# Developer-first alternative for MailerLite

MailerLite gets along with developers; Bitelio was designed around them. An API-first core, unlimited contacts, and billing pegged to emails sent — not subscriber tiers.

## Why teams choose Bitelio

### Transparent Overage

Beyond your allowance, overage is a flat $1.20 per extra 1,000 emails — none of the forced tier climbing that subscriber pricing imposes.

### API-First Design

Engineered for developers from the first commit: a modern REST API with thorough documentation that slots email neatly into your product.

### Priced by Emails Sent

Volume sent is the only variable in your bill. Your contact list can balloon without ever forcing an upgrade or a price bump.

### EU-Hosted & GDPR-Compliant

EU infrastructure, GDPR-aligned processing, and true data ownership — API access and exports whenever you want, vendor lock-in never.

### Fast Setup

Live in five minutes: simple auth, tidy endpoints, docs that answer the question you actually have. No visual builder to learn first.

### Unlimited Contacts

Contacts never cost anything, however many you add. Your database expands freely while pricing stays anchored to emails sent.

## Feature comparison

| Feature | Bitelio | MailerLite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing Model | Free plan + tiers from $19/mo | Pay per subscriber |
| Free Tier | 1,000 emails/month | 1,000 subscribers |
| Transactional Emails | Yes | Yes |
| Marketing Campaigns | Yes | Yes |
| Workflow Automation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag-and-Drop Builder | Basic | Advanced |
| API Quality | Modern REST | Good REST |
| Developer Experience | Excellent | Good |

## FAQ

### What is the main difference between Bitelio and MailerLite?

Pricing model and center of gravity. Bitelio bills by emails sent and gives every plan unlimited contacts; MailerLite bills by subscriber count. Both treat developers well, but Bitelio is API-first at its core, while MailerLite leads with visual builders and offers a solid API alongside.

### Is Bitelio more expensive than MailerLite?

That hinges on how you use email. MailerLite's bill grows with your subscriber list (around $10/month at 1,000 subscribers). Bitelio ignores list size entirely: free for 1,000 emails/month, Pro at $19/month with 15,000 included, Scale at $99/month with 100,000, then a flat $1.20 per extra 1,000 emails. Since contacts are unlimited on every plan, anyone with a large list and moderate volume usually comes out ahead on Bitelio — the list itself never costs a cent.

### How much control do I have over my data with Bitelio?

Complete control. Contacts, events, and analytics export on demand via API or dashboard, with zero lock-in. Processing happens on EU infrastructure under GDPR-compliant handling — a real advantage for privacy-sensitive products.

### Does Bitelio have a drag-and-drop builder like MailerLite?

There's a simple editor built in, though most Bitelio users write their templates in HTML for the version control, testing, and reusability that code brings. MailerLite's visual drag-and-drop tooling is stronger for non-technical users. Developers who template in code will prefer Bitelio; marketer-heavy teams may prefer MailerLite.

### How does Bitelio's API compare to MailerLite?

Both offer capable REST APIs — the difference is emphasis. Bitelio is built API-out, with programmatic sending and automation as the main event, so embedding email in your application is straightforward. MailerLite is built UI-out, with its API in a supporting role. For code-driven email work, Bitelio's developer experience comes out ahead.


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> Source: https://dev.bitelio.com/vs/mailerlite