ListmonkvsMautic

Listmonk vs Mautic

Lightweight newsletters vs full marketing automation

TL;DR

Listmonk is a simple, fast, free newsletter manager. Mautic is a comprehensive marketing automation platform with CRM, landing pages, and complex workflows. Listmonk is lean and easy. Mautic is powerful but complex. Both are self-hosted and open-source.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Simplicity vs Power

Listmonk does one thing simply: send newsletters. Mautic does many things: automation, CRM, landing pages, lead scoring, multi-channel marketing. If you just need newsletters, Listmonk is dramatically simpler. If you need marketing automation, Mautic delivers.

Resource Requirements
Listmonk wins

Listmonk runs happily on 512MB RAM. Mautic needs 2GB+ minimum and benefits from 4GB+. Mautic's PHP/Symfony stack is heavier. For cost-conscious self-hosters, Listmonk's efficiency matters.

Setup and Maintenance
Listmonk wins

Listmonk: Docker pull, configure, run. Maybe an hour. Mautic: Install PHP, MySQL, configure web server, set up cron jobs, optimize caching. Several hours to days. Ongoing maintenance is also lighter with Listmonk.

Automation Capabilities
Mautic wins

Mautic has visual workflow builder, lead scoring, multi-step automations, behavioral triggers. Comparable to paid tools like ActiveCampaign. Listmonk has zero automation. For automation needs, Mautic is the clear choice.

Performance at Scale
Listmonk wins

Listmonk is built in Go and handles high volumes efficiently on modest hardware. Mautic can struggle with large lists without optimization and more resources. For high-volume simple sending, Listmonk performs better.

Pricing Comparison

At 10,000 subscribers

Listmonk
$0/month

Free forever. Only pay for hosting (~$5-10/mo) and SMTP.

Visit Listmonk
Mautic
$0/month

Free forever. Needs more server resources (~$20-50/mo).

Visit Mautic
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

10k contacts, unlimited sends, fully managed.

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Listmonk
Mautic
Sequenzy
Platform Scope
Primary Focus
Newsletters only
Marketing automation
SaaS email
CRM Features
Yes, built-in
Subscriber profiles
Landing Pages
Forms
Basic embeds
Advanced builder
Automation
Email Automation
Visual workflows
Lead Scoring
Drip Campaigns
Behavioral Triggers
Event-based
Technical
Built With
Go
PHP (Symfony)
N/A (managed)
Server Requirements
Minimal (512MB RAM)
Higher (2GB+ RAM)
None
Setup Complexity
Simple (Docker)
Complex
None
Performance
Excellent
Can be slow
Fast
Maintenance
Low
Higher
None
Email Features
Campaign Sending
Yes, fast
Template Editor
HTML
Drag-and-drop
Good
Segmentation
Basic lists
Advanced segments
Event-based
A/B Testing

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Listmonk if you...
  • Simple newsletter sending only
  • Limited server resources
  • Minimal maintenance desired
  • High-volume, simple campaigns
Choose Mautic if you...
  • Need marketing automation
  • Want CRM functionality
  • Require landing pages
  • Complex multi-step workflows
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS companies with Stripe billing
  • Want managed, not self-hosted
  • Need subscription-triggered automation
  • Prefer simplicity with SaaS features

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

Managed Platform

Both Listmonk and Mautic require self-hosting. Sequenzy is fully managed. No servers, no PHP optimization, no Docker. Just email marketing.

Native Stripe Integration

Neither self-hosted option integrates with Stripe. Sequenzy offers native OAuth with subscription lifecycle events and payment-triggered automation.

Right-Sized Automation

Listmonk has no automation. Mautic might be overkill. Sequenzy offers focused automation for SaaS use cases without the complexity of full marketing automation.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

Listmonk and Mautic are both free, open-source, self-hosted email solutions. But they solve different problems. Listmonk is a lightweight newsletter manager. Mautic is a full marketing automation platform. One is simple by design. The other is powerful by necessity.

The Complexity Question

Listmonk: Install Docker, run container, configure SMTP, send newsletters. Maybe an hour of setup.

Mautic: Install PHP, MySQL, configure web server, set up cron jobs, optimize caching, configure tracking. Several hours to days. Then learn the complex interface.

This isn't a criticism of Mautic. That complexity exists because Mautic does much more. But if you don't need those features, Listmonk's simplicity is valuable.

Feature Gap

Mautic offers: visual workflow automation, CRM, lead scoring, landing pages, forms, multi-channel campaigns, behavioral tracking, and segments.

Listmonk offers: campaigns, lists, templates, basic analytics.

Mautic competes with HubSpot and ActiveCampaign. Listmonk competes with basic newsletter tools. They're in different categories.

Resource Requirements

Listmonk runs efficiently on minimal hardware. A $5/month VPS with 512MB RAM handles tens of thousands of subscribers.

Mautic needs more. 2GB RAM minimum, 4GB+ recommended. PHP opcache tuning. Database optimization. Cron job management. Budget $20-50/month for adequate hosting.

Performance Comparison

Listmonk is built in Go, known for performance. It sends emails fast and handles large lists efficiently.

Mautic's PHP/Symfony stack is heavier. Large campaigns can be slow without optimization. Database queries can bog down. Performance requires tuning.

When Listmonk Wins

You just need to send newsletters. You want minimal maintenance. Server resources are limited. You value simplicity over features. Setup time matters.

When Mautic Wins

You need marketing automation. Lead scoring matters. Landing pages are required. Multi-step workflows are essential. You want a free HubSpot alternative.

For SaaS Companies

Honestly, neither is ideal. Listmonk lacks automation. Mautic lacks SaaS-specific features. No Stripe integration in either. For SaaS companies wanting managed hosting with subscription-aware automation, consider Sequenzy.

Making the Choice

Choose Listmonk for simple newsletter sending with minimal overhead. Choose Mautic for full marketing automation when you can invest in setup and maintenance. Consider Sequenzy if you want managed hosting with SaaS-focused features without self-hosting complexity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Listmonk is dramatically easier to set up and run. Mautic's power comes with complexity. If you're new to self-hosting, start with Listmonk.

If you need marketing automation, absolutely. Mautic provides HubSpot-level features for free. If you just send newsletters, that complexity is wasted.

No. Listmonk is campaigns and lists only. No drip sequences, no triggers, no workflows. For automation, you need Mautic or a different tool.

Listmonk: A $5/month VPS with 512MB RAM works fine. Mautic: Budget $20-50/month for adequate resources. 2GB RAM minimum, 4GB+ recommended for larger lists.

Technically yes. Use Mautic for automation and CRM, Listmonk for high-volume newsletter blasts. But this adds complexity. Most users choose one.

Deliverability depends on your SMTP setup and domain configuration, not the software. Both support proper authentication. No inherent difference.

Probably. Mautic's learning curve and resource requirements don't make sense if you just send newsletters. Listmonk is better for that use case.

Both have active development. Listmonk has frequent releases and responsive maintainers. Mautic has a larger community and corporate backing (Acquia).

Export contacts from Mautic as CSV. Import into Listmonk. Recreate email templates (simpler in Listmonk). Note that all automation workflows will be lost since Listmonk doesn't support automation.

Export subscribers from Listmonk. Set up Mautic (more complex installation). Import contacts. Recreate templates using Mautic's builder. You can then build automation workflows that Listmonk couldn't provide.

Not sure which to pick?

If you're a SaaS founder who needs Stripe integration and unified email, try Sequenzy free. No credit card required.

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 2k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (0-100 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com