Is the Emailit lifetime deal actually worth your money, or just another hyped AppSumo offer?
Recently I have tested Emailit to find out. My rating: 7.5/10. It’s a solid no-subscription email platform with real potential.
Quick verdict: Emailit delivers on its core promise of affordable, subscription-free email sending via SMTP and REST API. You’ll get lifetime access starting at just $44 (85% off regular pricing) with up to 250,000 monthly credits depending on your tier.
60-day money-back guarantee makes this low-risk to test yourself.
Note: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Quick Overview: Emailit at a Glance
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Founder | Jiří Žižka |
| Founded | April 2015 |
| Headquarters | Prague, Czechia |
| Deal Type | AppSumo Lifetime Deal |
| Price Range | $44-$319 (85% off) |
| Monthly Credits | 20,000-250,000 (depending on tier) |
| Best For | Developers, Marketers, Ecommerce |
| User Rating | 4.49/5 stars (134 reviews) |
| Refund Policy | 60-day money-back guarantee |
| Alternative To | SendGrid, Mailgun, SMTP2GO |
Emailit positions itself as a no-subscription email platform built for people tired of monthly fees. The platform launched in 2015, so it’s been around for over a decade.
The company is small (1-10 employees) and bootstrapped, which explains both the affordable pricing and occasional scaling issues. The 85% discount makes this one of the most competitive email service deals available right now.
If you’re looking for a SendGrid alternative without recurring costs, this deal deserves serious consideration.
My Hands-On Experience with Emailit
I have tested and reseachered Emailit using both the campaign builder and SMTP integration. Here’s what actually happened during my testing.
Setup took about 15 minutes. Adding my domain was straightforward. The platform walks you through DNS records (DKIM, SPF, DMARC) with clear instructions. Real-time verification showed me exactly which records were configured correctly.
The catch? My first test emails had terrible deliverability. About 30% bounced or went to spam. This freaked me out initially.
Turns out, new accounts start in an “onboarding pool” with poor sender reputation. I emailed support asking to be moved to a production pool. They responded within 2 hours and fixed it.
After moving pools, deliverability improved dramatically. My test newsletter to 50 contacts delivered in under 10 seconds. Open rates jumped to 28%, which is solid for cold testing.
I integrated Emailit with WordPress using SMTP. Configuration took 5 minutes using the API key as the password. Transactional emails (password resets, order confirmations) sent reliably after that.
The interface is clean and fast. No bloated menus or confusing dashboards. Everything I needed was 1-2 clicks away. Email history, bounce management, and analytics are easy to find.
One frustration: link tracking uses a shared domain right now. This can trigger spam filters. CNAME support is promised for December 2025, which should fix this issue.
Overall, Emailit works well once you get past the onboarding hurdles. Just expect to contact support initially for verification.
What Is Emailit?
Emailit is an email delivery platform that lets you send transactional and marketing emails without monthly subscriptions.
You pay once for lifetime access. Then you get monthly email credits that renew automatically. No recurring bills, no surprise charges.
The platform works through three methods: SMTP integration, REST API, or the built-in campaign builder. This gives you flexibility whether you’re a developer or a marketer.
Transactional emails are automated messages like password resets, order confirmations, and shipping updates. These are triggered by user actions on your website or app.
Marketing emails are newsletters, promotional campaigns, and announcements you send to your subscriber list. Emailit handles both types equally well.
The no-subscription model is what sets Emailit apart from competitors like SendGrid or Mailgun. Those platforms charge $20-$100+ monthly. Emailit charges you once and gives you credits for life.
You control your “from” address and sending domains. You manage your own email lists and campaigns. You own your data and email infrastructure.
Think of Emailit as your personal email server without the technical headaches. You get professional email delivery without hiring a DevOps team or managing servers yourself.
Key Features Of Emailit
Let me walk you through what Emailit actually offers. I’ll focus on features that save you time and money, not just technical specs.
Email Sending Options
Emailit gives you three ways to send emails, which means it works with almost any setup you have.
SMTP integration is the easiest option. You add Emailit’s SMTP server to your WordPress site, ecommerce platform, or any app that supports SMTP. It takes about 5 minutes. Your app sends emails through Emailit’s servers instead of your hosting provider.
REST API is for developers who want full control. You can trigger emails from your code, customize templates dynamically, and handle responses programmatically. The API documentation is clear and includes code examples in multiple languages.
Built-in campaign builder lets you create and send newsletters without touching code. You build your email list (called “audiences”), design your campaign, and hit send. No integration required.
The platform delivers emails in an average of 6 seconds to recipient inboxes. That’s faster than most competitors I’ve tested. For transactional emails (password resets, order confirmations), speed matters. Your users won’t wait around.
Domain Management & Authentication
Adding domains is where Emailit shines compared to basic SMTP plugins.
You can add unlimited sending domains (depending on your tier). Each domain gets its own authentication records, which improves deliverability and prevents your emails from landing in spam.
DNS configuration includes DKIM, SPF, MX, and DMARC records. These are technical terms, but Emailit explains what each one does. You copy-paste the values into your domain registrar. The platform shows real-time verification status.
This matters because properly authenticated emails have much higher delivery rates. Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo check these records before accepting your emails.
You control your “from” address completely. Want emails to come from “[email protected]”? Easy. Want different addresses for different campaigns? Also easy. This keeps your branding consistent.
The interface shows which domains are verified, which are pending, and which have errors. No guessing involved.
Email List Verification
Bad email addresses kill your sender reputation. Emailit helps you clean your lists before sending.
Bulk verification accepts CSV or Excel files. Upload your list, wait a few minutes, and download a report. The report flags invalid addresses, disposable emails (like 10minutemail), and risky contacts.
This reduces bounce rates dramatically. Lower bounces mean better sender reputation. Better reputation means more emails reach inboxes instead of spam folders.
You can also verify single emails manually. Useful for checking new signups or important contacts before sending.
The verification tool is included in all tiers. Some competitors charge extra for this feature, so getting it included saves money.
Analytics & Tracking
You need to know if your emails actually worked. Emailit tracks the metrics that matter.
Email history shows every message you’ve sent. You can see delivery status, open rates, click rates, and any errors. This makes troubleshooting easy when something goes wrong.
Webhook support lets you automate actions based on email events. When someone opens your email, clicks a link, or an email bounces, the webhook triggers your custom code. Great for updating CRM systems or tracking user behavior.
Bounce management happens in the Suppressions tab. You see which emails hard failed and why. You can remove them from future campaigns automatically.
The dashboard gives you a clear view of deliveries, opens, and clicks without overwhelming you with data. Just the essentials you actually need.
Collaboration Features
If you’re working with a team, Emailit supports multiple workspace members.
Member limits depend on your tier (1-4 members). Each person gets their own login. You can assign different domains and campaigns to different team members.
This works well for agencies managing multiple clients. Each client can have their own domain and workspace without mixing data.
The collaboration tools are basic but functional. Don’t expect advanced permission controls or role-based access. Everyone on your workspace has full access.
Emailit Lifetime Deal Pricing Tiers: Complete Breakdown
Choosing the right tier saves you money and avoids upgrade headaches later. Here’s what each plan includes.
| Feature | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $44 | $64 | $169 | $319 |
| Regular Price | $288 | $576 | $864 | $1,152 |
| Monthly Credits | 20,000 | 50,000 | 100,000 | 250,000 |
| Domains | 1 | 2 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Team Members | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Campaigns | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| SMTP/API | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email Verification | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webhooks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Discord Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Optional Add-on: Data Retention (+$149) extends how long Emailit stores your email data. Available for all tiers.
Which Tier Should You Choose?
Tier 1 ($44) works for solopreneurs and small sites. You get 20,000 emails per month, which is about 650 emails daily. Perfect for WordPress blogs, small ecommerce stores, or personal projects. The single domain limit means you pick one sending domain.
Tier 2 ($64) adds a second domain and team member. You get 50,000 monthly credits (1,600 emails daily). Good for freelancers managing multiple client sites or small agencies. The extra domain lets you separate personal and business emails.
Tier 3 ($169) is the sweet spot for most users. You get 100,000 credits monthly (3,300 emails daily) and unlimited domains. This tier makes sense if you manage multiple brands, client sites, or run several campaigns. Three team members let you collaborate without sharing passwords.
Tier 4 ($319) handles serious volume. 250,000 monthly credits means 8,300 emails daily. Best for ecommerce businesses with heavy transactional email needs or marketing agencies sending client campaigns. Four team members support larger teams.
Credits renew monthly but don’t roll over. If you send 15,000 emails one month, the unused 5,000 credits disappear. Plan your campaigns accordingly.
You can check the Emailit AppSumo deal page to see current pricing and any bonus offers.
User Experience: Interface and Ease of Use
The interface makes or breaks email platforms. Complex dashboards waste time. Emailit keeps things simple.
The dashboard is clean and minimal. No cluttered menus or overwhelming options. Everything sits in a left sidebar: Domains, Campaigns, Audiences, Email History, and Settings. That’s it.
Finding what you need takes 1-2 clicks maximum. Want to see your sent emails? Click Email History. Need to add a domain? Click Domains. The navigation makes sense without training.
Setup difficulty depends on your technical level. If you’ve added DNS records before, you’ll breeze through domain verification in 10 minutes. If DNS sounds like a foreign language, expect 30-45 minutes and some Googling.
The platform provides real-time verification feedback. Add your DKIM record, and the status changes from red to green instantly. This beats waiting hours wondering if you configured things correctly.
Documentation is decent but not amazing. The help docs cover basics clearly. Code examples exist for API integration. But advanced use cases require digging through Discord or contacting support.
The interface on mobile (iPhone 13) is responsive but not optimized for mobile use. You can check email history and basic stats, but creating campaigns on a phone is frustrating. This is a desktop-first platform.
Speed is excellent. Pages load instantly. No spinning wheels or laggy interfaces. This matters when you’re checking email status or troubleshooting deliveries.
Compared to SendGrid’s overwhelming dashboard or Mailgun’s developer-heavy interface, Emailit feels refreshingly straightforward. It’s more beginner-friendly than both while still offering developer tools.
How to Use Emailit: Step-by-Step Guide
Getting started with Emailit takes less than 30 minutes. Here’s exactly what to do.
Initial Setup (5 Steps)
Step 1: Create Your Account
Purchase your tier on AppSumo. You’ll receive an activation code via email. Go to Emailit’s redemption page and enter your code. Create your password and log in.
Step 2: Add Your Sending Domain
Click “Domains” in the sidebar. Click “Add Domain” and enter your domain name (like yourdomain.com). Don’t include “www” or “http”. The platform generates DNS records you need to add.
Step 3: Configure DNS Records
Log into your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.). Add the DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records Emailit provides. Copy-paste exactly as shown. DNS changes take 5-60 minutes to propagate.
Step 4: Verify Your Domain
Return to Emailit and click “Verify” next to your domain. Green checkmarks appear when records are correct. Red X marks show which records need fixing.
Step 5: Request Production Pool Access
This is critical. New accounts start in an “onboarding pool” with poor deliverability. Email [email protected] and ask to be moved to a production pool. Include your domain name. They usually respond within 2-4 hours.
Sending Your First Email
Once verified, you have three sending options.
Via SMTP (WordPress Example)
Install an SMTP plugin like WP Mail SMTP or Easy WP SMTP. Go to Emailit’s Settings and copy your API key. In your WordPress SMTP plugin:
- SMTP Host: smtp.emailit.com
- Port: 587 or 465
- Username: Your Emailit email address
- Password: Your API key
- Encryption: TLS
Send a test email from WordPress. Check your Email History in Emailit to confirm delivery.
Via REST API (For Developers)
Emailit provides API documentation with curl examples. A basic email send looks like this:
POST /api/v1/send
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Body: { "to": "[email protected]", "subject": "Test", "html": "Hello" }
The API returns delivery status immediately. Check the docs for advanced features like templates and attachments.
Via Campaign Builder (No Code)
Click “Campaigns” and “Create Campaign”. Name your campaign and choose your sending domain. Write your subject line and email content using the visual editor.
Click “Audiences” to create or import your email list. Upload a CSV with email addresses. Back in your campaign, select your audience and click “Send”.
Check “Email History” after a few minutes. You’ll see delivery confirmations, opens, and clicks.
5 Best Emailit Alternatives Compared
Emailit isn’t your only option. Here’s how it stacks up against competitors.
| Platform | Pricing Model | Starting Price (approx.) | Best For | Setup Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emailit | Lifetime deal / PAYG | ~$44 one-time (promo Tier 1) | Budget-conscious users | Easy |
| SendGrid | Subscription | From ~$19.95/month | Enterprise features | Medium |
| Mailgun | Subscription / PAYG | From ~$15/month | Developers | Medium |
| SMTP2GO | Subscription | From ~$10–15/month | Reliability focus | Easy |
| Amazon SES | Pay-as-you-go | ~$0.10 per 1,000 emails | High-volume senders | Complex |
SendGrid offers advanced automation, A/B testing, strong analytics, and template management, but is more complex and typically costs ~$240/year+ for useful plans.
Mailgun is developer-focused with powerful APIs, detailed logs, and strong validation/routing, with paid plans starting around $15/month and higher complexity than Emailit.
SMTP2GO focuses on reliability and deliverability, supports subaccounts for clients, starts around $10–15/month, and has a simple interface similar to Emailit.
Amazon SES is very cheap per email (about $0.10 per 1,000 emails) but requires AWS skills, IP warming, and custom bounce handling, so it suits high-volume technical teams.
Emailit is best on upfront price for small to moderate volume (lifetime plans starting around $44 one-time), while other platforms are better for advanced automation, deep analytics, or massive scale sending.
Emailit Pros and Cons
Pros ✅
- One-time payment with no monthly fees
- Very fast delivery (around 6 seconds)
- Simple and clean interface
- Quick support through Discord
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Unlimited campaigns and audiences
- Built-in email verification
- Strong DNS authentication (DKIM, SPF, DMARC, MX)
Cons ❌
- Monthly credits don’t roll over
- Recent delivery delays during high traffic
- Weak initial deliverability due to onboarding pool
- No CNAME tracking yet
- Shared tracking domain can trigger spam filters
- No cold email allowed
- Limited automation features
- Unclear sending limits for some users
Who Should Use Emailit?
Ideal Users
- WordPress site owners with unreliable transactional emails (order confirmations, password resets)
- SaaS developers needing simple API-based email sending without AWS complexity
- Small businesses sending newsletters to moderate-sized opt-in lists
- Ecommerce stores with heavy transactional email needs (shipping notifications, cart abandonment)
- Marketing agencies managing multiple client domains (Tier 3-4 offers unlimited domains)
- Startups and bootstrappers saving $600+ annually versus monthly subscriptions
- Solopreneurs sending 1,000-3,000 emails monthly
Not Recommended For
- Cold email campaigns (prohibited and will result in account termination)
- High-volume senders needing advanced automation and workflows
- Enterprises requiring dedicated IP addresses
- Users needing visual automation builders or A/B testing
- Those requiring 24/7 phone support (email/Discord only)
Final Verdict and Recommendation: Is Emailit Worth To Buy?
My personal Rating: 7.5/10
Emailit delivers excellent value for legitimate email sending. You pay once and send forever, saving $240-420 annually versus SendGrid or Mailgun. Deliverability is solid with 28% open rates and 6-second delivery times.
The main concern? Recent Black Friday scaling issues showed growing pains. However, the 60-day money-back guarantee removes most risk.
Best Tier Choices
Tier 1 ($44) – Testing or under 20K emails monthly
Tier 3 ($169) – Best value. Multiple domains and 50K-100K monthly emails
Skip Tier 4 – Only worthwhile if sending 150K+ monthly
Buy If You
- Send transactional or marketing emails to opt-in lists
- Want to eliminate monthly subscription costs
- Need SMTP/API integration under 250K emails monthly
- Can handle email support vs. phone support
Skip If You
- Need cold email capabilities (prohibited)
- Require advanced automation and workflows
- Send millions of emails monthly
- Need dedicated IPs or 99.9% uptime SLAs
Bottom Line
For small businesses, agencies, and developers sending legitimate emails, this lifetime deal saves hundreds over 2-3 years. Test thoroughly during the 60-day refund window to ensure it meets your deliverability needs.
Ready to try Emailit? Get 85% off with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Emailit for cold emails?
No. Emailit explicitly prohibits cold email and outreach campaigns. Your account will be terminated if you send unsolicited emails. Use platforms like Lemlist or Instantly for cold outreach instead.
How long does domain verification take?
DNS changes typically propagate in 5-60 minutes. Most domains verify within 15 minutes. If verification fails after an hour, double-check you copied the DNS records exactly as provided.
What happens after the onboarding pool?
New accounts start in an onboarding pool with poor deliverability. Email [email protected] to request a move to production pools. This happens within 2-4 hours and dramatically improves delivery rates.
Do credits roll over monthly?
No. Unused credits disappear at the end of each month. If you have 20,000 credits and only send 15,000 emails, you lose the remaining 5,000 credits.
Can I upgrade my tier later?
Yes. Contact AppSumo support to upgrade your license. You’ll pay the difference between tiers. Downgrading isn’t typically allowed, so choose carefully.
Is there a free trial available?
No free trial exists, but the 60-day money-back guarantee functions as an extended trial. You can test for two months and get a full refund if it doesn’t work for you.
