When it comes to running a blog or an e-commerce business, email marketing can be a game-changer. Whether you’re promoting products, sharing blog updates, or offering discounts, email is a direct way to stay in touch with your audience. However, the costs of paid email marketing tools can add up, especially if you’re just starting. Luckily, there are plenty of free email marketing tools that can help you get the job done without spending a dime.
In this article, we’ll break down the top three free email marketing tools in 2024 that are perfect for bloggers and e-commerce businesses. Each one has its strengths, and we’ll also dive into the pros and cons so you can decide which one works best for you.
Here’s a comparison table for the free email marketing tools discussed:
| Feature | MailerLite | ConvertKit | Sender | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Subscriber Limit | 1,000 | 1,000 | 2,500 | 500 |
| Free Monthly Emails | 12,000 | Unlimited | 15,000 | 1,000 |
| Drag-and-Drop Builder | Yes | No (Text Only) | Yes | Yes |
| Email Automations | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audience Segmentation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| E-commerce Integrations | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Landing Pages | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Analytics and Tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Product Recommendation Emails | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Abandoned Cart Emails | Yes (on paid plan) | No | Yes | Yes (on paid plan) |
| Support | Limited for free users | Limited for free users | Limited for free users | Limited for free users |
| Notable Pros | Easy to use, clean interface, great for beginners | Unlimited emails, strong automation features | Generous free plan, e-commerce friendly | Well-known, offers more than just email marketing |
| Notable Cons | Only 1,000 subscribers on free plan | Free plan supports only text emails | Interface is less polished than others | Limited free plan (500 subscribers, 1,000 emails) |
1. MailerLite
What you get for free:
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- 12,000 emails per month
- Drag-and-drop email builder
- Automations and landing pages
- Limited to one user
MailerLite is a fantastic option if you’re looking for something simple, clean, and user-friendly. It’s an ideal tool for beginners or small businesses who are just getting started with email marketing. One of the standout features of MailerLite is its easy-to-use drag-and-drop email builder, which allows you to create professional-looking emails without needing any coding skills.
If you’re running a blog, you can use their automation features to set up email sequences that nurture relationships with your subscribers over time. E-commerce businesses will also appreciate its integration with e-commerce platforms, enabling you to send personalized product recommendations or follow up with abandoned cart emails.
Pros:
- Clean, simple interface
- Great for beginners
- Good deliverability with an average deliverability rate of 94.41%
- Features Rich
- Integrates well with popular platforms
- Includes landing pages and automations in the free plan
Cons:
- The free plan only supports up to 1,000 subscribers, which may be limiting if your list grows fast
- Email templates design cannot be used with the free plan.
- Limited customer support for free users
- No RSS Campaign
2. ConvertKit
What you get for free:
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- Unlimited emails
- Audience tagging and segmentation
- Landing pages and forms
- Basic automations
ConvertKit (rebranded as Kit) is another solid option, particularly for bloggers and creators who want to grow their audience. While the free plan offers up to 1,000 subscribers and unlimited emails, ConvertKit’s real strength lies in its ability to segment and tag your audience based on their behaviors. This means you can send highly targeted emails to the right people, at the right time.
ConvertKit’s visual automation builder makes it easy to create email sequences, so you can automate repetitive tasks and focus on creating content or running your business. Plus, it comes with ready-made templates for landing pages, so you can start building your email list right away.
However, one downside is that the free plan only supports text emails, which might not appeal to those who want to include fancy visuals. Additionally, when someone subscribes to your email list, they might also get suggestions to follow other ConvertKit users, which can be a dealbreaker for some.
Pros:
- Unlimited emails even on the free plan
- Powerful automation and segmentation features
- Good deliverability
- Easy-to-use visual automation builder
- Great for bloggers and content creators
Cons:
- Free plan only supports plain text emails (no visual elements)
- Not suitable for ecommerce users
- New subscribers may get recommendations to follow other ConvertKit users
3. Sender
What you get for free:
- Up to 2,500 subscribers
- 15,000 emails per month
- Drag-and-drop email editor
- Basic automations
- Analytics and tracking
If you’re looking for a free email marketing tool that offers generous limits, Sender might be the perfect choice. With up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month, it’s one of the most generous free plans out there. Plus, you still get access to advanced features like automations, analytics, and a drag-and-drop email editor, so you can create beautiful emails without breaking a sweat.
Sender also provides detailed analytics, allowing you to track open rates, clicks, and other key metrics. This is essential if you’re trying to optimize your email marketing efforts and figure out what’s working (and what’s not).
For e-commerce businesses, Sender offers a solid set of features, including product recommendation emails and abandoned cart reminders. These tools can help you boost your sales by staying connected to potential customers at crucial points in their buying journey.
Pros:
- Generous free plan (2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails)
- Includes automations, analytics, and email templates
- Essential Features included
- E-commerce-friendly features like product recommendations
Cons:
- Fewer integrations compared to some competitors
- The interface might feel a little less polished than other tools
Bonus Mention: Mailchimp
Mailchimp is a well-known name in the email marketing world, but it’s not quite as generous with its free plan as some of the other tools mentioned. However, it’s still worth mentioning if you need a platform with a solid reputation and a wide range of integrations.
What you get for free:
- Up to 500 subscribers
- 1,000 emails per month
- Basic templates
- Automations
- Audience segmentation
Mailchimp has been around for years, and many people love its all-in-one approach. It offers email marketing, social media advertising, and even website building under one roof. If you’re running a small blog or e-commerce store, the free plan might be enough to get you started. Plus, Mailchimp integrates with tons of platforms, which can be useful if you’re already using other tools to manage your business.
That said, its free plan only allows up to 500 subscribers and 1,000 emails per month, which isn’t as generous as the other tools on this list. However, it does include basic automations and audience segmentation, so it’s still a strong contender if you’re okay with those limitations.
Pros:
- Great for beginners and small businesses
- Offers more than just email marketing (e.g., social ads, landing pages, etc.)
- Solid reputation and plenty of integrations
Cons:
- Free plan is quite limited (500 subscribers and 1,000 emails per month)
- More expensive paid plans compared to some other tools
Final Thoughts: Which One Should You Choose?
If you’re a blogger or running an e-commerce business and you’re looking for a free email marketing tool, it ultimately comes down to your specific needs.
- MailerLite is perfect if you want something simple with drag-and-drop capabilities, and you don’t need more than 1,000 subscribers right now.
- ConvertKit is ideal for bloggers and creators who need strong automation and tagging features, but don’t mind the lack of visual email options.
- Sender is a great choice if you want more generous subscriber and email limits, plus e-commerce-friendly features like product recommendations.
All of these tools are great starting points for building your email list without spending a cent. As your audience grows, you may eventually need to upgrade to a paid plan, but until then, these free options can help you get the ball rolling.