Free Autoresponder Tools: A Comprehensive Guide to Email Marketing Automation

Autoresponders are sequences of automated emails that are sent to subscribers based on trigger events. These events can include downloads, sign-ups, specific dates (such as birthdays or anniversaries), or other subscriber actions like email clicks, web visits, product purchases, or abandoned carts. Autoresponders work because they are targeted and require minimal maintenance once set up. When executed with interesting and useful content, they can help convert subscribers into customers.

Comparison of Free Autoresponder Tools

MailerLite

MailerLite offers a free plan allowing up to 12,000 emails for 1,000 subscribers. Features include subscription-based emails (such as welcome emails), anniversary or date-based emails, and autoresponders triggered when contact fields are updated or when contacts click email links. The platform is known for its ease of use, making it ideal for beginners. Additional features include a landing page builder, website builder, and survey maker. However, the free plan does not include email templates, which is a significant drawback. Users are also limited to one user account, one website, and ten landing pages.

Sender

Sender provides a free plan with 15,000 emails per month to up to 2,500 subscribers. The autoresponder capabilities include welcome emails, anniversary or date-based emails, abandoned cart emails, and more. Setting up autoresponders is simplified through a visual builder. However, the knowledge base is somewhat sparse, and it is not possible to A/B test emails or autoresponders.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

Brevo's free plan includes advanced autoresponders with a daily cap of 300 emails (approximately 9,000 per month) for an unlimited number of subscribers. However, Brevo imposes a limit of 2,000 contacts in any automated/autoresponder campaign at any time. Features include welcome, anniversary, page visits, and ecommerce (such as product purchase or abandoned cart) triggers. Users can also add SMS marketing for an extra cost. The autoresponders are edited in an intuitive visual editor, and campaigns can be tested before launching.

Omnisend

Omnisend's free plan is limited to 500 emails per month to 250 contacts. Despite the small sending allowance, it includes advanced features such as marketing automation, website tracking, and niche engagement features for ecommerce. It is worth mentioning that while users can only contact up to 250 subscribers per month, they can collect an unlimited number of subscribers.

AWeber

AWeber recently launched a freemium plan that includes the same features as the paid plan but limits users to just 500 subscribers. It offers a decent limit of 3,000 emails per month and a good selection of responsive templates. Users can create automations to manage subscribers via rules they create, saving time. However, the terminology might be confusing for experienced users as automations and autoresponders are called "Campaigns." The triggers available are limited to "when a tag is applied" or "when a contact is subscribed to a list."

Mailchimp

Mailchimp offers a free plan with autoresponder capabilities, though with some limitations. Users can set up automated ecommerce, RSS, and tag-based campaigns but are restricted to single-step automations. The autoresponders extend beyond basic welcome and anniversary emails to include advanced campaigns such as abandoned cart and retargeting emails, which is particularly beneficial for online stores. Setting up autoresponders is simplified through a visual builder. However, the knowledge base is somewhat sparse, and A/B testing is not available.

Selecting the Right Free Autoresponder

The choice of a free autoresponder tool depends on the kinds of autoresponders that would benefit a business. For a simple yet powerful autoresponder system, MailerLite is hard to beat. For larger sending volumes, Mailchimp has the most generous allowance. Each platform offers unique advantages that may align with different business needs.

Limitations of Free Autoresponder Tools

Most free autoresponder tools come with limitations. The free plans typically restrict the number of subscribers, email sending limits, and available features. Advanced automations such as complex marketing automation workflows, moving subscribers between campaigns, branching logic, and more are usually only available in paid plans. Additionally, features like A/B testing are often not included in free plans. Knowledge bases may be less comprehensive than those of paid plans, and template access might be restricted.

For businesses serious about marketing automation with some budget to invest, paid options like ActiveCampaign may be more suitable. Such tools typically offer more automation templates, detailed reporting, and a built-in CRM.

Conclusion

Free autoresponder tools provide a valuable starting point for businesses looking to implement email marketing automation without financial investment. By understanding the differences between platforms, businesses can select the most suitable option for their specific needs and growth stage. As email marketing efforts expand, transitioning to paid plans may become necessary to access more advanced features and higher limits.

Sources

1. EmailTooltester - Free Autoresponder Tools