How to start a newsletter with free tools
Start with one email host. beehiiv's free plan caps the list at 2,500 subscribers. Kit's free plan is $0 and goes up to 10,000 subscribers. You do not need both. If you also want sales pages and a simple course in the same login, Systeme.io's free plan covers 2,000 contacts, 3 funnels, and 1 course. If the signup form has to live on a page you already have, Tally's free plan covers unlimited forms and submissions inside a fair-use rule. Then write the first email yourself. These tools send it. They do not find subscribers, and they do not pay you. The order is those steps. All four Visit buttons are affiliate links, and that is not the order.
Checked October 2026.
1 · Free tier
beehiiv
- What it does
- Hosts an email newsletter and a simple newsletter site, with writing help in the editor.
- Who it is for
- People who want to email their own list and are fine starting without a paid plan.
- Free plan
- Free is $0 and the page calls it free forever. It includes unlimited email sends, up to 2,500 subscribers, 1 publication, and 1 team seat.
- Price we checked
- Free is $0, up to 2,500 subscribers. Lite is $49 a month and Pro is $95 a month, both shown with yearly billing (a monthly toggle is on the page).
- The catch
- A free plan is not the same as unlimited sending. Paid plans add things like paid subscriptions and branding removal. Read the current limits on the pricing page before you import a list.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
2 · Free tier
Kit
- What it does
- Hosts an email newsletter. Kit was formerly called ConvertKit. The pricing page lists landing pages, forms, and email broadcasts.
- Who it is for
- People who want to email a list they already have and can start on a free plan with a subscriber cap.
- Free plan
- Free is $0 a month, up to 10,000 subscribers, with unlimited landing pages, forms, and email broadcasts.
- Price we checked
- Creator is $33 a month billed yearly ($390). Pro was shown at $50 a month for the first year on a limited-time offer, then $66 a month, billed yearly. These are yearly-billing prices; monthly costs more.
- The catch
- The price changes with the subscriber count you select. A yearly figure is not the month-to-month bill, and a limited-time offer is not the renewal price. Removing Kit branding is listed on a paid plan. The Creator and Pro buttons offer a 14-day trial. Kit does not find subscribers.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
3 · Free tier
Systeme.io
- What it does
- Builds sales pages, sends email, and hosts a simple online course in one account.
- Who it is for
- Beginners who want pages, email, and a course in one login and can start on the free plan.
- Free plan
- The pricing FAQ says the free plan never expires and needs no card. It lists up to 2,000 contacts, 3 sales funnels, and 1 course.
- Price we checked
- Startup is $17 a month. Webinar is $47 a month. Unlimited is $97 a month.
- The catch
- The free plan caps contacts, funnels, and courses. Pages and courses take setup time. Read what the free plan leaves out before you build a whole site on it.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
4 · Free tier
Tally
- What it does
- Builds forms with unlimited responses on the free plan, including payments, file uploads, and simple logic.
- Who it is for
- People who need a form for applications, orders, or a short survey and do not want a per-response fee.
- Free plan
- Unlimited forms and unlimited submissions, within Tally's fair-usage guidelines. The page also lists payments, signatures, file uploads, and conditional logic on that free plan.
- Price we checked
- Pro is listed at $24 a month and Business at $74 a month. Paying yearly is advertised as 2 months off.
- The catch
- Removing Tally branding and using a custom domain are paid. The price changes with your country, so read the currency symbol. Form data is stored in Europe.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
Also read
Questions
- What do I do first?
- Pick one host, beehiiv or Kit, and send a first email to people you already know. Add a form only if you need one on a page you already have.
- Will these tools find subscribers?
- No. They send email or collect a form. A list still has to come from somewhere else.
- Do I need Canva for this?
- No. Canva's pricing page did not load during this check, so this guide does not tell you to use it or state a Canva price.
- Are the Visit buttons affiliate links?
- Yes. beehiiv, Kit, Systeme.io, and Tally. The order is the steps above, not a commission rank.