Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is built for creators -- bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, newsletter writers. The interface is stripped back, the automation is focused on sequences and broadcasts, and the tagging system is one of the cleanest in the industry. Here is how to get set up.
Total setup time: 1-2 hours. Difficulty: Easy. You do not need any technical background to follow this guide.
Kit at a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Starting price | $29/mo (Creator, 1,000 subscribers) |
| Free plan | Yes |
| Free trial | Free plan up to 10,000 subscribers |
| Setup time | 1-2 hours |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Best for | Creators, bloggers, and independent writers |
How to set up Kit in 6 steps
Go to kit.com and sign up. The free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers and includes most core features -- it is one of the most generous free plans in email marketing. Enter your name, email, and details about your audience and content type. Kit will ask what kind of creator you are to tailor your onboarding.
Go to Settings > Email > Custom Sending Domain and enter your domain. Kit provides DKIM and DMARC records to add to your DNS as TXT records. Add them at your domain registrar and verify in Kit. This ensures your emails arrive as coming from your own domain rather than a Kit subdomain.
Go to Subscribers > Import Subscribers. Upload your CSV with at least an email column. You can also include first name, last name, and any custom fields. Apply tags during import to label where contacts came from. Tags are Kit's primary segmentation mechanism -- use them liberally to keep your list organized.
Go to Grow > Landing Pages & Forms and create a new form or landing page. Kit's landing page builder has polished templates suitable for creator use cases (newsletter signups, lead magnets, course registration). Embed the form on your site or share the landing page URL. You can set up a lead magnet delivery automation directly from the form settings.
Go to Automate > Sequences and create a new sequence. A sequence is a series of emails sent on a fixed schedule to new subscribers. Write your welcome emails, set the delay between them (e.g., 0 days, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days), and mark the sequence as published. Then go to Automate > Automations and create an automation that adds subscribers to your welcome sequence when they join a tag or form.
Go to Send > New Broadcast. Write your email using Kit's simple text editor -- Kit intentionally keeps emails plain-text-friendly, which is common in creator email. Set your subject line, choose your recipients (all subscribers, a specific tag, or a segment), preview the email, and send or schedule. Kit's click-to-open rates are usually strong because creator audiences tend to be engaged.
Tips before you start
- Kit's free plan is unusually generous -- 10,000 subscribers with automation included is rare in this category.
- Use tags to segment your audience rather than creating separate lists for everything.
- Kit's Creator Network lets you recommend other Kit creators to grow your list -- worth enabling once you are set up.
Next steps
Once your account is set up, focus on building your first automation before sending any broadcast campaigns. A working welcome sequence ensures every new subscriber gets a consistent first experience. After that, review your migration guide if you are moving contacts from another platform, and use the recommendations quiz to confirm Kit is the right long-term fit.