Keila vs MailerLite: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Keila and MailerLite to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Keila
5.8/10
Open-source, AGPL-licensed newsletter platform from Germany for sending email campaigns and running sign-up forms, available as an EU-hosted cloud service or self-hosted with Docker.
MailerLite
7.1/10
MailerLite is an email marketing platform for small businesses and creators, combining newsletters, automations, landing pages, sites, forms and digital product sales.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.8/10 | 7.1/10 |
| Scalability | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 3/10 | 7/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | €8/mo Keila XS | $12/mo Comfort |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | €8/mo Keila XS | $25/mo Power |
| Features | ||
| Email Marketing | ||
| Segmentation | ||
| A/B Testing | Not listed | |
| E-commerce Features | Not listed | |
| Landing Pages | Not listed | |
Keila vs MailerLite cost by team size
| Team size | Keila | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | €8/moKeila XS | FreeFree |
| 5 users | €8/moKeila XS | $25/moPower |
| 10 users | €8/moKeila XS | $25/moPower |
| 25 users | €8/moKeila XS | $25/moPower |
| 50 users | €8/moKeila XS | $25/moPower |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Keila
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 8/10)
Why choose MailerLite
- Has a free plan (Keila does not)
- Higher Integration score (7/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Ease of Use score (9/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for marketing teams (6/10 vs 4/10)
Pros & Cons
Keila
Pros
- Fully open source under AGPLv3, with no proprietary premium features, so it can be self-hosted free with Docker.
- Pricing is based on emails sent and every plan includes unlimited contacts, which helps large lists that send rarely.
- The cloud is hosted in Germany and France, which suits organisations with GDPR concerns.
- Several editing modes are available, including a block editor, Markdown, MJML and plain text, plus Liquid personalisation.
- Mail can go out through your own SMTP, SES, Mailgun, Postmark or SendGrid account.
Cons
- There is no free cloud plan, and pricing is listed only for monthly billing.
- Automation is basic, and the template library is small, according to comparison reviews.
- There are few integrations, and the Zapier connector is still in private beta.
- No security certifications are published.
- It has no e-commerce, SMS or landing page builder features.
MailerLite
Pros
- The interface is clean, and reviewers say automations are quick to set up even for first-time users.
- Automations are included even on the free plan.
- Paid plans start at $12 a month, which reviewers say is cheaper than Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
- Native e-commerce integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce and Stripe feed purchase-based automations.
- Reviewers report deliverability ranking first in an independent EmailToolTester test.
Cons
- Many users report accounts suspended or terminated with little warning and difficult appeals.
- Support is email-only on Comfort, and some reviewers say replies are slow.
- The free plan has been cut more than once and now allows only 250 subscribers.
- Prices rise steeply as the list grows, according to a competitor's analysis.
- Reviewers find reporting and segmentation limited for larger companies.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
MailerLite scores higher on our Marketing criteria: 7.1/10 against 5.8/10 for Keila. The largest gap is in Integration: 3/10 for Keila and 7/10 for MailerLite.
MailerLite has a free plan; Keila does not list one.
MailerLite is the better fit for freelancers: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 6/10 for Keila.
