The Problem with Traditional Email Marketing Tools
Most email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or ActiveCampaign charge $30–$100+/month—and that’s before subscriber-based fees. For bootstrapped startups, solopreneurs, and small businesses, these costs add up fast.
That’s why I built a self-hosted, budget-friendly email marketing system that gives you unlimited sends, better deliverability, and full control—all for just $5.42/month (or $11.83/month for sequenced campaigns).
How It Works
This system runs on your own Virtual Private Server (VPS) and domain, using Gmail SMTP to ensure emails land in the inbox (not spam).
Core Features:
✔ Unlimited Email Sending (within domain reputation limits)
✔ Gmail SMTP Integration (improves deliverability for new domains)
✔ Self-Hosted on a VPS ($50/year) + Domain ($15/year)
✔ Sequential Email Campaigns (optional $77/year upgrade)
✔ No Subscriber Limits – Pay once, send to as many contacts as you want
Pricing Breakdown:
- Basic Plan (Manual Sending): $65/year ($5.42/month)
- Pro Plan (Sequential Campaigns): $142/year ($11.83/month)
Pros & Cons
✅ Advantages
🔹 Cost-Effective – 80% cheaper than mainstream tools
🔹 No Hidden Fees – No per-subscriber or per-email charges
🔹 Better Inbox Placement – Gmail SMTP boosts deliverability
🔹 Full Ownership – No platform lock-in or sudden price hikes
🔹 Scalable – Works for small lists or growing audiences
❌ Limitations
🔸 Requires Basic Tech Knowledge – Needs VPS setup (I can assist)
🔸 Manual Warm-Up Needed – New domains must build reputation (I can assist)
Who Is This For?
✔ Startups – Save money while scaling outreach
✔ E-commerce Stores – Send abandoned cart emails affordably
✔ Freelancers & Agencies – Manage client campaigns without high fees
✔ Bloggers & Content Creators – Email subscribers without restrictions
How It Compares to Popular Tools
| Feature | This System | Mailchimp | SendinBlue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost (Basic Plan) | $5.42/mo | $13/mo | $25/mo |
| Unlimited Emails | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Sequencing | ✅ ($11.83/mo) | ✅ ($20+/mo) | ✅ ($66+/mo) |
| Subscriber Limits | ❌ None | ✅ 500–50K+ | ✅ 300–100K+ |
| Deliverability | ✅ High (Gmail SMTP) | ✅ Good | ✅ Good |
Final Thoughts
If you’re tired of overpaying for email marketing and want a simple, cost-efficient solution, this system could be a game-changer. It’s not as flashy as premium tools, but it gets the job done at a fraction of the cost.
Interested in trying it? I’m offering free setup help for the first 10 users. Let me know your thoughts!
(Disclosure: This is my own system—I help businesses set it up.)
