Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How I choose what to recommend.
An email autoresponder sends pre-written emails to subscribers automatically: a welcome message when someone joins, a series of helpful tips over the next week, and occasional recommendations. For an affiliate marketer, it is the tool that turns one-time visitors into an audience you can reach again.
The catch: not every email platform welcomes affiliate links. Some prohibit or tightly restrict affiliate promotions, and an account shutdown can cost you your list. Pick a platform whose rules fit how you plan to email before you build your list on it.
Quick picks
| If you are... | Start with |
|---|---|
| Brand new and want free and simple | MailerLite or Systeme.io |
| A creator writing a regular newsletter | Kit |
| Planning advanced automation and webinars | GetResponse |
| Wanting phone and chat support | AWeber |
| Already serving local business clients | GoHighLevel (see Tools I use) |
Plans, prices, and policies change. Check each provider's current terms before you sign up, especially their acceptable use policy on affiliate links.
What to look for
- A clear affiliate policy. Read the acceptable use policy. Look for whether affiliate links are allowed and what limits apply.
- Automation you will actually use. A welcome sequence, tags based on clicks, and delays between emails cover most needs.
- Deliverability. Your emails must reach the inbox. Every platform here supports domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC); set it up on day one.
- Ease of use. The best tool is the one you will open every week.
- Room to grow. Check what the next pricing tier costs once your list grows.
GetResponse
GetResponse is a full marketing suite: email, automation, landing pages, funnels, and webinars.
- Automation: visual workflow builder with conditions, triggers on opens, clicks, and purchases.
- Ease of use: more features means more to learn, but the editor and templates are approachable.
- Affiliate links: generally allowed for relevant, permission-based email. GetResponse runs its own affiliate program.
- Best for: affiliates who want funnels and webinars in the same tool as email.
Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Kit was built for creators: bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and newsletter writers. ConvertKit rebranded as Kit in 2024.
- Automation: simple visual automations and tags. Covers welcome sequences and click-based tagging well.
- Ease of use: clean and text-focused. Easy to learn.
- Affiliate links: allowed, with guidelines. Kit expects most of your email to be your own content, not a stream of promotions, and it restricts certain high-risk niches. Disclose affiliate links in your emails.
- Best for: content-led affiliates who write a real newsletter and recommend products occasionally.
MailerLite
MailerLite is the simplest starting point and offers a free plan.
- Automation: straightforward workflows for welcome and nurture sequences. Less complex branching than the bigger suites, which most beginners do not need.
- Ease of use: one of the easiest editors available. Includes landing pages and signup forms.
- Affiliate links: MailerLite separates two things. Emailing unrelated third-party offers just to earn commissions is not allowed. Including affiliate links that fit your content and audience is. Keep recommendations relevant to what people signed up for.
- Best for: beginners who want to start free and stay focused on one niche.
AWeber
AWeber has been around since the late 1990s and has a long history with affiliate marketers.
- Automation: autoresponder sequences, tagging, and click-based segmentation.
- Ease of use: drag-and-drop editor, many templates, and a landing page builder.
- Support: live chat, phone, and email support, which matters if you are new.
- Affiliate links: generally tolerant of affiliate links used in moderation with relevant content.
- Best for: beginners who value responsive human support.
A useful habit no matter which platform you choose: instead of putting several affiliate links in one email, link to a page on your own site that explains the recommendation. It reads less like spam, and it keeps your audience on property you own.
Systeme.io
Systeme.io is an all-in-one platform: funnels, email, courses, and memberships, with a free plan.
- Automation: email sequences tied directly to funnel actions, such as sending a sequence when someone opts in on a funnel page.
- Ease of use: simple, and you avoid stitching several tools together.
- Affiliate links: built with affiliates and online marketers in mind. Standard anti-spam rules apply.
- Best for: affiliates on a tight budget who want opt-in pages and email in one place.
A simple first sequence
Whatever tool you pick, start with this five-email welcome sequence:
- Day 0: Deliver what you promised (the guide, checklist, or calculator) and say who you are.
- Day 2: Your single most useful tip on the topic.
- Day 4: A short story about a mistake you made and what you learned.
- Day 6: One relevant recommendation, with a plain disclosure and an honest note on who it suits.
- Day 9: Ask a question and invite replies. Replies improve deliverability and tell you what to write next.
FAQ
Can I use Mailchimp for affiliate marketing? Mailchimp has historically restricted affiliate marketing in its acceptable use policy. Read its current terms before relying on it for affiliate emails.
Do I need a paid plan to start? No. MailerLite and Systeme.io both offer free plans that are enough for a new list.
How often should I send affiliate offers? Most of your emails should simply help. Recommendations work best when they are occasional and clearly relevant.
Should I use my own domain for sending? Yes. Send from an address on your own domain and complete the platform's domain authentication. It improves inbox placement and protects your sender reputation.
