Loops alternatives: 7 open-source picks
Loops costs $49/mo — $588 a year. These 7 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Mautic, Plunk and Dittofeed. All 7 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
A complete lifecycle automation engine with no contact ceiling; simplicity left the building.
Marketing, transactional email and workflows from one self-hosted app; SaaS-specific templates are fewer.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup or Docker Compose
dataSelf-hosted data lives in PostgreSQL, queues in Redis, and uploads in bundled MinIO or another S3-compatible store.
the catch vs LoopsPlunk covers the same broad messaging modes, but it has fewer SaaS-specific templates and integrations and asks you to own the sending and operational stack.
setupThe self-host path needs Docker, several subdomains, DNS/TLS, and an AWS SES account with credentials and domain verification.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Lifecycle journeys driven by product events, with richer branching and much heavier operations.
licenseMIT
runsyour machine or their cloud
installDittofeed Cloud or Docker Compose/Kubernetes self-host
dataSelf-hosted identity and configuration data lives in PostgreSQL and event/segment data in ClickHouse; optional blob data can use object storage.
the catch vs LoopsDittofeed offers richer event-driven journeys, but PostgreSQL, ClickHouse, event instrumentation, and delivery-provider setup make it vastly heavier to operate than Loops.
setupDocker Compose brings Postgres and ClickHouse, but the harder first step is instrumenting product events and connecting an email provider.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Modern campaigns, transactional mail and visual automations in one compose stack; event collection remains your job.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installNotifuse Cloud signup or self-host with Docker
dataSelf-hosted contact, campaign, event, and analytics data lives in PostgreSQL; uploaded assets use S3-compatible storage.
the catch vs LoopsNotifuse provides campaigns, transactional mail, and visual automations, but product-event collection, infrastructure, and delivery configuration remain your responsibility.
setupSelf-hosting needs Docker, PostgreSQL, object storage, a public domain, and a separately configured SMTP or email API provider.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Publishing platform with memberships and paid newsletters built in. The self-hosted answer to Substack taking 10% of your revenue.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
High-performance single-binary newsletter and mailing list manager with campaigns, templates, and Postgres backend
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Lean newsletter tool in Elixir — campaigns, segments, signup forms. Bring your own SES/SMTP and sending is nearly free.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Mautic · Ghost · Listmonk
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Loops alternative
Easiest to get running
Listmonk — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Ghost, with 49,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 7, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Needs real ops to self-host
Mautic and Dittofeed are capable but expect someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing one.
what you give up by leaving Loops
- bounce, complaint, and suppression handling
- large-scale segmentation and automation
- payments, recommendations, and audience network
- sender reputation, deliverability, and suppression handling
- sender reputation and deliverability operations
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Loops alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mautic | open source | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 10,300 | 2026-08 |
| Plunk | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 5,300 | 2026-08 |
| Dittofeed | MIT | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 2,887 | 2026-03 |
| Notifuse | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 2,038 | 2026-08 |
| Ghost | MIT | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 49,000 | 2026-08 |
| Listmonk | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 22,000 | 2026-08 |
| Keila | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 2,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Loops
Loops: The editor is trivial compared with inbox placement, compliance, reputation, unsubscribe handling, analytics, and audience growth infrastructure. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $588 a year.
questions about switching from Loops
Is there an open-source alternative to Loops?
Yes: Mautic, Plunk, Dittofeed and 4 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Loops?
Our verdict is YES. Ghost (49k stars), Listmonk (22k stars), Mautic (10k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Loops — self-host with docker and stop paying $49/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/loops.
What is the easiest open-source Loops alternative to set up?
Listmonk — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Loops alternative?
By GitHub stars, Ghost (49,000). Listmonk is next with 22,000.
