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Short answer: use a free AI chatbot to write the emails, and a free email tool to send them. You don't need a fancy "AI email platform" when your list has 40 people on it.
For writing the emails: ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
All three have free tiers, and any of them can write a decent first draft. Here's how I'd split it:
- Claude tends to sound the most like a normal person. Good for welcome emails and stories.
- ChatGPT is quick for batches, like "give me 10 subject lines for this email."
- Gemini is handy if you already live in Gmail and Google Docs.
Longer breakdown here: ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude.
A prompt that actually works
Paste this and fill in the brackets:
Write a 120-word email to people who just joined my list about [topic]. Sound like a friend texting, not a company. One idea only. End with a question they can reply to. Give me 5 subject lines under 40 characters.
Then rewrite the first and last line yourself. That's the part people notice.
For sending them: systeme.io's free plan
As of Oct 2026, systeme.io's free plan includes unlimited emails and up to 2,000 contacts, plus a landing page to collect signups. No card needed. If you want the step-by-step, read how to build an email list with systeme.io.
If you hate staring at a blank page
AI still needs a starting point. The Email Copy Library is $9.99 for 30 subject lines and 8 ready templates you can paste into the AI and tweak. If you want the whole setup taught start to finish, Email Marketing Workflow is $99. Both are optional.
The honest part
AI makes writing faster. It doesn't make people open your emails. Send something useful every week, keep it short, and reply to everyone who writes back.