The short answer
For exactly 5,000 contacts, the contact-based starting tier is Systeme.io Startup: $17 per month or $170 paid annually in our snapshot. At 5,001 contacts, that becomes Webinar at $47 per month. This is one provider's price, not a market-wide recommendation. Automation, course and funnel requirements can require a higher tier sooner.
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What happens at 5,000 and 5,001 contacts?
These contact-based starting tiers assume one funnel, no courses and no automated webinars. They use the same plan selection as the calculator. Other requirements can raise the starting tier.
| Contacts | Starting plan | Monthly billing | Annual upfront | Annual ÷ 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,000 | Free | $0/month | $0 | $0/month |
| 5,000 | Startup | $17/month | $170 | $14.17/month |
| 5,001 | Webinar | $47/month | $470 | $39.17/month |
| 10,000 | Webinar | $47/month | $470 | $39.17/month |
Moving from 5,000 to 5,001 contacts changes the monthly-billed subscription by $30 per month in this snapshot. At exactly 5,000 contacts, Startup has no spare contact capacity. The annual equivalent above is a budgeting figure, not a monthly payment option.
Check automation separately from list size
Startup lists 10 automation rules and 5 workflows; Webinar lists 100 rules and 20 workflows. If a 5,000-contact business needs 11 rules or 6 workflows, Startup does not pass that requirement even though the list fits. Enter both counts in the email calculator. Blank optional fields remain unchecked.
The optional checks also cover funnel steps, domains and course student capacity. Review integrations and sender setup directly, alongside the full pricing and limits guide. Taxes, currency conversion, migration work and tools you keep can add to the total.
Is it worth evaluating for your list?
- Evaluate a move if the required email sequence works in a test, the plan has enough capacity for your intended list, and the removable bills exceed the replacement plus transition costs over your chosen period.
- Stay for now if an essential integration is missing, the current setup already costs less, or an unavoidable contract removes the saving. A lower advertised plan price is not enough on its own.
Check your contact count and replaceable spending or include the cost of moving your existing list.
Count the contacts and sequences you need to keep
Use the contacts you expect to retain after a deliberate data review, rather than adding the row counts of overlapping exports. Record automation rules and workflows separately: a list that fits a contact tier can still need a higher plan for its sequences. Confirm how the destination counts subscribed, unsubscribed and duplicate records. Keep consent and suppression history. GrowthBudget needs totals only, never your contact list.
Check the next threshold before choosing annual billing
An exact fit leaves no room for growth. Run your present list and a second scenario based on your own recent additions. In the recorded plan table, Startup covers up to 5,000 contacts; 5,001 requires at least Webinar. An annual payment reduces the full-year subscription cost but creates an upfront commitment. Confirm upgrade charging and cancellation terms before paying; this calculator does not model a midyear upgrade.
Compare with the email bills you can actually remove
Enter your own monthly invoice total, or divide your annual invoice by twelve. Include only subscriptions the move would replace, using the same currency and tax basis. The calculator starts with no current cost entered; any worked budget example is illustrative, not a competitor quote or a market average. Keep transactional email, external integrations or other tools in your budget if you still need them. Use the switching-cost calculation for setup work, retained costs and overlapping subscriptions.
Test one complete email journey before moving
Write down the trigger, conditions and actions for your most important sequence. Test signup, delivery, a purchase event and unsubscribe behavior with a small permitted test segment. Check sender authentication and confirm that external systems receive the events they need. An import completing successfully does not establish that your workflow or deliverability will transfer. Keep essential transactional messages running until the replacement is verified.
Your decision checklist
- Enter your retained contacts, automation rules and workflows
- Check a realistic list-growth scenario before committing annually
- Use your own replaceable spending, not an assumed market price
- Test signup, purchase and unsubscribe behavior before cancelling anything
Common questions
Product prices and capacity limits checked against the official detailed limits table. Migration information last reviewed : eligibility and process. Our cost scenarios are illustrative. See our formulas and limitations.