A newsletter plugin should make publishing to your email audience feel almost as natural as publishing a WordPress post. If every issue requires exporting subscribers, rebuilding the same layout in another app, or fighting with deliverability settings, the newsletter eventually becomes inconsistent.
For this list, I focused on tools that help create and send recurring newsletters, post digests, editorial emails, and subscriber updates. That is deliberately narrower than our WordPress email marketing plugins guide, which gives more weight to CRM automation and customer journeys.
The best choice depends on whether you want sending handled inside WordPress, through a connected email service, or through a publisher-focused block-editor workflow. Deliverability still depends on the sending infrastructure, not just the newsletter editor.
TL;DR: Best WordPress Newsletter Plugins
- MailPoet: best overall for newsletters created and managed directly in WordPress.
- The Newsletter Plugin: best free self-hosted option for unlimited subscriber management.
- Newsletter Glue: best for editorial teams writing newsletters in Gutenberg.
- Icegram Express: best for post notifications and beginner-friendly WordPress newsletters.
- Mailster: best premium self-hosted email editor with unlimited lists and subscribers.
- Brevo: best for WordPress sites that want newsletters delivered through a hosted email platform.
1. MailPoet – Best Overall WordPress Newsletter Plugin

MailPoet is built around a WordPress-native newsletter workflow. You can create subscriber lists, signup forms, newsletters, latest-post emails, and WooCommerce messages without moving between the WordPress dashboard and a separate campaign builder.
I like MailPoet for editorial teams because the mental model is simple. Editors already understand WordPress content, so building a newsletter does not feel like adopting a second publishing system.
Key features
- Drag-and-drop newsletter editor
- Subscriber lists and signup forms
- Automatic latest-post newsletters
- Managed MailPoet Sending Service
- WooCommerce email and customer features
- Templates, scheduling, and engagement reports
Pros: Very easy WordPress workflow, managed sending option, useful free plan, and strong WooCommerce integration.
Cons: Cost grows with subscriber count and it is less flexible than a full CRM for complicated automations.
Best for: Bloggers, publishers, creators, and WooCommerce stores that want newsletter creation inside WordPress.
Pricing: Free plan available with subscriber/sending limits; paid plans scale with audience size.
2. The Newsletter Plugin – Best Free Self-Hosted Newsletter System

The Newsletter Plugin by Stefano Lissa is a long-running self-hosted newsletter system with subscriber lists, forms, campaigns, automated newsletters, statistics, and optional premium add-ons.
I consider it when list size matters more than having a polished SaaS-style interface. The free core does not impose the same subscriber pricing model as many hosted services, but you need to take sending infrastructure and WordPress performance seriously.
Key features
- Unlimited subscriber management in the free core
- Newsletter composer and campaign scheduling
- Subscription forms and double opt-in
- Basic statistics
- Automated post/newsletter extensions
- Multiple SMTP and sending-service options
Pros: Generous free core, no subscriber cap in the plugin, flexible sending choices, and mature project history.
Cons: Premium capabilities are spread across add-ons and reliable high-volume delivery still requires external infrastructure.
Best for: Cost-conscious publishers with larger lists who want a self-hosted newsletter workflow.
Pricing: Free core available; premium bundles/add-ons currently start around the lower annual-license range and vary by package.
3. Newsletter Glue – Best for Gutenberg Editorial Teams
Newsletter Glue is designed for publishers who want to write the newsletter itself in the WordPress block editor and send it through an existing email service provider.
The workflow is the reason I would pay for it. If an editorial team already writes in Gutenberg all day, eliminating the copy-paste step between CMS and ESP can save meaningful time across several newsletters per week.
Key features
- Newsletter creation in the native block editor
- Specialized email-safe Gutenberg blocks
- Connects to supported external ESPs
- Reusable email templates
- Website newsletter archives
- Publisher-focused workflow and collaboration features
Pros: Excellent editorial workflow, avoids duplicate content entry, Gutenberg-native writing, and supports existing ESP audiences.
Cons: Premium pricing is aimed at serious publishers and it does not include its own sending service.
Best for: Media sites and editorial teams publishing newsletters frequently from WordPress.
Pricing: Premium subscription; current pricing is aimed at professional publisher teams and should be checked directly.
4. Icegram Express – Best for Post Notifications and Simple Newsletters

Icegram Express, formerly Email Subscribers & Newsletters, combines subscription forms, broadcasts, automatic new-post notifications, lists, and email templates.
I like it for blogs where the main job is “tell subscribers when we publish.” That use case does not need a complex CRM, and the automation can stay tied closely to WordPress content.
Key features
- Newsletter broadcast campaigns
- Automatic post notification emails
- Subscription forms and lists
- Double opt-in and consent tools
- Email templates and scheduling
- Premium automation and reporting features
Pros: Easy for bloggers, strong post-notification use case, useful free plugin, and simple subscriber workflow.
Cons: Less sophisticated for CRM segmentation and customer lifecycle automation.
Best for: Blogs, news sites, and creators sending regular post updates and basic newsletters.
Pricing: Free version available; Pro is currently around $129 per year before promotions.
5. Mailster – Best Premium Self-Hosted Newsletter Plugin
Mailster is a premium WordPress newsletter plugin with an email builder, lists, campaigns, automations, forms, reporting, and support for external sending services.
I would consider Mailster when the business prefers a traditional premium plugin model and wants to keep subscriber management in WordPress without paying a SaaS platform for every contact.
Key features
- Drag-and-drop email campaign builder
- Unlimited lists and subscribers at plugin level
- Automated and scheduled campaigns
- Signup forms and segmentation
- Campaign and subscriber analytics
- External SMTP/ESP integrations
Pros: Full WordPress-native campaign system, no plugin-level contact fee, flexible sending, and polished email editor.
Cons: Premium only and the site owner remains responsible for sending infrastructure and database health.
Best for: Businesses wanting a self-hosted premium newsletter platform with predictable plugin licensing.
Pricing: Premium plans currently start around $79 per year depending on license.
6. Brevo – Best Hosted Sending Option

Brevo keeps campaign sending, contact infrastructure, and automation in its hosted platform while connecting WordPress forms and site data through its plugin and integrations.
I prefer a hosted option when a publisher wants WordPress to remain focused on content rather than becoming the system that processes every campaign. The free daily sending allowance also makes Brevo approachable for small lists.
Key features
- Hosted newsletter campaign builder
- WordPress signup form integration
- Contact lists and segmentation
- SMTP and transactional sending
- Automation and scheduling
- Reporting and deliverability infrastructure
Pros: Hosted delivery, free starting tier, campaign and transactional email together, and good scaling path.
Cons: Ongoing SaaS pricing and subscriber/campaign data live outside WordPress.
Best for: Sites that want WordPress integration but prefer hosted campaign delivery and infrastructure.
Pricing: Free tier available; paid plans currently start around $9 per month.
Newsletter Setup Rules I Follow
- Use a real sending service instead of relying on basic PHP mail.
- Make signup consent clear and use double opt-in when appropriate.
- Keep a consistent newsletter schedule the team can maintain.
- Separate transactional emails from marketing broadcasts.
- Test every template on mobile before sending to the full list.
Conclusion
MailPoet is the easiest overall recommendation for newsletters managed directly in WordPress. The Newsletter Plugin is attractive for self-hosted lists on a budget, Newsletter Glue solves a real editorial workflow problem, and Brevo is better when campaign infrastructure should stay hosted.
A newsletter succeeds because readers expect it and find it useful. Pick a plugin that makes that publishing habit easy enough to sustain, then spend more energy on the content than on the software.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best WordPress newsletter plugin?
MailPoet is the best overall choice for most users who want subscriber management, newsletter creation, and sending inside WordPress. Newsletter Glue is stronger for high-frequency editorial teams using an external ESP.
Can WordPress send newsletters for free?
Yes. MailPoet, The Newsletter Plugin, Icegram Express, and Brevo all have free starting options, but sending limits, subscriber limits, and infrastructure costs differ.
What is the difference between a newsletter plugin and an email marketing plugin?
Newsletter plugins emphasize recurring broadcasts, digests, subscribers, and editorial publishing. Email marketing platforms usually add deeper CRM segmentation, lead scoring, behavioral automation, ecommerce journeys, and multi-step campaigns.
Do I need SMTP for a WordPress newsletter?
You need reliable email delivery, but that may come from SMTP, an API-based sending service, or a plugin’s managed sending infrastructure. Avoid sending serious newsletter volume through unmanaged server mail.


