AWeber vs Kit (2026) — Which Should Send Your First Newsletter?
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Here’s an unusual comparison: both of these tools are good, neither is trendy about it, and the right answer depends on a question nobody asks in feature tables — how much runway do you need, and who do you want to call when something breaks?
One honest note before we start: this site uses affiliate links for both tools. That’s precisely why this comparison can afford to be even-handed — we don’t need to shove you toward either one.
The verdict, up front
- You want maximum free runway to grow slowly → Kit. Free up to 10,000 subscribers; the list can get big before you spend a dollar.
- You want full features from day one, real human support, and a cheaper paid tier → AWeber. Free to 500 subscribers with automations included, and the paid plan starts at half of Kit’s price.
The tools overlap far more than they differ. This is a “which trade-off suits you” choice, not a “which one is a mistake” choice.
Try Kit free — up to 10,000 subscribers →
The numbers side by side (as of July 2026)
| Kit | AWeber | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends | 500 subscribers, 3,000 sends/mo |
| Automations on free | Basics only | Included |
| First paid tier | Creator, from $39/mo | Lite, from ~$15/mo |
| Support | Docs + chat/email | Phone, chat, email — humans, fast |
| Cookie-cutter templates | Minimal by design | Many (some look dated) |
| Founded | 2013 (as ConvertKit) | 1998 |
Two different philosophies in one table: Kit gives you an enormous free ceiling but charges properly once you’re serious. AWeber gives you everything early, then stays cheap.
The case for Kit
Kit’s free plan is the biggest on-ramp in email: 10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends, unlimited landing pages and forms. If your newsletter grows slowly (most do), you might publish free for a year or two. The interface is clean, the creator ecosystem is deep, and when you eventually sell something — a template, a small course — the machinery is already there.
Where it bites: the free plan holds back advanced automations, and the paid Creator plan starts at $39/month as of July 2026 — a real jump, priced for creators whose list is starting to earn. (For how it stacks against the other big name, see Kit vs Mailchimp.)
The case for AWeber
AWeber has been sending email since 1998, and its pitch hasn’t changed: dependable, complete, unglamorous. The free plan is small (500 subscribers) but not feature-gated — automations, landing pages, sign-up forms, all included. And when you outgrow it, Lite at ~$15/month is about the cheapest serious email plan on the market — with actual phone support that beginners actually reach.
Where it bites: 500 free subscribers is a short runway if things go well, the template gallery has a distinct 2015 energy, and the interface feels its age. It’s the Toyota Corolla of email tools — we mean that mostly as a compliment.
Try AWeber free — up to 500 subscribers →
Who should pick which
Pick Kit if: you’re playing the long, slow audience game and want to defer costs until the list is real. Creator side-projects, Pinterest-driven blogs, “maybe I’ll sell a digital product someday” plans.
Pick AWeber if: you’d trade ceiling for completeness — you want automation from subscriber #1, a human on the phone when something breaks, and the lowest bill when you do go paid.
Skip both if: you have no plan beyond “write and see” — that’s Substack territory, covered in our beginner newsletter tool guide.
FAQ
Can I start on AWeber and move to Kit later (or the reverse)? Yes. At under 1,000 subscribers, migration is a CSV export/import plus rebuilding one welcome sequence — roughly an afternoon. Choosing “wrong” today is a recoverable mistake.
Is AWeber’s free plan really free forever? Yes, as of July 2026 — no trial clock. The limits are 500 subscribers and 3,000 email sends per month.
Which one is better for a Pinterest-driven blog? Functionally either; the deciding factor is runway. If you expect slow steady growth from search traffic, Kit’s 10,000-subscriber free ceiling means the tool pays for itself before you pay for it.
What actually matters more than this choice? Sending consistently. A tool decision takes a day; a weekly review habit is what keeps a newsletter alive in month three.
Part of SortedWeek’s weekly planning series. New guides added every week.