-ons.
- listmonk is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- listmonk also covers transactional email.
- Buttondown also covers marketing automation and paid newsletters.
- 2.8GPA
EmailOctopus
Free plan · from $9/mo
Simple, low-cost email marketing with a free plan for 2,500.
- listmonk is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- listmonk also covers transactional email.
- EmailOctopus also covers marketing automation and forms.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is listmonk free?
Yes. listmonk is free to use. Free and open source; you host it yourself and supply your own SMTP service.
How much does listmonk cost?
listmonk lists one plan. Self-hosted: $0.
What platforms does listmonk work on?
listmonk is available on Web.
Does listmonk have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. listmonk is listed for Web.
Does listmonk have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. listmonk is listed for Web.
Is listmonk open source?
Yes. listmonk is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Does listmonk have an API?
Yes. listmonk offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes listmonk?
listmonk is made by Kailash Nadh. It dates from 2018.
What are the alternatives to listmonk?
The closest alternatives to listmonk in our directory are Mautic, Sendy, Mailcoach, Buttondown and EmailOctopus.
How does listmonk compare with other email marketing and newsletter tools?
listmonk's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 7 of the 57 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 9.
Is listmonk good value for money?
ToolGPA grades listmonk C for value for money. listmonk has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of listmonk?
listmonk is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from listmonk’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from listmonk's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Kailash Nadh. Prices change, so check listmonk.app before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- listmonk, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/listmonk
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "listmonk: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/listmonk
Know someone choosing between email marketing and newsletter tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/listmonk/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email marketing and newsletter tools after listmonk, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Marketing & Newsletters Insider's GuideEvery one of the 58 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, compared
- Substack Insider's GuideNewsletter, podcast and video publishing with paid subscriptions3.2 GPA
- SendFox Insider's GuideEmail newsletters and list building for creators on a budget3.0 GPA
- Zoho Campaigns Insider's GuideEmail, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns that tie into Zoho's apps3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what listmonk’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. listmonk is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Kailash Nadh. Prices and plans change: check listmonk.app before you buy.