Overview
MailerLite is a Lithuania-based email marketing platform that has quietly become the favorite tool for creators, bloggers, and small businesses. Their philosophy: make email marketing beautiful and simple. The result is the most polished email editor we have tested, a generous free plan, and unique features like built-in website builder and digital product sales.
We tested MailerLite for 6 months, sending 30,000+ emails across newsletters, automation sequences, and A/B tests. We also built a website and sold a digital product through the platform.
Email Editor
MailerLite's email editor is the star of the show. Three editor options:
Drag & Drop Editor
The primary editor. Modern, responsive blocks with real-time preview. Smooth drag interactions, inline editing, and beautiful default styling. The best drag-and-drop email editor we have used.
Rich Text Editor
Simple text-focused editor for plain newsletters. Perfect for creators who want a clean, personal feel without heavy design.
HTML Editor
Full HTML access for developers. Import custom templates or code from scratch. Good syntax highlighting and preview.
Template quality is where MailerLite truly shines. Every template looks like it was designed by a professional agency clean typography, balanced whitespace, and modern aesthetics. Competitors like Brevo and Constant Contact feel dated in comparison.
Deliverability Testing
| Provider | Inbox Rate | Spam Rate | Missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 96.2% | 2.5% | 1.3% |
| Outlook | 94.1% | 4.2% | 1.7% |
| Yahoo | 96.0% | 2.8% | 1.2% |
| Overall Average | 95.5% | 3.2% | 1.3% |
95.5% inbox rate is excellent second only to GetResponse (96.8%) in our tests. MailerLite's strict account approval process is the reason: by filtering out spammers upfront, they maintain a clean sender reputation across their IP pool.
Automation
MailerLite's automation is good for basic-to-intermediate workflows. The visual builder supports triggers (signup, link click, date), conditions (if/else), and actions (send email, add to group, update field).
Welcome Sequences
Multi-step welcome series with delays and conditions. Works great.
Abandoned Cart
E-commerce triggers for cart abandonment. Integrates with Shopify and WooCommerce.
Date-Based
Birthday emails, anniversary sequences, and recurring date triggers.
Advanced Logic
Basic if/else only. No lead scoring, no complex branching. GetResponse is better for power users.
Website Builder & Digital Products
MailerLite includes a full website builder a unique feature among email platforms. We built a 5-page creator site and sold a digital ebook through it:
Website Builder
Drag-and-drop site builder with blog support. Templates are clean and modern. Custom domain support. Not a WordPress replacement, but perfect for simple creator sites.
Landing Pages
10 landing pages on free plan, unlimited on paid. A/B testing included. Conversion-optimized templates.
Digital Product Sales
Sell ebooks, courses, and downloads directly through MailerLite. Stripe integration for payments. No separate e-commerce platform needed. We sold 47 copies of a test ebook with zero issues.
Pricing Analysis
| Subscribers | Free | Growing | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $0 | $10/mo | $20/mo |
| 1,000 | $0 | $10/mo | $20/mo |
| 2,500 | $17/mo | $27/mo | |
| 5,000 | $32/mo | $42/mo | |
| 10,000 | $54/mo | $76/mo | |
| 50,000 | $239/mo | $289/mo |
Best Value Tip
Annual billing saves 15%. The Growing Business plan at $10/mo (500 subs) is the sweet spot unlimited emails, 3 websites, and digital product sales. The free plan is excellent for getting started.
Pros & Cons
👍 Pros
👎 Cons
MailerLite vs Competitors
| Feature | MailerLite | Brevo | Constant Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $10/mo | $9/mo | $12/mo |
| Free Plan | 1,000 subs | 300/day, ∞ contacts | 14-day trial only |
| Editor Quality | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Inbox Rate | 95.5% | 94.2% | 97% |
| Website Builder | ✓ Built-in | ✗ | ✗ |
| Digital Products | ✓ Sell directly | ✗ | ✗ |
| SMS/WhatsApp | ✗ | ✓ Built-in | ✗ |
| Best For | Creators | Multi-channel | Beginners |
FAQ
Why does MailerLite account approval take so long?▼
Can I really sell products through MailerLite?▼
Is the website builder good enough for a real site?▼
How does MailerLite compare to ConvertKit?▼
Final Verdict
MailerLite earns a 4.6/5 as the best email marketing platform for creators and design-conscious businesses. The editor is genuinely beautiful, deliverability is excellent, and the built-in website builder + digital product sales are unique value-adds. For multi-channel (SMS/WhatsApp), go Brevo. For advanced automation, GetResponse.