Check your plan limits first
Plan limits decide how you design the workflow, so check them before building. MailerLite's automation page says Free includes up to 3 active automations and 5 automation steps. Comfort allows up to 50 active automations and 100 steps, and Power allows unlimited automations with up to 100 steps. All plans get unlimited automation templates.
New accounts start with a 14-day trial of premium features. MailerLite's trial article says that when it ends, the account reverts to Free, automations with multiple triggers stop working, and restarting them needs Power. Build your first workflow within Free limits so nothing breaks when the trial ends.
| Feature | Free | Comfort | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active automations | 3 | 50 | Unlimited |
| Steps per automation | 5 | 100 | 100 |
| Triggers per automation | 1 | 1 | Up to 3 |
| Monthly emails | 2,500 | 10x your subscriber tier ceiling | Unlimited, fair use |
| Published starting price | $0 | From $12/mo | From $25/mo |
The trigger types and how each one fires
The trigger decides who enters. MailerLite's trigger article documents the rules below, including two that often surprise people. Group and segment triggers can only re-fire once every 24 hours. Date-based triggers are checked daily at 4:00 AM UTC, so a date trigger never fires at the exact moment a field changes.
| Trigger | Fires when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Joins a group | A subscriber is added to the chosen group | Can re-trigger only once every 24 hours |
| Completes a form | A subscriber submits a MailerLite form | The automation must be Active at submission |
| Clicks a link | A subscriber clicks the exact URL in an email | Only that exact link counts |
| Updated field | A chosen field meets a rule such as Is equal or Contains | CSV or TXT imports trigger only if you tick the import option |
| Joins a segment | A subscriber starts matching the segment | One segment per trigger; they exit if they stop matching |
| Event anniversary | Yearly, from a date field | Checked daily at 4:00 AM UTC |
| Exact date | On a set date | Checked daily at 4:00 AM UTC |
| E-commerce triggers | Cart, checkout or purchase events | Need a store integration or the e-commerce API |
Build a lead-magnet delivery workflow
Example goal: someone requests a free checklist through a form, receives it immediately, and gets one follow-up that depends on whether they opened the download link. MailerLite's workflow article lists the step types you need. Delay pauses subscribers for a set time. Condition splits them into branches based on a rule you set. A/B test splits them to compare paths. Actions include Send email, Webhook, Send internal notification, Move to step, Update custom field, copy, move or remove group membership, and Unsubscribe.
This design uses five steps: email, delay, condition and two branch emails. That is exactly the Free limit if each step counts, so check the step counter in the editor. If you need a sixth step, cut the No-branch email or move to Comfort.
- Create a form that adds people to a group named for the checklist.
- In Automations, drag the 'Completes a form' trigger into the workflow and choose that form. Click Save.
- Step 1, Send email: subject, sender name and address, then design an email with the download link.
- Step 2, Delay: two days, enough time to download and read.
- Step 3, Condition: did the subscriber click the download link in the Step 1 email?
- Step 4, Yes branch: send the next useful resource or an invitation to your newsletter.
- Step 5, No branch: resend the link with a shorter subject line.
- Click Activate in the top-right corner. MailerLite will prompt you if the workflow is incomplete.
Decide what happens to existing subscribers
At activation, if earlier subscribers already meet the trigger, MailerLite asks how to handle them. You can add only new subscribers, add qualifying previous subscribers at the start, or add them at a specific step. For lead-magnet delivery, choose only new subscribers. People who downloaded the checklist months ago should not receive a 'here is your download' email today.
Choose 'add to a specific step' only when you have rebuilt an existing sequence and want current members to continue mid-way. Write down which option you chose; it is the first thing to check if someone reports an unexpected email.
| Activation option | Use it when | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Only add new subscribers | New lead magnets and welcome emails | Existing qualifying members get nothing |
| Add them to the start | A new onboarding series everyone should receive | Old subscribers get a 'just joined' message |
| Add them to a specific step | Replacing a live sequence mid-way | Wrong step choice skips or repeats content |
Testing, A/B splits and safe edits
MailerLite's automation FAQ says you can add A/B split steps to existing workflows by pausing the workflow and dragging in the step. Only new subscribers entering the workflow take part, so a test on a low-volume lead magnet can take weeks to produce a usable comparison. Test one variable, such as the subject of the first email, and keep the test running until each path has a meaningful number of recipients.
To edit a live workflow, you must turn it off first. No emails are sent while it is off, and queued steps wait. If you reactivate within 7 days of a step's scheduled time, subscribers carry on. After more than 7 days they are marked Failed and do not continue. Make edits quickly, and avoid pausing over a holiday.
Troubleshooting checklist
If someone did not receive the workflow email, check these in order.
- Was the automation Active at the moment the form was submitted?
- With double opt-in, did the subscriber confirm, and is the automation linked to the confirmed form?
- Is the subscriber active, not unsubscribed or bounced?
- For group triggers, were they newly added rather than already in the group?
- Did a deleted group or form send the workflow back to Drafts for repair?
- Was the workflow paused for more than 7 days past a scheduled step?
- Is the account within the plan's active automation and step limits after the trial ended?
Questions before you decide
Can I edit a MailerLite automation while it is running?
You must pause it or turn it off first. While it is off, no emails are sent and queued steps wait. If you reactivate within 7 days of a step's scheduled time, subscribers continue; after more than 7 days they are marked Failed.
Why did my form trigger not fire?
MailerLite says the automation must be Active when the subscriber submits the form. With double opt-in, only the automation linked to the confirmed form triggers.
Do multiple triggers work on the free plan?
MailerLite's trigger help places up to three triggers per automation on the Power plan. Its trial article says automations with multiple triggers stop working when the 14-day trial ends unless you upgrade to Power.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- MailerLite automation features and plan limits Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite: How to create an automation workflow Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite: How to set up automation triggers Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite: Automations FAQ Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite: What is included in the 14-day premium trial Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- MailerLite pricing Accessed 29 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.