The phpList Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about phpList 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.
phpList
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source newsletter software, hosted or self-run
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email marketing and newsletter tools, read from phpList’s own pages.
Made by phpList Ltd · checked Nov 13, 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 phpList’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on phpList’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 42 of the 102 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade
phpList is open-source software for sending email newsletters, campaigns and announcements, available as a hosted service at phpList.com or to run on your own server. The hosted service is priced either per message or per subscriber, with a small free account. Subscribers are organized into lists and segmented by attributes.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about phpList, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Its own pages also disagree about where the cheapest plan begins.
- 1
Best for newsletters you can host yourself or pay for by the message
phpList is newsletter software you can run on your own server or rent hosted, with a choice of paying per message or per subscriber.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $5 per month for up to 2,000 messages, billed monthly.
- 3
There is a free plan
Trial account: 300 messages a month, free forever.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Lists, attributes and segments
Subscribers are organized into lists with attributes such as name, country and language, and exclude lists refine who receives a campaign.
- 6
Personalized campaigns
Plain text, HTML and templates with placeholders, plus scheduling and repeat sending.
- 7
Analytics
Opens, clicks and forwards by campaign, link and subscriber, and Google Analytics integration.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 42 of 102
That is against the other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace phpList you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
phpList at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $5 per month for up to 2,000 messages, billed monthly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- phpList Ltd
- Category
- Email Marketing & Newsletters
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for newsletters you can host yourself or pay for by the message
phpList is newsletter software you can run on your own server or rent hosted, with a choice of paying per message or per subscriber. The hosted prices start low, but the free account stops at 300 messages a month, the price climbs with volume, and a few basics sit behind a Plus option. Its own pages also disagree about where the cheapest plan begins.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Hosted plans start at $5 a month for 2,000 messages, or $8 for 500 subscribers, against $10 for the cheaper quarter of email marketing tools. It climbs fast, though: $60 a month at 30,000 messages and $240 at 150,000. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The hosted free account allows 300 messages a month, which one small list will use up. The open source edition is free, but you have to host it yourself. |
| Features | C | Lists, attributes, templates, scheduling, bounce handling and open and click reports are all there. Image storage, extra user accounts and exclude lists need the Plus option, which costs more. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. The hosted service takes a sign-up and then lists, templates and domain records to set up, and the self-run edition needs a server on top of that. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with Google Analytics as the one listed integration. No apps for phones or computers. |
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 phpList is for
- Fits if you would rather run the newsletter software on your own server than rent it
- Works for low-volume senders who want to pay per message, not per list size
Who it is not for
- Tight if you are staying free: the hosted account stops at 300 messages a month
- Pricey if you send a lot, as pay-per-message reaches $240 a month at 150,000 messages
- Watch out: image storage, extra user accounts and exclude lists are part of the Plus option, which costs more
- Watch out: the features page says basic accounts start at US$1 a month, but the pricing slider's lowest paid step is $5
- Skip it if you want integrations, as the listing names only Google Analytics
Good to know
Good for
- Senders who want to host the newsletter software themselves
- Low-volume senders who prefer to pay for messages rather than a monthly list size
- Organizations that want a message-based or subscriber-based plan to choose from
Worth knowing
- The free account stops at 300 messages a month.
- Pay-per-message prices climb with volume, to $240 a month at 150,000 messages.
- A Plus option raises the price and adds items such as image storage, multiple user accounts and exclude lists.
- The features page says basic accounts start at US$1 a month, but the pricing slider's lowest paid step is $5.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5
A month to start. There is a free plan too
phpList has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5 per month for up to 2,000 messages, billed monthly.
The open source edition is free, but you have to host it yourself.
Free account
$0
per month for up to 300 messages
Send 300 messages a month at no charge.
Pay-per-message
$5
per month for up to 2,000 messages, billed monthly
Price rises with volume: $60 a month at 30,000 messages. Billing for 6 months saves 5% and annual billing saves 10%.
Pay-per-subscriber
$8
per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly
Covers up to 1 million messages a month. $45 a month at 10,000 subscribers; 5% off for 6 months, 10% off annually.
Pro marketer account
Custom
Quote on request, for higher volumes and dedicated networks.
Open source edition
$0
Software you host yourself, from phpList.org; community support through forums.
The free plan
Trial account: 300 messages a month, free forever.
Read from phplist.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
10% off annual billing, 5% off 6 months
The pricing slider offers a discount of 5% when paying for 6 months and 10% when paying annually.
Stated on phplist.com
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
Open-source newsletter software, hosted or self-run. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, reports, email campaigns.
Lists, attributes, templates, scheduling, bounce handling and open and click reports are all there.
- Lists, attributes and segments
- Subscribers are organized into lists with attributes such as name, country and language, and exclude lists refine who receives a campaign.
- Personalized campaigns
- Plain text, HTML and templates with placeholders, plus scheduling and repeat sending.
- Analytics
- Opens, clicks and forwards by campaign, link and subscriber, and Google Analytics integration.
- Deliverability handling
- Bounce processing, abuse-complaint handling, DKIM and SPF setup, and sender-score and blacklist monitoring on the hosted service.
- Double opt-in and unsubscribe handling
- Confirmed sign-up, self-service preference updates and a do-not-send list for unsubscribers.
- Open source and hosting choice
- Run your own copy of the software or use the hosted service; the vendor says there is no vendor lock-in.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Google Analytics
phpList is made by phpList Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
42/102
Other email marketing and newsletter tools it is graded above
phpList's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 42 of the 102 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 24.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 81 of 102) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 2 of the 78 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 103 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. phpList’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 81 of 102
- CFree plan and trialAbove 33 of 102
- CFeaturesAbove 4 of 102
- CEase of useAbove 11 of 102
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 102
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 82 email marketing and newsletter tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. phpList 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
To replace phpList you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $60 a year. phpList is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Reports: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
What this rests on. phpList’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
listmonk, Mautic, Sendy, Mailcoach and Keila
The 5 tools phpList is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
listmonk
Free
Free self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager.
- phpList also covers reports.
- listmonk also covers transactional email.
- 2.4GPA
Mautic
Free plan · from €247.50/mo
Open source marketing automation you can self-host.
- phpList also covers reports.
- Mautic also covers marketing automation.
- 2.0GPA
Sendy
From $69 one-time
Self-hosted newsletter app that sends through Amazon SES.
- phpList has a free plan. Sendy does not.
- phpList 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.
- phpList has a free plan. Mailcoach does not, though it has a free trial.
- phpList is open source, according to its own site.
- phpList also covers reports.
- 2.2GPA
Keila
Free plan · from €8/mo
Open-source newsletter tool, self-hosted or EU-hosted cloud.
- phpList also covers reports.
- Keila also covers Markdown and forms.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 phpList free?
phpList has a free plan. Trial account: 300 messages a month, free forever.
How much does phpList cost?
phpList lists 5 plans. Free account: $0 per month for up to 300 messages.
What platforms does phpList work on?
phpList is available on Web.
Does phpList offer any discounts?
phpList publicly lists the following: 10% off annual billing, 5% off 6 months.
Does phpList have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. phpList is listed for Web.
Does phpList have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. phpList is listed for Web.
Is phpList open source?
Yes. phpList is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
What does phpList integrate with?
phpList's listing names Google Analytics. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes phpList?
phpList is made by phpList Ltd.
What are the alternatives to phpList?
The closest alternatives to phpList in our directory are listmonk, Mautic, Sendy, Mailcoach and Keila.
How does phpList compare with other email marketing and newsletter tools?
phpList's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 42 of the 102 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 24.
Is phpList good value for money?
ToolGPA grades phpList B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 2 of the 78 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of phpList?
To replace phpList you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from phpList’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from phpList's own pages on 13 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 phpList Ltd. Prices change, so check phplist.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- phpList, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/phplist
- 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, "phpList: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/phplist
Know someone choosing between email marketing and newsletter tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/phplist/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email marketing and newsletter tools after phpList, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Marketing & Newsletters Insider's GuideEvery one of the 103 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, compared
- Substack Insider's GuideNewsletter, podcast and video publishing with paid subscriptions3.2 GPA
- Mailrelay Insider's GuideEmail marketing with a large free plan and SMS and WhatsApp add-ons3.0 GPA
- SendFox Insider's GuideEmail newsletters and list building for creators on a budget3.0 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 phpList’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. phpList is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by phpList Ltd. Prices and plans change: check phplist.com before you buy.