AWeber Review: Is the Free Plan Enough?
Choose your next step before paying
You want to start an email list for your affiliate site without paying for tools you will not use yet. This review sets out what AWeber’s free plan and its Lite and Plus plans include, what they cost on October 29, 2026, and what AWeber’s own rules mean for emails with affiliate links, so you can decide whether to start here or with another tool.
- Free planUp to 500 subscribers
- 3,000 sends a monthIncluded free, no time limit
- Paid from $12.50/monthLite, billed annually
- 14-day trialOn Lite and Plus
Choose your next email step
Check the job you need to do, then choose the smallest suitable commitment. These are planning checks based on published limits, not a hands-on test or a delivery guarantee.
Start a small newsletter
Check both subscribers and sends below, then review the free setup steps and the rules for your list.
Check my monthly sendsYou have reached a limit
Name the extra capacity or feature you need. Compare the exact paid tier and charge before taking a trial.
Compare the payment commitmentYou have no signup offer yet
Draft the reader promise and welcome email first. You can do that before choosing an email subscription.
Use the free first-page exerciseEstimate a month of sends
Use your highest expected list size for every newsletter, then add welcome emails and other sends. This is a planning estimate; it does not predict signups or check every plan feature.
How can I check this without the calculator?
Fictional planning example: 400 subscribers × 4 newsletters + 100 new subscribers × 3 welcome emails + 0 other sends = 1,900 sends. That fits the published Free ceilings of 500 subscribers and 3,000 monthly sends. With seven newsletters the same example becomes 3,100 sends, so the free monthly allowance no longer covers it. Plan the messages you need; do not assume a small list means unlimited sending.
Check actual usage and other limits, including automations, list profiles and sender requirements, before choosing a plan.
Limits checked October 31, 2026: AWeber’s plan-cost guide (opens in a new tab) and send allowance (opens in a new tab).
Compare the full payment, not just the monthly equivalent
At 500 subscribers, AWeber’s cost guide lists Lite at $15 monthly or $150 annually. Twelve unchanged monthly payments total $180; annual billing commits $150 upfront. Three monthly payments total $45 and cover only three months. These are our calculations from the help-page prices, before taxes, extras or a higher tier.
October 31 price check: the marketing page displays $12.49/month annually for Lite, while the help guide says $150/year. Confirm the full annual charge at checkout. The pricing card also crosses out branding removal for Lite; confirm that feature rather than relying on the earlier table. The dated review below is not a new check of every policy.
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you later pay, at no extra cost to you. If the list or offer does not meet the rules, skip the signup; read the eligibility cautions. Paid trials can become paid subscriptions; check the trial and cancellation terms.
Disclosure: the AWeber buttons on this page, and the aweber.com links marked “affiliate link”, are affiliate links; links to AWeber’s help center and legal pages are not. If you sign up through one and later pay for AWeber, we may earn a recurring commission (AWeber’s Advocate Program pays 30% to 50% while the account stays paid), at no extra cost to you. We have not used AWeber to run this site’s own email. Read our affiliate disclosure.
AWeber in Short: Who It Suits and Who Should Skip It
AWeber is a long-running email marketing service with a free plan, two paid plans (Lite and Plus) and a paid setup service. For a beginner the real questions are how far the free plan goes, what the first paid tier costs, and whether its rules allow the emails you plan to send. Here is the short version, with the details and sources below.
Pick AWeber if
- You want a free start with room for up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 sends a month.
- You will write a welcome email and a short follow-up series, then send a regular newsletter with related, disclosed offers.
- You sell or promote through platforms AWeber connects to, such as Digistore24, WarriorPlus, JVZoo, ThriveCart or ClickFunnels.
- You want support around the clock: AWeber lists 24/7 support on Lite and priority 24/7 support on Plus.
Pick something else if
- You expect more than 500 subscribers soon and want to stay free: Kit’s free plan allowed up to 10,000 subscribers when we checked on October 23, 2026.
- You want sales funnels and email in one free account: see our Systeme.io review.
- You need more than one automation without paying: the free plan includes a single workflow automation.
- You want clear refund terms before you pay: we found none for Lite or Plus (see the refunds section).
What Is AWeber?
AWeber is an email marketing service for small businesses and creators. AWeber says its founder, Tom Kulzer, built its first autoresponder in 1998. Today it covers the four jobs a new affiliate list needs: collecting sign-ups, sending a welcome sequence, sending newsletters, and sorting subscribers by interest.
Email and Newsletters
A drag-and-drop email builder, templates, RSS to email and an AI subject line assistant.
Automations
Workflows that send a series and apply tags. Free includes one, Lite three, Plus unlimited.
Landing Pages
Hosted sign-up pages built from templates, so you can collect emails before you have a website.
Sign-up Forms
Forms, pop-ups and bars for your site, plus a WordPress plugin. Forms can tag new subscribers.
AWeber Pricing and Plans (Checked October 29, 2026)
These figures come from AWeber’s pricing page and its help article on plan costs, both read on October 29, 2026. Prices are in US dollars and depend on how many subscribers you have.
| Plan | Price at 500 subscribers | Monthly sends | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0, no time limit | 3,000 | Up to 500 subscribers, 1 list, 1 workflow automation. AWeber branding stays on; no saved custom segments, split testing or advanced reporting. |
| Lite | $15/month, or $150/year ($12.50/month) | 10× your subscriber tier (5,000) | 1 list, 3 landing pages, 3 automations, 3 users, 1 custom segment, 24/7 support; confirm branding removal with AWeber (see the October 31 note above). |
| Plus | $30/month, or $240/year ($20/month) | 12× your subscriber tier (6,000) | Unlimited lists, landing pages, automations, segments and users, priority 24/7 support, advanced reporting. |
| Done For You | Plus pricing + a $79 setup fee (AWeber labels this price a limited-time offer) | As Plus | AWeber’s team builds your template, landing pages, sign-up form and welcome series within 7 days of your questionnaire. |
What paid plans cost as your list grows
| Subscribers | Lite, monthly | Lite, annual | Plus, monthly | Plus, annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $15/month | $150/year | $30/month | $240/year |
| 1,000 | $25/month | $250/year | $45/month | $450/year |
| 2,500 | $35/month | $350/year | $55/month | $550/year |
| 5,000 | $60/month | $600/year | $90/month | $900/year |
| 10,000 | $100/month | $1,000/year | $135/month | $1,350/year |
- Annual billing saves money: AWeber gives the saving as 16.7% on Lite and 33.3% on Plus.
- Watch the automatic step up: on Lite and Plus, when you use all the sends in your tier, AWeber moves your account up to the next subscriber tier, so the price can rise in a busy month.
- Free plan ceiling: once the 3,000 monthly sends are used you upgrade to keep sending, and growing beyond 500 subscribers prompts an upgrade to a paid plan.
- Selling through AWeber: its own checkout (AWeber Ecommerce, paid through Stripe) charges a 1.0% transaction fee on Lite and 0.6% on Plus.
- Pausing: a Hold Package costs $4.99 a month and keeps your subscribers and pages while sending is switched off.
- No Unlimited plan listed: the pricing page shows Lite, Plus and Done For You; for lists of 100,000 or more it asks you to contact AWeber.
Prices change. See AWeber’s current pricing (opens in a new tab) (affiliate link) before you choose a plan.
Free Plan, Free Trial, Cancelling and Refunds
AWeber has two ways to start without paying, and they work differently. This is how AWeber’s own help pages describe them.
AWeber Free
No time limit. The sign-up form asks for your name and email address (or a Google sign-in), and AWeber says a credit card is required for a paid plan (Lite or Plus). To close a free account you contact AWeber’s Customer Solutions team.
14-day trial of Lite or Plus
You get every feature of the plan you pick. Your card is charged automatically when the trial ends unless you cancel first. Upgrading, changing tier, or going over the plan’s sending or subscriber limit ends the trial early and starts billing.
Cancelling
Billing page, then Current Plan, then Close My Account, or ask in live chat. The account stays active to the end of the billing cycle; your data is deleted within 30 days unless you move to the $4.99 Hold Package.
Refunds
The Service Agreement and the help pages we read do not describe refunds for Lite or Plus fees. The only money-back guarantee we found is 30 days on the Done For You setup service. Accounts closed for spam are terminated without refund.
What this means for you: start on the free plan, or set a reminder for day 12 of a trial, and decide before any charge. Sources: How much does AWeber cost? (opens in a new tab), How AWeber’s free trial works (opens in a new tab), How to cancel (opens in a new tab), Done For You (opens in a new tab).
Does AWeber Allow Affiliate Links in Emails?
This is the question that matters most for an affiliate list, because some email tools restrict affiliate-first lists. We read AWeber’s Service Agreement and its help pages on October 29, 2026. Here is what they say.
What it means for you: AWeber is a workable home for an affiliate newsletter built the honest way, with people who signed up on your own page and get offers related to what they asked for. It is the wrong tool for bought lists or for collecting health details in sign-up fields, which matters if your niche is weight loss or wellness. Compare that with ActiveCampaign, whose rules restrict lists that are mainly about affiliate offers (see our ActiveCampaign review). Whatever tool you use, say in each email that it contains affiliate links; our email marketing for affiliates guide shows how.
AWeber Features That Matter for Affiliate Marketers
AWeber lists dozens of features. These are the ones a beginner affiliate list uses in the first months, with the plan limits that apply.
Landing pages
Built in Pages & Forms with a drag-and-drop builder, or with AWeber’s AI Landing Page Builder (in beta, available on all accounts). A page can tag everyone who signs up on it. Lite allows 3 pages and Plus unlimited; the free plan allows one.
Sign-up forms
AWeber’s AI Signup Form Builder makes embedded forms, pop-ups, slide-ins and bars with timed or exit-intent display. Each sign-up can get a tag and trigger your welcome email or lead-magnet delivery.
Automations
Workflows send a series of emails and can apply tags, which can start another workflow. Click and open automations tag people by what they click.
Tags and segments
Tags can come from forms, landing pages, imports, clicks, opens and (with Web Analytics) page visits. Saved custom segments: Lite 1, Plus unlimited, not on the free plan.
Deliverability
AWeber says it runs its own sending infrastructure with an in-house deliverability team. It also reviews customers’ lists with automatic checks and by hand, which keeps spammers off shared sending.
Integrations
Its integrations page lists Digistore24, WarriorPlus, JVZoo, ThriveCart, ClickFunnels, WordPress, Shopify, Stripe and PayPal, with Zapier for others. We did not find ClickBank or Systeme.io on that page.
One beginner detail: confirmed opt-in (the “please confirm” email) protects your list, and on the free plan you cannot switch off the confirmation message. Sources: Creating a landing page (opens in a new tab), AI Landing Page Builder (opens in a new tab), Tags (opens in a new tab), Confirmed opt-in (opens in a new tab), Free plan limits (opens in a new tab).
How to Start With AWeber’s Free Plan
These steps follow AWeber’s own getting-started guide. Do the last one before your list passes 400 subscribers.
- Sign up on the free page with your name and email address, or with Google. AWeber emails you a link to create your password.
- Answer the welcome questions: your business or site name, website or social profile, industry, and the postal address you send from (CAN-SPAM requires it). If you already have subscribers elsewhere, AWeber offers free migration.
- Review the first welcome email: AWeber’s AI Onboarding Assistant drafts one from your answers and your website. Approve it or edit it; rewrite it in your own words so it says what your reader will get and how often.
- Make one landing page or form for your free download or newsletter, and add a tag so you know where each subscriber came from.
- Add a short welcome series (two or three emails) in one workflow: the free plan includes one.
- Set up your own sending domain with DKIM and DMARC before you reach 400 subscribers, so broadcasts keep sending.
Source: AWeber: How do I get started? (opens in a new tab)
Affiliate link: if you later pay for AWeber, we may earn a recurring commission at no extra cost to you.
AWeber vs MailerLite, Kit, GetResponse and Systeme.io
The free plans below are what each vendor’s pricing page said on the date shown. Use the table to shortlist, then read the review for the tool that fits.
| Tool | Free plan | First paid step | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWeber | 500 subscribers, 3,000 sends a month (October 29, 2026) | Lite $15/month, or $12.50/month billed annually | This page |
| MailerLite | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month (October 23, 2026) | Paid plans from $12/month (October 23, 2026) | MailerLite review |
| Kit (ConvertKit) | Up to 10,000 subscribers (October 23, 2026) | Creator $33/month at 1,000 subscribers (October 23, 2026) | Kit review |
| GetResponse | A free plan with sending limits | See the review for dated prices | GetResponse review |
| Systeme.io | 2,000 contacts, no card needed (October 23, 2026) | Startup $17/month (October 23, 2026) | Systeme.io review |
For the full side-by-side, including tools without a free plan, see our best email marketing software for affiliate marketers and ConvertKit alternatives guides.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free plan with no time limit: 500 subscribers and 3,000 sends a month
- Lite starts at $12.50 a month billed annually
- Landing pages, forms, tags and automations on every plan
- Integrations with Digistore24, WarriorPlus, JVZoo and ThriveCart
- No rule against affiliate links in your own emails
- 24/7 support on paid plans and free migration
Cons
- Free plan: one list, one automation, AWeber branding
- Lite caps you at 3 landing pages, 3 automations and 1 custom segment
- Price steps up automatically when you use a tier’s sends
- No refund terms published for Lite or Plus
- Smaller free subscriber allowance than Kit or Systeme.io
AWeber FAQ
Is AWeber free?
Yes. AWeber Free costs nothing and has no time limit. AWeber’s help center lists it as up to 500 subscribers with 3,000 sends a month, one list and one workflow automation (checked October 29, 2026). Growing past 500 subscribers means moving to a paid plan. Lite and Plus also have a 14-day free trial, but that is a trial of a paid plan: the card on file is charged when it ends unless you cancel first.
How much does AWeber cost?
On October 29, 2026, AWeber Lite started at $15 a month billed monthly, or $150 a year ($12.50 a month) billed annually, for up to 500 subscribers. AWeber Plus started at $30 a month, or $240 a year ($20 a month). The price rises with your subscriber tier: at 1,000 subscribers Lite is $25 a month and Plus is $45 a month billed monthly.
AWeber vs MailerLite: which is better for a beginner?
It depends on your list size and budget. AWeber’s free plan allows up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 sends a month (October 29, 2026); MailerLite’s free plan allowed 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month when we checked on October 23, 2026. If you want the larger free allowance, AWeber is ahead; read our MailerLite review for its editor, automations and paid prices before you choose.
Is AWeber good for affiliate marketing?
It can be. AWeber’s Service Agreement does not list affiliate links among its prohibited activities, and its integrations page lists affiliate platforms such as Digistore24, WarriorPlus and JVZoo. What it bans is spam, purchased or shared lead lists and scripted sign-ups, so it suits an affiliate who builds a list of people who asked to hear from them and sends offers related to what they signed up for.
Does AWeber allow affiliate links in emails?
We found no AWeber rule against affiliate links in your own emails: the Service Agreement does not mention them. Two cautions: AWeber says it is the sole judge of what counts as a violation, and its community guidelines ask members not to post affiliate links in the AWeber community itself (that rule is about the community, not your emails). Always disclose affiliate links to your readers.
Does AWeber offer refunds?
The Service Agreement and the help pages we read do not describe refunds for Lite or Plus fees. The only money-back guarantee we found is for the Done For You setup service (30 days). Cancelling stops the next renewal; the account stays open until the end of the billing cycle. Treat the free plan or the 14-day trial as your test window and ask AWeber about refunds before you pay if that matters to you.
Can I send from a Gmail address on AWeber?
Only while your list is small. Once an account has more than 400 subscribers, AWeber requires a custom domain sending address (such as you@yourdomain.com) with DKIM and DMARC set up; otherwise a broadcast returns to draft and is not sent.
Free resource
Free: Affiliate Marketing Tools Checklist
Not sure this is the right tool for your stage? The free Tools Checklist shows what to look for and what can wait.
What to set up first and what can wait: 24 checks across six tool categories, each with a “done when” test and a lesson. 8-page fillable PDF and web version. We email you the link.