Email marketing software, tested
Every tool here gets the same 10 tasks in a fresh account: sign-up, sending domain, import, forms, a welcome automation, a broadcast, a segment, reports, support and cancelling. All timed on screen.
Disclosure: if you sign up through some links on this page we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change our scores or the order of results. How we make money.
Results so far and test queue
Tools we plan to test first, and where each one stands. The table fills in as tests are published. Empty cells mean not tested yet; we never estimate a result.
| Tool | Plan tested | Score | Last tested | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | Free plan + 14-day premium trial | pending | 2026-10-19 | Tested |
| ActiveCampaign | 14-day trial | — | — | Not tested yet |
| beehiiv | Free plan + trial | — | — | Not tested yet |
| Kit | Official pages (hands-on test coming) | — | — | Official info |
| Brevo | Free plan | — | — | Not tested yet |
| Mailchimp | Free plan (benchmark) | — | — | Not tested yet |
| Substack | Free (benchmark) | — | — | Not tested yet |
Reviews
Kit review
Kit is free up to 10,000 subscribers but has no automations on Free. What's missing, what it costs after, and how it compares with MailerLite.
Updated 2026-10-19
TestedMailerLite review
Is MailerLite good enough in 2026? Free plan limits, current prices, and our timed hands-on tests, from domain setup to sending, plus the footer catch.
Updated 2026-10-19 · last tested 2026-10-19
Comparisons
No comparisons yet. They follow once two tools have been tested.
Guides
No guides yet. Free-plan limits and how-to guides follow each test.
How we score email marketing tools
Eight weighted categories, from our 10 tasks. See the full test and rubric.