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News · head to head

SmartNews vs TinyLetter

SmartNews logo

SmartNews

News

Local news and breaking news from top sources

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: SmartNews no specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription; TinyLetter tinyLetter merged into Mailchimp; no longer offered as standalone product
  • They diverge on capability: SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, TinyLetter covers Newsletter publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SmartNews and TinyLetter actually diverge.

Attributes where SmartNews and TinyLetter differ
AttributeSmartNewsTinyLetter
Pricing modelfreesubscription
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb
Founded20122011

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

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 SmartNews

  • Machine learning curation
  • Smart Mode
  • Local news
  • Breaking alerts
  • Offline reading
  • Social sharing
  • News publishers
  • Ios support

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.

SmartNews

  • Daily newsnot TinyLetter
  • Local newsnot TinyLetter
  • Breaking newsnot TinyLetter
  • Quick readingnot TinyLetter

TinyLetter

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

Where each one falls short

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

SmartNews

  • No specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription
  • Requires visiting separate product page for pricing details
  • Subscription service model described but not detailed with costs

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

SmartNews

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Trending news
    • Local news
    • Smart Mode reading

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 SmartNews if

  • You need machine learning curation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want smart mode.
SmartNews 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 SmartNews or TinyLetter better?
Neither clearly leads. SmartNews 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, SmartNews or TinyLetter?
SmartNews starts at Free and TinyLetter at Free.
Does SmartNews or TinyLetter run on more platforms?
SmartNews runs on Ios, Android. TinyLetter runs on Web.
Can I use SmartNews for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SmartNews best used for?
SmartNews is most often used for daily news, local news, breaking news, quick reading. Of those, daily news and local news are not what TinyLetter is typically brought in for.
What can SmartNews do that TinyLetter cannot?
SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, Smart Mode, Local news, Breaking alerts. TinyLetter covers Newsletter publishing, Email templates, Subscriber management, Archive creation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SmartNews: How much does SmartNews cost?

SmartNews does not publish specific subscription pricing on its main website. The vendor offers SmartNews+, described as a subscription service aggregating paid business news and coupons, but cost details must be found on the dedicated SmartNews+ product page.

Source
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
SmartNews: Does SmartNews offer a free tier?

SmartNews provides free access to curated news content. For additional business news and coupons, the vendor offers SmartNews+ as a paid subscription service. Pricing and trial details for SmartNews+ are available on the dedicated subscription product page.

Source
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
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
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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