EmailOctopus vs Kit
Both are on our shortlist for course creators. They part company on several things that matter more than the monthly price.
EmailOctopus
KitWhich one, for whom
- Starting out with no budgetEmailOctopusEmailOctopus can run an automated welcome sequence on its free plan. Kit cannot, so a new subscriber hears nothing from you until you pay.Start free on EmailOctopus
- A list already in the thousandsKitKit stays free to 10,000 subscribers against EmailOctopus's 2,500.Start free on Kit
- Worried about being locked inKitEmailOctopus's terms cut off access to your contact data when you cancel. Kit does not do that.
- Selling the course from the same toolKitKit can take the payment itself, so you do not need a separate checkout.
Side by side
| EmailOctopus | Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 2,500 subscribers | 10,000 subscribers |
| Free sends | 10,000 emails/mo | Unlimited broadcasts |
| Welcome sequence on free | Yes | No |
| Connects to Teachable | Through Zapier | Direct |
| Connects to Kajabi | Not listed | Direct |
| Connects to Podia | Not listed | Direct |
| Connects to Thinkific | Not listed | Direct |
| Paid from | $9/mo | $33/mo |
| The catch | Fewer features than the others by design. Good if you only need to send, thin if you need funnels. | Digital product sales carry a 3.5% + 30c fee on every plan. |
| G2 score | 4.2 out of 5, from 46 reviews | 4.4 out of 5, from 236 reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 4.8 out of 5, from 267 reviews | 4.1 out of 5, from 154 reviews |
Figures read off each vendor's own pricing page between 9 and 24 September 2026. Where a row says not published, that vendor does not state a price at that list size and we will not invent one.
The last two rows are other people's scores, not ours, read on 6 September 2026. Check them yourself:EmailOctopus on G2, EmailOctopus on Trustpilot, Kit on G2, Kit on Trustpilot.
- EmailOctopus: The G2 score rests on 46 reviews, which is a small enough number that a handful of unhappy or delighted people can move it.
Getting your list back out
EmailOctopusHard to leave
Cancelling the paid plan on its own just drops you to the free tier: contacts and lists are retained, though automations pause. Their Terms of Use go further than that, though: "Once terminated, we may permanently delete your account and all the data associated with it, including your Content from our Website." A full, deliberate account deletion is described in their own help article as removing everything, including lists, campaigns and reports, and is irreversible. Export your list before deleting anything, not just before cancelling. Source
Kit
Deleting the account is self-serve and takes 24 to 48 hours. Export first: their help page says all data is permanently deleted, with no recovery window documented. Source
EmailOctopus vs Kit, answered
- Is EmailOctopus or Kit better for an online course?
- Neither is better outright, and anyone who says so is guessing on your behalf. EmailOctopus if you are starting out with no budget. Kit if you are a list already in the thousands. Kit if you are worried about being locked in. Kit if you are selling the course from the same tool.
- Which of EmailOctopus and Kit has the better free plan?
- Kit allows more free subscribers (10,000 against 2,500). A bigger allowance is not automatically the better plan: check the welcome sequence row above, because that is where the two usually part company.
- Can I move from EmailOctopus to Kit later?
- Yes, and you should assume you will. Export your list before you cancel anything, and keep whatever marks who bought from you. We wrote the whole running order up separately.
Try either one
EmailOctopusCheapest way to run a plain list
$9/mopaid plans start here. Free up to 2,500. Read off their pricing page between 9 and 24 September 2026.
Start free on EmailOctopusRead the full EmailOctopus breakdownKitBiggest free list, sells products out of the box
$33/mopaid plans start here. Free up to 10,000. Read off their pricing page between 9 and 24 September 2026.
Start free on KitRead the full Kit breakdownMoving between them? Read the switching guide first, or answer 5 questions to check neither of these is the wrong shortlist.
Neither of these? See all 14, including which ones connect straight to Teachable, Kajabi, Podia or Thinkific, or compare what they cost as your list grows.