listmonk vs Keila
Both are free/open-source alternatives to Mailchimp. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
listmonk
TOP PICKFast, self-hosted newsletter and mailing-list manager in a single binary.
listmonk is a self-hosted newsletter and mailing-list manager written in Go, distributed as a single binary backed by PostgreSQL. It handles large lists, subscriber management, custom fields, segmentation, templated campaigns, and click/open analytics, and sends through any SMTP provider you choose (such as Amazon SES, Postmark, or your own relay). It exposes a full HTTP API and a clean admin UI, and is a strong fit for teams and technically comfortable individuals who want to own their subscriber data and keep sending costs to whatever their SMTP provider charges.
Keila
Simple, privacy-friendly open-source newsletter tool.
Keila is an open-source newsletter application built in Elixir/Phoenix, designed to be a straightforward, privacy-conscious way to send campaigns and manage subscribers. It supports segmentation, templates, a form builder, and sending through providers like Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, or plain SMTP. It is aimed at creators, small organizations, and anyone who wants a clean self-hosted newsletter tool without the complexity of a full marketing-automation suite; a paid managed cloud is also offered by its maintainers for those who prefer not to self-host.
Side by side
| listmonk | Keila | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty Score | 92 | 88 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Free / self-host (you pay only your server and SMTP-sending costs) | Free / self-host; optional paid managed cloud from the maintainers |
listmonk is Macrostack's recommended Mailchimp alternative, so it's our pick here.
listmonk
Strengths
- +Single Go binary plus PostgreSQL — straightforward to deploy and low on resources
- +Bring your own SMTP provider, so sending cost is decoupled from any one vendor
- +Full REST API, custom fields, segmentation, and template management
- +Actively maintained with a large community (20,000+ GitHub stars)
- +Your subscriber data stays entirely on infrastructure you control
Trade-offs
- −You are responsible for email deliverability, SPF/DKIM/DMARC setup, and an SMTP relay
- −No built-in visual customer-journey/automation builder as deep as Mailchimp's
- −Requires comfort running a server and PostgreSQL — not a click-to-start hosted service
- −AGPL-3.0 imposes source-sharing obligations if you offer a modified version as a network service
Keila
Strengths
- +Clean, focused UI that is quick to learn for non-technical senders
- +Bring your own sending provider (SES, Mailgun, Postmark, SMTP)
- +GDPR-conscious design with double opt-in and self-owned subscriber data
- +Docker-based deployment and an optional hosted cloud if you don't want to self-host
Trade-offs
- −Smaller project and community than listmonk or Mautic
- −Fewer advanced automation and reporting features than heavyweight platforms
- −You still handle deliverability and an external sending provider when self-hosting
- −AGPL-3.0 network-copyleft obligations apply to modified network deployments
More Mailchimp head-to-heads
Facts verified 2026-07-07. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.