7 Best Campaign Monitor Alternatives in 2026 (Tested & Ranked)
⚡ Quick Verdict
The top Campaign Monitor alternative is beehiiv — it scores 9/10 and is best for newsletter operators who want growth tools and monetization built into the platform. Free plan available.
Excellent
beehiiv — Our Verdict
The best Campaign Monitor alternatives in 2026 are beehiiv, ActiveCampaign, Kit (ConvertKit). beehiiv is our top pick overall — it scores 9/10 and directly addresses Campaign Monitor's main weaknesses.
- 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack's 10%
- Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers
- Free tier is genuinely useful (2,500 subs, custom domain, analytics)
Pros
- 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack's 10%
- Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers
- Free tier is genuinely useful (2,500 subs, custom domain, analytics)
Cons
- Scale plan required for automations — not available on free tier
- Complex UI for newcomers
- No native CMS beyond newsletters
7 Best Campaign Monitor Alternatives in 2026
Campaign Monitor is strong, but it has real gaps. No permanent free plan. If that’s the issue driving you to look elsewhere, these email marketing and newsletter platforms alternatives address exactly those weaknesses — ranked by how well each one fills the hole Campaign Monitor leaves.
Quick pick: If you want the fastest answer — beehiiv is the best overall Campaign Monitor alternative. See why below, plus 6 other options depending on your specific needs.
Comparison Table
| Alternative | Rating | Free Plan | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv | 9/10 | ✅ | $0 (up to 2,500 subscribers) | 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack’s 10% |
| ActiveCampaign | 8.6/10 | ❌ | $15/month (1,000 contacts) | Most sophisticated automation builder in its price range |
| Kit (ConvertKit) | 8.5/10 | ✅ | $0 (up to 10,000 subscribers) | Free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers |
| Omnisend | 8.4/10 | ✅ | $0 (up to 250 contacts, 500 emails/month) | Best e-commerce email + SMS automation for Shopify at access |
| MailerLite | 8.3/10 | ✅ | $0 (up to 500 subscribers) | Growing Business at $10/mo is among cheapest fully-featured |
1. beehiiv {#beehiiv}
⭐ Best Overall Alternative
Rating: 9/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $0 (up to 2,500 subscribers)
beehiiv stands out as a Campaign Monitor alternative because 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. substack’s 10%. Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers
Why choose beehiiv over Campaign Monitor?
- Campaign Monitor pain point: No permanent free plan
- Campaign Monitor pain point: Premier plan is expensive for small teams
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Newsletter operators who want growth tools and monetization built into the platform
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Launch (Free) | $0/mo ($0 annually) |
| Scale | $43/mo ($33 annually) |
| Max | $96/mo ($74 annually) |
| Enterprise | Custom/mo (Custom annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack’s 10%
- ✅ Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers
- ✅ Free tier is genuinely useful (2,500 subs, custom domain, analytics)
Cons:
- ❌ Scale plan required for automations — not available on free tier
- ❌ Complex UI for newcomers
- ❌ No native CMS beyond newsletters
→ Full comparison: beehiiv vs Campaign Monitor
2. ActiveCampaign {#activecampaign}
🥈 Runner-Up
Rating: 8.6/10 | Free plan: ❌ No | Starts at: $15/month (1,000 contacts)
ActiveCampaign stands out as a Campaign Monitor alternative because most sophisticated automation builder in its price range. Built-in CRM eliminates need for separate sales tool
Why choose ActiveCampaign over Campaign Monitor?
- Campaign Monitor pain point: No permanent free plan
- Campaign Monitor pain point: Premier plan is expensive for small teams
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: B2B businesses and SaaS companies needing email automation tightly integrated with a CRM
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Starter | $15/mo ($15 annually) |
| Plus | $49/mo ($49 annually) |
| Professional | $79/mo ($79 annually) |
| Enterprise | Custom/mo (Custom annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Most sophisticated automation builder in its price range
- ✅ Built-in CRM eliminates need for separate sales tool
- ✅ 4.5/5 on G2 from 14,000+ reviews
Cons:
- ❌ Pricing scales steeply by contact count
- ❌ Setup complexity is substantial
- ❌ E-commerce features weaker than Mailchimp or Klaviyo
→ Full comparison: ActiveCampaign vs Campaign Monitor
3. Kit (ConvertKit) {#kit}
🆓 Best Free Alternative
Rating: 8.5/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $0 (up to 10,000 subscribers)
Kit (ConvertKit) stands out as a Campaign Monitor alternative because free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers — unusually generous. Commerce features deeply integrated
Why choose Kit (ConvertKit) over Campaign Monitor?
- Campaign Monitor pain point: No permanent free plan
- Campaign Monitor pain point: Premier plan is expensive for small teams
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Creator-economy entrepreneurs who sell digital products and want email + commerce in one platform
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Newsletter (Free) | $0/mo ($0 annually) |
| Creator | $33/mo ($25 annually) |
| Pro | $66/mo ($50 annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers — unusually generous
- ✅ Commerce features deeply integrated
- ✅ Creator Network is a genuine list-growth channel
Cons:
- ❌ Transaction fees (3.5% + 30¢) apply even on paid plans
- ❌ Email template design options are minimal
- ❌ Automation builder becomes unwieldy at scale
→ Full comparison: Kit (ConvertKit) vs Campaign Monitor
4. Omnisend {#omnisend}
🆓 Best Free Alternative
Rating: 8.4/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $0 (up to 250 contacts, 500 emails/month)
Omnisend stands out as a Campaign Monitor alternative because best e-commerce email + sms automation for shopify at accessible pricing. Free plan includes automation workflows — rare at the free tier
Why choose Omnisend over Campaign Monitor?
- Campaign Monitor pain point: No permanent free plan
- Campaign Monitor pain point: Premier plan is expensive for small teams
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Shopify and WooCommerce stores wanting combined email + SMS automation with built-in revenue tracking
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Free | $0/mo ($0 annually) |
| Standard (500 contacts) | $16/mo ($16 annually) |
| Pro (500 contacts) | $59/mo ($59 annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Best e-commerce email + SMS automation for Shopify at accessible pricing
- ✅ Free plan includes automation workflows — rare at the free tier
- ✅ Revenue attribution reporting included on all plans
Cons:
- ❌ SMS credits are separate — not included in base price
- ❌ Less suitable for B2B or content businesses outside e-commerce
- ❌ Pro plan at $59/mo (entry) can be expensive for small subscriber counts
→ Full comparison: Omnisend vs Campaign Monitor
5. MailerLite {#mailerlite}
🆓 Best Free Alternative
Rating: 8.3/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $0 (up to 500 subscribers)
MailerLite stands out as a Campaign Monitor alternative because growing business at $10/mo is among cheapest fully-featured paid tiers. EU data storage and ISO 27001 certification for GDPR compliance
Why choose MailerLite over Campaign Monitor?
- Campaign Monitor pain point: No permanent free plan
- Campaign Monitor pain point: Premier plan is expensive for small teams
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Small businesses and bloggers who want clean, affordable email marketing with solid landing pages
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Free | $0/mo ($0 annually) |
| Growing Business | $10/mo ($9 annually) |
| Advanced | $20/mo ($18 annually) |
| Enterprise | Custom/mo (Custom annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Growing Business at $10/mo is among cheapest fully-featured paid tiers
- ✅ EU data storage and ISO 27001 certification for GDPR compliance
- ✅ 24/7 live chat support on paid plans
Cons:
- ❌ Automation templates limited on paid plans
- ❌ Email template library not as polished as Mailchimp
- ❌ No built-in CRM or lead scoring
→ Full comparison: MailerLite vs Campaign Monitor
6. Brevo (Sendinblue) {#brevo}
🆓 Best Free Alternative
Rating: 8.2/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $0 (unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day)
Brevo (Sendinblue) stands out as a Campaign Monitor alternative because most generous free tier — unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day. All-in-one platform includes CRM, chat, and SMS at low cost
Why choose Brevo (Sendinblue) over Campaign Monitor?
- Campaign Monitor pain point: No permanent free plan
- Campaign Monitor pain point: Premier plan is expensive for small teams
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Growing businesses that want email + SMS + CRM in one affordable platform
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Free | $0/mo ($0 annually) |
| Starter | $9/mo ($9 annually) |
| Standard | $18/mo ($18 annually) |
| Professional | $72/mo ($72 annually) |
| Enterprise | Custom/mo (Custom annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Most generous free tier — unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day
- ✅ All-in-one platform includes CRM, chat, and SMS at low cost
- ✅ Strong transactional email capabilities for developers
Cons:
- ❌ Brevo logo on emails in free tier
- ❌ Advanced automations require Standard plan or higher
- ❌ SMS pricing is add-on per message, not included
→ Full comparison: Brevo (Sendinblue) vs Campaign Monitor
7. Ghost {#ghost}
🔍 Worth Considering
Rating: 8.2/10 | Free plan: ❌ No | Starts at: $18/month (annual)
Ghost stands out as a Campaign Monitor alternative because 0% transaction fees on paid subscriptions across all plans. Full CMS with custom themes for stronger website/SEO
Why choose Ghost over Campaign Monitor?
- Campaign Monitor pain point: No permanent free plan
- Campaign Monitor pain point: Premier plan is expensive for small teams
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Independent publishers who want an owned media platform combining blog, newsletter, and membership
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Starter | $25/mo ($18 annually) |
| Creator | $39/mo ($29 annually) |
| Team | $65/mo ($50 annually) |
| Business | $249/mo ($199 annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ 0% transaction fees on paid subscriptions across all plans
- ✅ Full CMS with custom themes for stronger website/SEO
- ✅ Self-hosting option for zero recurring cost
Cons:
- ❌ Starter plan capped at 500 members
- ❌ Steeper learning curve than beehiiv or Substack
- ❌ No built-in ad network
→ Full comparison: Ghost vs Campaign Monitor
How We Ranked These Alternatives
We didn’t rank alphabetically or by popularity. Each alternative was evaluated on:
- How directly it addresses Campaign Monitor’s weaknesses — especially: No permanent free plan, Premier plan is expensive for small teams
- Overall feature quality for email marketing and newsletter platforms use cases
- Pricing fairness — value per dollar, not just lowest cost
- Reliability and reviews — G2, Capterra, and real user data
Our Top Pick: beehiiv
beehiiv is the most well-rounded Campaign Monitor alternative for 2026. 0% take rate on paid subscriptions vs. Substack’s 10%. Built-in ad network connects newsletters directly with advertisers And unlike Campaign Monitor, it free tier is genuinely useful (2,500 subs, custom domain, analytics).
Related Reading
- Campaign Monitor Full Review
- Campaign Monitor Pricing Breakdown
- Campaign Monitor vs beehiiv
- Campaign Monitor vs ActiveCampaign
- Best Email Marketing for Newsletters
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Campaign Monitor?
Is beehiiv better than Campaign Monitor?
Why do people switch away from Campaign Monitor?
Try beehiiv yourself
See current pricing and features on the official site.