Listmonk review 2026: free, self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager built in Go. Features, setup, pricing, and alternatives to Mailchimp compared.
Category
Email Marketing
Pricing
Free / Open Source, from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2019
Web AppAPIOpen SourceSelf-Hosted
Overview
Listmonk is a free, open-source, self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager created by Kailash Nadh, CTO of Zerodha, India's largest stock brokerage. It was built to give Zerodha a way to send millions of emails per month without per-subscriber SaaS fees, then released as open source.
The platform is distributed as a single Go binary with a Vue.js dashboard and PostgreSQL as its only external dependency, making it unusually simple to deploy and operate compared to most self-hosted email marketing tools.
Key Features
Listmonk supports single and double opt-in lists at millions-of-subscribers scale, SQL-based segmentation, multiple campaign editors (drag-and-drop, WYSIWYG, Markdown, HTML), built-in analytics, and a transactional email API for triggered messages.
It supports multiple SMTP providers with rate limiting, messenger webhooks for SMS/WhatsApp/FCM, a full REST API, and OIDC SSO with role-based permissions for team deployments.
Pricing
Listmonk is entirely free and open source under AGPLv3, with no subscription cost or per-subscriber fee of any kind. Costs are limited to self-hosting infrastructure and any SMTP relay service used for actual email delivery.
This flat-cost model is the platform's key differentiator from hosted tools like Mailchimp or Klaviyo, whose pricing scales directly with subscriber count or send volume.
Key Features
Single binary deployment — Ships as one compiled Go binary for Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD, dramatically simplifying setup versus typical web stacks.
SQL-based subscriber segmentation — Uses PostgreSQL as a query engine, letting admins write raw SQL to define precise, arbitrary subscriber segments.
Millions-of-subscribers scale — Battle-tested in production at Zerodha, sending millions of emails per month, proving high-volume reliability.
Transactional email API — Sends individually triggered messages like password resets or receipts through the same infrastructure as bulk campaigns.
Multiple campaign editors — Drag-and-drop builder, WYSIWYG editor, Markdown, raw HTML, and plain text options for composing campaigns.
Built-in campaign analytics — Tracks opens, clicks, bounces, and link-level engagement without needing a third-party analytics tool.
Multi-SMTP support with rate limiting — Configures multiple outbound SMTP providers with queueing and rate limits to manage deliverability.
OIDC SSO and role-based access — Supports single sign-on and granular permissions for team and enterprise self-hosted deployments.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free and open source with no per-subscriber or send-volume pricing
Extremely lightweight single-binary deployment that runs on minimal server resources
Proven at large scale in production at Zerodha, sending millions of emails monthly
Full data ownership of subscriber information, useful for privacy and compliance needs
Powerful SQL-based segmentation not commonly available in hosted SaaS competitors
Cons
Requires self-hosting and basic server administration, unlike fully managed SaaS tools
No built-in SMTP delivery service; users must configure and pay for a separate email relay
Smaller ecosystem of templates, integrations, and marketplace apps than Mailchimp or Klaviyo
No official managed cloud version, so support relies on community channels and documentation
SQL-based segmentation has a steeper learning curve than simple SaaS filter dropdowns
Pricing
Open Source Free N/A
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Listmonk free
Yes, Listmonk is completely free and open source under the AGPLv3 license, with no per-subscriber fees; the only costs are your own hosting and email delivery/SMTP service.
Who created Listmonk
Listmonk was created by Kailash Nadh, CTO of Zerodha, originally to handle Zerodha's own high-volume email sending needs before being open sourced.
What database does Listmonk use
Listmonk uses PostgreSQL as its sole data store and also leverages it as a query engine for SQL-based subscriber segmentation.
Can Listmonk send transactional emails
Yes, it includes a transactional email API for sending individually triggered messages like password resets or order confirmations alongside bulk newsletter campaigns.
How is Listmonk deployed
It ships as a single compiled binary for Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD, and is most commonly deployed via Docker Compose, with one-click options on platforms like Railway and PikaPods.
How does Listmonk compare to Mailchimp
Listmonk is free, self-hosted, and has no subscriber-based pricing, while Mailchimp is a hosted SaaS platform that charges fees scaling with list size, though Mailchimp offers more built-in templates, integrations, and managed deliverability infrastructure.