Mailerlite vs SpyFu — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Mailerlite starts at $12/mo. SpyFu starts at $39/mo. Mailerlite is $27/mo cheaper on the entry tier than SpyFu.
See price history: Mailerlite · SpyFu
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- Mailerlite (Per Usage) — Mailerlite bills purely on usage — Subscribers. There is no fixed per-seat fee, so the monthly cost depends entirely on how much you consume.
- SpyFu (Flat Rate) — SpyFu bills on a fixed plan from $39/mo, so the listed price is what you pay regardless of volume.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
European (Lithuanian) email platform positioned as the value alternative to Mailchimp for SMBs. Distinctive for its transparent pricing (public tiers, no per-contact games) and formerly generous free tier. Restructured June 16, 2026: Growing Business renamed 'Comfort', paid tiers up 10-30% on effective per-subscriber basis (headline held, coverage shrank), free plan cut to 250 subs / 2,500 emails effective July 1, 2026. Priced $9-$12/mo Comfort tier (annual/monthly). Owned by Vista Equity Partners since 2021. Popular with creators and small businesses in Europe.
Competitive keyword research tool positioned as the alternative to Semrush (now Adobe) and Ahrefs for teams focused on competitor teardowns ("what's my rival spending on PPC?"). Distinctive for its unlimited-search pricing at flat rates — Semrush caps searches per day at cheaper tiers. Priced $16-$36/mo (annual). Bootstrapped, popular with agencies pitching new clients using competitive-intel decks. Weaker on Google Search Console-caliber content SEO than Ahrefs.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Mailerlite monthly | Mailerlite annual | SpyFu monthly | SpyFu annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / — | Free | Free | — | — |
| Entry paid | Comfort / Basic | $12 | $10.8 | $39 | $29 |
| Pro / power | Power / Pro + AI | $25 | $22.5 | $119 | $89 |
| Teams | — / Team | — | — | $249 | $187 |
| Enterprise | Enterprise / — | Custom | Custom | — | — |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Mailerlite is worth it if… creators and SMBs (post-restructure: under 500 subscribers) who want polished email marketing at lower price than Mailchimp — particularly if you value modern templates and drag-and-drop simplicity. Free covers newsletters with under 250 subs (post-July 2026 cut); Comfort adds landing pages, automations, and covers up to 500 subs.
SpyFu is worth it if… marketing agencies and in-house teams focused on competitor SEO/PPC intelligence — particularly if you want to reverse-engineer competitor keyword bids, ad copy, and organic strategy over time. Pro + AI covers most needs; Team adds more users and data.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — Mailerlite is per usage, SpyFu is flat rate.
Choose Mailerlite over SpyFu if…
Choose Mailerlite if…
- You want to pay only for actual usage (per usage, from $12/mo).
- You match the profile Mailerlite is built for: creators and SMBs (post-restructure: under 500 subscribers) who want polished email marketing at lower price than Mailchimp — particularly if you value modern templates and drag-and-drop simplicity.
- You need a general-purpose marketing & email option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose SpyFu if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (flat rate, from $39/mo).
- You match the profile SpyFu is built for: marketing agencies and in-house teams focused on competitor SEO/PPC intelligence — particularly if you want to reverse-engineer competitor keyword bids, ad copy, and organic strategy over time.
- You need a general-purpose marketing & email option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Mailerlite | SpyFu | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Entry price | $12/mo | $39/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | No |
| Pricing model | Per Usage | Flat Rate |
| Last verified | September 13, 2026 | September 17, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 17, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Mailerlite and SpyFu
- How much does Mailerlite cost in 2026?
- Does Mailerlite have a free plan?
- How often does Mailerlite change prices?
- What are the best Mailerlite alternatives in 2026?
- How much does SpyFu cost in 2026?
- Does SpyFu have a free plan?
- How often does SpyFu change prices?
- What are the best SpyFu alternatives in 2026?