ConvertKit (now Kit) is a polished creator email platform, but it’s hosted SaaS with per-subscriber pricing that grows with your list. Broadcast runs on your own server for a one-time license: own your audience, drop per-subscriber billing, and keep the sequences and segmentation you rely on.
Straight answer: Kit can’t be self-hosted, and if you sell through its built-in creator commerce (paid newsletters, products, tips) or rely on its hosted landing pages, those are Kit-specific and don’t move with you. If what you mainly use is email (sequences, broadcasts, segmentation) and you’d rather own your audience and pay once, Broadcast is the self-hosted alternative.
Where Broadcast and Kit each pull ahead
| Feature | Broadcast | ConvertKit (Kit) |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Yes, your server | No (SaaS only) |
| Pricing | $250 one-time | Monthly, per subscriber |
| Subscribers | Unlimited | Priced by count |
| Sequences / automations | Built-in (conditions) | Visual automations |
| Forms | Yes (embed on your site) | Yes |
| Hosted landing pages | Use your own site | Yes |
| Creator commerce (paid, tips) | No | Yes |
| Segmentation | Tags, lists, custom fields | Tags & segments |
| ESP choice | SES, Postmark, any SMTP | Built-in only |
| Data ownership | Your server | On Kit’s servers |
| Setup & maintenance | You self-host | Fully managed |
Kit wins on hosted landing pages and creator commerce. Broadcast wins on ownership, unlimited subscribers, ESP flexibility, and buy-once pricing. Pick by which of those you actually use.
Self-hosted, buy-once, no per-subscriber billing.
Comparisons cover the tradeoffs. How To covers whether Broadcast does the specific thing you need, organized by what you are trying to accomplish rather than by feature name. If the answer is no, it says no.
One-time payment, unlimited emails forever
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