AWeber vs EmailOctopus Comparison 2026
AWeber's free plan holds 500 subscribers but includes automations, landing pages and forms from day one. EmailOctopus is plainer, and its free plan holds 2,500 subscribers, five times as many, but carries EmailOctopus branding and reports that expire after 30 days. The choice is between a smaller free list with more built in and a bigger free list with less.
Email marketing with a free plan that lasts
Email for lists that outgrew a free plan
At a glance
- EmailOctopus starts cheaper, at $9.
- Both have a genuinely free tier.
Side by side
AWeber | EmailOctopus | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $12.50 | From $9 |
| Pricing model | Free plan, paid tiers | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | 14 days | Not stated |
| API | Yes |
AWeber
Email marketing with a free plan that lasts
AWeber has been sending newsletters since before most of its competitors existed, and it shows in both directions: the deliverability is dependable and the interface is dated. The free plan runs to 500 subscribers with automations included, which is more than most rivals give away. Its ecommerce feature charges a small percentage of each sale on the cheaper plans.
Our note
AWeber's free plan holds 500 subscribers with the automations switched on, twice what MailerLite gives away, so it suits a list that needs sequences before it needs size. The editor is the part that shows its age.
EmailOctopus
Email for lists that outgrew a free plan
EmailOctopus is deliberately plain: lists, campaigns, a drag-and-drop editor and simple automations, at a price that undercuts the platforms with more features than a newsletter needs. The free tier goes to 2,500 subscribers with the company's branding on every send. Reports only go back 30 days until you pay, which is the free plan's real limit rather than the subscriber count.
Why people weigh these two
- EmailOctopus instead of AWeber
- Pitched at lists that outgrew a free plan, from $9 with its own free tier, undercutting AWeber's $12.50 start.
- AWeber instead of EmailOctopus
- AWeber's free plan is built to last rather than fade after a trial period, matching EmailOctopus on having a free tier at all, though paid plans start higher at $12.50 against $9.
Which one should you pick
Pick AWeber if automations matter before the list is large. They are included on the free plan up to 500 subscribers, alongside landing pages, forms and a link-in-bio page.
Pick EmailOctopus if the list is what is growing and the automations can wait. Free runs to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 emails a month, five times AWeber's cap, though every send carries EmailOctopus branding and reports vanish after 30 days until you upgrade. Pro removes both starting at $9 a month billed yearly, cheaper than AWeber's $12.50 Lite plan.
Common questions
- Which free plan holds more subscribers?
- EmailOctopus, at 2,500 against AWeber's 500. AWeber's free plan makes up for the smaller cap by including automations, landing pages and forms that EmailOctopus reserves more of for its paid Pro tier.
- Does EmailOctopus put its branding on free emails?
- Yes, every send on the free Starter plan carries EmailOctopus branding, until you upgrade to Pro at $9 a month billed yearly. That upgrade also removes the 30-day limit on reports.
- Which one costs less once you outgrow the free plan?
- EmailOctopus, at $9 a month billed yearly for its Pro tier against AWeber's $12.50 a month Lite plan. Pro also gives unlimited users, pages and forms, where AWeber's paid tiers begin pricing by list size instead.
- Does either tool offer a free trial?
- AWeber does, 14 days on the paid tiers above its free plan. EmailOctopus does not, because its free plan has no time limit and stays free rather than expiring into a trial.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.