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The short answer: Kit's free plan isn't a trial — it's free forever, and it's surprisingly capable.
- ✅ Free up to 10,000 subscribers — no time limit, no expiration
- ✅ Unlimited email broadcasts to your entire list
- ✅ Landing pages and forms included — no separate tool needed
What the Kit Free Plan Actually Includes
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) made a smart bet: give creators a real free plan, build trust, let them grow into paid tiers. The result is one of the most generous free plans in the email marketing space.
Here's what you get from day one, for free:
Subscribers & List Size
Up to 10,000 subscribers, free. That's not a 14-day window — it's permanent. You can build your list from zero to 10K without spending a dollar. Most creators don't hit that ceiling for months or years.
Unlimited Broadcasts
Send email newsletters to your full list as often as you want. No monthly send cap. No "upgrade to send more" wall. Write and send whenever you have something worth saying.
Landing Pages
Kit includes a landing page builder — you can publish a sign-up page without touching your website or buying a separate landing page tool. Templates are clean and optimized for conversions. Solid for course launches, lead magnets, or growing a newsletter from scratch.
Forms & Embeds
Create opt-in forms and embed them on your website. Inline, modal, slide-in — the format options are flexible. Connect forms to specific segments automatically.
Subscriber Tagging
Tag subscribers based on how they signed up, what they clicked, or what you manually assign. Tags are the foundation of Kit's segmentation system and they're fully available on the free plan.
Commerce (Basic)
Kit has a built-in digital product selling feature. You can sell a product directly through Kit — no Gumroad, no Stripe integration required. Basic commerce is available on the free plan, which is unusual.
Free vs. Creator vs. Creator Pro
| Feature | Free | Creator ($33/mo) | Creator Pro ($66/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | Up to 10K | Based on list size | Based on list size |
| Broadcasts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Automations | ❌ | ✅ Full visual builder | ✅ Full visual builder |
| Sequences | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Integrations | Limited | 100+ | 100+ |
| Newsletter referral system | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Subscriber scoring | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Team members | 1 | 1 | Unlimited |
Prices shown are annual billing. Monthly billing is slightly higher.
The main thing you give up on the free plan: automations and sequences. If you want to build a welcome sequence that sends automatically when someone subscribes, you need Creator. For a newsletter or a simple broadcast list, free works fine.
Who Kit's Free Plan Is Best For
Newsletter writers just getting started. If your goal is a weekly email to a growing list, Kit's free plan is everything you need for the first year or two. Send, grow, build your audience — then upgrade when automations make sense.
Course creators pre-launch. Building a waitlist before you launch? Kit free is ideal. Set up a landing page, collect emails, broadcast updates. Add automations and sequences when you're ready to sell.
Bloggers and content creators who want to capture readers without paying for a tool they're not fully using yet. Start free, prove the list works, then upgrade.
People switching from Mailchimp's free plan. Mailchimp's free tier dropped to 500 contacts with limited sends. Kit offers 10,000 subscribers and unlimited broadcasts free. The math isn't close.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kit really free forever — or is there a catch? It's genuinely free, permanently, up to 10,000 subscribers. There's no hidden trial period. You don't need a credit card to sign up. The catch — if you call it that — is that automations and sequences require a paid plan. For a pure broadcast newsletter, free covers everything.
What's the actual limit — when do I have to pay? Two triggers: (1) you exceed 10,000 subscribers, or (2) you need automations/sequences/advanced integrations. If either of those applies, Creator at $33/mo (annual) is the next step.
When should I upgrade to Creator? When you want email automation. A welcome sequence, a nurture series, a post-purchase flow — all of that requires Creator or above. If you're sending a weekly newsletter manually, free is fine indefinitely.
How does Kit free compare to Mailchimp's free plan? It's not comparable. Mailchimp free caps you at 500 contacts and 1,000 sends/month. Kit free gives you 10,000 subscribers and unlimited sends. If you're on Mailchimp free and frustrated with the limits, migrating to Kit free is a straightforward win.
Bottom Line
Kit's free plan is the real deal. 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts, landing pages, forms, and basic commerce — permanently free. If you're just starting your email list or switching from a restrictive free tier elsewhere, there's no reason to wait.
Start free now. Upgrade if and when you actually need automations. That's the honest play.