For four broadcasts to up to 250 people plus 50 welcome emails, EmailOctopus and MailerLite are free candidates by volume and feature availability. Brevo needs daily-cap and automation-cap checks. Kit Free suits broadcasts, but the automation workflows compared here require a paid plan.
Define the audience before counting sends
Assume one operator, one account, and a permission-based, deduplicated list. Start with 200 subscribers and add 50 during the month, never exceeding 250. The new 50 are included in the 250; they are not an extra audience on top.
This conservatively uses the maximum audience for all four broadcasts; actual sends can be lower depending on when people join. Each broadcast goes to everyone on the same day. Each newcomer receives one welcome message; resends are excluded.
Confirmation is a separate job.We compare a welcome message sent through an automation after signup, separately from double opt-in or other confirmation messages. If confirmations consume the same allowance, add their volume too.
Four free plans, one requirement
These are standard free plans, not temporary trials of paid features. Scroll the table horizontally on smaller screens.
| Free plan | Audience and sends | Automation constraint | Fit for this scenario |
|---|---|---|---|
| EmailOctopus Starter | 2,500 subscribers; 10,000 emails/month | Up to three automations | Volume and feature candidate; count all additional sends |
| Kit Free | 10,000 subscribers; unlimited broadcasts | Visual Automations and Email Sequences need a paid plan | Not a fit for this workflow; confirmation is separate |
| MailerLite Free | 250 subscribers; 2,500 emails/month | Three active automations; five steps | Candidate for a short flow; no audience headroom |
| Brevo Free | 100,000 stored contacts; 300 emails/day | 2,000 unique contacts can enter active automations | Check each day's sends and remaining automation capacity |
Sources: EmailOctopus pricing and automations / Kit Free / MailerLite pricing / Brevo plans
Five MailerLite steps do not necessarily mean five emails: check the whole workflow, including waits and conditions. Brevo's 2,000-contact limit is not a fresh monthly signup allowance. When reached, new contacts cannot enter; those already inside continue.
A 250-email broadcast plus 50 welcome messages on the same day uses Brevo's entire 300-email daily allowance. Confirmations or other messages could push it over. A monthly total of 1,050 alone cannot establish fit.
Kit also has a form confirmation/incentive email. Do not read its paid workflow requirement as “no automatic email of any kind.” Editing a confirmation message and sending a separate welcome workflow are different tasks. Kit confirmation email / Brevo automation limits.
What changes at 1,000 subscribers?
In a separate growth scenario, take a maximum list of 1,000, including 50 newcomers. Four broadcasts plus 50 welcome emails need at most 4,050 sends. EmailOctopus remains a volume and feature candidate. MailerLite exceeds its free audience limit. Brevo cannot broadcast to all 1,000 on the same day. Kit still requires paid workflow features for this welcome setup.
This compares capacity, not deliverability or usability. Check the actual triggers, delays, branching and integrations you need; a workflow count alone does not describe their depth.
What free does not remove
The listed free plans cost USD 0 per month, require at least one account and need no annual payment. Paid upgrades depend on audience, sends and features: use our calculator and the provider's checkout. Taxes, billing currency, card or exchange fees, domains, integrations and migration work need separate checks.
- Preserve permission and opt-outs.Check applicable country rules and provider terms before sending.
- Test with inboxes you control.Follow signup, confirmation, welcome and unsubscribe to catch duplicate or missing messages.
- Leave capacity.Allow for extras and growth, and check upgrade and charging rules.
If few people sign up, there is no useful welcome message yet, or an existing tool already fits, you may not need a new platform. Automation does not remove writing, permission checks or ongoing testing.
We may earn a commission on paid subscriptions through the Ad link. A free plan may be enough. In the calculator, select welcome automation and add 50 extra emails. Daily spikes at Brevo and detailed workflow constraints still need separate checks.
Sources and limits
Official information checked November 14, 2026. We have checked only EmailOctopus free signup and initial setup. The welcome workflows, sending, receipt and unsubscribing in this article have not been tested hands-on. Specifications, calculations and editorial judgments are distinct; we have not measured deliverability or revenue effects.
Provider publication dates differ from our checking date. Confirm current features, country availability, billing and terms before subscribing.