Our verdict: prepay for the plan you already know you need
An annual plan is a bet that your plan, tier and tool will not change for a year. The discounts are real, but they are modest: between 10% and about 17% for beehiiv, Kit and MailerLite, and 20% for Moosend [1][2][3][4]. A refund is the protection that would make the bet safe, and the terms we read for three of the four tools do not offer one for unused time [5][6][7].
Our rule: pay monthly for at least the first two or three months on a new tool, until you have sent real campaigns, built your welcome sequence and seen how fast your list grows. Switch to annual when you can name the tier you will still be on in month 12.
The official discounts, side by side
The Kit monthly figure is our arithmetic: $390 plus the $78 saving Kit states [2]. The MailerLite page text did not say whether its starting prices are monthly or annual equivalents, so price your exact subscriber count on the live toggle before you budget [3].
| Tool and plan (as listed) | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Saving and break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv Lite, up to 1,000 subscribers | $59 per month, $708 over 12 months [1] | $588 per year ($49 per month) [1] | $120 saved, about 17%; break-even about 10 months |
| beehiiv Pro, up to 1,000 subscribers | $109 per month, $1,308 over 12 months [1] | $1,140 per year ($95 per month) [1] | $168 saved, about 13%; break-even about 10.5 months |
| Kit Creator, 1,000 subscribers | Monthly-billing price not stated separately in the page text we read | $390 billed yearly, labeled save $78 per year and save 17% [2] | Implies about $468 a year on monthly billing; break-even about 10 months |
| Kit Pro, 1,000 subscribers | Monthly-billing price not stated separately in the page text we read | $593 billed first year with an extra 25% first-year promotion [2] | Promotion applies to year one only; renews at the standard rate [2] |
| MailerLite Comfort and Power | FAQ lists starting prices of $12 and $25 per month [3] | Labeled Save 10% [3] | Break-even 10.8 months |
| Moosend Pro | Price set by contact slider [4] | Annual 20% off; biannual 15% off [4] | Break-even 9.6 months on annual |
Worked example: the break-even month
The break-even month is the point where a year of prepayment equals what you would have paid month by month. Divide the annual price by the monthly price.
beehiiv Lite at 1,000 subscribers: $588 divided by $59 is 9.97 [1]. If you stay for 10 months or more, annual billing is cheaper. If you leave after six months, monthly billing would have cost $354, and the annual plan costs $588 because beehiiv says fees are non-refundable [7]. That is $234 spent on months you did not use.
A 10% discount, as MailerLite advertises, needs 10.8 months of use to pay off [3]. A 20% discount, as Moosend advertises, needs 9.6 months [4]. The smaller the discount, the less room you have to change your mind.
- Annual cost divided by monthly cost = break-even months.
- Flat discount: 12 x (1 - discount) = break-even months.
- Lost money if you leave early = annual cost - (monthly cost x months used).
The tier you will outgrow
Email tools price by list size, so the bigger risk is not cancelling but growing. If you prepay for the 1,000-subscriber level and pass it in month four, you will pay for a larger tier anyway.
Kit says a switch to a plan with higher fees restarts your billing period on the switch date, with a prorated credit for the unused time [6]. That protects the money you prepaid, but your renewal date moves. MailerLite says an annual customer who wants to move to monthly can only switch to the same or a higher monthly plan, and that new customers can secure current pricing for the upcoming year by choosing annual billing [5]. MailerLite Free also locks sending once active subscribers exceed 250, which is a hard trigger for an upgrade [3].
beehiiv's terms allow upgrades and downgrades but do not describe what happens when you exceed a tier's subscriber count [7], so ask support before prepaying if your list is near a threshold.
- Estimate subscribers at month 12, not today.
- If month-12 subscribers fall in a higher tier, price that tier on the live slider before prepaying.
- Prefer monthly billing until growth slows enough that you will stay in one tier.
Refund and renewal terms to read before you prepay
These are summaries of legal pages we read on the date above. Terms change, and your order form may differ, so read the version shown at checkout.
| Provider | Refund of unused time | Renewal rule |
|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | Does not refund unused or partially used monthly or yearly plans; other refunds only within 30 days of the last transaction [5] | Plans renew automatically at the then-current price [5] |
| Kit | Will not refund fees already paid if you cancel before the period ends [6] | Renews automatically; fee changes wait until your term ends [6] |
| beehiiv | All fees non-refundable; no prorated refund on cancellation [7] | Renews automatically for an equivalent period at the same price unless pricing changes under the terms [7] |
| Moosend | No refund statement on the pricing page [4] | Monthly plans can be cancelled anytime; downgrades take effect at the end of the billing cycle [4] |
Checklist before you click pay yearly
- You have used the tool for at least one full sending month and your automations work.
- Your expected subscriber count in 12 months stays inside the tier you are buying.
- The break-even month (annual price divided by monthly price) is earlier than the date you might switch.
- You know whether the annual price is a first-year promotion. Kit's Pro offer renews at the standard rate [2].
- You have saved the refund and renewal clauses from the terms page as they read today.
- A renewal reminder sits in your calendar 30 days before the renewal date; the MailerLite, Kit and beehiiv terms say plans renew automatically unless you cancel [5][6][7].
Who should pay monthly and who should pay yearly
Pay monthly if you are testing a platform, expect to cross a subscriber tier within the year, or might move tools. The extra cost is the discount you give up, usually 10% to 20% [1][2][3][4].
Pay yearly if your list is stable, your sequences are built and you have used the tool for a few months. A $120 saving on beehiiv Lite [1] or $78 on Kit Creator [2] is worth taking once the risk of switching is low.
Questions before you decide
How do I work out the break-even month?
Divide the annual price by the monthly price. beehiiv Lite at 1,000 subscribers is $588 divided by $59, about 10 months. With a flat discount it is 12 times (1 minus the discount): 10.8 months at 10% off, 9.6 months at 20% off. If you might cancel or switch before that month, monthly billing costs less.
Can I get a refund if I cancel an annual plan early?
Not under the terms we read. MailerLite says it does not refund unused or partially used monthly or yearly plans, Kit says it will not refund fees already paid when you cancel before the period ends, and beehiiv says all fees are non-refundable and you are not eligible for a prorated refund. The exceptions are narrow: MailerLite refunds if it ends the service without cause before a paid year ends, beehiiv gives a pro-rated refund if it materially reduces core functionality and you cancel, and Kit's terms list no refund exception.
What happens if my list outgrows an annual tier?
Kit says that moving to a plan with higher fees restarts your billing period on the switch date with a prorated credit for unused time. MailerLite says an annual customer moving to monthly can only switch to the same or a higher monthly plan. Check the upgrade rule before prepaying for a tier you expect to leave.
Does an annual price stay fixed at renewal?
Not necessarily. MailerLite says all plans renew at the then-current price. Kit says a fee change does not apply to you until your current term ends. Kit's first-year Pro promotion renews at the standard rate after the first year.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- beehiiv pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Kit pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Moosend pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite Terms of Service Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Kit Terms of Service Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- beehiiv Terms of Use Accessed 29 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.