MailerLite first week: the setup order that avoids approval and delivery problems

The plan at a glance

The order below follows the dependencies in MailerLite's own documentation. Each step creates something the next one needs, and each row says what goes wrong if you skip it. Seven days is a comfortable pace; the work itself is a few hours.

Know the limits before you start. The 14-day trial unlocks paid features but caps imports at 250 subscribers and sending at 2,500 emails. [1] After the trial, the Free plan allows 250 active subscribers, 2,500 emails a month, 3 automations and 3 forms. [2]

Day 1: account details and approval

MailerLite's Terms of Use say new accounts validate in two steps: complete your profile, then request approval. Compliant accounts get an approval email; suspicious ones may get a disapproval email. [3] The signup form asks for your company or organization and a password, and the 14-day premium trial starts once the account is created. [1]

Write the profile as if a reviewer will compare it with your website, because review triggers include sending to bought, scraped or unconsented addresses and content that may break the terms. [4] Say what you will send, how often, and exactly where subscribers came from.

• Use a business email on a domain you control, not a free mailbox.
• Make sure your website loads and shows who you are.
• List each subscriber source with dates: website form, checkout box, event signup.
• If MailerLite asks for information during a review, reply within 30 days. Scheduled campaigns return to drafts after reactivation. [4]

Day 2: authenticate your sending domain

Go to Account settings, Domains, Add domain, and enter your sending address. Pick your DNS host or Other, then copy three records exactly: a DKIM CNAME, an SPF TXT and a domain verification TXT. Return and click Check DNS Records. Propagation can take up to 24 hours but often takes minutes; if nothing verifies after 24 to 48 hours, check you edited the DNS at the provider that actually hosts it. [5]

MailerLite lets new accounts send first campaigns without authentication during the 14-day trial only, and says authentication is required when sending from a custom domain. [5] Doing it on day 2 means your first real send already has aligned authentication, and Gmail requires SPF or DKIM from every sender. [6]

Day 3: groups and custom fields

Groups are lists you create to organize contacts. A subscriber can belong to several and still counts once toward your plan limit. Create them under Subscribers, Groups, Create group. MailerLite asks for a target group whenever you create a form, landing page or website, or schedule a campaign, so create the group before the form. [7]

MailerLite ships nine default fields: name, last name, email, phone, company, country, state, city and zip. Add custom fields under Subscribers, Fields, Create field, choosing text, number or date. Each field gets a merge tag such as {$name}. [8]

Day 4: an embedded form with double opt-in

Go to Forms, Embedded forms, Create form. Name it, choose Embedded, then select the group subscribers should join. MailerLite calls this the important step. Add fields, set the button text, and in Settings consider the privacy policy, confirmation checkbox, GDPR marketing permissions and reCAPTCHA options. Copy the HTML from the form's Overview to your site. [10]

Double opt-in is on by default for new forms and can be toggled on the form's Overview page. Each form has its own confirmation email, and editing it requires a paid plan. For sign-ups through the API or integrations, switch on Double opt-in for API and integrations under Account settings, Subscribe settings. [11] Unconfirmed subscribers do not trigger automations. [12]

Day 5: the welcome automation

Go to Automations, Create workflow, and drag Joins a group into the workflow, choosing the Newsletter group. Add Send email, fill in subject and sender, design the email, then add a Delay before each later email. Without delays, subscribers receive every email step at the same time. Click Activate. If existing subscribers qualify, choose whether to add only new ones. [13]

Prefer a group trigger to a form trigger. MailerLite notes that with double opt-in across several forms, only the automation connected to the form where the subscriber confirms will fire, and recommends a group-based trigger. [9] To edit an active workflow later you must pause it first. [13]

Day 6 and 7: test, send, read the report

On the send screen, use Send a test, open Preview, and check the plain-text version. Paid plans add an inbox insights and placement report that flags spam-trigger phrases, broken links and authentication problems. [14] Subscribe to your own form with a personal address to test the full chain: form, confirmation, group, welcome email.

For the first campaign, Send now or Send later with a date, time and time zone in 15-minute steps. Smart sending is paid-only. [14] Afterwards, open the report and check hard and soft bounces, unsubscribes and spam complaints. Many hard bounces on a first send mean the rest of that list needs validating. [15]

• Test email arrived and links work
• Sender name and reply address are yours
• Footer includes a working unsubscribe link
• Your own test signup received the confirmation and the welcome email
• Report reviewed for hard bounces and complaints

Sources & verification

Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.

1. MailerLite Help: How to get started with MailerLite Accessed 30 Oct 2026
2. MailerLite Help: Free plan update FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
3. MailerLite: Terms of Use Accessed 30 Oct 2026
4. MailerLite Help: Why is my account under review? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
5. MailerLite Help: How to verify and authenticate your domain Accessed 30 Oct 2026
6. Google: Email sender guidelines Accessed 30 Oct 2026
7. MailerLite Help: How to create and use groups Accessed 30 Oct 2026
8. MailerLite Help: How to create and use custom fields Accessed 30 Oct 2026
9. MailerLite Help: How to set up automation triggers Accessed 30 Oct 2026
10. MailerLite Help: How to create an embedded form Accessed 30 Oct 2026
11. MailerLite Help: How to use double opt-in when collecting subscribers Accessed 30 Oct 2026
12. MailerLite Help: Subscriber statuses explained Accessed 30 Oct 2026
13. MailerLite Help: How to create an automation workflow Accessed 30 Oct 2026
14. MailerLite Help: How to create and schedule a campaign Accessed 30 Oct 2026
15. MailerLite Help: The difference between a hard bounce and a soft bounce Accessed 30 Oct 2026