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AcelleMail vs phpList

AcelleMail vs phpList — self-hosted email marketing, compared

Side-by-side comparison of AcelleMail (PHP + MySQL/MariaDB, one-time $80 commercial licence, 8 sending drivers, visual automation, plugin SDK, multi-tenant SaaS layer) and phpList (free, open-source AGPLv3, PHP + MySQL, a mature newsletter manager trusted by 75,000+ organisations). Cost, automation, sending integrations, source terms, and a step-by-step migration guide.

De un vistazo AcelleMail phpList
License model Commercial one-time licence — $80 Regular / $199 Extended on CodeCanyon. Full PHP source included; private modifications carry no copyleft obligation. Free and open-source under AGPLv3. No licence cost when self-hosted. (Distributing a modified version requires publishing your source — the AGPL copyleft term.)
Hosting Self-hosted on Linux + PHP 8.1+ + MySQL/MariaDB. ~512 MB RAM minimum + a cron entry. Self-hosted on standard PHP + MySQL hosting; also a paid hosted option from ~$1/mo (9,000 messages / 3,000 subscribers) up to ~$8/mo (1M messages).
Stack PHP 8.1+ (Laravel-based), MySQL/MariaDB, optional Redis + queue workers. PHP + MySQL. Long-established, lightweight footprint; runs on most shared/standard hosting.
Sending integrations 8 built-in drivers — Amazon SES, SendGrid, SparkPost, Mailgun, Elastic Email, Blastengine, Gmail relay, generic SMTP — plus a plugin SDK for more vendors. Sends via the server's SMTP / mail transport by default; Amazon SES and other providers are reachable through SMTP or phpList plugins.
Automation Visual workflow builder (Automation2) — trigger / wait / condition / branch / send / segment-update nodes, on every licence. Built around newsletters/announcements + scheduled campaigns and list logic; advanced branching journeys are not its core focus.
Multi-tenancy / SaaS Extended Licence ($199) ships a SaaS layer — customer accounts, subscription plans, 6 payment gateways, prorated upgrades, dunning, white-label. A single-tenant administration tool; there is no bundled customer-billing / reseller layer (you would build or integrate one).
Source & extensibility Full unencrypted PHP source; 4-pattern Hook plugin SDK (REGISTRY, EVENT, FILTER, BEHAVIOR). See Plugin SDK. Fully open source (AGPLv3) on a public repo, with a plugin system + community plugins; deeply inspectable and forkable.
Paridad de funciones

Comparativa función a función

Unos 30 atributos agrupados en 7 categorías, extraídos de AcelleMail v4.2 y de la documentación pública de funciones de Mailchimp. Cada se puede verificar contra la fuente citada.

Email creation

Función AcelleMail phpList Notas
Drag-and-drop email builder AcelleMail ships a drag-and-drop editor with mobile preview + a starter template gallery. phpList centers on a WYSIWYG editor and reusable templates; a full block-style drag-and-drop builder is not its headline feature.
Reusable template management Both let you save and reuse templates. phpList has long-standing template management for newsletters.
Full HTML editor Both allow editing raw HTML/CSS for campaigns.
A/B testing AcelleMail supports subject-line and content split tests in core. In phpList, A/B-style testing is not a core built-in; confirm current plugin availability for your version.
Spintax / per-subscriber merge fields AcelleMail includes spintax + per-subscriber merge tags. phpList supports personalization/placeholders; spintax-style randomization is not advertised.

Lists & segmentation

Función AcelleMail phpList Notas
Unlimited subscribers Neither imposes a software-side cap when self-hosted; limits come from the database and server.
Multiple lists Both manage multiple subscriber lists. phpList is well known for robust list management at scale.
Visual segment builder (any-condition) AcelleMail provides a visual segment builder over fields, behavior, tags, and date logic. phpList supports segmentation by attributes/list membership; a visual any-condition builder is not its primary UI.
Embeddable signup forms + double opt-in Both generate embeddable signup forms and support double opt-in — a phpList strength.
Bulk import (CSV) Both support CSV import. AcelleMail also supports XLSX and direct DB seed.

Automation

Función AcelleMail phpList Notas
Scheduled / triggered campaigns Both schedule sends. phpList sends newsletters/announcements on schedule and supports list-based logic.
Visual multi-step workflow builder AcelleMail ships Automation2 — a visual canvas with trigger / wait / condition / branch / segment-move nodes. phpList's core is newsletter sending rather than a branching visual journey builder.
Conditional branching AcelleMail branches a journey on engagement, tags, or field logic in the UI. In phpList, multi-branch journeys are not a built-in core feature.
Behavioral triggers (clicks / opens) AcelleMail exposes engagement events as automation triggers. phpList records opens/clicks for reporting; using them to branch a journey is not a built-in workflow feature.

Deliverability

Función AcelleMail phpList Notas
SPF / DKIM / DMARC tooling Both support sender authentication. phpList documents DKIM/SPF setup; AcelleMail surfaces SPF/DKIM/DMARC generation in the sending-server config and signs DKIM at the app layer when configured.
Multiple sending services AcelleMail ships 8 built-in drivers + generic SMTP + a plugin SDK. phpList sends via SMTP/mail transport by default; SES and other providers are reachable via SMTP or plugins.
IP warmup / rate control Both throttle sending. phpList has long offered send-throttling/calibration; AcelleMail supports daily/hourly caps per sending server for gradual warmup.
Automated bounce processing Both process bounces to keep lists clean — a well-known phpList strength. AcelleMail also registers per-vendor complaint/bounce webhooks.
Click maps + spam scoring AcelleMail provides click heatmaps and SpamAssassin-style scoring per campaign. phpList provides open/click reporting; bundled spam-score scanning is not a headline feature.

Integrations

Función AcelleMail phpList Notas
REST API Both publish an HTTP API for subscribers and campaigns. AcelleMail's is documented at /api.
WordPress / WooCommerce AcelleMail ships an official WordPress/WooCommerce plugin. phpList integrates with WordPress via community plugins + its API.
Zapier / Make / n8n AcelleMail is pre-listed on Zapier / Make / n8n. phpList is reachable from these via its REST API.
Plugin system Both are extensible. phpList has a community plugin ecosystem (AGPL); AcelleMail ships a four-pattern in-process Hook SDK — see Plugin SDK.

SaaS / multi-tenancy

Función AcelleMail phpList Notas
White-label client accounts AcelleMail Extended provides per-customer accounts for reselling. phpList is a single-tenant admin tool; running it for many billed clients means separate installs or building a tenancy layer yourself.
Subscription plans + payment gateways AcelleMail Extended bundles subscription plans + 6 payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, Razorpay, Paystack, Offline). phpList has no bundled recurring-billing layer.
Prorated upgrades + dunning AcelleMail's Cashier package covers prorated upgrades + failed-payment dunning. Not a phpList feature.
Remove vendor branding Both can be white-labeled — phpList because it is open source you may rebrand (subject to AGPL terms when distributing); AcelleMail under its commercial licence.

Cost & ownership

Función AcelleMail phpList Notas
License cost phpList self-hosted is free (AGPLv3) — the clearest cost advantage. AcelleMail Regular is $80 one-time; Extended is $199 (adds the SaaS layer + 6 months support).
Lifetime updates phpList updates are free/open-source; AcelleMail provides point/minor updates to licence holders.
Editable source code phpList is fully open (AGPLv3) — maximum inspectability, with copyleft on distribution. AcelleMail ships full unencrypted source you may modify privately with no copyleft obligation. Pick by whether you need open+copyleft or private-modify+resell.
Data export ownership Both run on a database you control — full SQL access, CSV export, and a REST API.
Coste total de propiedad

Coste a 3 años en tres escenarios reales

phpList self-hosted has no licence cost (AGPLv3), so on raw software price it is cheaper — its running cost is just VPS + sending. AcelleMail adds a one-time licence but bundles visual automation, 8 sending drivers, and (Extended) a full SaaS/billing layer. Both pair with Amazon SES at roughly $0.10 per 1,000 emails. The figures below make the licence delta explicit so you can weigh it against the feature bundle.

Small business — 1,000 contacts, 4× sends/month

phpList — phpList (free) + small VPS + SES $5/mo VPS + ~$0.40/mo SES (4,000 sends)
$0 licence + $180 VPS + $14 SES = $194 total
AcelleMail — AcelleMail Regular Licence + small VPS + SES $5/mo VPS + ~$0.40/mo SES (4,000 sends)
$80 licence + $180 VPS + $14 SES = $274 total

phpList is cheaper by the licence price for a simple newsletter. The AcelleMail delta buys visual automation, a drag-and-drop builder, A/B testing, and the option to grow into multi-provider sending or a SaaS layer — decide on whether you will use those.

Growing newsletter — 10,000 contacts, 80,000 sends/month

phpList — phpList (free) + $10 VPS + SES $10/mo VPS + $8/mo SES (80,000 × $0.0001)
$0 licence + $360 VPS + $288 SES = $648 total
AcelleMail — AcelleMail Regular Licence + $10 VPS + SES $10/mo VPS + $8/mo SES (80,000 × $0.0001)
$80 licence + $360 VPS + $288 SES = $728 total

Running costs are identical; the only difference is the one-time licence. If your needs are broadcast newsletters with strong list + bounce handling, phpList covers that for free. Choose AcelleMail when you want branching automation, more sending drivers, or the reseller path.

Agency / SaaS — 50,000 contacts, 400,000 sends/month, 50 client accounts

phpList — phpList (free) + a tenancy/billing layer you build + $20 VPS + SES $20 VPS + $40 SES (400,000 × $0.0001). phpList is single-tenant — multi-client billing means separate installs or custom development.
$0 licence + $720 VPS + $1,440 SES = $2,160 + your build/ops time for tenancy + billing
AcelleMail — AcelleMail Extended ($199) + $20 VPS + SES — all 50 tenants on one install $20/mo VPS + $40/mo SES (400,000 × $0.0001) — covers all 50 client accounts.
$199 licence + $720 VPS + $1,440 SES = $2,359 total

Here the licence delta is small versus what you would spend building multi-tenant billing on top of a single-tenant tool. AcelleMail Extended ships customer accounts, subscription plans, 6 payment gateways, prorated upgrades, and dunning out of the box — the differentiator for a reseller/SaaS use case.

Playbook de migración

phpList → AcelleMail en siete pasos

La mayoría de los equipos hacen la transición en menos de una semana. La configuración técnica es media jornada; el paso que más tiempo lleva es reconstruir las automatizaciones de varios pasos y las plantillas.

  1. 1. Export from phpList

    phpList stores subscribers, lists, and campaigns in its own MySQL database. Export subscribers to CSV from the phpList admin (Subscribers → Export), or query the phplist_user_user and list tables directly for very large sets. Note your custom attributes and which lists each subscriber belongs to so you can recreate the structure. (Still weighing open-source options? See our open-source email marketing roundup.)
  2. 2. Get AcelleMail

    Buy the Regular Licence — $80 on CodeCanyon. Upload the ZIP and run the 5-minute web installer (DB, admin user, cron). PHP 8.1+, MySQL ≥ 5.7 or MariaDB ≥ 10.3, ~512 MB RAM minimum. The installation guide covers cPanel, DigitalOcean, AWS, and Docker.
  3. 3. Connect your sending service

    If phpList was sending through SMTP or Amazon SES, add the same provider in Sending Servers → Add and paste your credentials — your SES domain/identity carries over. AcelleMail also adds SendGrid, SparkPost, Mailgun, Elastic Email, Blastengine, Gmail relay, generic SMTP, and a plugin SDK if you want to broaden later. AcelleMail generates the SPF/DKIM records and signs DKIM at the app layer; run the test-send to confirm.
  4. 4. Import subscribers + attributes

    In Lists → Create List, recreate each phpList list (and its custom attributes as AcelleMail custom fields). Use Import → Upload CSV and map columns one-to-one. For lists over 100k, use the chunked import or seed via the REST API. Subscriber confirmation/opt-in status maps to AcelleMail subscriber states.
  5. 5. Recreate templates + campaigns

    Paste your phpList HTML templates into AcelleMail's template editor, or rebuild in the drag-and-drop builder. Scheduled phpList newsletters become AcelleMail campaigns; if you want to evolve beyond broadcasts, lay out a workflow in Automation → New Workflow (trigger → wait → send, plus condition/branch nodes for behavior-driven journeys).
  6. 6. Configure tracking + DKIM

    Open/click tracking is on per campaign by default (open pixel + link wrapping). DKIM signing is configured at the Sending Server level — publish the DNS records AcelleMail generates. If you keep the same sending domain and vendor as your phpList install, existing DKIM keys can usually be reused; otherwise publish new records and let DNS propagate before cutover.
  7. 7. Test deliverability + cut over

    Send a test to GlockApps or Mail-Tester (free) and aim for 9.5/10. Run your next live campaign from AcelleMail in parallel for one cycle, compare open/click rates to your phpList baseline, then retire the phpList install. Most teams cut over inside a week.
Encaje operativo

Cuándo el autoalojamiento no es la opción adecuada

El email marketing autoalojado es una contrapartida: menor coste y propiedad completa a cambio de responsabilidad operativa. Un SaaS gestionado puede ser la mejor opción para cualquiera de las situaciones de abajo.

  • You want a genuinely free, open-source tool

    phpList is free under AGPLv3 — no licence cost when self-hosted, fully open code, and a long track record at scale. If a zero-licence-cost, fully-open newsletter manager is the priority and AGPL copyleft is fine for your use, phpList is a strong, proven choice. AcelleMail is a paid one-time licence; its value is the bundled automation, sending breadth, and SaaS layer, not a lower price.

  • Your need is newsletters + solid list & bounce handling

    phpList is mature at exactly this: managing big lists, double opt-in, segmentation, and automated bounce processing for broadcast newsletters and announcements. If you do not need branching automation or a reseller billing layer, phpList covers the core well — and for free. AcelleMail is the better fit when you outgrow broadcasts into behavior-driven journeys or multi-tenant reselling.

  • You are comfortable with AGPL copyleft

    AGPLv3 is ideal if you want maximum openness and you are not distributing a modified, closed version. If instead you need to modify the app privately and resell it under your own brand without publishing your changes, AcelleMail's commercial licence is designed for that — full source you modify privately, no copyleft obligation.

  • You prefer the lightest possible footprint

    phpList has a small, long-stable PHP footprint that runs on modest/shared hosting. AcelleMail is a Laravel application with queue workers, an optional Redis cache, and a plugin runtime — more moving parts, which is the cost of the visual automation engine, multi-tenancy, and extensibility. If you want the simplest thing to host and patch, phpList is lighter.

Coste por caso de uso

Tres situaciones de comprador

Las cifras de coste emparejan los precios verificados del nivel de entrada con rangos cotizados por calculadora cuando aplica. Compare los números; la elección correcta depende de la capacidad de su equipo para las contrapartidas operativas de arriba.

  • Nonprofit / community newsletter — 5,000 subscribers

    Situación: Monthly newsletter to members, strong need for clean lists + bounce handling, tight budget.

    Coste de phpList: phpList free + $5/mo VPS + ~$0.30/mo SES. Excellent fit — mature list management and bounce processing at zero licence cost.

    Coste de AcelleMail: $80 once + $5/mo VPS + ~$0.30/mo SES. Worth it only if you want a drag-and-drop builder, A/B testing, or room to add automation later.

  • SaaS team — product newsletter + onboarding journey

    Situación: 8,000 trial signups + 2,000 paid, weekly newsletter, a 4-step onboarding that branches on whether the user activated.

    Coste de phpList: phpList free + $10/mo VPS + ~$2/mo SES. The newsletter is a great fit; the branching activation journey would need custom work against the API or a different tool.

    Coste de AcelleMail: $80 once + $10/mo VPS + ~$2/mo SES. The onboarding is one visual workflow — trigger on signup → wait → check activation → branch — built in the UI without external code.

  • Agency — 50 client accounts, billed monthly

    Situación: Email service for 50 small-business clients, ~2,000 subscribers each, monthly newsletters, recurring billing.

    Coste de phpList: phpList free, but single-tenant: you would run separate installs or build a tenancy + billing layer yourself + ~$40/mo VPS + ~$30/mo SES. Free licence, but real build/ops cost.

    Coste de AcelleMail: $199 Extended once + ~$40/mo VPS + ~$30/mo SES across all clients on one install. Built-in SaaS: per-client login, subscription plans, 6 payment gateways, prorated upgrades, dunning.

Análisis a fondo para operadores

Para el operador que ejecuta la migración

Haga clic en cualquier cabecera de abajo para expandir un análisis técnico a fondo. El mismo contenido que la página de marketing de arriba ya cubre, colapsado aquí para que la página se lea rápido, pero siempre disponible para el ingeniero que hace el trabajo real.

Migración completa phpList → AcelleMail: cada paso expandido

El playbook de 7 pasos cubierto arriba, con cada acción expandida para el operador. Tiempo total: ~½ día de configuración técnica, y luego de 1 a 5 días reconstruyendo plantillas y automatizaciones según la complejidad de la lista.

  1. 1. Export from phpList. phpList stores subscribers, lists, and campaigns in its own MySQL database. Export subscribers to CSV from the phpList admin (Subscribers → Export), or query the phplist_user_user and list tables directly for very large sets. Note your custom attributes and which lists each subscriber belongs to so you can recreate the structure. (Still weighing open-source options? See our open-source email marketing roundup.)
  2. 2. Get AcelleMail. Buy the Regular Licence — $80 on CodeCanyon. Upload the ZIP and run the 5-minute web installer (DB, admin user, cron). PHP 8.1+, MySQL ≥ 5.7 or MariaDB ≥ 10.3, ~512 MB RAM minimum. The installation guide covers cPanel, DigitalOcean, AWS, and Docker.
  3. 3. Connect your sending service. If phpList was sending through SMTP or Amazon SES, add the same provider in Sending Servers → Add and paste your credentials — your SES domain/identity carries over. AcelleMail also adds SendGrid, SparkPost, Mailgun, Elastic Email, Blastengine, Gmail relay, generic SMTP, and a plugin SDK if you want to broaden later. AcelleMail generates the SPF/DKIM records and signs DKIM at the app layer; run the test-send to confirm.
  4. 4. Import subscribers + attributes. In Lists → Create List, recreate each phpList list (and its custom attributes as AcelleMail custom fields). Use Import → Upload CSV and map columns one-to-one. For lists over 100k, use the chunked import or seed via the REST API. Subscriber confirmation/opt-in status maps to AcelleMail subscriber states.
  5. 5. Recreate templates + campaigns. Paste your phpList HTML templates into AcelleMail's template editor, or rebuild in the drag-and-drop builder. Scheduled phpList newsletters become AcelleMail campaigns; if you want to evolve beyond broadcasts, lay out a workflow in Automation → New Workflow (trigger → wait → send, plus condition/branch nodes for behavior-driven journeys).
  6. 6. Configure tracking + DKIM. Open/click tracking is on per campaign by default (open pixel + link wrapping). DKIM signing is configured at the Sending Server level — publish the DNS records AcelleMail generates. If you keep the same sending domain and vendor as your phpList install, existing DKIM keys can usually be reused; otherwise publish new records and let DNS propagate before cutover.
  7. 7. Test deliverability + cut over. Send a test to GlockApps or Mail-Tester (free) and aim for 9.5/10. Run your next live campaign from AcelleMail in parallel for one cycle, compare open/click rates to your phpList baseline, then retire the phpList install. Most teams cut over inside a week.
Análisis a fondo por función — en qué difieren los dos productos y soluciones alternativas

La tabla lado a lado de arriba muestra la paridad de funciones; aquí está el contexto de apoyo para cada fila con una nota no trivial, útil cuando una plataforma es «parcial» y necesita la solución alternativa.

Email creation

  • Drag-and-drop email builder: AcelleMail ships a drag-and-drop editor with mobile preview + a starter template gallery. phpList centers on a WYSIWYG editor and reusable templates; a full block-style drag-and-drop builder is not its headline feature.
  • A/B testing: AcelleMail supports subject-line and content split tests in core. In phpList, A/B-style testing is not a core built-in; confirm current plugin availability for your version.
  • Spintax / per-subscriber merge fields: AcelleMail includes spintax + per-subscriber merge tags. phpList supports personalization/placeholders; spintax-style randomization is not advertised.

Lists & segmentation

  • Visual segment builder (any-condition): AcelleMail provides a visual segment builder over fields, behavior, tags, and date logic. phpList supports segmentation by attributes/list membership; a visual any-condition builder is not its primary UI.

Automation

  • Visual multi-step workflow builder: AcelleMail ships Automation2 — a visual canvas with trigger / wait / condition / branch / segment-move nodes. phpList's core is newsletter sending rather than a branching visual journey builder.
  • Conditional branching: AcelleMail branches a journey on engagement, tags, or field logic in the UI. In phpList, multi-branch journeys are not a built-in core feature.
  • Behavioral triggers (clicks / opens): AcelleMail exposes engagement events as automation triggers. phpList records opens/clicks for reporting; using them to branch a journey is not a built-in workflow feature.

Deliverability

  • Multiple sending services: AcelleMail ships 8 built-in drivers + generic SMTP + a plugin SDK. phpList sends via SMTP/mail transport by default; SES and other providers are reachable via SMTP or plugins.
  • Click maps + spam scoring: AcelleMail provides click heatmaps and SpamAssassin-style scoring per campaign. phpList provides open/click reporting; bundled spam-score scanning is not a headline feature.

Integrations

  • WordPress / WooCommerce: AcelleMail ships an official WordPress/WooCommerce plugin. phpList integrates with WordPress via community plugins + its API.
  • Zapier / Make / n8n: AcelleMail is pre-listed on Zapier / Make / n8n. phpList is reachable from these via its REST API.

SaaS / multi-tenancy

  • White-label client accounts: AcelleMail Extended provides per-customer accounts for reselling. phpList is a single-tenant admin tool; running it for many billed clients means separate installs or building a tenancy layer yourself.
  • Subscription plans + payment gateways: AcelleMail Extended bundles subscription plans + 6 payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, Razorpay, Paystack, Offline). phpList has no bundled recurring-billing layer.
  • Prorated upgrades + dunning: AcelleMail's Cashier package covers prorated upgrades + failed-payment dunning. Not a phpList feature.

Cost & ownership

  • License cost: phpList self-hosted is <strong>free</strong> (AGPLv3) — the clearest cost advantage. AcelleMail Regular is $80 one-time; Extended is $199 (adds the SaaS layer + 6 months support).
Comparativa de coste a escala — tres situaciones de comprador lado a lado

La tarjeta de TCO de arriba muestra cifras del nivel de entrada; esta vista apila las tres situaciones de comprador para que pueda elegir la más cercana a su volumen de contactos y frecuencia de envío.

Nonprofit / community newsletter — 5,000 subscribers

  • Situación: Monthly newsletter to members, strong need for clean lists + bounce handling, tight budget.
  • Coste de phpList: phpList free + $5/mo VPS + ~$0.30/mo SES. Excellent fit — mature list management and bounce processing at zero licence cost.
  • Coste de AcelleMail: $80 once + $5/mo VPS + ~$0.30/mo SES. Worth it only if you want a drag-and-drop builder, A/B testing, or room to add automation later.

SaaS team — product newsletter + onboarding journey

  • Situación: 8,000 trial signups + 2,000 paid, weekly newsletter, a 4-step onboarding that branches on whether the user activated.
  • Coste de phpList: phpList free + $10/mo VPS + ~$2/mo SES. The newsletter is a great fit; the branching activation journey would need custom work against the API or a different tool.
  • Coste de AcelleMail: $80 once + $10/mo VPS + ~$2/mo SES. The onboarding is one visual workflow — trigger on signup → wait → check activation → branch — built in the UI without external code.

Agency — 50 client accounts, billed monthly

  • Situación: Email service for 50 small-business clients, ~2,000 subscribers each, monthly newsletters, recurring billing.
  • Coste de phpList: phpList free, but single-tenant: you would run separate installs or build a tenancy + billing layer yourself + ~$40/mo VPS + ~$30/mo SES. Free licence, but real build/ops cost.
  • Coste de AcelleMail: $199 Extended once + ~$40/mo VPS + ~$30/mo SES across all clients on one install. Built-in SaaS: per-client login, subscription plans, 6 payment gateways, prorated upgrades, dunning.

Use la calculadora de ahorro de costes para una cifra a medida según su número exacto de suscriptores y su frecuencia de envío.

Contraposicionamiento honesto — objeciones habituales para cambiar

Cuatro objeciones que sopesa todo operador antes de migrar desde phpList o desde cualquier SaaS. Respondidas sin maquillaje: son contrapartidas reales, y la elección correcta depende de su equipo.

1. «Cambiar cuesta más de lo que ahorra».

Evaluación honesta: con listas por debajo de ~500 contactos, el nivel gratuito o de entrada de phpList puede ser más barato que ejecutar un VPS de $5–10/mes más la licencia de AcelleMail, incluso sin contar el tiempo del operador. El punto de equilibrio suele situarse entre 1.000 y 5.000 contactos. Haga sus propias cuentas con la calculadora de coste antes de decidir.

2. «La entregabilidad en autoalojamiento se va a hundir».

Cierto si ejecuta un MTA autogestionado sin warm-up. NO es cierto cuando AcelleMail reenvía a través de un servicio de envío gestionado (Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark): esos proveedores mantienen la reputación de IP; AcelleMail solo orquesta campañas y seguimiento. Alcanzar la paridad de colocación en bandeja de entrada con phpList es la norma, no la excepción, con este montaje.

3. «Mi equipo no tiene tiempo para aprender otra herramienta».

Preocupación legítima. La UI de AcelleMail refleja los patrones habituales (constructor de campañas, listas de audiencia, flujos de automatización), así que la mayoría de los usuarios de phpList son productivos desde el primer día. El verdadero sumidero de tiempo es reconstruir las automatizaciones de varios pasos y las bibliotecas de plantillas: planifique de 1 a 5 días según la complejidad, no semanas.

4. «¿Y si AcelleMail deja de mantenerse?»

El autoalojamiento le da la vuelta al riesgo: usted es dueño de una copia perpetua del código fuente. Ningún cambio de precio, deprecación o adquisición del proveedor puede quitarle la plataforma. Si las actualizaciones se detienen, su instalación existente sigue funcionando. Compárelo con el SaaS, donde las decisiones del proveedor sobre precio, funciones o cierres son unilaterales.

Preguntas frecuentes

Preguntas habituales

Can I migrate from phpList to AcelleMail without losing subscriber data?
Yes. phpList keeps subscribers, lists, and campaigns in its own MySQL database — export subscribers to CSV from the admin (Subscribers → Export) or query the tables directly for very large sets. AcelleMail's import accepts CSV with custom-field mapping (plus XLSX or direct DB seed). phpList list membership and custom attributes map to AcelleMail lists and subscriber fields one-to-one, and opt-in status carries over. Plan a half-day for a list under 5,000; 2–3 days if you also rebuild sequences as workflows.
phpList is free and open-source — why would I pay for AcelleMail?
You often would not. phpList self-hosted is genuinely free under AGPLv3 and is excellent at newsletters, list management, double opt-in, and bounce handling. AcelleMail is a paid one-time licence ($80 Regular) whose value is the bundle, not a lower price: a visual branching automation builder, 8 built-in sending drivers + a plugin SDK, a drag-and-drop editor, A/B testing, and the Extended path ($199) to a multi-tenant SaaS layer with subscription plans, 6 payment gateways, prorated upgrades, and dunning. If you only need broadcast newsletters, phpList's free licence is the rational choice; AcelleMail earns its price when you need automation, multi-provider sending, or a reseller layer.
How does AcelleMail's automation compare to phpList?
phpList is built around newsletters and scheduled campaigns with list logic; multi-step branching journeys are not its core. AcelleMail ships Automation2 — a visual workflow builder with trigger / wait / condition / branch / send / segment-move nodes — so you can build a behavior-driven journey (e.g. signup → wait → check activation → branch) in the UI without external code. If your sends are broadcasts and simple sequences, phpList is fine; if you want branching automation, that is the AcelleMail difference.
Does AcelleMail support more sending services than phpList?
AcelleMail ships 8 built-in drivers — Amazon SES, SendGrid, SparkPost, Mailgun, Elastic Email, Blastengine, Gmail relay, and generic SMTP — plus a plugin SDK for more. phpList sends through the server's SMTP/mail transport by default, and SES or other providers are reachable via SMTP or phpList plugins. If you want to add or mix several providers from a built-in UI, AcelleMail covers that out of the box; with phpList you configure SMTP or add the relevant plugin.
What does phpList's AGPLv3 licence mean for me versus AcelleMail's commercial licence?
AGPLv3 makes phpList fully open and free to use, modify, and self-host — with a copyleft condition: if you distribute a modified version (including offering it as a network service in some readings), you must make your source available under the same licence. That is ideal for openness. AcelleMail ships full unencrypted PHP source under a commercial CodeCanyon licence, which lets you modify it privately and resell under your own brand with no copyleft obligation. Choose AGPL-open if maximum openness fits your use; choose AcelleMail's commercial terms if you need private modifications or a closed reseller product.
Can I run client accounts and resell with AcelleMail? phpList is single-tenant.
Yes. phpList is a single-tenant administration tool, so serving many billed clients means separate installs or building a tenancy + billing layer yourself. AcelleMail's Extended Licence ($199) ships customer accounts plus a billing layer: subscription plans, 6 payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, Razorpay, Paystack, Offline), prorated upgrades, and dunning — all on one install. See the For Developers page for the architecture.
What stack and resources does AcelleMail need compared with phpList?
Both are PHP + MySQL apps you self-host. phpList has a small, long-stable footprint and runs on modest/shared hosting. AcelleMail needs PHP 8.1+, MySQL ≥ 5.7 or MariaDB ≥ 10.3, ~512 MB RAM minimum, and a cron entry for campaign workers; an optional Redis cache and queue workers support higher volume and the automation engine. AcelleMail is a Laravel application, so it has more moving parts than a focused newsletter tool — the trade-off for bundled automation, multi-tenancy, and a plugin runtime.
Is AcelleMail's source code editable, given phpList is fully open?
Both let you read and change the code. phpList is fully open under AGPLv3 — maximum inspectability, with copyleft when you distribute changes. AcelleMail ships full, unencrypted PHP source under its commercial licence; you can modify it, and private modifications carry no copyleft obligation. AcelleMail also exposes a four-pattern Hook plugin SDK (REGISTRY, EVENT, FILTER, BEHAVIOR) so you can add sending drivers, payment gateways, and UI panels without forking core.
Which is the right choice for a simple newsletter with no automation needs?
phpList. For broadcast newsletters with strong list management, double opt-in, and bounce handling — and no need for branching automation, multi-provider sending from a UI, or a reseller billing layer — phpList does the job maturely and for free. Choose AcelleMail when you expect to grow into visual automation, more sending drivers, a drag-and-drop builder, or multi-tenant reselling, and want those bundled in one tool you can also modify privately.
Get started

Need more than newsletters? Try AcelleMail.

phpList is a great free newsletter manager. If you want visual automation, more built-in sending drivers, and a multi-tenant SaaS layer, AcelleMail Regular is $80 one-time — lifetime updates, 6 months support, full PHP source, unlimited subscribers. Try the live demo first.

phpList es marca registrada de su respectivo propietario. Esta página es una comparativa objetiva de producto escrita por AcelleMail; no estamos afiliados, respaldados ni patrocinados por phpList. Todos los datos citados provienen de documentación públicamente disponible enlazada arriba; por favor, reporte cualquier inexactitud a contact@acellemail.com y la corregiremos.