What is a Newsletter Service?
A newsletter service, also known as an email service provider (ESP) or email newsletter software, is an online platform that allows you to easily create, send, and manage email newsletters to your subscriber list. Key features of most newsletter services include:
- Professionally designed newsletter template options you can customize by adding your own content. Templates are mobile-responsive.
- An email editor to build and format the content of your newsletters. Most have easy drag & drop editors.
- Sign up forms to help you grow your subscriber list by capturing leads.
- Email automation tools to send triggered or scheduled email campaigns. For example, welcome emails or post-purchase nurturing emails.
- List segmentation so you can group subscribers and send targeted content. Segment by location, interests, purchase history etc.
- Detailed subscriber analytics on open rates, clicks, conversions and unsubscribes to optimize your strategy.
- Contact management system to store subscriber information.
- Sending infrastructure to safely deliver your emails and avoid spam folders. More deliverable than sending from Gmail.
Dedicated newsletter services enable small businesses, bloggers, and other marketers to leverage email marketing at scale to engage their audience without needing to code anything from scratch.
10 Top Recommended Free Newsletter Services
There are a variety of excellent email marketing platforms to choose from, many of which offer free versions perfect for getting started even if you have a small audience. I extensively researched over 25 different email newsletter services and narrowed it down to the top 10 highest rated options that offer free plans.
1. MailerLite
MailerLite is one of the most popular free newsletter services out there. Key features of MailerLite's free plan include:
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- Send up to 12,000 emails per month
- Drag & drop email editor
- Mobile-optimized templates
- Signup forms & landing pages
- Automations & email sequencing
- Campaign analytics showing opens, clicks etc.
The free plan is very generous, and the platform is straightforward and easy to use even for beginners. MailerLite is great for bloggers, small ecommerce sites, course creators, and other small businesses getting started with email marketing and content newsletters.
2. Brevo
Brevo is a leading email service provider globally. Their free email marketing plan allows:
- 300 Contact List Size
- Send up to 9,000 Emails per Month
- Easy drag & drop Editor with Templates
- Signup Forms, Landing Pages, Automations
- Segment Contacts, Track Opens & Clicks
An advantage of Brevo is they offer excellent analytics on your campaigns. You can view detailed statistics on opens, clicks, unsubscribes, spam complaints, and see which links and posts are most popular with subscribers. They also have Facebook chat integration.
3. Mailchimp
Mailchimp is arguably the most well-known email marketing provider. Their free "Forever Free" plan includes:
- Up to 2,000 contacts
- Send 12,000 emails per month
- Access to wide template library
- Easy drag & drop builder
- Signup forms for list growth
- Automations for welcome emails & drip campaigns
- Reports on opens, clicks, unsubscribes
Mailchimp is a bit more technical than some platforms but offers powerful features. Their free plan is generous making them a great option for solopreneurs, marketers, small shops and blogs building their audience.
4. ConvertKit
ConvertKit is a great choice if you offer online courses or membership sites. Their free plan offers:
- 1,000 subscribers
- Unlimited emails per month
- Email sequencers for broadcasts and drips
- Landing pages and forms to capture leads
- Tags and segments to group subscribers
- Analytics on opens, clicks and conversions
A standout aspect of ConvertKit is excellent segmentation and automation specifically geared towards creators offering digital products and online courses. Easy to create sequences that trigger based on subscriber behavior.
5. SendPulse
SendPulse offers a full-featured free plan with:
- 1,000 Contacts
- Unlimited Monthly Emails
- Drag & Drop + HTML Editor
- Signup Forms & Landing Pages
- Detailed Analytics & Reports
- Automations & Live Chat Support
Their templates and drag-and-drop editor make it fast and easy to create beautiful, engaging newsletters in just minutes. Contact management system helps you track audience data and trends.
6. Benchmark Email
Benchmark Email is known for excellent technical support and education around email marketing. Their free plan includes:
- 2,000 Contacts
- Unlimited Monthly Emails
- Easy drag & drop Builder
- 150+ Mobile Templates
- Detailed Analytics & Reports
- List Segmentation
- Automations
Ideal for small businesses wanting to nurture leads & engage customers. Intuitive platform makes executing campaigns easy.
7. Moosend
Moosend offers one of the most generous free plans:
- 3 Email Lists with 1,000 Subscribers Each
- Unlimited Monthly Emails
- A/B Testing Capabilities
- Automations & Landing Page Builder
- Forms & Surveys to Capture Leads
- Track Opens, Clicks & Unsubscribes
Everything you need for professional email marketing free for up to 3,000 contacts. Great option for consultants, bloggers and entrepreneurs managing multiple small lists.
8. Omnisend
- 960 Contacts Free
- Unlimited Monthly Emails
- Real-Time Analytics Dashboard
- Automations & Sequences
- Integration with Facebook Ads
- Excellent Customer Support
Omnisend specializes in ecommerce email marketing with features tailored to shopping carts, post-purchase flows and product recommendations. Free account gets access to all the same enterprise-level features.
9. Mailjet
Mailjet focuses on developer-friendly infrastructure, speed, and security.
- 200 Contacts Free
- Unlimited Monthly Emails
- Drag & Drop Designer
- Automations, Landing Pages, Scheduling
- 70+ Integrations (Shopify, Analytics etc)
- Great Deliverability
Technical features with generous free plan make Mailjet a developer favorite.
10. Mailer Lite
Mailer Lite has an easy-to-use drag & drop designer studio.
- 1,000 Subscribers
- Unlimited Monthly Emails
- Customizable Templates
- Subscription Forms
- Campaign Analytics Tracking
Very simple editor and template personalization makes getting started easy for novices.
There are the top 10 recommended free newsletter services for email marketing based on research. All offer generous capabilities for $0 monthly cost allowing small businesses and individuals to leverage email marketing.
Other Free Tips for Email Marketing Success
Beyond choosing a quality email service provider, here are some key tips to employ so your newsletter strategy is effective:
- Optimize Subject Lines
Keep a close eye on your email analytics to see which subject lines result in the highest open rates. Test different formats like questions, urgency, exclusivity, how-to’s, and leverage what works best for your audience. Keep evolving your subject line approach.
- Personalize Content
Insert first names when welcoming new subscribers. Segment more advanced groups like “course members” and send targeted content. Polls and surveys can uncover more attributes to personalize messaging.
- Send From Your Own Domain
Renting a dedicated domain just for your email newsletter looks more professional than gmail.com and helps achieve higher inbox delivery rates. Most newsletter tools make this easy.
- Offer Lead Magnets
Create free reader magnets such as an ebook, toolkit, or video course in exchange for email sign ups. Dripleads has great lead generation tips for converting website traffic into subscriber.
- Leverage List Segmentation
Group together subscribers with common characteristics like location, interests, purchase history etc. Send content tailored to the preferences of each group keeps engagement higher.
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