11 Best Autoresponder for Affiliate Marketing in 2023 (Free and Paid)
An autoresponder, also know as email marketing software, is an essential part of your affiliate marketing toolkit. In fact, it’s one of THE MOST important tools you can use to scale your online business.
In 2022, my business generated $87,500 in affiliate commissions just from the emails I sent to my list using my autoresponder, which makes up for approximately 80% of my total business revenue.
There are 2 main reasons for this:
- I was following up with potential leads that looked at my offers, but did not purchase.
- I was able to do repeat business with customers that had already purchased from me in the past.
In addition to that, on a monthly basis I earn affiliate commissions on first time purchases from customers that have been on my email list for longer than 1 year.
Needless to say, you NEED an autoresponder if you want to be a highly profitable affiliate marketer.
The best autoresponder for affiliate marketing in my opinion is easily Aweber, which is the first tool on this list I’ll be covering for a number of reasons, but I have tried a quite a few so in this article I’ll be breaking down 11 autoresponders that work great for affiliate marketers.
What Is The Best Autoresponder for Affiliate Marketing in 2023?
Aweber
(Best Overall)
Aweber is the best autoresponder for affiliate marketing and is a pioneer in the affiliate marketing industry. Aweber is used by over 100,000 marketers worldwide and includes a forever free plan to get started 100% risk free.
GetResponse
(Best For Beginners)
GetResponse offers a lot of features beyond just being an email marketing tool. Including a CRM, sales funnel builder, and webinars. GetResponse also includes a free starter plan, allowing you to get started risk free.
Systeme
(Best Forever Free)
Systeme offers a forever free starter plan and is an incredibly robust all-in-one platform for affiliate marketers. Build sales funnels, create workflows, automate email campaigns and even build digital courses all in one place.
Disclaimer: There are affiliate links on this page. If you click a link and make a purchase I may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. Rest assured, I will only provide links and recommend products I truly believe to be of value to you.
The best autoresponder for affiliate marketing isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on your business size, marketing goals, and technical know-how.
Another important factor is whether or not it is an affiliate friendly autoresponder. Some email marketing platforms, like ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp, do not allow any affiliate links in the emails you send. Hence, they didn’t make this list.
However, Aweber consistently comes out on top for its robust features, free starter plan, and user-friendly interface, making it an excellent choice for most affiliate marketers. But don’t worry if Aweber doesn’t seem like the right fit for you.
With options like GetResponse for beginners, Systeme.io offering a free plan, and others specializing in specific areas like email marketing automation, you’re sure to find the perfect autoresponder to scale your income as an affiliate marketer.
Remember, the best autoresponder for affiliate marketing is one that fits your unique needs and helps you automate your affiliate business effectively. So, let’s dive deeper into these options to help you make an informed decision.
#1: Aweber – Best Overall
Overview
Aweber is a trusted autoresponder platform designed to help both seasoned affiliate marketers and newbies streamline their affiliate campaigns. It offers an intuitive interface, powerful automation features, and a variety of templates that make designing engaging emails a breeze.
Aweber also has the ability to integrate with almost any other software you can think of, like wordpress, clickfunnels and more. Also, with Aweber’s new artificial intelligence features that are built in, writing follow up emails for your list has never been easier.
Aweber has been my personal go to email marketing software since my first affiliate campaign and ever since I have not had a reason to switch. I do not foresee myself ever outgrowing the platform.
Highlights
Aweber’s email automation allows you to create custom email sequences, freeing up valuable time.
A/B testing helps optimize your email marketing for better engagement.
With their drag-and-drop email builder, crafting beautiful emails is straightforward, even without technical knowledge.
Aweber’s extensive template library provides a variety of design options for engaging emails.
The analytics and reporting tools give you detailed insights into your email campaigns’ performance. Including open rates, click rates, who clicked on what particular links, as well as a visual graph to show your list growth over time.
Advanced tagging capabilities are also a key component of what makes Aweber’s campaign automations so robust.
Pricing
Aweber offers a Free Plan for up to 500 subscribers, with VERY limited features. Their Plus Plan starts at $29.99 per month for up to 500 subscribers and unlimited email sends and goes up as your list size increases.
My Take
Aweber is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a user-friendly, robust, and efficient affiliate marketing autoresponder. With a free plan available, you can test the waters before diving in, making it a relatively risk-free option to boost your affiliate business. Aweber’s easy-to-use features and affordable pricing make it a go-to for many affiliate marketers.
My personal experience with Aweber is what put it at the top of this list as the best autoresponder for affiliate marketing.
#2: GetResponse – Best For Beginners
Overview
GetResponse is a comprehensive email marketing tool that’s perfect for beginners stepping into the world of affiliate marketing. Beyond being an autoresponder, it offers an all-in-one marketing solution with features like a sales funnel builder, webinars, and CRM.
Highlights
Easy-to-use email editor makes crafting professional emails simple, even for beginners.
The autoresponder feature allows for automated email sequences based on user behavior and preferences.
GetResponse provides landing page builders, enabling you to create high-converting landing pages easily.
It includes a webinar platform, extending your marketing opportunities beyond just emails.
Their CRM system helps manage customer relationships more effectively.
Pricing
GetResponse offers four pricing tiers, starting with the FREE plan for up to 500 subscribers. Their next tier, the one you’ll probably benefit most from starts at $19/month and increases with your list size.
My Take
GetResponse is the ideal email marketing tool for beginners in the affiliate marketing business, offering easy-to-navigate features and comprehensive solutions. Its all-in-one marketing suite is a bonus that can help expand your digital marketing horizons beyond email campaigns. Try it out with their limited free plan and see if it suits your affiliate marketing needs.
#3: Systeme.io – Best Free Plan
Overview
Systeme.io is a multi-functional platform that goes beyond just being an autoresponder. It’s particularly well-suited for entrepreneurs who want to automate their entire online business, including sales funnels, email marketing, and even course creation.
Highlights
Email marketing automation feature allows for extremely beginner friendly and streamlined and efficient email campaigns.
The platform includes an integrated sales funnel builder, helping to optimize conversions.
You can also create and sell online courses, making it an excellent tool for infopreneurs.
It offers a built-in affiliate program, so you can increase revenue by promoting Systeme.io itself.
It offers extremely competitive pricing when compared to other softwares that offer similar features.
Related Article: Looking for more info? Check out Comprehensive Systeme.io Review (2023) – Read Before You Buy
My Take
Systeme.io is a versatile tool, ideal for affiliate marketers who want more than just an autoresponder. If you’re interested in automating several aspects of your affiliate business or branching out into selling digital products, Systeme.io’s free plan is a great starting point. One major downside to this platform is that even on the highest plan, they do not offer any options for integration with other platforms without using a 3rd party software like Zapier.
Give their free plan a shot and experience the platform’s capabilities for yourself.
#4: ConvertKit
Overview
ConvertKit is an email marketing platform designed with creators in mind. It’s an excellent autoresponder for affiliate marketing, offering tools for building an audience, sending email broadcasts, and setting up automated email sequences.
Highlights
Easy-to-use interface designed to simplify email marketing for creators.
Features landing pages and sign-up forms to grow your audience and engage subscribers.
Allows for personalized email marketing automation to nurture your subscribers.
Integration with ecommerce platforms supports selling digital products directly to your audience.
ConvertKit is known to be the most affiliate-friendly autoresponder on the market.
Pricing
ConvertKit offers a free plan for up to 1000 subscribers, with limited features. Paid plans start at $9/month, which includes unlimited landing pages, email sends, and automations.
My Take
ConvertKit is an ideal autoresponder for affiliate marketers who are also creators, offering tools to help grow and engage your audience while selling your digital products. If you’re a content creator looking to monetize your work through affiliate marketing, try ConvertKit’s free plan to get a feel for its capabilities.
#5: Kartra Mail
Overview
Kartra Mail is an integral part of the Kartra all-in-one marketing platform, offering advanced email marketing capabilities. It’s an excellent choice for affiliate marketers who value powerful automation and personalization in their email campaigns.
Highlights
A large variety of email templates help create visually appealing emails.
With its advanced automation features, you can segment your audience, schedule emails, and track performance.
Allows personalization in email campaigns, increasing engagement and conversion rates.
Features a built-in analytics tool to evaluate your email marketing campaigns’ effectiveness.
As part of an all-in-one platform, Kartra Mail can integrate seamlessly with your landing pages, sales funnels, and ecommerce features.
Pricing
Kartra offers various pricing plans starting from $99/month, which include access to all Kartra features, including Kartra Mail. The plans differ mainly in the number of contacts and monthly email sends.
My Take
Kartra Mail is a robust option for affiliate marketers who want to integrate their email marketing with other digital marketing tools on a single platform. While it may be a pricier option, its comprehensive features offer a level of convenience and automation that can be worth the investment. They offer a $1 trial for 14 days, a perfect chance for you to test out their comprehensive solution.
#6: Email Octopus
Overview
Email Octopus is an affordable email marketing service that provides an easy-to-use platform for managing your email campaigns. It’s a suitable autoresponder for affiliate marketing, particularly for those working within a tight budget.
Highlights
Provides affordable email marketing software with an intuitive user interface.
Allows the creation of beautiful and responsive email templates to engage your audience.
Offers powerful email marketing automation for setting up automated emails and drip campaigns.
Provides in-depth email campaign analytics to track opens, clicks, and more.
Integration with third-party apps enhances functionality.
Pricing
Email Octopus offers a free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers. Their Pro plan, starting at $8 per month, offers unlimited emails, automation, and more advanced analytics, cost increases based on subscriber count and email sends but remains very affordable.
My Take
Email Octopus is an excellent choice for budget-conscious affiliate marketers seeking a simple yet powerful autoresponder. With its free plan and low-cost Pro plan, you can manage your email campaigns and automation effectively without breaking the bank. Try out their free plan to start managing your affiliate marketing efforts economically.
#7: Sendlane
Overview
Sendlane is a data-driven email marketing platform that focuses on automation and optimizing customer journeys. The autoresponder tool is designed for savvy affiliate marketers who want to personalize and automate their email marketing. The ability to follow up via SMS makes this autoresponder really stand out amongst others on this list.
Highlights
Provides advanced email marketing automation to optimize your customer journeys.
Offers behavioral-based email campaigns to increase engagement.
Deep data tracking and analytics provide insights into your campaigns’ performance.
Offers landing pages, SMS Marketing and sign up forms to help grow your email list.
Seamlessly integrates with your favorite marketing apps for enhanced functionality.
Pricing
Sendlane’s pricing starts at $100/month for up to unlimited contacts, which makes their pricing structure very unique as you are only paying for email sends. Their lowest tier, including 50,000 email sends and no SMS marketing will cost you $100/month and increases from there. So if you have 1,000 subscribers, you can send them 50 emails or less per month and remain within the parameters of their lowest tier.
My Take
Sendlane is an excellent autoresponder for affiliate marketers who wish to leverage SMS follow up in addition to their email campaigns. While it might be a little pricey for beginners, the in-depth analytics and robust automation capabilities can offer a significant return on investment.
#8: MailerCloud
Overview
MailerCloud is an easy-to-use, feature-rich email marketing platform that makes the process of creating and managing email campaigns straightforward. It’s a great autoresponder for affiliate marketing, especially for those who appreciate a clean, intuitive interface.
Highlights
Allows the creation of email templates to capture your audience’s attention.
Provides comprehensive email automation features for creating effective email marketing campaigns.
Offers advanced analytics and reporting to gauge your campaigns’ success.
Includes email deliverability features to maximize your emails’ reach.
Allows easy integration with multiple third-party apps to enhance its functionality.
Pricing
MailerCloud pricing starts with their free plan which is capped at 12,000 emails per month. Their premium tier starts at $10/month for unlimited emails up to 1,000 contacts and increases from there with features such as unlimited emails, automation, and free email templates included.
My Take
MailerCloud is a perfect choice for affiliate marketers who value simplicity without sacrificing advanced features. If you’re looking for a tool that streamlines email marketing while still offering powerful automation and analytics, MailerCloud is worth a try. They offer a free plan, so give it a spin to see if it fits your affiliate marketing needs.
#9: Sendx.io
Overview
Sendx.io is an intuitive and affordable email marketing software that is ideal for affiliate marketers. It’s a reliable autoresponder for affiliate marketing, offering robust email automation and optimization features.
Highlights
Offers an all-in-one email marketing solution for your affiliate marketing business.
Comes with highly customizable email templates for various marketing campaigns.
Includes advanced email automation features for setting up your autoresponder sequences.
Offers 24/7 customer support, ensuring you get assistance whenever you need it.
Its email deliverability rates are among the highest in the industry.
Pricing
Sendx.io’s pricing starts at $7.49/month for up to 1,000 subscribers. This plan includes unlimited email sending, access to all features, and 24/7 support.
My Take
Sendx.io is a great pick for affiliate marketers, especially those looking for affordability without skimping on advanced features. It’s an excellent choice if you want a feature-packed platform without breaking the bank. Their 14-day free trial makes it even more attractive to test out their service.
#10: Constant Contact
Overview
Constant Contact is a widely recognized name in the email marketing industry because it is the most affiliate friendly autoresponder, providing a robust set of features for businesses of all sizes. As a leading autoresponder for affiliate marketing, it offers excellent marketing automation, email templates, and tracking tools.
Highlights
Offers professional, mobile-responsive email templates for various affiliate campaigns.
Includes advanced marketing automation for nurturing your leads effectively.
Provides integrated ecommerce tools, making it suitable for ecommerce based affiliate sites.
Comes with detailed analytics and reporting to help measure your campaign’s performance.
Provides top-notch customer support to ensure your queries are always answered.
Pricing
Constant Contact pricing begins at $12/month for the lite plan, which is based on the number of contacts.
My Take
Constant Contact is a perfect affiliate friendly autoresponder choice for affiliate marketers looking for a comprehensive solution that extends beyond email. With its ecommerce integration and advanced automation features, it suits businesses seeking an all-in-one marketing solution.
#11: Drip
Overview
Drip is a sophisticated and powerful autoresponder for affiliate marketing that stands out for its deep automation and customization capabilities. It’s designed for ecommerce businesses and is packed with features to facilitate personalized customer experiences.
Highlights
Offers highly sophisticated marketing automation to create personalized customer journeys.
Includes detailed tracking and reporting to analyze and optimize your email marketing campaigns.
Comes with advanced segmentation features to target your subscribers effectively.
Provides excellent ecommerce integration, making it ideal for ecommerce businesses.
Allows drip email campaigns to nurture leads and convert them into customers.
Pricing
Drip’s pricing starts at $39/month for up to 2,500 contacts, with unlimited email sends and all features included.
My Take
Drip is an excellent autoresponder for affiliate marketing as well as the ecommerce space that offers advanced automation and personalization features. Its ability to handle drip email campaigns and sophisticated customer journeys makes it stand out. Try it out using their 14-day free trial.
What Is An Autoresponder For Affiliate Marketing?
Autoresponder software is a tool that allows you to completely automate your email marketing. Its purpose extends beyond merely automating email responses; it’s a strategic tool that can significantly streamline and elevate your email marketing efforts.
This software can send predetermined email sequences to subscribers or potential customers based on specific triggers or time intervals. For instance, when a new subscriber joins your list, the autoresponder can automatically send a welcome email, followed by a series of emails offering valuable content, product recommendations, or special promotions related to your affiliate partnerships.
A significant advantage of autoresponders is their ability to enable a ‘set it and forget it’ style of email marketing, allowing for a more hands-off approach. Once the email sequence is set up, the autoresponder will execute your email marketing strategy round the clock, ensuring a consistent, timely, and personalized interaction with your subscribers.
To delve into a specific example, imagine that you’re an affiliate marketer in the fitness industry. You could configure your autoresponder to send a series of emails to new subscribers, starting with a welcome email expressing gratitude for their subscription.
The subsequent emails could include tips for healthier living, workout plans, motivational content, and strategically placed promotions for high-quality fitness equipment or health supplements you’re affiliated with.
The sequence might culminate with a special offer or discount on the promoted products, creating a sense of urgency to stimulate the purchase decision.
Moreover, autoresponders can be designed to react to various subscriber behaviors. For instance, if a subscriber opens an email but doesn’t click on the product link, the autoresponder could send a follow-up email focusing on the benefits of the product or providing additional testimonials.
On the other hand, if a subscriber clicks on the product link but doesn’t purchase, the autoresponder might send an email offering additional incentives, like free shipping or a time-limited discount.
Another crucial feature of autoresponders is their analytics capabilities. Most autoresponder platforms provide detailed analytics that track email open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and more.
This data can offer invaluable insights into your email campaign’s performance and your audience’s behavior, helping you refine your strategy for increased effectiveness.
Furthermore, autoresponders can segment your email list based on various criteria like geographical location, purchase history, engagement level, etc. This capability is extremely beneficial for tailoring your emails to the specific needs and preferences of different subscriber groups, which can significantly boost engagement and conversion rates.
An autoresponder for affiliate marketing is more than just an automatic email sender. It’s a versatile tool that helps affiliate marketers manage their email list, automate their marketing communications, track campaign performance, and personalize their interactions with subscribers.
The correct use of an autoresponder can result in significant growth of your affiliate marketing business by increasing your efficiency, saving you time, and multiplying your conversions.
Who Should Use Autoresponders?
Autoresponders are a boon for affiliate marketers, digital marketers, and any business owners who rely on email marketing to nurture leads, promote products, and maintain customer engagement. They’re especially crucial for affiliate marketing businesses, where nurturing relationships with potential customers can significantly impact conversions.
Benefits of Using an Autoresponder for Affiliate Marketing
Here are some benefits of employing an autoresponder as an affiliate marketer::
Automation: Autoresponders automate email marketing campaigns, freeing up valuable time for other critical business tasks.
Efficiency: They enable the sending of personalized, targeted emails at optimal times, enhancing email marketing efficiency.
Scalability: As your subscriber list grows, an autoresponder helps manage and respond to the increasing volume effectively.
Increased Conversions: Through consistent, targeted communication, autoresponders can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Remember, the best autoresponder for affiliate marketing is the one that aligns well with your specific needs and marketing goals. Therefore, evaluate your requirements, check the pricing plans, and make an informed decision.
Wrapping Up
Keeping in mind that not all autoresponders or email marketing software are affiliate friendly, you have to be careful which platform you choose to get all set up in. The last thing that you want to do is get all set up and then get your account closed because your affiliate link violated their terms of use.
So based on my experience as a 2+ year full-time affiliate marketer, here’s the verdict:
- If you are looking for a great free option that can run your entire business in one place, that includes a more than sufficient affiliate-friendly autoresponder, then your best bet will be Systeme.io.
- If beginner friendly is what you’re after, then GetResponse with their simple to use interface and extensive knowledge base will be a good fit.
- Lastly, if you want to most robust and capable software, that is considerably underpriced in my opinion, and will work seamlessly with any other software you use in your business, then the obvious answer is going to be Aweber.
But there’s a catch.
The best autoresponder for affiliate marketing isn’t going to magically make commissions pour in just because you’re using it to send your emails. You need to build up your copywriting muscles, know how to present offers, and speak to your audience in a way that is persuasive, but clearly shows that you understand them.
This is a learned skill, this isn’t something that me or any other email marketer is gifted with.
I know I have sent a lot of email that resulted in very poor open rates, even lower click rates, and ZERO earnings.
When I took the time to study copywriting and treated my list properly, I saw my results skyrocket. Now I can rely on my email list to provide me with consistent revenue week after week, just by sending emails about information and products that my list is truly interested in.
And structuring my emails the correct way.
Let me introduce you to the best resource available, from an extremely reputable company, that will take any mediocre word typer and forge them into a senior copywriter that can write emails, blogs, and sales letters that convert sales at a very high level.
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You’ll also be able to sit through as experts audit real ad copy and email drafts submitted by students, and perform comprehensive breakdowns of the writing and how to maximize conversions.
And the best part, I’ve partnered with Dave to connect you with this powerful training, and if you use the button below you can get all 9 modules of the training, Dave’s list of 250 attention grabbing headlines, and real templates from his $250 Million dollar business for only $1.
Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this article. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no additional cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need an autoresponder for affiliate marketing?
Yes, you need an autoresponder for affiliate marketing. It automates email marketing, ensuring your audience consistently receives valuable content and promotional materials. This helps nurture leads, boost engagement, improve conversion rates, and ultimately, increase sales from your affiliate marketing business.
99.9% of your traffic is not going to purchase an offer the first time they see it, especially if you’re a content marketer or running paid ads. Implementing follow up in your campaign using an email autoresponder is crucial.
As an affiliate marketer myself, 80%+ of my conversions come directly from an automated email.
What is the easiest autoresponder to use?
GetResponse is often recognized as the easiest autoresponder to use, especially for beginners. It offers a user-friendly interface, a variety of pre-designed email templates, and intuitive drag-and-drop email editor. Plus, their customer support is top-notch, assisting users to navigate any challenges swiftly.
What percentage of people succeed with affiliate marketing?
Approximately 5-10% of people truly succeed in affiliate marketing. Success largely depends on factors like niche selection, marketing strategies, persistence, and use of essential tools like autoresponders. It’s crucial to note that affiliate marketing is not a get-rich-quick scheme but requires consistent effort and smart strategies.
Anyone can be successful with affiliate marketing, but most quit before the miracle happens. As with any online or offline business model, results take time. To get the best overall odd’s of success, getting a proper education and learning cutting edge strategies that are working today in the world of affiliate marketing is highly recommended.
How do I automate my affiliate marketing website?
To automate your affiliate marketing website, you can employ tools like autoresponders for email marketing automation, use plugins for automatic content updates, implement social media scheduling tools for consistent posts, and use SEO tools for keyword tracking and analysis. Additionally, you can automate data analysis using Google Analytics or similar platforms.
What is the easiest way to build my email list?
The easiest way to build your email list is by offering valuable incentives or “lead magnets” to your website visitors in exchange for their email addresses. These can be eBooks, checklists, webinars, or exclusive content. Implement sign-up forms on your website, particularly on high-traffic pages. Use social media to promote your lead magnet and use tools like pop-ups or landing pages to capture leads.
Making it irresistible for your traffic to not provide an email in exchange for the value they are going to receive from you is key to building a large and engaged email list.
How many emails should I be sending to my subscribers?
The number of emails you should send to your subscribers varies depending on your industry, audience, and the type of content you provide. However, a general rule of thumb is to send 1-3 emails per week. Too many emails may cause subscribers to feel spammed, leading to higher unsubscribe rates. The key is to maintain consistency and provide valuable content with each email.
In other words, you always want to be emailing. Everytime you send an email it is an opportunity to provide value to your audience and capture another sale.