ChatGPT answers, unedited

If your main requirement is free forever + true multi-step welcome sequences, the list is shorter than many comparison articles suggest. Here are the strongest options for a small list:

Some well-known platforms have notable limitations:

• Mailchimp: Free plan is generally limited to a basic welcome automation rather than full multi-email nurture sequences. Automation Atlas StackFYI
• GetResponse: The free account lets you try automation initially, but advanced automation isn't permanently included on the free plan. GetResponse

My recommendations

If you're building a typical business welcome sequence (e.g. 3–7 emails over 2–3 weeks):

1. Sender — Probably the best free option today. You get:

• Visual workflow builder
• Multi-step welcome series
• Tags and segmentation
• Signup forms
• Plenty of headroom (2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month) Sender Sender
• MailerLite — Excellent if you value a polished, beginner-friendly experience. The free plan includes multi-step automations for smaller lists. Zapier Automation Atlas
• Brevo — Best if you expect your contact list to grow quickly because it doesn't cap stored contacts on the free plan, though the daily sending limit is 300 emails. Automation Atlas Zapier

For most small organizations, a welcome sequence like this works well:

• Email 1: Immediate welcome and expectations
• Email 2: Your story or mission (2 days later)
• Email 3: Most valuable resource (4 days later)
• Email 4: Customer success story or testimonial (7 days later)
• Email 5: Soft call to action (10–14 days later)

That type of sequence is supported by Sender, MailerLite, and Brevo on their free tiers. Sender Automation Atlas Zapier

For a small list + automated welcome sequences, you’ll want a tool where the free plan includes actual multi-step workflows (not just “send a newsletter”). These are some good free-forever options:

For a typical welcome sequence like:

1. Subscriber joins list
2. Immediately: “Welcome + free resource”
3. Day 2: “How to get started”
4. Day 5: “Case study or helpful tips”
5. Day 10: “Offer / next step”

…I’d shortlist:

• Sender → probably the strongest fit if you mainly care about free multi-step automation and a small audience. Sender
• MailerLite → good if you want a polished newsletter + simple automations. SaaS Scored
• Mailaway → worth considering if you want a lightweight tool without lots of marketing-suite complexity. Mailaway

A few things to check before choosing:

• Does the free tier allow multiple automation steps (not just a single autoresponder)?
• Can you add delays (“wait 3 days”)?
• Can you trigger from forms/tags/groups?
• Can you export your subscribers if you outgrow it?
• Does it support your sending domain (SPF/DKIM setup)?

If you tell me your approximate list size (e.g., <100, 500, 2,000) and whether this is for a newsletter, SaaS onboarding, course, or ecommerce, I can narrow it down.

For a small list + multi-step welcome sequence + genuinely free forever, I’d look at these first:

Sender is particularly interesting for your use case. Its free plan explicitly includes unlimited automation workflows, so you could build something like:

• Day 0: Welcome + lead magnet
• Day 2: Helpful tip
• Day 4: Educational email
• Day 7: Case study
• Day 10: Offer / CTA
• Branch based on whether they clicked

It supports triggers, delays, conditions, segmentation, and prebuilt workflows on the free tier. Sender Sender

sender.net

Brevo is another strong option if your list may grow substantially. The free tier stores up to 100,000 contacts and includes marketing automation, but automation is limited to 2,000 contacts and sending is capped at 300 emails/day. Brevo Help

brevo.com

One important update: MailerLite's free plan changed in June 2026. It's now only 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, although multi-step visual automation remains available (3 active automations, 5 steps). MailerLite MailerLite

mailerlite.com

For a small list specifically, I'd compare Sender vs. Brevo first—especially if "free forever" means you don't want the automation to suddenly become paid when you actually start using it.

Yes. If “free forever” + multi-step welcome sequences is the key requirement, I’d shortlist these:

1. 🥇 Sender — my pick

sender.net

Sender is unusually generous: its Free Forever plan supports 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and unlimited automation workflows. Its automation builder supports triggers, delays, conditions and multiple emails, so you can build something like:

Signup → immediately: Welcome email
→ Day 2: Your best resource
→ Day 4: Your story / positioning
→ Day 7: Case study
→ Day 10: Offer / CTA

Sender explicitly says welcome series are available on the free plan. Sender Sender

2. Brevo — best if your list may grow

brevo.com

Brevo's free plan is genuinely free forever and stores up to 100,000 contacts, although its marketing automation is limited to 2,000 contacts. The bigger catch is sending: you're limited to 300 emails/day. Brevo Help

So it's attractive if you have a small, low-volume list and want room for contacts without immediately hitting a subscriber ceiling.

3. MailerLite — nicest simple experience

mailerlite.com

MailerLite still offers automation on its free plan, including welcome sequences, but its June 2026 changes made the free tier much smaller: 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 active automations, and 5 steps per automation. MailerLite MailerLite

My recommendation

If you're starting with a few hundred to ~2,500 subscribers, I'd choose Sender. It gives you the most useful combination of free forever + genuinely multi-step automation + generous subscriber limit.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you expect to send per month, I can narrow this down to the best 1–2 options.

Yes. If the key requirement is free forever + multi-step welcome automation + a small list, I’d shortlist these:

• sender.net — best overall free option. The free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, with unlimited automation workflows, visual workflow building, delays/conditions, and prebuilt welcome sequences. Sender Sender
• mailerlite.com — best for a very small list. Its current free tier is 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with 3 visual automations and up to 5 steps per automation. That's enough for a straightforward 3–5 email welcome series. MailerLite MailerLite
• brevo.com — worth considering if your list may grow quickly. Its free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts, but limits sending to 300 emails/day and marketing automation to 2,000 contacts. Brevo Help

My pick

For what you described, I'd start with Sender. Its free tier is unusually generous for automation: you can build a genuine sequence such as:

1. Immediately — Welcome + deliver the promised resource
2. Day 2 — Helpful tip
3. Day 4 — Your story / credibility
4. Day 7 — Useful case study
5. Day 10 — Soft offer / next step

And Sender explicitly says its free plan supports welcome series and other multi-step workflows, rather than putting automation behind a paid tier. Sender

MailerLite would be my second choice if you have ≤250 subscribers and care more about a polished, simple interface than having lots of headroom.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you expect to send per month, I can narrow it down to the best 1–2 options.

Yes. If your key requirement is free forever + multi-step welcome automations, the strongest current option I found is Sender.

Best options

• sender.net — Best overall

• Free forever
• Up to 2,500 subscribers
• 15,000 emails/month
• Unlimited automation workflows
• Supports welcome series, drip sequences, behavioral conditions, segmentation, etc.
• Main catch: Sender branding on the free plan. Sender Sender
• brevo.com — Best if your list is larger but sends are infrequent

• Free plan can hold a much larger contact database
• Automation is available, but the free sending limit is relatively restrictive (300 emails/day).
• This can work well if you're collecting lots of contacts but only sending a small number of welcome emails each day. Sender
• mailerlite.com — Good, but now much more limited

• Free plan currently allows 250 active subscribers
• 2,500 emails/month
• Up to 3 active automations
• So it's viable for a very small list, but Sender is substantially more generous for your use case. MailerLite

What I'd choose

For a typical small business wanting something like:

Signup → immediately send Welcome → wait 2 days → send helpful email → wait 3 days → send offer → wait 5 days → send follow-up

I'd start with Sender. Its free tier explicitly includes unlimited automation workflows, so you aren't forced onto a paid plan just to make a proper multi-email welcome sequence. Sender

One important distinction: Mailchimp's free plan is no longer a good candidate for this requirement, because automation was removed from its free tier. Sender

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have (e.g. 100, 500, 2,000) and whether you need just email or email + SMS, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 choices.

Yes. If the key requirement is free forever + multi-step welcome sequences + a small list, there are a few good options—but the free tiers differ quite a bit.

My pick: Sender

sender.net is probably the strongest fit if you're starting with a genuinely small list. Its Free Forever plan allows up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, and, unusually, includes unlimited automation workflows. You can build welcome sequences, lead nurturing, win-back campaigns, etc. Sender Sender

For example:

Signup → immediately: Welcome email
→ Day 2: "Here's your starter guide"
→ Day 5: Helpful tip/case study
→ Day 8: Product/service introduction
→ Day 12: Offer or call to action

Runner-up: MailerLite

mailerlite.com is a nicer choice if your list will stay under 250 people. Its current free plan includes visual automations, but you're limited to 3 active automations and 5 automation steps, plus 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

Also worth considering: Brevo

brevo.com has a generous contact allowance, and its free tier supports marketing automation. However, only 2,000 unique contacts can enter active automations on the free plan, and the 300-email/day sending limit can become annoying for larger sequences. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Bottom line: For a small business starting automated welcome sequences today, I'd choose Sender unless you specifically need MailerLite's ecosystem or Brevo's broader CRM/multichannel features. Sender gives you the least restrictive automation functionality for $0. Sender

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have (e.g. 100, 500, 2,000) and whether you need forms/landing pages too, I can narrow it to the best 2–3 choices.

Yes. For a small list + automated multi-step welcome sequence, the strongest free-forever options right now are:

• sender.net — best overall free option. Its Free Forever plan supports 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and unlimited automation workflows. You can build multi-email welcome sequences with delays, conditions, and triggers. Sender Sender
• mailerlite.com — best for simplicity/design. Free includes 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 active automations, and up to 5 steps per automation. That's enough for a straightforward 3–5 email welcome series. MailerLite MailerLite MailerLite
• brevo.com — good if your list may grow substantially. The free plan allows up to 100,000 stored contacts and includes marketing automation, but only 2,000 unique contacts can enter automations on the free tier. It also limits sending to 300 emails/day. Brevo Help Brevo Help

My pick

I'd start with Sender if your priority is “set up a welcome sequence and stay free as long as possible.” Its free automation allowance is unusually generous: unlimited workflows + 2,500 subscribers + 15,000 emails/month. Sender

For example, you could build:

1. Immediately: Welcome + promised lead magnet
2. Day 2: Helpful tip/resource
3. Day 4: Your story or credibility
4. Day 7: Main offer
5. Day 10: Follow-up/FAQ

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have (e.g. 100, 500, 2,000) and whether this is for a newsletter, SaaS, ecommerce, or service business, I can narrow it down to the best 1–2 choices.

Yes. For a small list + free forever + multi-step welcome sequence, I’d shortlist these:

• sender.net — best overall free option. Its Free Forever plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and unlimited automation workflows. You can build multi-step welcome sequences with delays, conditions, and multiple emails. Sender Sender
• mailerlite.com — best for simplicity/design. The current free plan has 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, and 3 active automations, with up to 5 steps per automation. Welcome sequences are explicitly supported. MailerLite MailerLite
• brevo.com — worth considering if your list may grow substantially. Its free plan allows unlimited contacts, but automation has a 2,000 unique-contact entry limit, so it's less attractive than Sender for a growing automated sequence. Brevo Help

My pick

For what you described, I'd start with Sender. The combination of 2,500 contacts + 15,000 monthly sends + unlimited automations at $0 is unusually generous, and it doesn't make you choose between a newsletter and a multi-email welcome funnel. Sender

A typical sequence could be:

1. Immediately — welcome + promised resource
2. Day 2 — helpful tip
3. Day 4 — your story/value proposition
4. Day 7 — case study or useful resource
5. Day 10 — soft CTA

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and whether this is for a business, newsletter, SaaS, or nonprofit, I can narrow it down to the best 1–2 choices.

Yes. For a small list + multi-step welcome sequence + genuinely free forever, I’d shortlist these:

*Brevo's free plan can store up to 100,000 contacts, but only 2,000 unique contacts can enter active automations. Brevo Help Brevo Help

🥇 My pick: Sender

Sender is unusually generous for this use case. Its Free Forever plan currently allows 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and unlimited automation workflows. It specifically supports welcome sequences, with visual workflow building and prebuilt automation templates. Sender Sender

So you could build something like:

• Immediately: Welcome + deliver freebie
• Day 2: Helpful tip/resource
• Day 4: Your story / positioning
• Day 7: Case study or proof
• Day 10: Offer / CTA

And you can run multiple sequences without paying, as long as you stay within the 2,500-subscriber / 15,000-email limits. Sender

When I'd choose the others

Brevo is attractive if your list may grow beyond 2,500 contacts but your actual automated audience remains relatively small. Its free plan is $0 forever and includes marketing automation, but automation entry is capped at 2,000 unique contacts. Brevo Help Brevo Help

MailerLite is probably the nicest choice if simplicity is more important than scale. The free plan gives you 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 visual automations, and up to 5 automation steps. MailerLite MailerLite

Bottom line: If you're starting with, say, 50–1,000 subscribers and want several multi-email welcome/nurture sequences without paying, I'd start with Sender.

sender.net · help.brevo.com · mailerlite.com

If you tell me your approximate list size and whether this is B2B, ecommerce, newsletter, or a service business, I can narrow it down to the best 1–2 options.

Yes. If the key requirement is free forever + genuine multi-step welcome sequences, I’d shortlist these:

• sender.net — Best free option for a small but growing list. Its Free Forever plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and unlimited automation workflows, including welcome series. Sender
• mailerlite.com — Best for simplicity. The current free plan allows 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 active automations, and 5 steps per automation. That's enough for a straightforward 3–5 email welcome sequence. MailerLite MailerLite
• brevo.com — Best if you expect to grow the contact database. Its free plan allows 100,000 stored contacts and includes marketing automation for up to 2,000 contacts, but you're limited to 300 email sends/day. Brevo Help

My pick

Sender is probably the strongest fit if your priority is “set up a proper welcome funnel without paying.” You get substantially more headroom than MailerLite's 250-contact free tier, and the automation builder isn't artificially restricted on the free plan. Sender

For example, you could build:

Signup → immediately: Welcome + lead magnet
Day 2: Helpful resource
Day 4: Your story / positioning
Day 7: Best content or case study
Day 10: Offer / call to action

If you're under 250 subscribers and want the easiest interface, I'd choose MailerLite instead.

One important distinction: “free forever” plans change frequently, so I'd favor Sender vs. MailerLite based specifically on your expected list size rather than just the headline free-plan limits.

Yes. If “free forever” + multi-step welcome automation is the key requirement, I’d shortlist these:

🥇 Best overall: Sender

Sender is probably the strongest fit if your list is genuinely small but you want room to grow. Its free-forever plan supports 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, and includes email automation, segmentation, forms, and premade workflows. Its automation builder specifically supports welcome sequences and multi-step workflows. Sender Sender

For example, you could build:

• Day 0 → Welcome + deliver lead magnet
• Day 2 → Helpful resource
• Day 5 → Your story / positioning
• Day 8 → Educational email
• Day 12 → Offer / CTA
• Day 15 → Follow-up

That can all run automatically.

🥈 Best for a polished, simple setup: MailerLite

MailerLite is excellent if you're under its relatively small free-plan audience limit. The current free plan gives 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with 3 active automations and up to 5 automation steps. MailerLite MailerLite

Its workflow builder is particularly nice for straightforward welcome/drip sequences.

🥉 Best if contacts are more important than sending volume: Brevo

Brevo lets you store up to 100,000 contacts on its free plan, but you're limited to 300 emails/day. More importantly for your use case, only 2,000 unique contacts can enter active automations on the free tier. Brevo Help Brevo Help

So I'd choose Brevo if your list may get large but your actual daily email volume stays modest.

My pick: Sender if you want the most generous genuinely-free option for automated welcome sequences. MailerLite if your list is ≤250 and you care more about simplicity/design.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails your welcome sequence contains, I can narrow it down to the best free option.

For a small list and a free-forever plan, you’ll want a platform that includes a real automation builder (triggers + delays + multiple emails), not just a single autoresponder. These are some of the better fits:

My shortlist for a basic welcome sequence

• Easiest choice: sender.net

Good if you want: “Someone signs up → email immediately → wait 2 days → send email #2 → wait 3 days → send email #3.” Sender

• Best if you expect to grow into marketing automation: mailercloud.com or misarmail.com

Both focus more on workflow-style automation. Mailercloud MisarMail

• Best if this is mainly a newsletter/community: audienceful.com or mailaway.com Audienceful Mailaway

A typical small-list welcome flow you could build in any of these:

1. Immediately: “Welcome + what to expect”
2. Day 2: Best resource/tutorial/case study
3. Day 5: Your story, product education, or helpful tips
4. Day 10: Soft conversion email (book a call, try product, join community)

I’d avoid tools whose free tiers only include newsletters or a single welcome email if multi-step automation is your main requirement. getresponse.com

Yes. For a small list + multi-step welcome sequence + genuinely free forever, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: Sender

sender.net has one of the more generous free tiers: 2,500 contacts, 15,000 emails/month, and automation included. Its automation builder supports welcome sequences, drip campaigns, and behavior-triggered emails. Brevo MailToolFinder

So you could do something like:

1. Immediately: Welcome + deliver your lead magnet
2. Day 2: Helpful tip
3. Day 4: Case study/story
4. Day 7: Offer or CTA
5. Day 10: Follow-up

One important change in 2026

MailerLite used to be a particularly strong answer, but its free tier was reduced in June 2026 to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with a maximum of 3 automations. MailerLite MailerLite

Brevo is interesting if you have a lot of contacts but don't email them very frequently: its free plan is still free forever, allows up to 100,000 stored contacts, and includes marketing automation for up to 2,000 contacts, with a 300-email/day sending limit. Brevo Help

Bottom line: If your list is, say, 100–2,000 people and you specifically want a proper automated welcome series without paying, I'd start with Sender. If your list is under 250, MailerLite is also worth considering for its nicer visual workflow builder.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails the welcome sequence contains, I can narrow it to the best 1–2 options.

Yes. If the key requirement is free forever + multi-step welcome automation + a small list, there are a couple of genuinely good options.

My pick: Sender

For what you're describing, Sender is probably the strongest free-forever choice. Its current free plan includes up to 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and email automation, and its automation builder supports multi-step sequences, including welcome sequences. Sender Sender

For example, you could build:

Signup → immediately: Welcome email
↓
Day 2: "Here's how to get started"
↓
Day 4: Helpful resource/tip
↓
Day 7: Case study or social proof
↓
Day 10: Soft offer / CTA

There is no need to upgrade just to unlock the automation workflow on Sender's free plan. Sender

MailerLite is a close second

MailerLite's free tier is particularly nice if you care about the overall email-building experience. However, as of June 2026, its free plan is limited to 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 active automations, and 5 steps per automation. MailerLite MailerLite

So if your list is, say, 100–200 people, MailerLite could be an excellent choice. If you're likely to grow beyond 250 fairly quickly, I'd start with Sender instead.

Bottom line:

• Under 250 subscribers + polished/simple: MailerLite
• Up to 2,500 subscribers + serious multi-step sequences: Sender
• Huge contact database but relatively few emails/day: Brevo

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you expect to send per month, I can narrow this down to the best one and flag any hidden limitations.

For what you're describing, Sender is probably the strongest free-forever choice. Its current free plan includes up to 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and email automation, and its automation builder supports multi-step sequences, including welcome sequences. Sender Sender

For example, you could build:

Signup → immediately: Welcome email
↓
Day 2: "Here's how to get started"
↓
Day 4: Helpful resource/tip
↓
Day 7: Case study or social proof
↓
Day 10: Soft offer / CTA

There is no need to upgrade just to unlock the automation workflow on Sender's free plan. Sender

MailerLite is a close second

MailerLite's free tier is particularly nice if you care about the overall email-building experience. However, as of June 2026, its free plan is limited to 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 active automations, and 5 steps per automation.

So if your list is, say, 100–200 people, MailerLite could be an excellent choice. If you're likely to grow beyond 250 fairly quickly, I'd start with Sender instead.

Bottom line:

For a small list and a multi-step automated welcome sequence (for example: “Day 0 welcome → Day 2 tips → Day 5 case study → Day 10 offer”), you’ll want a free tier that includes actual workflows, not just autoresponders. These are some of the better options:

My shortlist for a small welcome sequence

1. Best free choice for a true multi-email welcome journey:

Sender — it explicitly includes a free automation builder with workflows, triggers, and premade sequences. Sender

2. Best if you want something polished and easy to grow into:

MailerLite — a strong fit for a newsletter + onboarding funnel. SaaS Scored

3. Best for creators/coaches/newsletters:

Kit — especially if your sequence is tied to content, lead magnets, or a course funnel. freestack.tools

A typical free-plan-friendly welcome automation would be:

• Immediately: “Thanks for joining” + deliver lead magnet
• Day 2: Introduce your story/value proposition
• Day 4: Share a useful resource or quick win
• Day 7: Invite a reply, book a call, or view an offer
• Day 14: Re-engagement/check-in email

For a small list (under a few thousand subscribers), I’d start with Sender or MailerLite unless you specifically need creator/newsletter features, in which case I’d look at Kit.

Yes. For free-forever + multi-step welcome sequences + a small list, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: Sender

sender.net

Sender is unusually generous for this use case: its free plan supports 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and unlimited automation workflows. It specifically supports welcome sequences, delays, conditions, behavioral triggers, and prebuilt workflows. Sender Sender

So you could build something like:

1. Immediately: Welcome + promised resource
2. Day 2: Helpful tip
3. Day 4: Your story / positioning
4. Day 7: Case study or useful content
5. Day 10: Offer / CTA
6. After click: Branch into a more targeted sequence

One important alternative

If your list will stay under ~250 people, MailerLite is arguably the nicer/simple choice. Its current free plan includes 3 visual automations, with up to 5 steps per automation, and 2,500 emails/month. MailerLite MailerLite

Brevo is also genuinely free forever and includes automation, but its free plan has a 300-email/day sending limit and automation is capped at 2,000 contacts. help.brevo.com

Bottom line: I'd start with Sender if the goal is specifically “build a proper multi-email welcome funnel without paying until we have traction.” MailerLite would be my pick if the list is tiny and you value a particularly polished, simple interface.

Yes. If by free-forever you mean no trial expiration and you want a genuine multi-step welcome sequence, there are a few good options as of August 2026:

🥇 My pick: Sender

sender.net

Sender is unusually generous for this use case: its Free Forever plan supports 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, and the free plan includes unlimited automation workflows, automation steps, triggers, and splits. It specifically supports welcome sequences. Sender Sender Sender

So you could build something like:

• Immediately → Welcome email
• Day 2 → Your story / what to expect
• Day 4 → Helpful resource
• Day 7 → Case study or key benefit
• Day 10 → Offer / call to action

…and keep the whole sequence on the free plan, assuming you stay within the 15,000-email monthly allowance. Sender branding remains on the free plan. Sender

🥈 Brevo

brevo.com

Brevo's free plan is also genuinely free forever and includes marketing automation. The important catch is that only up to 2,000 unique contacts can enter active automations, and you're limited to 300 email sends per day. Brevo Help Brevo Help

It's a good choice if your list is, say, 500–2,000 people and you don't send huge campaigns.

🥉 MailerLite

mailerlite.com

MailerLite still includes automations on its free plan, but its June 2026 changes made the free tier considerably smaller: 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, and up to 3 automations. MailerLite MailerLite

So I'd only choose it if your list is under 250 people and you particularly like its editor/site-building ecosystem.

Bottom line: If your primary requirement is “I want a real 5–10 email welcome sequence without paying anything while my list is small”, I'd start with Sender. It's the least restrictive of these three for actual automation. Sender Sender

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and whether you need a signup form/landing page too, I can narrow this down to the best 1–2 choices.

For a small list and an automated welcome sequence (for example: “signup → wait 2 days → send email → wait 5 days → send follow-up”), you’ll want a tool with drip sequences/workflows included on the free tier. These are some of the better fits:

My shortlist for a small welcome funnel

1. Sender — probably the easiest starting point if you want: - 3–7 email welcome sequences
2. signup triggers
3. basic segmentation
4. room to grow before paying

Sender1. Mailaway — good if your needs are simple: - “Thanks for joining”

• “Here’s your resource”
• “A few tips over the next week”
• occasional newsletters

Mailaway1. Audienceful — worth considering if you care more about content workflows and a smaller, curated audience. Audienceful

I’d be cautious with some “free forever” email tools that are mainly cold outreach sequencers rather than subscriber marketing platforms; a welcome sequence for people who opted in usually needs list management, unsubscribe handling, segmentation, and deliverability controls. AutoMailer

For a typical small list (under ~1,000–2,500 subscribers), I’d start with Sender or Mailaway. Mailaway Sender

A good starter welcome sequence would be:

1. Immediately: welcome + what they’ll receive
2. Day 2: best resource/tutorial
3. Day 5: case study or useful tip
4. Day 10: invitation to reply, book, or buy

If you tell me whether this is for a newsletter, SaaS onboarding, ecommerce, course, or lead magnet, I can narrow the choice.

Yes. If your priority is free forever + multi-step welcome sequences + a small list, I’d shortlist these:

🏆 I'd choose Sender

sender.net offers a genuinely generous free tier: 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month. Its free plan includes email automation, and Sender says you can create unlimited automation workflows with unlimited triggers and automation steps. Sender Sender Sender

So you could build something like:

1. Immediately: Welcome + deliver your lead magnet
2. Day 2: Your story / introduction
3. Day 4: Helpful tip or educational content
4. Day 7: Case study
5. Day 10: Soft pitch
6. Day 14: Final follow-up

…and keep it running on the free plan, subject to the 15,000-email monthly limit. Sender specifically supports welcome-series workflows. Sender Sender

Other good options

Brevo is interesting if your list may grow beyond 2,500 contacts. Its free plan is permanent and stores up to 100,000 contacts, with marketing automation available for up to 2,000 contacts entering active automations. The catch is the 300-email-per-day sending limit. Brevo Help Brevo Help

brevo.com

MailerLite has a very nice automation builder, but its June 2026 free-plan changes make it substantially less generous: 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, up to 3 automations, with 5 automation steps per automation. mailerlite.com mailerlite.com mailerlite.com

mailerlite.com

Bottom line: For a small list where you specifically want a proper multi-email welcome sequence without hitting a paywall, I'd start with Sender. If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (e.g. 100, 500, 2,000) and whether you need forms/landing pages too, I can narrow it down further.

Yes. If your priority is free forever + multi-step welcome sequences + a small list, I’d shortlist these:

• mailerlite.com — best overall for a small list. Its current Free plan allows 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, and 3 active automations, with up to 5 steps per automation. That’s enough for a straightforward welcome series such as Day 0 → Day 2 → Day 5 → Day 10. MailerLite MailerLite
• brevo.com — best if your list may grow quickly. The Free plan supports unlimited contacts and marketing automation for up to 2,000 contacts, but email sending is capped at 300/day. Brevo Help Brevo
• sender.net — worth considering for a more generous free allowance. Current comparisons report 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, with automation and segmentation available on the free tier. Zapier

My pick

For a small list and a conventional welcome sequence, I'd start with MailerLite. It's particularly well suited to this use case, and its automation builder supports delays, conditions, branching, and email actions. MailerLite

One important 2026 caveat: MailerLite changed its free limits in June 2026, dropping the free subscriber allowance to 250, so older reviews saying 500 or 1,000 free subscribers are outdated. MailerLite

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have (e.g. 100, 500, 2,000), I can narrow this to the best 1–2 options and compare the automation limits.

For a small list + automated welcome sequence, the key thing to check is that “free forever” includes actual multi-step workflows (delays, multiple emails, triggers), not just a free newsletter sender.

Good options to look at:

My shortlist:

1. Sender — probably the closest fit if you mean: “Someone signs up → email immediately → wait 2 days → email → wait 5 days → email.” Its free tier explicitly includes automation workflows. Sender
2. Mailercloud — worth considering if you want a more marketing-automation feel with visual flows. Mailercloud
3. Mailaway — better if you want a lightweight welcome series without a lot of complexity. Mailaway

A typical small-list welcome sequence would be:

• Email 1: immediate welcome + promised resource
• Email 2: 2–3 days later (“how to get started”)
• Email 3: 5–7 days later (case study, tips, or offer)
• Optional: tag engaged subscribers and move them to a newsletter segment

A couple of tools that are popular but may not fit your exact requirement:

• mailchimp.com has a free tier, but many automation features have changed over time and may require paid plans depending on the workflow.
• mailerlite.com is excellent for small lists, but you’ll want to verify which automation steps are included on its current free plan.

If you tell me your approximate list size (e.g., <500, 500–2,500, 2,500+) and whether this is for a newsletter, SaaS onboarding, course, or small business leads, I can narrow it down.

Yes. If the key requirement is free forever + genuine multi-step welcome automation, the shortlist is surprisingly small.

My pick: Sender

Sender is probably the best fit if you're specifically building a multi-email welcome sequence and want to stay free for a while. Its free plan includes unlimited automation workflows for up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, and the visual automation builder supports welcome sequences, nurturing, abandoned-cart flows, etc. Sender

sender.net

Best if you want a polished/easy interface: MailerLite

MailerLite is another strong choice. Its current free plan is 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with 3 active automations and 5 steps per automation. That's enough for something like:

Signup → immediate welcome → wait 2 days → educational email → wait 3 days → offer → wait 4 days → follow-up. MailerLite MailerLite

mailerlite.com

Brevo is interesting if your list is bigger

Brevo gives you a much larger contact allowance—up to 100,000 contacts—but the free plan limits sending to 300 emails/day, and its marketing automation is limited to 2,000 contacts. Brevo Help

brevo.com

Bottom line: For a small list and a real automated welcome sequence, I'd start with Sender. If you value ease of use and only have a couple hundred subscribers, MailerLite is arguably nicer.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have and how many emails you want in the welcome sequence (e.g. 5, 7, 10), I can narrow it down to the best free option.

For a small list + automated welcome sequences + free-forever, I’d focus on tools that include multi-step workflows on the free tier (many popular tools only offer a single welcome email for free). Main Street AI SaaS Scored

Automation Atlas Sprout24### My shortlist for a typical welcome sequence

1. MailerLite — probably the best starting point for a small list:

• Trigger: “new subscriber joins form”
• Email 1: immediate welcome
• Email 2: send after 2 days
• Email 3: send after 5–7 days
• Add tags/segments as people click links

It is designed around exactly this kind of nurture flow. Main Street AI

2. Brevo — better if your list may grow quickly:

• Stores large contact lists
• Useful if you send less frequently but want to keep contacts
• Automation availability depends on current free-plan limits. Automation Atlas
• Sender — worth considering if you want a simple tool with generous free limits and automation included. Automation Atlas

I would not start with Mailchimp for this specific use case: its free tier is good for basic newsletters, but multi-step welcome journeys generally require a paid plan. Main Street AI

A simple starter stack:

• Lead magnet/signup form: MailerLite form
• Sequence: 4 emails over 10–14 days
• Segmentation: tags based on clicks
• Upgrade point: only when the list or automation needs exceed the free limits

If you tell me your approximate list size (e.g., 100, 1,000, 5,000 subscribers) and whether this is for a business, SaaS, course, newsletter, or ecommerce, I can narrow it down.

Yes. For a small list + automated multi-step welcome sequence + genuinely free forever, I’d narrow it to these two:

My pick: MailerLite

For something like:

1. Subscriber signs up
2. Immediately send welcome email
3. Wait 2 days
4. Send helpful/resource email
5. Wait 3 days
6. Send product/service introduction
7. Wait 4 days
8. Send final follow-up

MailerLite is probably the cleanest fit. Its current free plan includes 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, and 3 active visual automations with up to 5 steps each. Its automation builder explicitly supports welcome sequences. MailerLite MailerLite

The important catch is the 5-step limit. If your welcome funnel needs lots of branches, conditions, or more than five steps, Brevo becomes more attractive.

When I'd choose Brevo instead

brevo.com is unusually generous with contacts: its free plan lets you store up to 100,000 contacts, and its marketing automation can handle contacts entering workflows up to a 2,000-contact limit. The free plan is genuinely free with no time limit, but email sending is capped at 300/day. Brevo Help Brevo Help

So if you expect to go from 100 → 500 → 1,500 subscribers without wanting to migrate platforms, Brevo is worth serious consideration.

Bottom line: For a small business/creator starting a straightforward automated welcome sequence, I'd start with MailerLite. If your priority is a larger free contact database and more elaborate automation, choose Brevo.

Yes. If the goal is specifically a free-forever plan that can run a multi-step welcome sequence, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

MailerLite is probably the easiest fit if you're starting with a genuinely small list. Its current free plan gives you 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 active automations, and 5 automation steps. That's enough for something like:

1. Welcome email immediately
2. Wait 2 days
3. Helpful resource
4. Wait 3 days
5. Product/service introduction

MailerLite explicitly supports welcome sequences and other trigger → delay → email workflows. MailerLite MailerLite

mailerlite.com

If 250 subscribers feels too restrictive, I'd look at Sender next. Its free tier is substantially more generous for a growing list, and independent comparisons currently identify it as one of the stronger free options for automation. Freestack MailToolFinder

Brevo is interesting if you expect to have many contacts but relatively low daily sending volume: its free plan has no time limit, allows up to 100,000 contacts, and provides 300 email sends/day. Brevo Help Brevo Help

brevo.com

One important 2026 caveat: MailerLite changed its free plan in June 2026, reducing it from 500 to 250 active subscribers and from 12,000 to 2,500 monthly emails. MailerLite

Bottom line: For a small business starting a welcome sequence today, I'd pick MailerLite unless you expect to exceed 250 subscribers fairly soon; then Sender is worth a serious look.

Yes. If your main requirement is a genuinely free-forever plan with multi-step welcome sequences, the strongest options I’d look at are:

🥇 Best fit: Sender

Sender is unusually generous for this use case. Its Free Forever plan currently allows 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, and includes unlimited automation workflows. You can build a sequence such as:

Signup → Welcome email → 2-day delay → Email #2 → 3-day delay → Email #3 → condition/branch → follow-up

Sender specifically confirms that welcome series and multi-step nurture sequences are available on its free plan. www.sender.net

🥈 MailerLite — better if your list is very small

MailerLite has a nice visual automation builder and supports welcome sequences, delays, branching, lead magnets, etc. www.mailerlite.com

The catch is that its free tier has recently become much smaller: 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, and 3 active automations with 5 steps each. www.mailerlite.com

My recommendation

If you're starting with, say, 50–2,000 subscribers, I'd choose Sender. You get considerably more room to grow without having to rebuild your sequences when you cross 250 subscribers.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you want in the welcome sequence (e.g. 5 emails over 14 days), I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options and flag the important free-plan catches.

Yes. For a small list + welcome sequence + $0 forever, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: MailerLite

For something like:

Signup → immediately send Welcome → wait 2 days → send “Start here” → wait 3 days → send best resources → wait 4 days → send offer

MailerLite's free plan supports visual automations, and its current documentation says the Free plan allows 3 active automations and 5 automation steps. It also gives you 250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails, with no time limit on the free plan. MailerLite MailerLite MailerLite

That's probably the cleanest fit if your list is genuinely small.

When I'd choose Brevo instead

Brevo is more attractive if you're expecting to exceed 250 subscribers soon. Its Free plan currently allows 100,000 stored contacts, and up to 2,000 unique contacts can enter active automations. The catch is the 300-email-per-day sending limit and Brevo branding on free emails. Brevo Help Brevo Help

It also has proper multi-step workflows with triggers, delays, conditions, and actions, including welcome sequences. Brevo Help Brevo Help

Bottom line: If you're under ~250 subscribers and want the easiest free welcome sequence, I'd start with MailerLite. If you're likely to grow beyond 250 quickly, Brevo is the more generous free option for contacts.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many emails you want in the welcome sequence, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options.

For a small list + automated welcome sequence, I’d focus on tools that include multi-step workflows on the free tier (many “free” email tools only give you broadcasts or a single welcome email). Here are the strongest options:

My shortlist:

1. Best overall for a small business welcome series: MailerLite
   • Easy visual automation builder
   • Good signup forms/landing pages
   • Clean email editor

2. Best if you want the most room before paying: Sender
   • Generous subscriber limit
   • Built-in workflows for welcome emails, re-engagement, etc. www.sender.net

3. Best simple sequence structure:
   • Email 1: immediately → “Welcome + what to expect”
   • Email 2: day 2 → helpful resource/story
   • Email 3: day 5 → case study or best content
   • Email 4: day 10 → offer, consultation, or next step

I would avoid starting with tools where “automation” means only a single autoresponder email. For a true nurture sequence, you want delays, branching/conditions, tagging, and multiple emails.

If you tell me your list size (e.g., 50, 500, 5,000 subscribers) and whether this is for newsletter, SaaS, ecommerce, coaching, or a local business, I can narrow it down.

Yes. If “free forever” + multi-step welcome sequences are the key requirements, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Sender

Sender pricing

Sender is unusually generous for this use case: its Free Forever plan supports 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, while automation workflows are unlimited. Its automation builder supports triggers, delays, conditions and multiple email steps, so you can build something like:

Signup → immediately send Welcome #1 → wait 2 days → Welcome #2 → wait 3 days → educational email → wait 4 days → offer/CTA

Sender explicitly says welcome series can be built on the free plan without automation feature gating. www.sender.net

Brevo is the runner-up

Brevo pricing/features

Brevo's free plan is also genuinely free forever and includes marketing automation, but only 2,000 unique contacts can enter active automations. It also limits sending to 300 emails/day. help.brevo.com

I'd skip MailerLite for this particular requirement

MailerLite free plan

MailerLite has a nice visual automation builder, but the free tier is more constrained: 3 visual automations, 2,500 emails/month, and a relatively small subscriber allowance. www.mailerlite.com

Bottom line: If you have, say, 100–1,000 subscribers and want a proper 4–10 email automated welcome sequence without paying, I'd start with Sender. It's the clearest match between “small list,” “multi-step automation,” and “free forever.”

Yes. If “free forever” + multi-step welcome sequences is the requirement, I’d shortlist these:

🥇 My pick: Sender

Sender is particularly attractive for what you're describing. Its Free Forever plan supports 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and unlimited automation workflows, including welcome series, lead nurturing, cart recovery, and win-back sequences. www.sender.net

So you could do something like:

Signup → immediately: Welcome + resource
Day 2: Helpful tip
Day 4: Your story / positioning
Day 7: Case study
Day 10: Soft offer

…and keep that running without a monthly subscription.

🥈 MailerLite

MailerLite is probably the nicer choice if your list is very small and you care more about ease of use/design. As of August 2026, though, its free tier is only 250 active subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, with 3 active automations and 5 steps per automation. www.mailerlite.com

That's still plenty for a basic welcome sequence.

One important distinction

I would not choose Kit just because you see “10,000 subscribers free” in comparison articles. Its free tier can be generous for newsletters, but the automation requirements can push you toward paid features. Also, several older comparison articles have outdated MailerLite limits—their free plan changed in June/August 2026. www.mailerlite.com

Bottom line: If your list is under ~2,500 and the priority is genuine multi-step automation without ever paying, I'd start with Sender. If you're under 250 and want the simplest, most polished experience, MailerLite is a strong alternative.

Yes. For a small list + true free-forever + multi-step welcome sequence, the standout right now is Sender.

1. Sender — my recommendation

Sender's Free Forever plan currently gives you up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, with email automation included. More importantly for your use case, Sender explicitly says the free tier supports unlimited automation workflows, including welcome series. www.sender.netwww.sender.net

So you could do something like:

Signup → immediately: Welcome + promised resource
+1 day: Your story / what to expect
+3 days: Helpful educational email
+5 days: Case study / social proof
+7 days: Offer or next step

And you don't have to worry about hitting a tiny automation-count limit.

2. MailerLite — polished, but the free tier got much tighter

MailerLite still has a genuinely free plan and supports welcome sequences, but as of August 13, 2026, its free plan is limited to 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 active automations, and 5 steps per automation. www.mailerlite.com

I'd choose it if your list will stay under ~250 people and you particularly like its interface.

3. Brevo — huge contact storage, but not ideal for a welcome sequence

Brevo's free plan is technically free indefinitely and can store up to 100,000 contacts, but you're limited to 300 email sends per day. help.brevo.com

For example, if 500 people enter your welcome sequence, the 300/day sending ceiling can become annoying quickly.

Bottom line: If you're starting with a small list and want to build a real 5–10 email automated welcome sequence without paying, I'd start with Sender. Its free tier is unusually generous specifically for this use case. www.sender.netwww.sender.net

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now and how many you expect within a year, I can also compare the likely long-term cost of Sender vs. MailerLite vs. Brevo.

For a small list where you specifically want automated multi-step welcome sequences (for example: “Day 0 welcome → Day 2 resource → Day 5 case study → Day 10 offer”), the free-forever options are more limited than tools that only offer a single autoresponder. Here are the strongest fits:

automationatlas.io

My shortlist for your use case:

1. MailerLite — probably the best match if your priority is a simple, true welcome sequence builder. It is designed around small businesses and newsletters, with forms, landing pages, and automation workflows. www.lead4pro.com
2. Kit — best if you are a creator (newsletter, coaching, courses, audience building), though you should verify exactly how many sequences/automations the current free tier includes before committing. www.lead4pro.comfreestack.tools
3. Brevo — worth considering if you care more about keeping contacts than building many complex journeys. automationatlas.io

For a typical small business welcome funnel, I’d look for these minimum features:

• signup-form trigger
• 3–7 email sequence steps
• delays between emails
• tags/groups or segmentation
• ability to branch later (clicked link → different follow-up)
• easy export of subscribers

A simple stack that works well:

• Lead magnet signup
• Email 1: deliver resource immediately
• Email 2: story/education after 2 days
• Email 3: proof/case study after 4–5 days
• Email 4: offer or next step after 7–10 days

If you tell me your list size (e.g., under 100, 500, 2,000) and whether it’s for a business, newsletter, course, or SaaS, I can narrow this down.

Yes. For a small list + multi-step welcome sequence + genuinely free forever, I’d shortlist these:

🥇 I'd pick Sender

Sender — Free Forever plan

Sender explicitly includes unlimited automation workflows on its free tier, including welcome sequences. The free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails/month, with no daily sending limit. www.sender.net

So you could build something like:

Signup → immediately: Welcome email
+1 day: Helpful resource
+3 days: Your story/value proposition
+5 days: Product/service introduction
+7 days: Call to action

…and keep that running without paying as long as you stay within the free limits.

MailerLite is a good alternative

MailerLite pricing

Its free plan currently allows 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, and includes a visual automation builder. The free tier is limited to 3 visual automations, though, so Sender is substantially more generous if you're planning several sequences. www.mailerlite.com

One caveat with Brevo

Brevo

Brevo's free plan is unusual because it allows up to 100,000 contacts, but you're limited to 300 email sends per day. help.brevo.com That's potentially excellent for a large dormant contact database, but less attractive if you're building active multi-email sequences.

Bottom line: For a small business starting automated welcomes today, Sender is probably the strongest free-forever choice. If your list is under 250 people and you prefer a particularly polished/simple interface, I'd also consider MailerLite.

For a small list + automated welcome sequence, the key feature is not just “autoresponders” but a visual workflow builder with multiple steps, delays, tags/segments, and triggers. These free-forever options are worth looking at:

A few others are often mentioned but have caveats:

• GetResponse has a free plan, but its full marketing automation features are more limited after the trial period; it is not as automation-friendly on the permanent free tier. www.getresponse.com
• Some “free forever” tools focus more on cold outreach sequences rather than subscriber welcome journeys, so check whether they support opt-in lists and newsletters rather than sales follow-ups. automailer.io

For a typical welcome flow like:

1. Immediately: “Welcome + resource download”
2. Day 2: “Best tips / getting started”
3. Day 5: “Case study or success story”
4. Day 10: “Offer / next step”

I’d start with:

• Sender if you want the easiest setup.
• Mailercloud if you expect to build more complex journeys.
• Mailaway if you want something simpler and creator-focused.

Before choosing, check three things:

1. Does the free tier allow automation workflows, not just newsletters?
2. Can you trigger a sequence when someone joins a list/form?
3. Can you add wait steps and conditions (opened, clicked, tagged, etc.)?

Those are the features that make a welcome sequence genuinely automated.

Yes. Sender is probably the strongest fit right now if your priority is free forever + genuine multi-step welcome automations + a small list.

Sender: Its Free Forever plan explicitly includes unlimited automation workflows, up to 2,500 subscribers, and 15,000 emails/month. Their automation builder supports welcome series and other multi-email sequences. www.sender.netwww.sender.net

Sender — Free Forever plan

MailerLite: Also a good choice, especially if you want a polished, beginner-friendly interface. The current free plan supports 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, 3 active automations, and 5 automation steps per automation. www.mailerlite.com

MailerLite — Free plan

Brevo: Its free tier is unusually generous on contacts—up to 100,000—but you're limited to 300 email sends per day, so it's less attractive for a growing welcome sequence if you need substantial daily volume. help.brevo.com

My pick

For something like:

Signup → immediately send Welcome → wait 2 days → send helpful tip → wait 3 days → send case study → wait 4 days → send offer

I'd start with Sender. It gives you considerably more breathing room on the free tier than MailerLite, while explicitly allowing unlimited automation workflows. www.sender.netwww.sender.net

One caveat: MailerLite's free plan changed in June 2026, so older recommendations saying it supports 1,000 subscribers or unlimited automation steps are outdated. www.mailerlite.com

Yes. If your priority is free forever + multi-step welcome automations + a small list, there are a few good options—but they differ quite a bit.

1. Sender — probably the best match

Sender's free plan is unusually generous: 2,500 subscribers, 15,000 emails/month, and unlimited automation workflows at $0. Their automation builder supports triggers, delays, conditions, and multi-email sequences, so you can do something like:

Signup → immediately send Welcome #1 → wait 2 days → Welcome #2 → wait 3 days → educational email → wait 4 days → offer

Sender explicitly says welcome series can be built on the free plan. www.sender.net

The main catch is Sender branding on the free plan. www.sender.net

2. Brevo — good alternative

Brevo has a genuinely free-forever tier with automation. The important distinction is that while you can store up to 100,000 contacts, only 2,000 unique contacts can enter active automations on the free plan. It also limits sending to 300 emails/day. help.brevo.com

For a list of, say, 100–500 people, that's quite workable.

3. MailerLite — nice, but I'd put it third

MailerLite has a very good visual automation builder, but its current free tier is much tighter: 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails/month, and 3 visual automations. www.mailerlite.com

So if you're specifically looking for "we can set up a welcome sequence and leave it running without paying", I'd choose Sender first.

My ranking for your use case:

1. 🥇 Sender — best combination of free limits + unlimited multi-step automation
2. 🥈 Brevo — better if you value the broader CRM/multichannel ecosystem
3. 🥉 MailerLite — excellent interface, but the free limits are now quite small

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have (e.g. 100, 500, 2,000) and whether you need forms/landing pages too, I can narrow it down to the best one.

For a small list + automated welcome sequences, the strongest free-forever options are limited, but a few are genuinely usable:

My shortlist

1. MailerLite — probably the best fit

• Free plan supports up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. www.mailerlite.com
• Includes visual automations on the free plan, with multi-step workflows (for example: welcome email → wait → follow-up email → tag/segment). www.mailerlite.com
• Good beginner workflow builder.
• Good for:
  • lead magnet delivery
  • 3–7 email welcome series
  • newsletter onboarding
  • basic segmentation

Example welcome flow:

1. Signup form submitted
2. Immediately send “Welcome + download” email
3. Wait 2 days
4. Send “How to get the most value” email
5. Wait 3 days
6. Send case study/customer story
7. Tag engaged subscribers

2. Brevo — good if you expect more sending

• Free plan allows up to 300 emails/day. www.brevo.com
• Stronger if you need email plus SMS or transactional messaging.
• Its more advanced multi-step marketing automation features are generally positioned in paid tiers. www.brevo.com

3. EmailOctopus — good lightweight alternative

• Nice if you want a simple, inexpensive-feeling tool without lots of marketing extras.
• Better for straightforward sequences than complex branching funnels.

What I’d pick:

• Under ~250 subscribers: MailerLite.
• Need more daily sending or SMS: Brevo.
• Want the simplest possible drip emails: EmailOctopus.

For a small list, I’d avoid tools that advertise “free” but lock automations behind trials—many popular platforms only give automation temporarily. www.brevo.com

A few questions would change the recommendation:

1. How many subscribers do you expect in the next 6–12 months?
2. Is the welcome sequence for a newsletter, lead magnet, course, or product/service sales funnel?
3. Do you need integrations with something like WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, or a CRM?

For a small list and automated welcome sequences, you’ll want a platform that has drip/multi-step workflows, not just autoresponders. These are some of the better free-forever options:

My shortlist:

1. Best simple choice: SendFox
   • Good if your welcome sequence is something like:
     • Email 1: “Thanks for joining”
     • Wait 2 days
     • Email 2: “Here’s your guide”
     • Wait 5 days
     • Email 3: “Best resources”
   • Very lightweight. sendfox.comfreestack.tools

2. Best automation features without paying: Sender
   • Better if you want branching, segmentation, and more “marketing automation” style workflows. www.sender.net

3. Best if you’ll grow into a creator/newsletter business: Kit
   • Strong tagging and automation model, especially for lead magnets and courses. freestack.tools

A few others that look free but may not fit:

• GetResponse Free has a free plan, but the more advanced automation features are more constrained after the trial period. www.getresponse.com
• Self-hosted options like Octeth Community License can be truly free but require technical setup. octeth.com

For a welcome sequence for fewer than 1,000–2,000 subscribers, I’d start with SendFox (simple) or Sender (more automation power). If you tell me your use case (newsletter, SaaS onboarding, course, local business, ecommerce, nonprofit, etc.), I can narrow it down.