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The free plan is a real starting option, but it has resource and sales limits. Budget separately for payment processing, a domain, optional services and any upgrade your actual usage requires.
The current subscription snapshot
| Plan | Monthly subscription | Contact allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 2,000 |
| Startup | $17 | Up to 5,000 |
| Webinar | $47 | Up to 10,000 |
| Unlimited | $97 | Unlimited, subject to fair use |
The free tier also lists three funnels and one course. Email sending is advertised as unlimited, but that does not mean permission to send unsolicited email or bypass acceptable-use rules. Recheck the live matrix before choosing a paid plan. [source]
The free selling threshold matters
Article 5a sets a $10,000 lifetime-sales limit for free accounts, excluding affiliate commissions. At the threshold there is a three-day upgrade period before payment pages stop taking new sales; the free account is not automatically charged. Separately, Article 5 allows automatic upgrades for paid accounts that remain over their usage limits after notification. [source]
Costs outside the subscription
| Cost | When it matters | How to budget |
|---|---|---|
| Payment processing | You collect money through a connected provider. | Use that provider’s rates for your country, currency and payment type. |
| Domain registration | You want a branded web address. | Use the registrar’s renewal price, not only its introductory offer. |
| Mailbox or email services | You need an inbox or a sending-domain setup. | An email-marketing tool is not automatically a general business inbox. |
| SMS usage | You use the documented Twilio integration. | Add usage charges rather than treating messages as free. |
| Migration and maintenance | You move a working business or hire help. | Include overlap subscriptions, testing and one-time labor. |
Systeme.io advertises no platform transaction fee; that is not the same as no payment-processing fee. Its SMS feature uses a separate integration. [source] [source]
An example budget—not a sales forecast
Suppose a seller chooses a $17 monthly subscription and enters $8 of other monthly services. The fixed recurring budget is $25/month, or $300 over twelve months, before processing and taxes. If migration costs $120 once, the first twelve-month total becomes $420. These are illustrative inputs, not a quote for every business.
If another platform charges a percentage of sales, model that fee separately at the same assumed revenue. The cost calculator keeps subscription, add-ons, revenue-based fees and one-time migration distinct so you can change the assumptions.
Check before upgrading
- Count the contacts, courses and other resources you actually need. Do not select a plan only by its name.
- Read your account’s current billing and renewal terms, including what happens when a limit is exceeded.
- Check payment-provider eligibility and expected processing fees before accepting orders.
- Use a small test journey to confirm access, automation and support requirements.
- Save the plan details used for your decision and review them before the next renewal.
An “unlimited” resource label does not remove fair-use conditions. Extremely unusual usage should be discussed with the provider before moving a production workload. [source]
Our conclusion
A small project may be able to validate an offer with no software subscription. A growing project should budget for the first upgrade before it becomes urgent. Neither result makes the free plan fake; it means the free tier has a defined operating scope.
For a first course, use the free-course platform checklist. For an existing platform, start with a complete cost comparison rather than assuming a switch always saves money.
Common questions
Is the free plan permanent?
The provider advertises an ongoing free tier, not just a trial, but its limits and terms still apply.
Do affiliate commissions count toward the free sales limit?
Article 5a excludes affiliate commissions from the lifetime-sales calculation. Check the linked terms for the current rule.
Do I need to change my website’s DNS to promote Systeme.io?
No. An outbound affiliate link works from your existing website. Domain setup is only relevant when you choose to publish your own pages or send authenticated email through the platform.
Show your work
Sources & methodology
Official documentation and plan pages checked on 4 October 2026. Prices and features can change. The practical recommendations are IONOSX’s analysis; this article does not claim hands-on performance testing.