TL;DR
ConvertKit (now Kit) is best for creators and newsletters. Beehiiv for growth-focused newsletters. Loops for SaaS transactional + marketing email. Mailchimp for ecommerce. Resend for developer-friendly transactional email.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Price | Best For | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| ConvertKit | Free-$29/mo | Creators | Automations |
| Beehiiv | Free-$49/mo | Newsletters | Growth tools |
| Loops | Free-$49/mo | SaaS | Product emails |
| Mailchimp | Free-$20/mo | Ecommerce | Templates |
| Resend | Free-$20/mo | Developers | API-first |
1. ConvertKit (Kit)
Built for creators with visual automations, landing pages, and digital product sales. Free up to 10K subscribers (limited). Best for founder newsletters and lead magnets.
2. Beehiiv
Newsletter platform with built-in growth tools: referrals, recommendations, and Boosts (paid subscriber acquisition). Free tier is generous. Best for newsletter-first businesses.
3. Loops
Email for SaaS companies. Combines transactional (password resets, receipts) and marketing (onboarding, feature announcements) in one platform. Clean, modern interface.
4. Mailchimp
The old standard. Good templates, ecommerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce), and audience management. Free up to 500 contacts. Better for ecommerce than SaaS.
5. Resend
Developer-first email API for transactional email. Beautiful templates, great deliverability, React Email support. Pair with ConvertKit/Beehiiv for marketing + Resend for transactional.
How We Chose These Tools
We evaluated email tools on ease of use, automation capabilities, deliverability, pricing at scale, and fit for founder use cases (newsletters, SaaS onboarding, ecommerce).
Key Takeaways
- Newsletter founders: start with Beehiiv (free) or ConvertKit.
- SaaS founders: use Loops for product email, Resend for transactional.
- Don't overthink it — pick one and start collecting emails today.