The strongest MailPoet alternative for most sites is Mailchimp for WordPress, which connects WordPress to Mailchimp’s mature sending infrastructure instead of relying on your own server to deliver newsletters. For self-hosted sending, Newsletter is a capable free option, while FluentCRM adds full marketing automation and a CRM. We ranked these from our index of 55,000+ WordPress plugins.

Why people switch from MailPoet

• MailPoet sends from your own server unless you use its paid service, so people move to Mailchimp for WordPress to send through an external provider.
• People wanting automation, tagging, and a real CRM inside WordPress move to FluentCRM.
• Those wanting fully self-hosted free newsletters move to Newsletter or Email Subscribers.
• Constant Contact users move to Creative Mail.

Mailchimp for WordPress – Connecting to Mailchimp

Mailchimp for WordPress, from ibericode, connects your site’s forms and signups to a Mailchimp account. Against MailPoet, it offloads all sending and deliverability to Mailchimp rather than your server, which is more reliable at scale.

What it does not do: it is a bridge to Mailchimp, not a standalone email tool, so you need a Mailchimp account and pay Mailchimp’s fees as your list grows.

Choose Mailchimp for WordPress if you already use Mailchimp and want tight WordPress signup integration.

Newsletter – Self-hosted newsletters

Newsletter, by Stefano Lissa, is a self-hosted plugin for building and sending newsletters from WordPress, with subscriber management built in. Against MailPoet, it keeps everything on your site and is generous in its free tier.

What it does not do: sending from your own server needs an SMTP or delivery service configured to reach inboxes reliably.

Choose Newsletter if you want to manage and send newsletters entirely from your own site.

Creative Mail – Constant Contact users

Creative Mail, from Constant Contact, links WordPress and WooCommerce to Constant Contact’s email platform. Against MailPoet, it hands sending and deliverability to an established provider with strong ecommerce features.

What it does not do: it is tied to the Constant Contact ecosystem, so its value depends on committing to that service.

Choose Creative Mail if you want WooCommerce email marketing through Constant Contact.

FluentCRM – Automation and CRM

FluentCRM, from the WPManageNinja team, is a self-hosted email marketing and CRM plugin with automation, tagging, and contact management. Against MailPoet, it goes much further into funnels, sequences, and subscriber data.

What it does not do: it relies on a separate SMTP service for sending, and its automation depth can be more than a simple newsletter needs.

Choose FluentCRM if you want marketing automation and a CRM inside WordPress.

Email Subscribers – Simple free newsletters

Email Subscribers, from Icegram, is a straightforward plugin for collecting subscribers and sending broadcasts and post notifications. Against MailPoet, it is simple and free for core sending.

What it does not do: its design and automation features are more basic than the leading tools, and reliable delivery still depends on a proper mail service.

Choose Email Subscribers if you want a simple free newsletter and post-notification plugin.

When to stay on MailPoet

Stay on MailPoet if you like managing subscribers and campaigns inside WordPress and its sending service already delivers your emails well. Its integrated editor and WooCommerce features are convenient, and if your list size fits its plans and delivery is reliable, switching providers is disruption you may not need.

How we ranked these

Every plugin here is scored by the WPS Score, a single 0 to 10 rating built from 21 signals covering maintenance, support responsiveness, compatibility, performance, and ratings quality across our index of 55,000+ plugins. Rankings are derived from that data, not editorial preference, and no plugin author can pay to change a score. How the WPS Score works.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free alternative to MailPoet?

Mailchimp for WordPress is the best free alternative if you want reliable sending, since it connects your site to Mailchimp’s free plan. For fully self-hosted free newsletters, Newsletter and Email Subscribers are strong choices, though both need an SMTP service configured for good deliverability.

Does MailPoet send email from my own server?

MailPoet can send through your own server, but its own MailPoet Sending Service, a paid option beyond a free allowance, is recommended for reliable delivery. Alternatives like Mailchimp for WordPress and Creative Mail send through external providers instead, while Newsletter and FluentCRM send from your site using an SMTP service you configure.

What is the difference between MailPoet and FluentCRM?

MailPoet is focused on newsletters and WooCommerce emails with a friendly editor. FluentCRM is a full email marketing and CRM platform with automation, tags, and contact management. MailPoet is simpler for basic newsletters, while FluentCRM suits businesses that need sequences, segmentation, and detailed subscriber data.

The verdict

The best all-round MailPoet alternative is Mailchimp for WordPress for reliable external sending, while FluentCRM wins for automation and a CRM and Newsletter for free self-hosted sending. If MailPoet already delivers your campaigns well and you like its in-WordPress workflow, staying with it is a fair choice.