By Farhan Hirsi · Updated September 2026 · This article may contain affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
MailerLite and Constant Contact are two of the most popular email marketing tools for small businesses, but they take very different approaches. In this MailerLite vs Constant Contact comparison, we look at pricing, features, ease of use and support to help you decide which is better value for your business in 2026.
Short answer
MailerLite is the better value for most small businesses, creators and bloggers: it’s cheaper, has a free plan and a more modern editor. Constant Contact is better if you want phone support, run events, or manage a nonprofit and value hand-holding.
MailerLite vs Constant Contact at a glance
| MailerLite | Constant Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (250 subscribers) | No (free trial only) |
| Starting price | $12/month (Comfort) | $12/month (Lite) |
| Around 5,000 contacts | $49/month | about $80/month |
| Phone support | No (email and chat) | Yes, on all plans |
| Landing pages and websites | Yes, strong builder | Landing pages |
| Event management | No | Yes, built in |
| Best for | Value, creators, small businesses | Support, events, nonprofits |
Pricing: which is cheaper?
Both tools start at $12/month for 500 contacts, but the gap grows quickly as your list gets bigger. At around 5,000 contacts, MailerLite’s Comfort plan costs $49/month, while Constant Contact’s Lite plan costs about $80/month. MailerLite also has a free plan for up to 250 subscribers; Constant Contact only offers a free trial.
Annual billing saves 10% with MailerLite and about 15% with Constant Contact. Constant Contact also offers nonprofit discounts of up to 30%.
Winner: MailerLite, especially as your list grows. See full details in our MailerLite review and Constant Contact review.
Email editor and templates
MailerLite’s drag-and-drop editor is more modern and flexible, with dynamic content blocks and close to 100 stylish templates on paid plans. Constant Contact’s editor is simpler and very hard to “break”, with around 200 templates organized by use case, but it looks and feels more dated.
Winner: MailerLite for design flexibility; Constant Contact for absolute beginners.
Automation
MailerLite includes a visual automation builder with welcome sequences, abandoned-cart emails and follow-ups, even on lower plans. Constant Contact’s automation is more basic on Lite and Standard, with custom multi-step automations reserved for its Premium plan.
Winner: MailerLite.
Landing pages, forms and websites
Both let you create sign-up forms and landing pages. MailerLite goes further with a full website builder and more design options, which makes it a great all-in-one choice for growing your email list.
Winner: MailerLite.
Events, SMS and social
This is where Constant Contact shines. It includes event registration, ticketing and reminders, plus SMS and social media posting. MailerLite doesn’t offer built-in event management.
Winner: Constant Contact.
Deliverability
Both providers support domain authentication (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) and have solid reputations. Constant Contact has performed especially well in independent deliverability tests. In practice, your own list quality and authentication matter just as much. Our deliverability guides show you how to set this up.
Winner: Tie, with a slight edge to Constant Contact in third-party testing.
Ease of use and support
Both are beginner-friendly. MailerLite has the cleaner, faster interface; Constant Contact is more guided. For support, Constant Contact wins clearly: live phone and chat support on every plan. MailerLite offers email and live chat (24/7 chat on its Power plan) but no phone support, and it has a stricter account approval process.
Winner: Constant Contact for support.
Which should you choose?
Choose MailerLite if:
- you want the best value, now and as your list grows;
- you’re a creator, blogger or small business that wants modern emails and landing pages;
- you want to start on a free plan.
Choose Constant Contact if:
- you want to talk to a real person by phone when you need help;
- you run events or need registration and ticketing;
- you’re a nonprofit that can use the discount and guided setup.
FAQ
Is MailerLite cheaper than Constant Contact?
Yes, for most list sizes. Both start at $12/month, but at around 5,000 contacts MailerLite costs about $49/month versus roughly $80/month for Constant Contact. MailerLite also has a free plan.
Which is easier to use, MailerLite or Constant Contact?
Both are beginner-friendly. MailerLite has a cleaner, more modern interface, while Constant Contact offers more guidance and phone support.
Can I switch from Constant Contact to MailerLite?
Yes. Export your contacts from Constant Contact as a CSV file and import them into MailerLite. Only import people who have given permission to receive your emails.
Final verdict
In the MailerLite vs Constant Contact battle, MailerLite wins on price, design and automation, while Constant Contact wins on support and events. For most small businesses and creators, MailerLite is the smarter choice. If phone support or events matter most to you, Constant Contact is worth the extra cost.
Prices and features were checked against each provider’s official website and independent sources in September 2026 and may change.
