Choose Your Email Tool

Your email tool does three things: collect addresses, send emails, and automate sequences. Most tools do all three. The differences are in ease of use, automation power, and pricing structure.

Here’s an honest comparison of the five options most course creators consider.

ConvertKit (Now Kit)

Best for: Creators who want the standard tool. The one everyone else uses.

ConvertKit was built specifically for creators — bloggers, podcasters, course creators. It’s the most commonly recommended email tool in the creator economy, which means there are tutorials, templates, and integrations everywhere.

Pros: Tag-based (not list-based), visual automation builder, landing pages included, easy to set up. Free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers.

Cons: Templates are plain. The editor feels dated compared to newer tools. No built-in CRM or course hosting.

Pricing: Free up to 1,000 subscribers, then $15/month for the creator plan. Scales up as your list grows.

Flodesk

Best for: Creators who care about beautiful emails and want simple.

Flodesk is the design-forward option. Emails look gorgeous with minimal effort. The interface is clean and intuitive. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by email tools with 47 menu options, Flodesk is the antidote.

Pros: Beautiful templates, simple interface, flat pricing (no surprise bills as your list grows), includes checkout for selling digital products.

Cons: Limited automation compared to ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign. Fewer integrations. No free plan.

Pricing: $38/month flat rate regardless of list size. This becomes a bargain at 5,000+ subscribers and expensive at under 500.

ActiveCampaign

Best for: Creators who want serious automation power.

ActiveCampaign is the power tool. If you want to build complex automations — “if they clicked link A but didn’t open email B, wait 2 days then send C unless they bought D” — this is your tool.

Pros: Best automation builder in the business. CRM included. Deep segmentation. Event tracking.

Cons: Steeper learning curve. Interface can feel overwhelming. Customer support has declined in recent years. Overkill for most new course creators.

Pricing: Starts at $15/month for 1,000 contacts (Lite plan). Automation features require the Plus plan ($49/month).

GoHighLevel

Best for: Creators who want everything in one place.

If you took Pick Your Platform, you already know GoHighLevel. It includes email marketing as part of its all-in-one system. If you’re already using GHL for your course, you don’t need a separate email tool.

Pros: Email, CRM, course hosting, funnel builder, appointment booking, SMS — all in one. Unlimited subscribers on most plans. Workflows can handle complex automation.

Cons: Complex setup. The email builder isn’t as polished as dedicated tools. Learning curve is significant. You need to set up deliverability (domain authentication, warmup process) properly.

Pricing: $97/month for the Agency Starter plan. But if you’re already paying for GHL for your course, email is included — so the marginal cost is zero.

Mailchimp

Best for: People who already have an account and haven’t switched yet.

Mailchimp is the tool everyone starts with because it was first to offer a free plan. It works. It’s fine. It’s also the tool most creators eventually migrate away from.

Pros: Free plan available. Widely known. Lots of integrations.

Cons: List-based (not tag-based), which makes segmentation clunky. Pricing jumps significantly as your list grows. Automation is limited on lower plans. The interface has become bloated.

Pricing: Free up to 500 contacts (with Mailchimp branding). Paid plans start at $13/month but escalate fast — a list of 5,000 costs $59/month on the Standard plan.

What I’d Pick

If you’re just starting and on a budget: ConvertKit’s free plan. You get tags, automations, and landing pages without spending a dollar.

If you want simple and beautiful: Flodesk. The flat pricing means you’ll never get a surprise bill.

If you’re using GoHighLevel for your course: Use GHL’s email. No point paying for two tools.

If you love building complex systems: ActiveCampaign. But only if you genuinely enjoy setting up automations.

The Setup Checklist

Whichever tool you pick, here’s what to set up in your first session:

1. Create your account and verify your domain (this helps deliverability)
2. Set up a tag for your lead magnet subscribers
3. Create a simple form or landing page
4. Write a welcome email that delivers the lead magnet
5. Connect your opt-in page to the form
6. Send yourself a test email and verify the lead magnet is attached or linked

The whole process takes 30-90 minutes depending on the tool. Don’t overcomplicate it. You can improve later.

Next up: driving traffic to your opt-in page so people actually subscribe.