Email marketing · Rated October 2026
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How I review
Lee Thompson
Digital Marketing Specialist
30 Years +
in Digital Marketing
Building Websites
I recommend Framer
Run Campaigns
Google Ads, Meta, SEO
No Paid Promos
Only my real opinions
Email marketing, explained
Social platforms change their rules and ad costs keep rising. Your email list is different: no algorithm decides who sees your message, and every send costs a fraction of a paid ad.
An email platform does three jobs. It collects sign-ups from your website, sends newsletters that look good on a phone, and runs automations: emails that go out on their own when someone joins, buys or goes quiet.
Lee Thompson
Digital Marketing Specialist
What to look for
Sign-up forms
Pop-ups, embedded forms and landing pages that match your brand and work on mobile. If your list isn't growing, nothing else matters.
See the comparison ↗
Automations
Welcome sequences, abandoned-basket reminders and win-back emails that run while you sleep. This is where email starts paying for itself.
See the comparison ↗
Deliverability
Emails that land in the inbox, not spam. Check the sending reputation and set up your domain authentication on day one.
See the comparison ↗
My email picks · October 2026
I score every tool on features, value, ease of use and support, and check every price on the provider's own pricing page.
Ki
Kit
Best for creators · Email
Newsletters, automations and selling digital products
Free plan available
Paid from $33/mo yearly
8.8
Start free →
Ac
ActiveCampaign
Best automation · Email
Businesses that want advanced automation and sales tools
From $15/mo yearly
14-day free trial
Soon
Try free →
Ml
MailerLite
Best budget · Email
Small lists that want a clean, simple editor
Free up to 250 subscribers
Paid from $12/mo
Soon
Start free →
Br
Brevo
Best for big lists · Email
Businesses with lots of contacts who email occasionally
Free: 300 emails a day
Paid from $9/mo
Soon
Start free →
✉️ My top email pick
Kit is built for people who sell what they know: coaches, consultants, creators and service businesses. The free plan is generous, automations are visual and easy to follow, and you can sell digital products without another tool.
What I like
✓ Generous free plan
✓ Visual automation builder
✓ Sell products and paid newsletters
What I'd watch out for
– Fewer design templates
– Gets pricier as your list grows
– Basic reporting on lower plans
Lee's score
8.8
/10 · Excellent
Price from
$33/mo
Free plan
Yes
Sell products
Yes
Best for
Creators & coaches
Before you pay for anything
01
Put a sign-up form on every page
Add a short form to your footer with a simple offer, such as a guide or a discount, so visitors have a reason to join.
02
Write a three-email welcome
Introduce yourself, share your best advice, then make an offer. New subscribers open welcome emails more than anything else.
03
Authenticate your domain
Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC using your platform's guide. It's a one-off job that keeps you out of spam folders.
04
Clean your list
Remove addresses that haven't opened in six months. A smaller, engaged list beats a big, silent one.
05
Send on a schedule
Pick a day and stick to it, even if it's once a month. Consistency builds the habit of opening your emails.
My promise
Every verdict tells you who a tool is for, who should skip it, and what it really costs. If I earn a commission, I say so.
How to choose
01
Count your contacts
Most platforms price by list size. Check what you'll pay at today's size and at double it.
02
Decide how much you'll automate
Just newsletters? Keep it simple and cheap. Welcome sequences and sales funnels? Pay for better automation.
03
Test with a real campaign
Import a small segment, build your welcome email and send a test to your phone before you commit.
Email reviews
How to pick an email platform you won't outgrow
The features that matter now, and the ones that matter at 10,000 subscribers.
3 min read
Read article →
Three email automations every business needs
Welcome, follow-up and win-back: simple flows that keep working.
3 min read
Read article →
Deliverability basics: staying out of spam
Domains, warm-up and list hygiene, explained without the jargon.
3 min read
Read article →
Kit review: the easiest way to start an email list that earns
Read article →
Kit vs Mailchimp: which email platform fits your business?
Read article →
How to write a welcome email that turns subscribers into customers
Read article →
12 practical ways to grow your email list
Read article →
Email subject lines that get opened (without clickbait)
Read article →
Email marketing FAQ
Your email marketing questions, answered.
What's the best free email marketing tool?
Kit, MailerLite and Brevo all have free plans that cover a small list. MailerLite is the simplest for newsletters, and Kit is the better choice if you sell digital products or courses.
When should I upgrade to a paid plan?
When you hit your plan's subscriber or send limit, or you need automations such as a welcome sequence. Free limits change often, so check each provider's pricing page before you commit.
How often should a small business send emails?
Once a week or once a fortnight works for most. Consistency matters more than frequency, so pick a rhythm you can keep up and make every email useful enough to open.
Can I buy an email list?
Don't. Bought lists damage your sender reputation, break most platforms' terms and can breach privacy laws. Grow your own list with a simple sign-up offer on your website instead.
Why are my emails going to spam?
Usually it's missing domain authentication (SPF, DKIM and DMARC), old or unengaged contacts, or spammy subject lines. Set up authentication first. Every good platform walks you through it.
Affiliate disclosure
DigiStacker is free to use because some links are affiliate links. If you sign up through them I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes my scores, rankings or recommendations.
Independence
Every verdict is my own opinion, based on my research and experience. No company pays to be reviewed, ranked or featured, and I'll always tell you who should skip a tool as well as who should buy it.
Pricing
Prices are checked on each provider's own pricing page and shown in USD. Software pricing changes often, so always confirm the current price and terms before you buy.
General information only
The content on this site is here to help you compare marketing software. It isn't financial, legal or tax advice, so choose the tools that suit your own business.
DigiStacker is an independent review site run by Lee Thompson, Design and Digital Marketing Specialist with over 30 years experience.
Business tools, rated honestly by Lee Thompson, Digital Marketing Specialist with 30 years in design and marketing. Real prices, my own opinions, zero sponsored rankings.
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