Overview
Mautic describes itself as the world's largest open-source marketing automation product and says more than 40,000 companies use it. It covers the core of commercial marketing automation suites: a click-and-drag campaign builder, a drag-and-drop email and landing page builder, forms, segments, contact point scoring for lead prioritisation, and a plugin ecosystem.
Because it is self-hosted, you control where contact data lives, which Mautic positions as data sovereignty and privacy compliance. A REST API supports integrations, and the project offers developer certification.
Installation uses a production package with a web installer or command line, Composer, or a GitHub clone for development. Setup has three steps: connect a database, create an admin account, and configure the email server used for sending. PHP settings such as a max execution time of at least 240 seconds are required.
Running Mautic well takes real operations work, including cron jobs, upgrades and deliverability; teams without that capacity can use a hosting partner.
Pricing and plans
checked 28 Sept 2026Free tier · no card
Free, open-source software with no contact limits; you pay for hosting, database and an email sending provider
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Free | Production package, Composer or GitHub install; needs a web server, database and email server |
| Hosted by partners | Varies | Mautic lists partners offering SaaS hosting and support; prices set by each partner |
What it does
- Campaign builder
- Click-and-drag builder for multi-step automated campaigns.
- Email and page builder
- Drag-and-drop emails and landing pages optimised for mobile and many mail clients.
- Lead scoring
- Point scoring to prioritise contacts, with a central contact overview.
- REST API and plugins
- REST API for integrations and a plugin ecosystem for extensions.
- Self-hosting
- Run on your own infrastructure for data control.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Free software with no contact or send limits
- Full marketing automation feature set including lead scoring
- Complete control over data location
- Active community and partner ecosystem
Limitations
- Requires a PHP server, database and separate email provider
- You manage upgrades, cron jobs and deliverability
- No official hosted plan from the project itself
- Setup is more involved than hosted tools
Who it suits
Good for
- Agencies running automation for several clients
- Organisations with strict data residency needs
- Technical teams replacing a costly automation suite
Look elsewhere if
- Non-technical teams without hosting support
- Simple newsletters where a hosted tool is easier
Alternatives to Mautic
| Tool | From | Free option | Stages |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign Marketing automation platform | $15/mo | ||
| Brevo Email marketing and transactional platform | $9/mo | Free tier | |
| GetResponse Email marketing and automation | $19/mo | Free tier | |
| beehiiv Newsletter platform | $49/mo | Free tier | |
| Bento Email marketing and automation | $29/mo | ||
| Customer.io Data-driven messaging automation | $100/mo |
Questions
Is Mautic free?
Yes, it is open source and free to self-host; you pay for hosting and email sending.
What do I need to install Mautic?
A web server that meets its PHP requirements, a supported database and an email server or sending provider.
Is there a hosted version of Mautic?
Not from the project itself, but partners listed on mautic.org offer hosting and support.
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