Home › Compare › Substack vs MailerLite
Substack vs MailerLite: cost and features compared (2026)
Last verified against official pricing pages · USD, monthly billing, excluding tax
Prices change often. Every price here was checked against the platform's official pricing page on the date shown, but plans, promos and taxes vary. Always confirm on the official site before you buy or switch. Not financial advice.
Quick answer
- Basic newsletter: Substack is cheaper at every size we checked.
- With automations: only MailerLite has a verified option at every size we checked.
- Paid newsletter: MailerLite is cheaper at every size we checked.
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Cost at 1k, 5k, 10k and 25k subscribers
Basic newsletter (no automations)
| Subscribers | Substack | MailerLite | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $0 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | $19 (Comfort) | Substack by $19/mo |
| 5,000 | $0 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | $49 (Comfort) | Substack by $49/mo |
| 10,000 | $0 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | $89 (Comfort) | Substack by $89/mo |
| 25,000 | $0 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | $179 (Comfort) | Substack by $179/mo |
With automations (welcome sequences, drips)
| Subscribers | Substack | MailerLite | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | n/a | $19 (Comfort) | MailerLite (only option in our verified data) |
| 5,000 | n/a | $49 (Comfort) | MailerLite (only option in our verified data) |
| 10,000 | n/a | $89 (Comfort) | MailerLite (only option in our verified data) |
| 25,000 | n/a | $179 (Comfort) | MailerLite (only option in our verified data) |
Substack has no native automation builder in our data, so that scenario shows n/a.
Paid newsletter (5% of subscribers pay $8/mo)
| Subscribers | Substack | MailerLite | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $69.40 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | $48.40 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $21/mo |
| 5,000 | $347 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | $196 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $151/mo |
| 10,000 | $694 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | $383 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $311/mo |
| 25,000 | $1,735 (Free + 10% of paid revenue) | $914 (Comfort) | MailerLite by $821/mo |
Switching? Substack → MailerLite cost · MailerLite → Substack cost · Best platform for your needs
Cheapest plan on each platform that covers the list size and required features. Paid totals = plan + platform cut + Stripe card fees (2.9% + $0.30 per payment, estimate) + Stripe's 0.7% Billing fee on recurring payments where confirmed (beehiiv, MailerLite, Ghost, Buttondown, Substack and AWeber); not added for GetResponse (not confirmed); Kit's 3.5% + $0.30 is all-in. How we model fees. "limited" = feature is capped on that plan. Run your exact numbers →
Key differences
| Substack | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | free at any size | free up to 250 subscribers |
| Fee on paid subscriptions | 10% platform cut + Stripe fees | 0% platform cut + Stripe fees |
| Cheapest plan with automations | not available | Comfort (from $12/mo) |
| Cheapest plan with own domain | Free + 10% of paid revenue (free) + $50 one-time | Comfort (from $12/mo) |
| Cheapest plan without platform branding | not available | Comfort (from $12/mo) |
| Plans | Free + 10% of paid revenue | Free, Comfort, Power |
| Prices verified | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-20 |
Who each is best for
Substack is best for
Writers starting from zero who want $0 upfront cost and Substack's built-in network, and are fine giving up 10% of paid revenue.
MailerLite is best for
Budget-conscious senders who want automations, landing pages and their own domain at a low monthly price.
FAQ
Is Substack cheaper than MailerLite?
It depends on your list and needs. In our data (monthly billing, 1,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 25,000 subscribers): basic newsletter — Substack is cheaper at every size we checked. With automations — only MailerLite has a verified option at every size we checked. Paid newsletter — MailerLite is cheaper at every size we checked. Prices verified 2026-10-20.
Which has the bigger free plan, Substack or MailerLite?
Substack: free at any size. MailerLite: free up to 250 subscribers. Free plans have feature limits — see the comparison table.
Do Substack and MailerLite take a cut of paid subscriptions?
Substack: 10% platform cut + Stripe fees. MailerLite: 0% platform cut + Stripe fees.
What do Substack and MailerLite cost at 10,000 subscribers?
On monthly billing, a basic newsletter costs $0/mo on Substack Free + 10% of paid revenue and $89/mo on MailerLite Comfort. With automations: n/a on Substack vs $89/mo (MailerLite Comfort).
Sources
- Substack pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- Substack: substack.com
- MailerLite pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- MailerLite: paid subscriptions
- MailerLite: mailerlite.com/substack-alternative
- Stripe pricing (card-fee estimate)
- Stripe Billing pricing (0.7% on recurring payments)
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