AWeber vs. ConvertKit for Bloggers: Which Is Worth It?
- Written by admin
If you’re trying to pick an email marketing platform for your blog, you’ve probably landed on the same two names over and over: AWeber and ConvertKit (now rebranded as Kit). Both are popular, both are aimed at solo creators rather than giant enterprise marketing teams, and both promise to help you turn readers into a real audience — and eventually into paying customers.
But “popular” doesn’t mean “right for you.” AWeber has been around since 1998 and built its reputation on being reliable, affordable, and packed with legacy features. Kit was built from day one specifically for bloggers, newsletter writers, and course creators, and it shows in how the product is organized — tags instead of rigid lists, creator-focused monetization tools, and a simpler interface.
This guide breaks down exactly how the two compare in 2026: pricing at real subscriber counts, automation and tagging, landing pages, deliverability, ease of use, and — most importantly — which one actually fits how bloggers work. No affiliate hand-waving, just a side-by-side look so you can make the call yourself.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | AWeber | Kit (ConvertKit) |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Budget-conscious bloggers, small business owners | Bloggers, newsletter writers, course creators |
| Free plan | Up to 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/mo | Up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited emails |
| Entry paid price | $15/mo (Lite), $12.50/mo billed annually | $39/mo (Creator), $33/mo billed annually |
| Subscriber model | List-based (duplicates across lists can cost extra) | Tag-based (one subscriber, unlimited tags, no duplicate charges) |
| Landing pages | Included on paid plans | Included on all plans, including free |
| Visual automation builder | Basic on Lite, more on Plus/Unlimited | Full visual automation on Creator and Pro |
| Sell digital products/newsletters | Limited (via Done-For-You add-on) | Built-in (Kit Commerce, paid newsletters) |
| Support | 24/7 live chat and phone on paid plans | Live chat on paid plans; email on free plan |
| Ease of use for beginners | Moderate — more settings to configure | High — streamlined, creator-first UI |
| Migration/list import | Straightforward | Straightforward, plus free concierge migration on higher tiers |
In-Depth Review: AWeber
AWeber is one of the oldest email marketing tools still standing, and it earns that longevity through sheer reliability. If you want something that “just works” without a lot of tinkering, AWeber delivers that. It’s built around lists — you create a list, build a signup form or landing page for it, and send broadcasts or automated sequences to whoever’s on that list.
The list-based structure is AWeber’s biggest strength and its biggest limitation at the same time. It’s simple to understand: one list, one purpose. But if you run more than one lead magnet, course waitlist, or webinar signup, you can end up with the same person on multiple lists — and depending on your plan, that can mean paying for the same subscriber more than once.
Where AWeber still wins is affordability at small list sizes, customer support (24/7 phone and live chat is genuinely rare in this space), and a mature set of integrations built up over two decades. It also includes AI-assisted email and landing page creation tools, a decent selection of templates, and solid deliverability rates.
In-Depth Review: Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Kit rebuilt the entire concept of “subscriber management” around tags instead of lists. Every subscriber lives in one central database, and you tag them based on behavior: what they clicked, what they downloaded, which course they’re interested in. Want to invite people to a webinar? Tag them. Want to know who’s ready for a pitch email? Filter by tag. No duplicate lists, no double billing for the same person.
For bloggers specifically, this matters because most blogs eventually run more than one thing — a lead magnet, a paid newsletter tier, an affiliate promotion, maybe a digital product. Kit’s tagging system lets you layer all of that onto one list without the mess.
Kit also leans hard into monetization features that AWeber doesn’t really touch: built-in paid newsletter subscriptions, Kit Commerce for selling digital products and templates directly through email, and the Creator Network, which cross-promotes your newsletter to other creators’ audiences for organic list growth. If your blog is moving toward “audience as a business” rather than just “audience as an email list,” this is a meaningful edge.
The tradeoff is price. Kit’s paid plans start noticeably higher than AWeber’s, and its free plan — while generous on subscriber count (10,000!) — doesn’t include the visual automation builder, so serious sequence-building requires upgrading.
Pros & Cons
AWeber
Pros
- Lower cost at small to mid-size list sizes
- 24/7 phone and live chat support on paid plans
- Long track record and mature integration ecosystem
- Free plan includes basic automation and one landing page
Cons
- List-based structure can mean duplicate subscriber charges across campaigns
- Tagging and segmentation feel bolted-on rather than core to the product
- Fewer built-in monetization tools for selling digital products or paid newsletters
- Interface feels dated compared to newer creator-first tools
Kit (ConvertKit)
Pros
- Tag-based system eliminates duplicate subscriber headaches
- Built specifically for bloggers, newsletter writers, and course creators
- Native tools for selling digital products, paid subscriptions, and cross-promotion
- Clean, streamlined interface that’s genuinely easy to learn
- Very generous free plan subscriber cap (10,000)
Cons
- More expensive than AWeber at every comparable paid tier
- Visual automations are locked behind a paid plan
- Fewer legacy integrations than AWeber for niche third-party tools
- No phone support — chat only
Pricing
Pricing on both platforms scales with your subscriber count, so what you pay today won’t be what you pay once your list grows. Here’s how they compare at a 1,000-subscriber list, which is roughly where most bloggers start needing a paid plan.
| Plan | AWeber | Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Up to 500 subscribers, 3,000 emails/mo | Up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited emails, no visual automation |
| Entry paid tier | Lite: $15/mo ($12.50/mo annual) | Creator: $39/mo ($33/mo annual) |
| Mid tier | Plus: $30/mo (annual discount available) | Pro: $79/mo ($66/mo annual) |
| Top tier | Unlimited: flat rate for very large lists | Scales per subscriber count into the hundreds |
The practical takeaway: AWeber is cheaper if you’re just starting out or running a small list under a few thousand subscribers. Once your list grows past the 10,000-subscriber mark, though, the math shifts — Kit’s tag-based model means you’re not quietly paying for duplicate entries across multiple lists the way you might on AWeber, which can close the price gap or even flip it depending on how many overlapping campaigns you run.
Both platforms offer a free trial period on paid plans and a money-back guarantee, so it’s worth testing each with your actual list before committing to an annual plan.
Who It’s Best For
Choose AWeber if:
- You’re a new blogger with a small list and want the lowest possible entry cost
- You value having a real person to call when something breaks
- You run a single, straightforward email funnel without a lot of overlapping campaigns
- You don’t currently plan to sell digital products or paid subscriptions directly through your email tool
Choose Kit if:
- You’re building an audience with the intent to monetize through digital products, sponsorships, or paid newsletters
- You run (or plan to run) multiple lead magnets, courses, or campaigns that would otherwise create duplicate subscribers on a list-based platform
- You want visual automation and tagging as core functionality, not an add-on
- You’d rather pay more for a tool built specifically for bloggers and creators than a general-purpose email platform
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ConvertKit still called ConvertKit? No — ConvertKit rebranded to Kit in 2024. The product and feature set are the same; only the name and branding changed. convertkit.com now redirects to kit.com.
Which is cheaper, AWeber or Kit? AWeber is cheaper at the entry level, starting at $15/mo compared to Kit’s $39/mo for a comparable subscriber count. Kit’s free plan, however, covers up to 10,000 subscribers versus AWeber’s 500, which matters a lot for bloggers still building their list.
Can I switch between AWeber and Kit later without losing my list? Yes. Both platforms support CSV import/export of your subscriber list, and Kit in particular offers migration assistance on its paid plans. You’ll need to rebuild automations and tags manually, but your subscriber data itself transfers.
Does Kit’s tag system replace lists entirely? Functionally, yes. Kit still lets you organize subscribers into “sequences,” but the core organizing principle is tags applied to a single subscriber database, rather than separate lists you have to maintain independently.
Which platform has better deliverability? Both AWeber and Kit maintain strong sender reputations and comparable inbox placement rates industry-wide. Deliverability is more often affected by your sending practices (list hygiene, engagement rates, authentication setup) than by the platform itself.
Do I need a paid plan to start growing my email list as a new blogger? No. Both platforms offer usable free tiers — AWeber up to 500 subscribers, Kit up to 10,000 — so you can start building a list and testing sequences before paying anything.
Final Verdict
There’s no universal winner here — it genuinely depends on where your blog is right now and where you want it to go.
If you’re just starting out, want the lowest possible monthly cost, and value having live phone support when things go sideways, AWeber is the safer, more budget-friendly choice.
If you’re building a blog with monetization in mind — digital products, paid newsletters, sponsorships, or multiple overlapping campaigns — Kit is worth the higher price tag. Its tag-based subscriber model and creator-first tools are built for exactly the kind of audience-as-a-business model most serious bloggers eventually grow into.
The good news: both platforms offer free plans or free trials, so the smartest move is to actually load in a small segment of your list and test the workflow yourself before committing to an annual contract.