Listmonk — unsubbed.co

Overview

Listmonk is a standalone, self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager written in Go. It’s designed for performance — capable of sending millions of emails with minimal resources. A single binary with a PostgreSQL database is all you need.

Unlike Mailchimp’s complex pricing tiers, Listmonk costs nothing for the software itself. Your only costs are hosting (~$5/mo) and transactional email delivery (Amazon SES at ~$0.10 per 1,000 emails).

Key Features

High Performance — Sends thousands of emails per minute via concurrent SMTP connections
Template Engine — Go templating with WYSIWYG and code editors
Subscriber Management — Lists, segments, tags, custom attributes
Campaign Analytics — Open rates, click tracking, bounce handling
REST API — Full API for programmatic subscriber and campaign management
Media Management — Upload images to S3-compatible storage

Pricing: Mailchimp vs Self-Hosted

Users	Mailchimp Standard	Listmonk + SES	Savings
1,000 subs	$26/mo	$5.10/mo	$21/mo
5,000 subs	$70/mo	$5.50/mo	$64/mo
10,000 subs	$100/mo	$6/mo	$94/mo
50,000 subs	$299/mo	$10/mo	$289/mo
100,000 subs	$400+/mo	$15/mo	$385+/mo

Pros

+ Handles millions of subscribers on minimal hardware
+ Single binary — incredibly easy to deploy
+ Built-in WYSIWYG and code editors for templates
+ S3-compatible media uploads
+ REST API for automation

Cons

- No built-in landing page builder
- Limited A/B testing capabilities
- Requires external SMTP (Amazon SES, Postmark, etc.)
- No visual automation workflows

Deployment Options for Listmonk

🐳

Docker

Self-host with Docker Compose

🚀

Coolify

One-click via Coolify panel

☁️

Elestio

Managed hosting from $9/mo

🫛

PikaPods

Simple managed hosting

Need help deploying Listmonk? We offer turnkey deployment and migration services. Learn more at upready.dev →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it really cost to run Listmonk?

Hosting: $5/mo for a basic VPS. Email delivery: ~$0.10 per 1,000 emails via Amazon SES. For 10,000 subscribers sending 4 emails/month: about $9/mo total vs $100/mo on Mailchimp.

Can I migrate from Mailchimp?

Yes. Export your Mailchimp subscribers as CSV, then import directly into Listmonk. Tags and custom fields can be mapped during import.

Will my emails land in spam?

Deliverability depends on your SMTP provider and domain setup (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Using Amazon SES or Postmark gives you the same deliverability as any SaaS tool.

Does Listmonk support automation?

Basic automation via the REST API and webhooks. For complex drip campaigns, you may need to build custom logic or use an external automation tool.

Our Verdict

Listmonk is the best self-hosted email marketing tool available. If you send newsletters and don't need complex visual automation, switching from Mailchimp to Listmonk can save you thousands per year.

Best for: Developers and businesses sending newsletters who want full control and zero per-subscriber costs

Compare Listmonk

Mailchimp vs Listmonk

Listmonk wins on cost and performance. Mailchimp wins on ease of use and built-in features. If you send newsletters and your list is growing, Listmonk saves thousands per year.