AWeber vs MailerLite: Which Is Better for Small Businesses in 2026?

AWeber has been around since 1998 and is one of the most recognized names in email marketing. MailerLite launched in 2010 and has steadily eaten AWeber’s market share among small businesses and creators. If you’re choosing between them today, the gap that matters most is not features or deliverability — it’s how much you’re willing to pay for a more polished, modern experience versus a larger template library and a longer track record.

This comparison covers pricing, automation, templates, deliverability, and who should choose which.

AWeber at a Glance

AWeber’s main strengths are its template library (600+, the largest of any tool in this price range), its 750+ integrations, and its reputation for reliable deliverability. It has a 97.8% deliverability rate and has been tested at scale across 28 years of operation. The free plan covers up to 500 subscribers with 3,000 emails per month — usable for starting out but limited compared to what competitors offer.

The honest weakness: the AWeber interface feels like it was designed a decade ago and never meaningfully updated. Automation is restricted on the cheaper plans (three automations on Lite), and there is no SMS marketing channel.

MailerLite at a Glance

MailerLite’s value proposition is a modern feature set at a price that is hard to argue with. The $10/month Growing Business plan (for up to 500 subscribers) includes unlimited automations, A/B testing, and a drag-and-drop editor that is significantly more intuitive than AWeber’s. The Advanced plan at $20/month adds a dedicated IP and custom HTML editor. MailerLite also added appointment booking in early 2026, making it useful for service businesses without a separate scheduling tool.

The trade-offs: a smaller integration library (140+ native integrations versus AWeber’s 750+), a free plan that was reduced from 1,000 to 500 subscribers in September 2025, and fewer templates.

Pricing

AWeber:

• Free: 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/month
• Lite: $15/month for 500 subscribers — unlimited emails, 3 automations, 3 landing pages, 1 list
• Plus: $30/month for 500 subscribers — unlimited automations, no AWeber branding
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for 100,000+ subscribers

MailerLite:

• Free: 500 subscribers, 12,000 emails/month
• Growing Business: $10/month for 500 subscribers — unlimited emails, unlimited automations, A/B testing
• Advanced: $20/month — dedicated IP, custom HTML editor, priority support

At the starter paid tier, MailerLite is $10/month versus AWeber’s $15/month. That gap is not dramatic in absolute terms, but AWeber’s $15 plan restricts you to three automations — which means you’re paying more for less flexibility. MailerLite’s $10 plan is the better value at this level.

Annual billing saves up to 33% on AWeber and approximately 10% on MailerLite.

Templates and Design

AWeber’s 600+ templates give you an enormous starting point. Whether they are good is a separate question — many are functional but dated in design. If you need a template library with enough variety to handle different industries and campaign types, AWeber delivers. If you want your emails to look like they were designed in 2026, you may end up starting from scratch anyway.

MailerLite has fewer templates but they trend toward cleaner, more contemporary designs. The editor is faster to use and produces better-looking results with less effort. For most small business owners who are not professional designers, MailerLite will get you to a polished email more efficiently.

Automation

MailerLite wins here clearly. On MailerLite’s $10/month plan, you get unlimited automation workflows with conditions, delays, actions, and branching. AWeber requires the $30/month Plus plan to remove the three-automation restriction. If automation is central to your email marketing — welcome sequences, product follow-ups, re-engagement campaigns — MailerLite gives you more at a lower price point.

Integrations

AWeber has 750+ integrations. MailerLite has 140+. If your tech stack is small (a website, a form, maybe an e-commerce store), MailerLite covers the typical bases without friction. If you have a more complex setup with tools that are not Shopify, WooCommerce, Zapier, or major CRMs, AWeber is more likely to have a native connector.

Deliverability

Both are strong. AWeber reports 97.8% deliverability; MailerLite reports 97%. The real-world difference at these rates is negligible — both will consistently reach inboxes for a healthy sender. Neither will cause deliverability problems for typical small business use.

Who Should Choose AWeber

AWeber makes more sense if you need a wide integration library, want the largest possible template selection as a starting point, or are already familiar with the platform and have no reason to migrate. It is also worth noting for creators: AWeber offers one of the most generous affiliate programs in the industry (up to 50% recurring commission), which matters if you recommend email tools to your audience.

Who Should Choose MailerLite

MailerLite is the stronger choice for most new users today. The lower price, unlimited automations on the starter plan, more intuitive editor, and stronger template aesthetics make it the better daily-use tool for small businesses, bloggers, and service providers. If you’re starting from scratch, MailerLite is the default-right answer at this price point.

Bottom Line

MailerLite beats AWeber on price, automation depth at the entry tier, and editor quality. AWeber beats MailerLite on template volume, integration breadth, and established track record. For most people starting out in 2026, MailerLite is the better starting point. If you have a specific integration need that only AWeber covers, or you want the widest possible template library, AWeber earns its place.

Sources

1. AWeber Pricing — accessed 2026-03-27
2. MailerLite Pricing — accessed 2026-03-27