Loops costs $49/mo.
These cost $0.
6 free alternatives to Loops, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Loops vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $49/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mautic | open source | — | — | ★ 10k | Loops vs Mautic → |
| Plunk | open source | AGPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 5.3k | Loops vs Plunk → |
| Dittofeed | open source | MIT | Local or hosted | ★ 2.9k | Loops vs Dittofeed → |
| Notifuse | open source | AGPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 2.0k | Loops vs Notifuse → |
| Brevo Free | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | Loops vs Brevo Free → |
| Loops Free | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | Loops vs Loops Free → |
The picks
4 open source · 2 free to use · ranked by fit
- 01
Mautic
open source10kaug 2026A complete lifecycle automation engine with no contact ceiling; simplicity left the building.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedself-host, real ops
- 02
Plunk
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted5.3kaug 2026Marketing, transactional email and workflows from one self-hosted app; SaaS-specific templates are fewer.
The catch vs LoopsPlunk covers the same broad messaging modes, but it has fewer SaaS-specific templates and integrations and asks you to own the sending and operational stack.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Hosted signup or Docker Compose
- setup
- The self-host path needs Docker, several subdomains, DNS/TLS, and an AWS SES account with credentials and domain verification.
- your data
- Self-hosted data lives in PostgreSQL, queues in Redis, and uploads in bundled MinIO or another S3-compatible store.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
Dittofeed
open sourceMITLocal or hosted2.9kmar 2026Lifecycle journeys driven by product events, with richer branching and much heavier operations.
The catch vs LoopsDittofeed offers richer event-driven journeys, but PostgreSQL, ClickHouse, event instrumentation, and delivery-provider setup make it vastly heavier to operate than Loops.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedself-host, real ops
- install
- Dittofeed Cloud or Docker Compose/Kubernetes self-host
- setup
- Docker Compose brings Postgres and ClickHouse, but the harder first step is instrumenting product events and connecting an email provider.
- your data
- Self-hosted identity and configuration data lives in PostgreSQL and event/segment data in ClickHouse; optional blob data can use object storage.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 04
Notifuse
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted2.0kaug 2026Modern campaigns, transactional mail and visual automations in one compose stack; event collection remains your job.
The catch vs LoopsNotifuse provides campaigns, transactional mail, and visual automations, but product-event collection, infrastructure, and delivery configuration remain your responsibility.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Notifuse Cloud signup or self-host with Docker
- setup
- Self-hosting needs Docker, PostgreSQL, object storage, a public domain, and a separately configured SMTP or email API provider.
- your data
- Self-hosted contact, campaign, event, and analytics data lives in PostgreSQL; uploaded assets use S3-compatible storage.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 05
Brevo Free
freeproprietary, freeHostedHosted marketing and transactional email with automation; the 300-message daily cap is less startup-shaped.
The catch vs LoopsBrevo Free sends campaigns and transactional messages, but its 300-per-day throttle and less product-event-native workflow make it a poorer fit for SaaS lifecycle messaging than Loops.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webthey host it
- install
- Hosted signup
- setup
- Authenticating a custom sending domain requires adding DNS records.
- your data
- Contacts, campaigns, consent records, and message events live in Brevo's cloud; contacts can be exported as CSV.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 06
Loops Free
freeproprietary, freeHostedThe vendor's own free tier includes every lifecycle and transactional feature for 1,000 contacts.
The catch vs LoopsLoops Free is the same product, but it stops being a full replacement once you exceed 1,000 contacts or 4,000 emails in a rolling 30-day period.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webthey host it
- install
- Hosted signup
- setup
- You must authenticate a sending domain and instrument your app or API before lifecycle emails become useful.
- your data
- Contacts, custom properties, events, workflows, and message history live in Loops' cloud; contacts can be imported/exported as CSV.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Loops open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Loops?+
The top free alternative to Loops is Mautic (open source). A complete lifecycle automation engine with no contact ceiling; simplicity left the building. Other popular Loops replacements include Plunk, Dittofeed, Notifuse.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Loops?+
Yes. Of the 6 free alternatives to Loops, 4 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Mautic (free), Plunk (AGPL-3.0), Dittofeed (MIT), Notifuse (AGPL-3.0).
How much does switching from Loops to a free alternative save?+
Loops starts at $49/month per seat ($588/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Mautic saves $2,940 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own Loops clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Loops is KINDA (the core, yes. the polish, no). The visible SaaS email platform loop is buildable, but a credible replacement needs more than the first screen. Loops earns its keep through deliverability, reputation, network, so expect a weekend or multi-day build and a narrower personal scope.
