Every experienced blogger gives the same advice: start your email list on day one. Search traffic rises and falls with Google updates and social reach changes overnight, but an email list is an audience you own. The hard part is choosing the platform. This guide compares the best options for bloggers and tells you which one fits your situation.
In this article
How we chose
Bloggers need a few things more than anything else: a free or cheap way to start, easy sign-up forms that work on WordPress, an automated welcome email, the ability to send a regular newsletter, and room to grow into automations or paid products later. We favoured platforms that do these well, have clear pricing and help you authenticate your domain for good deliverability.
The best options, reviewed
1. Brevo: best all-rounder
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) offers email campaigns, automation, forms, landing pages, transactional email and SMS. Its pricing is based mainly on emails sent rather than contacts, which suits bloggers with large lists who email weekly or less. The automation builder is capable enough for welcome sequences, tagging by interest and simple sales funnels.
Good for: most bloggers, especially those who may add products, services or a store later.
Watch for: daily sending limits on the free plan.
2. beehiiv: best for newsletter-first bloggers
beehiiv treats the newsletter as the product. Issues are published to a website automatically, and growth tools such as referrals and recommendations help your list grow. Monetisation options let you earn from sponsors or paid subscriptions.
Good for: bloggers moving towards a newsletter business.
Watch for: less suited to complex e-commerce automation.
3. Constant Contact: best for hands-on support
Constant Contact has been around for decades and is popular with small businesses, nonprofits and local organisations. It is easy to use, offers event and social tools, and is known for accessible support.
Good for: bloggers who run a local business or community and value support.
Watch for: no permanent free plan; pricing by contacts.
4. Kit: best for creators selling digital products
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is built around tags and automations, with landing pages and the ability to sell digital products and paid newsletters. Many creator-bloggers use it to deliver lead magnets and run launch sequences.
Good for: bloggers selling courses, ebooks or templates.
Watch for: costs rise with subscribers.
5. MailerLite: best simple low-cost option
MailerLite is known for a clean interface, a free plan for small lists and affordable paid tiers. It covers forms, landing pages, automation and newsletters without overwhelming you.
Good for: beginners who want something simple and inexpensive.
Watch for: fewer advanced features than larger platforms.
6. Omnisend: best if your blog has a store
Omnisend is focused on e-commerce, with product blocks, abandoned-cart flows and SMS. It integrates tightly with store platforms.
Good for: bloggers who also run a Shopify or WooCommerce store.
Watch for: e-commerce features you may not need for a pure blog.
Which one would we pick?
For a typical blog that publishes a few articles a month and wants to send a weekly email, start with Brevo: the free tier is generous, automation is capable, and you will not outgrow it if you later add a product or a store. If you are a writer whose main ambition is the newsletter itself, start with beehiiv instead and use its growth tools from day one.
Comparison table
| Platform | Free plan | Pricing based on | Standout feature | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo | Yes | Emails sent | Transactional email + SMS | Most bloggers |
| beehiiv | Yes | Subscribers | Growth and monetisation tools | Newsletter-first bloggers |
| Constant Contact | Trial | Contacts | Support and events | Local or community blogs |
| Kit | Yes | Subscribers | Tags and creator commerce | Creators selling products |
| MailerLite | Yes | Subscribers | Simplicity and price | Beginners on a budget |
| Omnisend | Yes | Contacts | E-commerce automation | Blogs with a store |
Buying guide for bloggers
Decide what email is for. If it is to bring readers back to new posts, any of these work. If the newsletter is your product, choose beehiiv. If you will sell, choose a platform with strong automation such as Brevo or Kit.
Check the WordPress connection. Most platforms offer an official plugin or embeddable forms. Test that the form looks good on mobile and matches your theme.
Authenticate your domain. Whichever platform you choose, add the SPF, DKIM and DMARC records it provides. It is the single biggest deliverability improvement.
Think about the cost at 5,000 subscribers. Free plans are easy to choose; switching later is not. Look at the price for the list size you hope to reach in two years.
Keep it simple at first. A welcome email and a weekly newsletter are enough. Add automations once you know what readers want.
Export regularly. Download your subscriber list every few months so you always own a copy.
What it costs as your blog grows
Free plans cover the first months for almost everyone. The real difference appears at a few thousand subscribers. Platforms that charge by subscribers (beehiiv, Kit, MailerLite) cost more as your list grows, whatever you send. Platforms that charge by emails sent (Brevo) cost more as you send more often. A blog with 5,000 subscribers sending a weekly newsletter sends about 20,000 emails a month; a blog with 20,000 subscribers sending one monthly roundup also sends about 20,000. Run your own numbers on each pricing page, for today’s list and for the list you expect in a year.
How to connect your platform to WordPress
- Install the platform’s official WordPress plugin if one exists, or copy the embed code for a form.
- Add the form to the end of your posts with a block or widget, and to a dedicated “Subscribe” page.
- Test the form on a phone, then subscribe yourself to check the welcome email arrives.
- Add the platform’s SPF, DKIM and DMARC records at your domain registrar, and send a test campaign to a Gmail address to confirm authentication passes.
A simple starter setup that works on any platform
- One sign-up form at the end of every post and one on a dedicated page.
- A small lead magnet related to your most popular topic.
- A three-email welcome sequence: the gift, your best article, and a question about their biggest challenge.
- A weekly or fortnightly newsletter on the same day each time.
- A quarterly clean-up of subscribers who never open.
Frequently asked questions
Which email platform is best for a brand-new blog?
Brevo, MailerLite or beehiiv’s free plan are all good starting points. Choose beehiiv if the newsletter will be central to your blog.
Is it hard to switch email platforms later?
Moving subscribers is easy; rebuilding forms, automations and templates takes some time. Choose with your two-year plan in mind.
Can I put affiliate links in my newsletter?
Generally yes, if you follow the affiliate programme’s terms and disclose the relationship. Some programmes do not allow links in email, so check each one.
How often should a blogger send emails?
Weekly or fortnightly is a good rhythm for most blogs. Consistency matters more than frequency.
What should my first lead magnet be?
Something small that solves one problem related to your most popular post: a checklist, template or short email course. Create it in an afternoon and improve it later.
Do I need double opt-in?
It is not required everywhere, but it improves list quality and protects deliverability, especially if you see fake sign-ups.