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Email Marketing · head to head

Listmonk vs TinyLetter

Listmonk logo

Listmonk

Email Marketing

Self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager that ships as a single Go binary

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TinyLetter logo

TinyLetter

News

The simplest way to send newsletters

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Listmonk it is not an email service provider. It hands mail to SMTP servers you configure and does nothing about IP warm-up, domain reputation, DKIM, DMARC or inbox placement, so deliverability failures are entirely yours to diagnose and fix.; TinyLetter tinyLetter merged into Mailchimp; no longer offered as standalone product
  • They diverge on capability: Listmonk covers Single binary deployment, TinyLetter covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Listmonk and TinyLetter actually diverge.

Attributes where Listmonk and TinyLetter differ
AttributeListmonkTinyLetter
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, macOS, WindowsWeb
CategoryEmail MarketingNews
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Listmonk

  • Single binary deployment
  • SQL segmentation
  • Multi-SMTP queues
  • Arbitrary subscriber attributes
  • Go templating
  • Transactional API
  • Bounce processing
  • Messenger webhooks

Only in TinyLetter

  • Newsletter publishing
  • Email templates
  • Subscriber management
  • Archive creation
  • Email delivery
  • Simple editor
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Listmonk

  • A publisher with hundreds of thousands of subscribers faces a five-figure annual bill from a hosted provider and can send the same volume through Amazon SES for a fraction of it.not TinyLetter
  • A developer wants campaign audiences defined by an arbitrary SQL query against subscriber attributes, which no hosted segment builder will express.not TinyLetter
  • An organisation under privacy or data residency rules needs subscriber data to stay on infrastructure it controls, which rules out every hosted newsletter platform.not TinyLetter
  • An open source project or nonprofit needs a mailing list tool with no per-subscriber cost, where the list will grow faster than any budget for it.not TinyLetter

TinyLetter

  • Email newsletter distribution to subscribersnot Listmonk
  • Automated email marketing campaignsnot Listmonk
  • Customer communication and engagementnot Listmonk
  • E-commerce order notification systemsnot Listmonk

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Listmonk

  • It is not an email service provider. It hands mail to SMTP servers you configure and does nothing about IP warm-up, domain reputation, DKIM, DMARC or inbox placement, so deliverability failures are entirely yours to diagnose and fix.
  • Running it means running PostgreSQL, backups, upgrades and a mail relay, and the true cost is the engineering time to keep that stack healthy rather than the zero licence fee.
  • The campaign editor and analytics are basic next to Mailchimp or Klaviyo: reporting is limited to opens, clicks and bounces, with no revenue attribution, no ecommerce integration and no deep engagement scoring.
  • SQL-based segmentation puts audience definition beyond a non-technical marketer, so a marketing team without engineering support will be blocked on routine tasks.
  • The AGPLv3 licence obliges you to release source modifications if you offer the software as a network service, which is a real constraint for anyone considering embedding it in a commercial product.

TinyLetter

  • TinyLetter merged into Mailchimp; no longer offered as standalone product
  • Free tier limited to 250 contacts maximum
  • Pricing varies significantly by contact volume tiers
  • Premium plan at $350/month may be cost-prohibitive for small newsletters

Pricing, plan by plan

Listmonk

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full AGPLv3 source
    • Unlimited subscribers and campaigns
    • No feature gating and no send limits in the software
  • Third-party managed hosting$undefined/month
    • Several unaffiliated providers offer hosted Listmonk
    • No official hosted service from the maintainer
    • Prices vary by provider and are not published centrally

TinyLetter

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 250 contacts
    • Basic email campaigns
    • Customer insights
  • Essentials$13/month
    • A/B testing
    • Scheduling
    • Limited templates
  • Standard$20/month
    • Automations
    • Personalization
    • Generative AI
  • Premium$350/month
    • Phone support
    • Priority support
    • Multivariate testing

Which should you pick?

Choose Listmonk if

  • You need single binary deployment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want sql segmentation.
Listmonk review

Choose TinyLetter if

  • You need newsletter publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email templates.
TinyLetter review

Questions people ask

Is Listmonk or TinyLetter better?
Neither clearly leads. Listmonk starts at Free and TinyLetter at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Listmonk or TinyLetter?
Listmonk starts at Free and TinyLetter at Free.
Does Listmonk or TinyLetter run on more platforms?
Listmonk runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux, macOS, Windows. TinyLetter runs on Web.
Can I use Listmonk for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Listmonk best used for?
Listmonk is most often used for a publisher with hundreds of thousands of subscribers faces a five-figure annual bill from a hosted provider and can send the same volume through amazon ses for a fraction of it., a developer wants campaign audiences defined by an arbitrary sql query against subscriber attributes, which no hosted segment builder will express., an organisation under privacy or data residency rules needs subscriber data to stay on infrastructure it controls, which rules out every hosted newsletter platform., an open source project or nonprofit needs a mailing list tool with no per-subscriber cost, where the list will grow faster than any budget for it.. Of those, a publisher with hundreds of thousands of subscribers faces a five-figure annual bill from a hosted provider and can send the same volume through amazon ses for a fraction of it. and a developer wants campaign audiences defined by an arbitrary sql query against subscriber attributes, which no hosted segment builder will express. are not what TinyLetter is typically brought in for.
What can Listmonk do that TinyLetter cannot?
Listmonk covers Single binary deployment, SQL segmentation, Multi-SMTP queues, Arbitrary subscriber attributes. TinyLetter covers Newsletter publishing, Email templates, Subscriber management, Archive creation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Listmonk: Does Listmonk send my emails?

No. It composes, queues and tracks campaigns, then hands the messages to SMTP servers you provide, such as Amazon SES, Postmark or your own relay.

TinyLetter: Is TinyLetter still available separately?

No, TinyLetter has been merged into Mailchimp and is no longer offered as a standalone product. Existing TinyLetter users were migrated to Mailchimp's marketing platform.

Source
Listmonk: What does it cost to run?

The software is free. The real cost is a small server, a PostgreSQL database and per-email SMTP charges, which through SES are a fraction of hosted newsletter pricing at large list sizes.

TinyLetter: Does Mailchimp offer a free email plan?

Yes, Mailchimp's free plan supports up to 250 contacts and allows you to create email campaigns and learn customer insights at no cost.

Source
Listmonk: What licence is it under?

AGPLv3, which requires you to publish modifications if you offer it as a network service to others.

TinyLetter: What discounts does Mailchimp offer for annual billing?

Mailchimp offers 15% off the first 12 months for accounts with 10,000 or more contacts.

Source
Listmonk: Is there an official hosted version?

No. Some unaffiliated providers offer managed Listmonk, but the maintainer does not run a hosted service.

TinyLetter: Is there a free trial available for Mailchimp's paid plans?

Yes, a 14-day free trial is available for Standard and Essentials plans without requiring a credit card for the first 100 emails.

Source
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