How to Choose Your First Newsletter Tool: A Checklist for Beginner Creators
Who this guide is for
This guide is for an individual creator who wants to start a first newsletter in English and does not know which tool to choose.
It is not a ranking. It will not tell you a single “best” tool, because the right choice depends on what else you want to do besides sending email.
I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this article. One affiliate link is included below, for systeme.io.
The checklist: 5 questions before you choose
1. What do you need besides email? If you only need email, a dedicated email tool is enough. If you also want sales pages, courses, or a simple funnel in one place, an all-in-one tool may save you switching later.
2. Where does free end? Check what the free plan includes, and what happens when your list grows.
3. How does the price rise? Look at the next paid tier, not only the starting price.
4. Can you leave? Check how you export your list.
5. Who is it built for? A tool built for creators sending a newsletter is different from a tool built for selling courses.
Kit
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is an email marketing platform built for creators.
- Who it suits: creators whose main job is sending a newsletter and growing an audience by email.
- Who it may not suit: creators who want sales pages, courses, and email in one tool from day one.
- Affiliate note (checked 2026-11-07): Kit’s affiliate program runs through PartnerStack. It pays 50% commission on each new customer’s payments for their first 12 months. If you refer 10 or more paying customers in a year, you may also earn an additional 10% recurring commission for as long as they stay. You can withdraw once you reach $5 in commissions. Application and review are required.
systeme.io
systeme.io combines sales pages, email, courses, and funnels in one service.
- Who it suits: creators who want one place for email plus selling, and who want to start without a separate sales-page tool.
- Who it may not suit: creators who only want a focused email tool, or who prefer a specialist newsletter product.
- Affiliate note (checked 2026-11-07): systeme.io’s affiliate program pays 60% lifetime recurring commission on eligible sales. Anyone can join for free, with no application and no purchase required. Payouts are processed monthly on the 10th, with a $30 minimum, via PayPal or wire transfer. A hold period may apply — check the current terms.
- Visit systeme.io — I may receive a commission if you purchase through this link.
How to decide in 10 minutes
- Answer the 5 questions above in one line each.
- If your answer to question 1 is “email only,” start with the email-first option.
- If your answer is “email plus selling,” start with the all-in-one option.
- Try the free plan first. Do not pay before you have sent a test email to yourself.
- Revisit after your first 100 subscribers — that is when price and limits start to matter.
What to check next
The official affiliate pages for Kit and systeme.io, for the current terms. The official pricing pages, for what the free plan includes today. How each tool exports your subscriber list.