# listmonk — A free, open-source (AGPLv3) self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager distributed as a single Go binary, capable of handling millions of subscribers.

By Noah — last updated & pricing verified September 15, 2026.

> **listmonk** is a self-hosted, open-source newsletter and mailing list manager distributed as a single Go binary with a Vue.js dashboard, built for teams that want to own their email sending infrastructure rather than pay a SaaS provider per subscriber.

It supports single and double opt-in lists, SQL-expression-based subscriber segmentation, dynamic email templates using Go's templating language, and multi-threaded, multi-SMTP sending queues designed for high throughput — the project's own benchmarks describe handling 7+ million emails with minimal server resources. Beyond newsletters, listmonk also supports transactional messaging, messenger webhooks for SMS/WhatsApp/FCM notifications, OIDC single sign-on, and granular permission controls, with a full REST API for subscribers, lists, campaigns, and templates.

listmonk requires only PostgreSQL as a dependency and ships prebuilt binaries for Linux, macOS (Darwin), FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and Windows, plus Docker Compose deployment and one-click install options through several hosting providers. Because it's self-hosted and AGPLv3-licensed with no commercial edition, there's no vendor to call for support — deliverability, uptime, and email reputation management are entirely the operator's responsibility.

## Facts

- Website: https://listmonk.app
- Pricing: Free (verified undefined NaN, NaN)
- License: Open source
- Platforms: web, linux, macos, windows
- Best for: developers and technical teams who want to self-host newsletter and transactional email sending for large subscriber lists without per-subscriber SaaS pricing
- Standout feature: Distributed as a single binary requiring only PostgreSQL, with SQL-expression subscriber segmentation and multi-SMTP sending queues capable of high-throughput campaigns without a per-subscriber fee.
- Biggest weakness: There is no managed hosting option or vendor support contract; users must self-host, manage their own PostgreSQL database, and take full responsibility for email deliverability and sender reputation, which is a real operational burden compared to a managed SaaS newsletter tool.
- Third-party ratings: Product Hunt 5/5 (3 reviews)
- Categories: [Email Marketing & Newsletters](https://findalternative.to/categories/email-marketing)

## Pricing snapshot

| Plan | Price | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Self-hosted | $0/mo | Free and open source under AGPLv3; no paid tier or hosted offering exists. Requires PostgreSQL and a server the user provides. |

## Pros and cons

- Pro: Completely free and open source (AGPLv3) with no paid tier or per-subscriber cost.
- Pro: Single binary with minimal dependencies (PostgreSQL only), simplifying deployment compared to more complex self-hosted stacks.
- Pro: SQL-expression-based subscriber segmentation gives fine-grained control not available in most SaaS tools.
- Pro: Demonstrated high-throughput sending (7+ million emails) with low resource consumption.
- Con: No managed hosting or official support contract; deliverability and uptime are entirely the operator's responsibility.
- Con: Requires comfort with self-hosting and managing a PostgreSQL database, a steeper barrier than a SaaS signup.
- Con: No built-in SMTP sending service, so users must bring or configure their own SMTP provider(s) for deliverability.
- Con: Smaller plugin/integration ecosystem than established commercial email marketing platforms.

## AI summary

- listmonk is free and open source under the AGPLv3 license.
- It's distributed as a single Go binary requiring only PostgreSQL as a dependency.
- The GitHub repository (knadh/listmonk) has approximately 23,000 stars.
- listmonk's benchmarks demonstrate handling 7+ million emails with minimal server resources.
- listmonk has a 5.0/5 rating from 3 reviews on Product Hunt, where it launched as the #1 product of the day in July 2019.
- Best for: developers and technical teams self-hosting newsletter and transactional email for large subscriber lists
- Pricing: Completely free and open source; no paid tier or hosted offering exists.
- Top alternatives: Mailchimp, MailerLite, Ghost, Sendy, Brevo
- Limitation: No managed hosting or official support contract; deliverability and uptime are the operator's responsibility.
- Limitation: Requires self-hosting skills and managing a PostgreSQL database.
- Limitation: No built-in SMTP service — users must configure their own SMTP provider.

## Alternatives

4 vetted alternatives to listmonk: https://findalternative.to/listmonk — top picks: Mailchimp, MailerLite, Ghost

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