EmailOctopus is worth considering if you want to start a blog email list with one signup form, a short welcome sequence and regular newsletters. Its free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 monthly emails. Check the automation steps, form limits and sending allowance against the routine you want to build.
A first email list can be simple. Give readers a reason to subscribe, send them the resource you promised and follow up when you have something useful to share. The platform needs to support that routine without adding more work than you can fit into your week.
I use Kit for Flex For Families. This EmailOctopus review is based on published product documentation, checked on 7 November 2026. The weekly planner example shows how you could put the pieces together on paper before building them in your own account.
What Is EmailOctopus and Who Created It?
EmailOctopus is an email marketing platform for collecting subscribers, sending newsletters and setting up automated emails. A newsletter goes out when you choose to send it. An automation can send a welcome message when an eligible new subscriber joins.
The service grew from a project started by Jonathan and his brother Gareth. The company traces the idea back to 2014 and describes launching paid plans in 2015. This review covers the hosted EmailOctopus service. The separate EmailOctopus Connect product uses your Amazon SES account and has its own pricing. Company history and EmailOctopus pricing
Quick Note: I’m John Crossley, founder of Flex For Families. I review online business opportunities through the lens of family life, focusing on costs, time commitments, risks, and whether they genuinely help parents create more flexibility.
What Can You Do With EmailOctopus Starter?
Starter gives a solo blogger enough tools to collect signups, send newsletters and build a short welcome workflow. The limits matter most when you add more signup routes, send more frequently or want to keep a longer reporting history.
| What to Check | Starter Allowance | What It Means for Your Blog |
|---|---|---|
| List size | Up to 2,500 subscribers | Check how close you are before a promotion or launch. |
| Sending | Up to 10,000 emails per month | Budget for the size of each send as well as the number of messages. |
| Signup tools | One form and one landing page | Start with one offer and decide where readers should sign up. |
| Automations | Up to three, with five steps each excluding the trigger | Count waits and actions when you plan a sequence. |
| Reports | Campaign reports available for 30 days | Record the figures you want to compare later while you can access them. |
| Branding and access | EmailOctopus branding and one account user | Decide whether a branded footer and solo access fit your setup. |
EmailOctopus also lists limits of ten fields and ten tags per list on Starter. Those are worth checking if you plan to collect different information or group readers by several interests. Starter plan details
For a first list, I would write down the signup offer and the next email before worrying about advanced segmentation. If every reader is signing up for the same weekly planner, the form only needs to collect the information you will actually use.
Can You Deliver a Freebie and Send a Welcome Sequence?
Yes. EmailOctopus allows a signup-triggered workflow and can deliver a download link in the welcome email. Host the resource somewhere your subscribers can open it. The platform’s email editor does not support attaching the file directly. Adding a file link to an email
Imagine you offer a one-page weekly blogging planner. You could create a form for your blog or send readers to a hosted signup page. Connect your signup route to the list that should trigger the welcome sequence. Creating a hosted landing page
| Step | Action | Reader Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | A new subscriber joins the selected list | The welcome workflow begins when the subscriber meets its trigger. |
| 1 | Send email | Send the planner link and explain what they signed up for. |
| 2 | Wait two days | Give them time to open the planner. |
| 3 | Send email | Show how to plan one realistic blogging session. |
| 4 | Wait three more days | Leave space before the next message. |
| 5 | Send email | Share a related guide and ask what they need help with. |
The three sends and two waits use all five steps. The signup trigger sits outside that count. A tagging action or extra wait would need room of its own, so sketch the full workflow before you commit to the free plan. Automation triggers and actions and Starter automation limits
This is an illustrative sequence. Before sharing your form, sign up using a fresh test address. Complete any confirmation step, then check that the first email arrives and the download works on your phone. Open the download in a private browser window to check that it does not rely on your own account being signed in.
If you’re still deciding what to offer and what to say in that first message, start with my guide to building an email list as a parent blogger.
How Much Room Does the Free Sending Allowance Give You?
The number of subscribers you can store and the number of emails you can send are separate limits. One newsletter delivered to 1,000 subscribers uses 1,000 sends. Four newsletters to 2,500 subscribers would use the full 10,000 monthly allowance before leaving room for welcome emails. How subscribers and emails are counted
Here are two fictional planning examples. Each assumes all the listed recipients receive each newsletter and all three welcome messages to the new signups go out in the same month.
| Planning Example | Newsletter Sends | Welcome Sends | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four newsletters to 500 readers and 40 new signups | 2,000 | 120 | 2,120 |
| Four newsletters to 2,400 readers and 50 new signups | 9,600 | 150 | 9,750 |
The second example leaves room for 250 sends. A fifth newsletter, an extra announcement or more new signups could change the plan. Use the number you expect to send to each time, then add an estimate for automated messages. An automation that spans two months may use part of each month’s allowance.
When Would You Need Pro?
Pro is worth looking at when a specific limit affects a workflow you already need. A second dedicated form, a longer welcome sequence or access to older campaign reports may matter before you reach the subscriber ceiling.
Pro removes EmailOctopus branding from emails and offers more room for signup assets and account users. The provider’s pricing page lists ongoing report access for Pro. Compare the exact automation entitlement against your proposed setup if that is your reason to pay. EmailOctopus plan comparison
For example, a blogger offering one weekly planner may be happy with Starter. Someone building separate offers for beginner bloggers and readers interested in side hustles may want different signup routes and follow-ups. Write down which assets and steps you need before pricing the upgrade.
How Much Does EmailOctopus Cost?
Starter is free within its stated limits. EmailOctopus advertises Pro from $10 per month with monthly billing, or $9 per month equivalent with annual billing. At that entry rate the annual payment is $108 upfront in US dollars. Those are starting figures, so check the quote for your list size and send volume. Pricing page and Published monthly and annual starting rates
| Your Situation | What to Price |
|---|---|
| A small list needs a second form | Check the entry Pro quote against the cost of staying with one signup route. |
| A list is nearing the free subscriber limit | Set the pricing calculator to your current count and your next expected milestone. |
| You send frequently or run several automations | Check the sending tier against a busy month, including automated messages. |
EmailOctopus says it can move paid customers to the next tier when their subscriber count grows beyond the current tier and charge the difference. Its help page also describes changing tiers when you need a higher sending quota. Before choosing yearly billing, check how a midyear increase would affect the amount you pay. How EmailOctopus pricing works
How Does EmailOctopus Compare With Kit for a First List?
Choose based on the first workflow you want to run. EmailOctopus Starter offers a short automated welcome sequence within its limits. Kit’s current Free plan gives you more room for signup assets and broadcasts, while its published guidance places sequences and visual automations on paid plans.
| First-List Task | EmailOctopus Starter | Kit Free |
|---|---|---|
| Store subscribers | Up to 2,500 | Up to 10,000 |
| Send newsletters | Within 10,000 monthly emails | Unlimited broadcasts |
| Create signup assets | One form and one landing page | Unlimited forms and landing pages |
| Send a timed welcome sequence | Up to three automations with five steps each | Current Free plan documentation lists sequences on paid tiers |
These are the published plan terms checked for this review. If you already have a Kit account, check what your account includes before drawing conclusions from a comparison of currently offered plans. EmailOctopus Starter and Kit Free plan
I use Kit on FFF, where email is connected to the free Starter Kit and my welcome material. If you already have a working signup route, test the value of any switch against the work of replacing forms and checking the welcome process. If you’re starting fresh, compare the automation you need with the number of forms you expect to build. Here’s My Kit review.
What Are the Pros and Cons for Beginner Bloggers?
EmailOctopus Starter has a clear use case for one person building a small list. The limits are easiest to assess when you have a concrete publishing routine in mind.
| Potential Advantages | Trade-Offs to Consider |
|---|---|
| Start without a subscription charge | List size and sends each have a ceiling. |
| Run a short welcome sequence | Waits and other actions use automation steps. |
| Use a hosted signup page | A second dedicated page changes the plan decision. |
| Review recent campaign activity | Starter report access is limited to 30 days. |
| Choose monthly or annual Pro billing | The cost can rise as your list grows. |
If you plan to send affiliate content, check the provider’s content policy and your programme’s email rules before building that workflow. Read the terms for the type of promotion you intend to send. EmailOctopus content guidance
About the Reviewer
Hi, I’m John Crossley, founder of Flex For Families.
I’m a parent, blogger, and online business owner who helps families find realistic ways to create more flexibility through blogging, affiliate marketing, and online business.
Like many people, I’ve spent years researching online opportunities, testing platforms, and learning how to separate genuine business models from expensive hype. I’ve also experienced the frustration of chasing opportunities that promised freedom but demanded more time away from family.
Today, I use that experience to review courses, side hustles, AI opportunities, and online business programmes through a simple lens:
Will this genuinely help parents create more flexibility, or will it create more pressure?
Every review on Flex For Families focuses on costs, time commitments, risks, and realistic expectations, so you can make informed decisions before investing your time or money.
Is EmailOctopus a Practical Choice for Beginner Bloggers?
Yes, if your first list needs one signup offer, a short welcome sequence and newsletters that fit the monthly sending allowance. That is enough to build a useful routine around one free resource.
Start by writing your welcome steps and estimating a busy month of sends. If both fit Starter and the signup limits work for you, build one form and test it. Consider Pro when you can identify the restriction that is getting in your way and you have checked what it costs to remove it.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions cover the decisions you are likely to face before building your first list.
Is EmailOctopus Free for Beginner Bloggers?
The Starter plan is free and currently allows up to 2,500 subscribers and 10,000 monthly emails. It also has limits on forms, landing pages, automation steps and reporting history.
Can You Set Up a Welcome Sequence on EmailOctopus Starter?
Yes. Starter allows up to three automations with up to five steps each, excluding the trigger. Three email steps and two wait steps fit one automation.
Can You Attach a PDF to an EmailOctopus Newsletter?
EmailOctopus does not support direct file attachments. Host the PDF where your readers can access it and include its download link in the email.
Do You Need Amazon SES to Use EmailOctopus?
The hosted EmailOctopus service covered in this review is separate from EmailOctopus Connect. Connect is the product for sending through your own Amazon SES account.
Is EmailOctopus Better Than Kit for Beginners?
It depends on your signup and sending routine. EmailOctopus Starter is worth considering for a short free welcome sequence. Kit Free has more room for forms and broadcasts under its current published terms.
Let’s Chat
What would you send first if someone joined your list today? Write down the resource or message you would promise, then count the steps you need to deliver it.
