Pay per send vs pay per subscriber

How per subscriber pricing works

You pay for every contact in your account each month, whether they open your emails or not. Sending more often usually costs nothing extra. That makes the bill predictable, but large lists get expensive, and inactive readers cost the same as your best fans.

How pay per send works

You pay for the emails that go out each month. Contacts are free. A big list you write to twice a month costs less than the same list on a per subscriber plan. If you send very often to a small list, per subscriber can be cheaper.

The quiet reader problem

Almost every list has readers who stopped responding. Under per subscriber pricing they keep costing money, so people delete them, including some who might come back. Under pay per send you can pause inactive readers: they stay on the list, get no emails and cost nothing.

A worked example

For comparison, Mailchimp lists $110 a month for Essentials with up to 10,000 contacts on its pricing page (checked 2026-10-19). The table only compares billing. Plans also differ in features, support and limits. Enter your own numbers in the newsletter cost calculator.

When each model wins

• large list, a few issues a month: pay per send is usually cheaper
• many inactive readers you do not want to delete: pay per send
• small, very active list with daily sends: per subscriber can be cheaper
• you want the exact same bill every month: per subscriber is easier to plan

Look beyond the price

• send limits per contact on some per subscriber plans
• which features are in the smallest plan
• whether prices include tax
• yearly discounts that need twelve months upfront
• introductory offers that expire
• how much work the migration takes and whether consent records come along

Free plans

Some providers offer free plans with tight limits on contacts or daily sends. For a small list that can be enough to start. Check whether the free plan adds the provider's badge under every email and whether you can send from your own domain.

Switching pays off most when your list is large, you do not send every week, or many readers have gone quiet. Use your real numbers and factor in the move itself: new DNS records, new forms and a first send in batches.

How Sendmora prices

Sendmora charges by emails sent per month. Contacts are free. The smallest plan includes 20,000 emails for $16 a month. Beyond that each started block of 1,000 emails costs a fixed amount, or you move up a plan. Every feature is in every plan, migration included.

Other providers' prices come from their own pricing pages (sources in the cost calculator), checked 2026-10-19. Prices can change, the providers' own pages are authoritative.