Make the smallest decision that fixes the named constraint.
At 400 active contacts, the cheapest usable option is not automatically the best. Kit Newsletter can remain free and offers unlimited broadcasts but only one basic automation and sequence. HubSpot Free can store a sales-led list and send 2,000 branded marketing emails per month, but four weekly broadcasts to 400 people already consume 1,600 sends before nurture.
MailerLite Free no longer fits 400 active subscribers; Comfort starts at $12 monthly and provides a 10× subscriber-tier send allowance. GetResponse Starter begins at $19 monthly for 1,000 contacts with unlimited sends and one custom workflow. Choose the constraint—deal memory, service-list automation, funnel capture, or creator publishing—before comparing headline allowances.
Decision snapshot
Best small-list fit when CRM and one deal pipeline matter more than email depth.
Free stops at 250 active subscribers, so 400 requires a paid tier.
One custom workflow and 1,000-contact entry context; prices are net.
Up to 10,000 active subscribers, one basic automation, and one sequence.
Scenario: 400 contacts, weekly newsletter, and 100 new-subscriber welcomes
The consultant sends four full-list newsletters and three welcome messages to 100 new subscribers during a high-growth month.
Assumptions
- Four broadcasts are sent to all 400 contacts.
- One hundred new contacts each receive three automation emails.
- No resend, transactional email, or other campaign is included.
Disclosed math
- Broadcast sends: 400 × 4 = 1,600.
- Welcome sends: 100 × 3 = 300.
- Total modeled demand: 1,900 sends; HubSpot Free headroom would be 100 sends.
Result: HubSpot Free technically fits the modeled month but has almost no buffer. Kit Newsletter fits the send volume if one sequence is sufficient. MailerLite Comfort is the lower paid starting point for several service-list automations; GetResponse Starter is the stronger paid shortlist when unlimited sending and its capture/funnel surface are used.
Scenario outputs are arithmetic from the assumptions above, not traffic, conversion, revenue, or savings forecasts.
Use these decision criteria
Use a high month
Model launches, new-subscriber bursts, resends, and automation—not an average quiet month.
Count production sequences
One welcome path favors free Kit or GetResponse Starter. Several independent paths can favor MailerLite Comfort or a higher paid tier.
Choose the operating center
HubSpot centers sales context; MailerLite centers accessible email production; GetResponse centers automation and funnels; Kit centers creator audience.
Include migration labor
A $7 monthly difference is $84 per year. A complicated migration can cost more than several years of that gap.
Choose, pause, or reject
| Option | Choose when | Pause when |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot Free | CRM context is primary and the high-month send forecast remains safely under 2,000. | Weekly publishing or nurture will consume the remaining buffer. |
| MailerLite Comfort | Several small automations, forms, and landing pages are needed with a low paid starting point. | The exact subscriber tier or send demand has not been priced. |
| GetResponse Starter | Unlimited sends, one workflow, and bundled capture justify $19 monthly at the entry list tier. | The business needs several workflows or none of the bundled surface. |
| Kit Newsletter | One sequence and publishing-led demand fit, and the managed Recommendation slot is acceptable. | Independent nurture paths or structured deal tracking are required. |
Test the high month with 20 synthetic contacts
- Create segments representing existing, new, qualified, unsubscribed, and bounced contacts.
- Run every broadcast and automation branch scheduled for the high month.
- Record the platform’s send count, contact count, and boundary warnings.
- Export the complete audience and suppression state before choosing annual billing.
Pass rule: The platform passes when the high-month design stays below the confirmed limits with a buffer and the annual cash plus migration labor is justified by the workflow it actually supports.
Limits to keep visible
- The 1,900-send scenario is arithmetic, not a recommendation for email frequency.
- Exact prices can vary by billing term, active subscriber tier, tax, currency, and promotion.
- Permission, relevance, suppression, and deliverability matter more than the technical send allowance.
Continue the decision
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest email marketing software for 400 contacts?
Kit Newsletter can be $0 within its documented limits, and HubSpot Free can also be $0 within its lower send ceiling. Cheapest is not the same as best fit; automation and CRM requirements decide.
Can MailerLite Free hold 400 active subscribers?
No under the current public plan checked August 19, 2026. Free is limited to 250 active subscribers, so 400 requires a paid plan or another platform.
Are 2,000 monthly sends enough for 400 contacts?
Four full-list broadcasts use 1,600 sends, leaving 400 for automation and resends. Build a high-month forecast and keep a safety margin rather than relying on the exact ceiling.
Primary sources checked
- HubSpot Free Tools and Starter pricing ↗
- HubSpot Marketing Hub pricing and feature limits ↗
- HubSpot Product & Services Catalog ↗
- GetResponse pricing and plan comparison ↗
- GetResponse plan feature documentation ↗
- GetResponse subscriber counting and billing rules ↗
- MailerLite current plans and starting prices ↗
- MailerLite Free, Comfort, and Power limits ↗
- MailerLite subscriber, sending, and billing rules ↗
- Kit current pricing and plan features ↗
- Kit Newsletter Plan limits ↗
- Kit Creator and Pro plan comparison ↗
- Kit subscriber billing and proration ↗
Pricing changes. Recheck the vendor’s checkout before buying.