EmailOctopus vs MailerLite
Both are on our shortlist for course creators. They part company on several things that matter more than the monthly price.
EmailOctopus
MailerLiteWhich one, for whom
- A list already in the thousandsEmailOctopusEmailOctopus stays free to 2,500 subscribers against MailerLite's 250.Start free on EmailOctopus
- Worried about being locked inMailerLiteEmailOctopus's terms cut off access to your contact data when you cancel. MailerLite does not do that.Start free on MailerLite
- Selling the course from the same toolMailerLiteMailerLite can take the payment itself, so you do not need a separate checkout.
Side by side
| EmailOctopus | MailerLite | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 2,500 subscribers | 250 subscribers |
| Free sends | 10,000 emails/mo | 2,500 emails/mo |
| Welcome sequence on free | Yes | Yes |
| Connects to Teachable | Through Zapier | Not listed |
| Connects to Kajabi | Not listed | Direct |
| Connects to Podia | Not listed | Not listed |
| Connects to Thinkific | Not listed | Direct |
| Paid from | $9/mo | $12/mo |
| At 5,000 subscribers | Not published | $44.10 |
| At 25,000 subscribers | Not published | $161.10 |
| The catch | Fewer features than the others by design. Good if you only need to send, thin if you need funnels. | Their logo stays on your emails until you pay. |
| G2 score | 4.2 out of 5, from 46 reviews | 4.6 out of 5, from 1,113 reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 4.8 out of 5, from 267 reviews | 4.1 out of 5, from 3,281 reviews |
Figures read off each vendor's own pricing page on 9 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, MailerLite on G2, MailerLite 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
MailerLite
Cancel any time without penalty. Their terms describe still being able to log in, export and migrate your data after a plan lapses. Source
EmailOctopus vs MailerLite, answered
- Is EmailOctopus or MailerLite better for an online course?
- Neither is better outright, and anyone who says so is guessing on your behalf. EmailOctopus if you are a list already in the thousands. MailerLite if you are worried about being locked in. MailerLite if you are selling the course from the same tool.
- Which of EmailOctopus and MailerLite has the better free plan?
- EmailOctopus allows more free subscribers (2,500 against 250). 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 MailerLite 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 on 9 September 2026.
Start free on EmailOctopusRead the full EmailOctopus breakdownMailerLiteBest free plan for a real welcome sequence
$12/mopaid plans start here. Free up to 250. Read off their pricing page on 9 September 2026.
Start free on MailerLiteRead the full MailerLite 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.