Updated 2026-02-01

Best Email Marketing Tools for Side Hustles

Grow your side business on autopilot with the right email marketing platform — even with limited time and budget.

Running a side hustle means limited time and limited budget. Email marketing is the most efficient growth channel because automation does the work while you are at your day job. A welcome sequence nurtures new subscribers around the clock. Product launch emails sell while you sleep. Regular newsletters keep your audience engaged between your busy weeks. The key is finding a platform that is affordable, easy to set up, and powerful enough to grow with you. I tested and reviewed 13 email marketing tools specifically for side hustle use cases, ranking them on free tiers, ease of use, automation, and time efficiency.

Why Side Hustles Need Email Marketing

Automation Does the Work

You have limited hours to work on your side hustle. Email automation runs around the clock. Set up a welcome sequence and sales funnel once, and they nurture prospects and sell products while you focus on your day job.

Own Your Audience

Social media reach is unpredictable. Your email list is yours forever. If your Instagram account gets suspended or an algorithm change kills your reach, your email list keeps your side business alive.

Low Cost, High Return

Email marketing has the highest ROI of any channel. Many platforms offer generous free tiers perfect for side hustles. You can build and monetize an audience before spending a dollar on marketing tools.

Scale Without Scaling Time

Whether you have 100 subscribers or 10,000, the same email goes out. This is the only channel where growing your audience does not proportionally increase your workload.

13 Best Email Marketing Tools for Side Hustles

Our Top Pick for Side Hustles
#1
Sequenzy

AI-powered email marketing with smart automation and pay-per-email pricing.

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Best for
Side hustlers wanting AI to handle email creation with flexible pricing
Pricing
$29/month for 50,000 emails

Pros

  • AI creates email sequences in seconds
  • Pay-per-email means no waste during quiet periods
  • Simple enough to manage alongside a day job
  • Direct founder support

Cons

  • Newer platform with a growing feature set
  • No built-in SMS marketing
  • Smaller template library compared to established platforms
  • No free tier
#2
Kit

Creator-focused platform with the most generous free tier.

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Best for
Side hustlers wanting to build an audience for free before monetizing
Pricing
Free up to 10,000 subscribers, then from $25/month

Pros

  • 10,000 free subscribers
  • Digital product sales built in
  • Landing pages included
  • Simple to use

Cons

  • Limited email design
  • Basic automation
  • No advanced features
  • Basic reporting
#3
MailerLite

Clean, simple email marketing with good free tier.

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Best for
Side hustlers wanting professional-looking emails on a budget
Pricing
Free up to 1,000 subscribers, then from $10/month

Pros

  • Free tier with most features
  • Clean interface
  • Landing pages
  • Good email design

Cons

  • Strict approval
  • Smaller free tier than Kit
  • Basic analytics
  • Fewer integrations
#4
Mailchimp

The most recognized email platform.

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Best for
Side hustlers wanting the most familiar, easy-to-start platform
Pricing
Free up to 500 contacts, then from $13/month

Pros

  • Familiar brand
  • Free tier
  • Good templates
  • Easy to start

Cons

  • Small free tier
  • Expensive at scale
  • Basic automation
  • Features behind paywalls
#5
Beehiiv

Newsletter platform with built-in growth and monetization.

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Best for
Newsletter-based side hustles wanting built-in growth and monetization
Pricing
Free up to 2,500 subscribers, then from $39/month

Pros

  • Referral program for growth
  • Built-in monetization
  • SEO hosting
  • Free tier

Cons

  • Not for product sales funnels
  • Limited automation
  • Paid plans jump in price
  • Newsletter focused only
#6
Brevo

Affordable email and SMS with CRM.

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Best for
Side hustlers wanting email, SMS, and CRM in one free tool
Pricing
Free up to 300 emails/day, then from $25/month

Pros

  • CRM included free
  • SMS available
  • Pay by emails
  • All-in-one

Cons

  • Basic automation
  • Daily limits
  • Less polished
  • Brevo branding
#7
Flodesk

Beautiful emails with flat-rate pricing.

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Best for
Creative side hustlers wanting beautiful emails with predictable pricing
Pricing
$38/month flat rate, unlimited subscribers

Pros

  • Beautiful designs
  • Flat-rate pricing
  • Unlimited subscribers
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • No free tier
  • Basic automation
  • Limited integrations
  • Not budget-friendly to start
#8
Buttondown

Minimalist newsletter tool.

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Best for
Writer side hustlers wanting the simplest newsletter tool
Pricing
Free up to 100 subscribers, then from $9/month

Pros

  • Extremely simple
  • Markdown writing
  • Paid newsletters
  • No bloat

Cons

  • Tiny free tier
  • No automation
  • No visual editor
  • No marketing features
#9
AWeber

Reliable basics with phone support.

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Best for
Non-technical side hustlers wanting phone support
Pricing
Free up to 500 subscribers, then from $15/month

Pros

  • Phone support
  • Free tier
  • Reliable
  • Simple

Cons

  • Dated
  • Limited automation
  • Basic design
  • Little innovation
#10
GetResponse

All-in-one platform with webinars and landing pages.

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Best for
Side hustlers who sell through webinars or workshops
Pricing
From $15.60/month for 1,000 contacts

Pros

  • Webinars
  • Landing pages
  • Funnels
  • All-in-one

Cons

  • No free tier
  • Cluttered
  • Average automation
  • Not specialized
#11
ActiveCampaign

Advanced automation with CRM.

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Best for
Side hustles that have grown into serious businesses
Pricing
$29/month for 1,000 contacts

Pros

  • Powerful automation
  • CRM included
  • Lead scoring
  • Best-in-class

Cons

  • Expensive for a side hustle
  • Steep learning curve
  • No free tier
  • Overkill for most
#12
Moosend

Budget-friendly email marketing.

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Best for
Budget-focused side hustlers needing cheap paid email
Pricing
From $9/month for 500 subscribers

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Decent automation
  • Landing pages
  • Good value

Cons

  • Less well-known
  • Limited integrations
  • Basic support
  • Smaller library
#13
Campaign Monitor

Professional email with polished templates.

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Best for
Brand-focused side hustles with budget for professional email
Pricing
From $9/month for 500 contacts

Pros

  • Beautiful templates
  • Professional quality
  • Reliable
  • Easy editor

Cons

  • No free tier
  • Contact-based pricing
  • Limited automation
  • Not budget-friendly

Feature Comparison

FeatureSequenzyKitMailerLiteBeehiiv
Welcome sequence automation
Yes
Yes
Yes
Basic
AI-powered sequences
Yes
No
No
No
Landing pages
No
Yes
Yes
No
Digital product sales
No
Yes
No
No
Newsletter monetization
No
Yes
No
Yes
Pay-per-email pricing
Yes
No
No
No
Free tier subscribers
None
10,000
1,000
2,500
Flat-rate pricing
No
No
No
No

Email Sequences Every Side Hustle Needs

These are the essential automated email sequences that will help you grow your business and keep clients coming back.

Welcome and Value Sequence

Trigger: New subscriber joins

Build trust with new subscribers and introduce your offering.

Immediately
Welcome — here is what you signed up for

Deliver any promised freebie. Share your story briefly. Set expectations for future emails.

Day 3
My best {{topic}} tip (this one changed everything)

Share your most valuable free content. Establish credibility and provide immediate value.

Day 7
How I built my {{side_hustle}} — the honest version

Personal story that builds connection. Lessons learned. Be genuine about the journey.

Day 10
Here is how I can help you further

Natural introduction to your paid offering. Explain who it is for and what results it delivers.

Product Launch

Trigger: Product or offering ready to sell

Sell your product to your email list with a structured launch.

Day 1
I built something I think you will love

Announce the product. Share the story of why you created it. Build anticipation.

Day 3
{{product_name}} is live — special pricing for subscribers

Launch with subscriber-exclusive pricing. Clear benefits and CTA.

Day 5
What {{buyer_name}} said about {{product_name}}

Early feedback and testimonials. Social proof from first buyers.

Day 7
Subscriber pricing ends tomorrow

Final urgency email with deadline.

Weekly Newsletter

Trigger: Weekly schedule

Stay connected with your audience through a consistent weekly email.

Weekly
This week: {{topic}}

One insight, tip, or update per week. Keep it concise and valuable. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Re-Engagement

Trigger: No opens in 60 days

Clean your list and re-engage dormant subscribers.

60 days
Still interested? Here is my best stuff

Share your top content. Remind them why they subscribed.

75 days
Should I keep sending? Quick yes or no

Give them a choice. Clean your list of unengaged subscribers.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Side Hustle

Start free and upgrade only when you need to.

If you are just starting, Kit's 10,000 free subscribers is unbeatable. Build your audience, learn email marketing, and start selling digital products all without spending a dollar.

If time is your biggest constraint, Sequenzy's AI creates entire email sequences in seconds. When you have limited hours for your side hustle, this efficiency is worth the cost.

If your side hustle is a newsletter, Beehiiv is purpose-built with referral programs, monetization, and SEO hosting to grow a newsletter business.

The Side Hustle Email System

Two automations are all you need to start:

Welcome sequence nurtures new subscribers automatically. Four emails over 10 days that deliver value, build trust, and introduce your offering. Set it up once and it works forever.

Weekly newsletter keeps your audience engaged. One email per week with a tip, insight, or update. Consistency builds trust and keeps you top of mind for when you have something to sell.

That is it. Do not overcomplicate it. These two things will grow your side hustle more than any other marketing activity.

Getting Started

  1. Pick a free platform — Kit or MailerLite
  2. Create a lead magnet — one free resource that helps your target audience
  3. Set up a 4-email welcome sequence — deliver value and introduce yourself
  4. Commit to weekly emails — one per week, no exceptions
  5. Add a product when ready — your warm list will be your first customers

The side hustlers who build real businesses are the ones who start collecting emails from day one. Do not wait until you have a product. Build the audience first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to grow your side hustle practice?

Start your free trial today. Set up your first email sequence in minutes with AI-powered content generation.

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 3k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (2,500 emails/month)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com