MailCheap
Newsletter platform billed by emails sent, not list size, with scheduling, a public website, AI agent access and deliverability tools from $19 a month.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-11-07
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- Open Source
- Hosting Model
- Self-host (your server)
- Platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- Installation
- Clone https://github.com/marclou/mailcheap or deploy with Docker Compose
- Operational Setup
- Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
- Where Your Data Lives
- All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Beehiiv.
Replaces 5 paid apps
up to $245/mo ($2,940/yr) in subscriptions
MailCheap FAQ
Common questions
Is MailCheap free and open source?+
MailCheap is an open-source tool licensed under Open Source that runs on self-host. Newsletter platform billed by emails sent, not list size, with scheduling, a public website, AI agent access and deliverability tools from $19 a month.
What paid software does MailCheap replace?+
MailCheap serves as a free replacement for 5 paid SaaS applications: Beehiiv, Buttondown, Kit (ConvertKit), Sendy, Substack, saving up to $245/month ($2,940/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up MailCheap?+
Installation: Clone https://github.com/marclou/mailcheap or deploy with Docker Compose. Setup notes: Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
What is the catch or trade-off with MailCheap?+
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Beehiiv.