Keila vs MailCheap (2026)
Privacy-first open-source newsletters, hosted in the EU or self-hosted — against — Open-source newsletters priced per email sent, not per subscriber. Same table, same scoring system, clear verdict.
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Head-to-head
Pricing and terms last verified 31 October 2026 — vendors change them often.
| Keila | MailCheap 🏆 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Paid from | From €8/mo for 2,000 emails, unlimited contacts | From $19/mo for 20,000 emails and 10,000 active subscribers |
| Free trial | None | None |
| Automations | ✗ | ✗ |
| Landing pages | ✗ | ✓ |
| Paid subscriptions | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ecommerce features | ✗ | ✗ |
| Our score | 3.8/5 | 4/5 |
Choose Keila if…
- You're primarily privacy-conscious senders in the eu
- Open source (AGPLv3) with a hosted cloud option
- You can live with: no free plan
Choose MailCheap if…
- You're primarily newsletters with large, partly inactive lists
- Pay for emails sent, so dormant subscribers cost nothing
- You can live with: no free plan or trial; cloud starts at $19/mo
Keila vs MailCheap: FAQ
Keila or MailCheap — which is better in 2026?
For most people matching MailCheap's strengths (newsletters with large, partly inactive lists), MailCheap is the stronger choice — it scores 4/5 on our four-factor score. But "better" depends on you: choose Keila for privacy-conscious senders in the eu, and MailCheap for newsletters with large, partly inactive lists.
Is Keila cheaper than MailCheap?
Keila has no permanent free plan (From €8/mo for 2,000 emails, unlimited contacts), while MailCheap has no permanent free plan (From $19/mo for 20,000 emails and 10,000 active subscribers). Vendors reprice several times a year — check both pricing pages before deciding.
Can I switch from Keila to MailCheap (or back)?
Yes. Subscribers export as CSV/JSON from either platform and import into the other. Automation sequences usually need rebuilding — map your tags and forms before migrating.