Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is built for people who sell what they know: coaches, consultants, creators and service businesses. It does three things very well: it helps you grow a list, it makes automations easy to understand, and it lets you sell digital products without bolting on another tool.

The short verdict

My score: 8.8/10 (Excellent). If you want an email list that earns, rather than a newsletter that just goes out, Kit is the easiest place to start. The free plan is generous enough to prove the idea before you pay.

What I like

• Generous free plan. You can build forms, landing pages and send newsletters before you spend anything.

• Visual automation builder. Welcome sequences and follow-ups are laid out as a simple flow, so you can see exactly what happens when someone joins.

• Sell products and paid newsletters. Guides, courses and paid subscriptions can be sold straight from Kit.

What I'd watch out for

• Fewer design templates. Kit leans towards clean, text-led emails. If you want highly designed promotional emails, you'll have less to start from.

• Gets pricier as your list grows. Pricing rises with subscriber numbers, so check the cost at two or three times your current list size.

• Basic reporting on lower plans. Deeper insights sit on the higher tiers.

Who it's for

Experts and service businesses who use email to build trust and sell: a weekly newsletter, a welcome sequence that introduces your services, and the odd digital product.

Who should skip it

Shops sending lots of image-heavy promotions, or businesses that need email tightly joined to a sales CRM, may be better served by ActiveCampaign or a platform built around ecommerce.

Whatever platform you choose, write a three-email welcome sequence first. It's the automation that does the most work for the least effort.

The numbers

• Free plan: Yes

• Paid from: $33/mo billed yearly

• Sell products: Yes

• Best for: Creators and coaches

Next steps

Start Kit free, read Kit vs Mailchimp, or see all my email picks.