What the connection does and which app to pick
Pabbly Connect talks to MailerLite through MailerLite's API, authenticated with an API token you generate in MailerLite and paste into Pabbly. Pabbly's own walkthrough uses the same key for both the trigger connection and the action connection. [1]
Pabbly's integration directory lists two separate apps: MailerLite and MailerLite Classic. [8] They are not interchangeable entries, so pick the one that matches the MailerLite product your account runs on before you paste a token.
Pabbly's walkthrough demonstrates one trigger, Subscriber Added, and one action, Create or Update Subscriber. [1] The full event list lives in the event dropdown inside Pabbly Connect, so open it before you plan a workflow around an event this page does not name. Anything the dropdown lacks can usually be reached through MailerLite's REST API, which covers subscribers, groups, segments, fields, automations, campaigns, forms, batching and webhooks. [2]
| Step type | Documented event | What it does | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Subscriber Added [1] | Starts the workflow when a subscriber is added in MailerLite; the test response includes the subscriber ID and email [1] | Copying new subscribers to a CRM, sheet or course platform |
| Action | Create or Update Subscriber [1] | Sends email, name and other mapped fields into MailerLite [1] | Form, checkout or webinar signups landing in MailerLite |
| Anything else | Check the Pabbly event dropdown | The MailerLite API also exposes groups, segments, fields, automations, campaigns and forms [2] | Group moves, field lookups, campaign data |
Generate the MailerLite API token
In MailerLite, open Integrations from the left sidebar, click Use next to the MailerLite API option, then click Generate new token. [3] Give it a name that says where it is used, for example "Pabbly Connect, signup workflows". MailerLite says the name can be anything that helps you recognise what the token is for. [3]
Copy the token immediately. MailerLite's API documentation says the key cannot be shown again, so store it in your password manager at once. [2] Requests send it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header, and an invalid token returns a 401 Unauthenticated response. [2]
The token setup screen offers IP restrictions. With an allowlist, only requests from the listed IP addresses are accepted. [3] Leave this open unless you know the exact addresses Pabbly Connect sends from, or every Pabbly request will be refused.
Ownership matters later. MailerLite says API keys are permanently bound to the user who created them [2], and that you can only view the tokens you personally generated, even as an account admin. [3] Create the Pabbly token from a login the business controls, not a freelancer's personal seat.
- Name the token after the tool and purpose so it can be found and deleted later. [3]
- Copy it straight into a password manager; MailerLite will not show it again. [2]
- Generate it from a company-owned MailerLite user, because tokens stay bound to their creator. [2][3]
- Skip IP restrictions unless you have Pabbly's sending addresses. [3]
How MailerLite treats the fields and groups you map
MailerLite's create call is an upsert: if the subscriber already exists, it is updated with the new values. [4] It is also non-destructive, so fields or groups you leave out are not removed from the subscriber. [4] That makes a Create or Update step safe to run against people who are already on your list.
Groups behave differently depending on the call. On create, the groups array must contain existing group IDs, and the subscriber is only added to groups. On update, MailerLite says the subscriber will be removed from groups not listed. [4] If you map groups in any update-style step, test it on a subscriber who belongs to two groups and check both memberships afterward.
Field keys must match the default or custom field name in MailerLite. [4] Custom fields can be text, number or date. [5] MailerLite's field list shows a field labelled "new field" with the key new_field [5], so read the key from the field list rather than typing the label you see in the editor. Group IDs are listed under Integrations, MailerLite API, in the Groups section. [3]
Status is also mappable, with values active, unsubscribed, unconfirmed, bounced and junk. A resubscribe flag can reactivate people who unsubscribed, but MailerLite says unsubscribed, bounced or junk subscribers may not be reactivated because of abuse-prevention measures. [4] Do not map a status field from a form unless you mean to change it.
| Source field | MailerLite target | Type or rule | Check before going live |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required; map it dynamically from the trigger [1] | The test response returns a subscriber ID [1] | ||
| First name | name | Default field key [4] | Omitting the field leaves the existing name in place [4]; test whether an empty mapped value overwrites it |
| Last name | last_name | Default field key [4] | Same as above |
| Plan or product | Your custom field key | Text [5] | Key spelled as in the fields list, not the label [5] |
| Purchase date | Your custom field key | Date [5] | Send a date format MailerLite accepts; test one record |
| Group | groups (IDs) | Create adds only; update removes unlisted groups [4] | Test on a subscriber in two groups |
Rate limits that apply to bulk runs
MailerLite's API has a global limit of 120 requests per minute. Above that, it answers with a 429 error and headers including X-RateLimit-Remaining and Retry-After, which tells you how many seconds to wait. [2] Import creation endpoints have a separate limit of 5 requests per minute. [2]
Assume at least one MailerLite API request each time the action runs. A sheet of 3,000 rows replayed through a workflow therefore needs at least 25 minutes at 120 requests a minute, and longer if each row also looks the subscriber up first, which doubles the calls. If Pabbly fires faster than that, some steps will fail with 429 errors.
Pabbly lists a Delay feature that postpones the next action for a set duration, and an auto re-execution feature for failed and skipped steps. [7] For a one-off backfill, add a delay before the MailerLite step and turn on auto re-execution so a 429 is retried rather than lost. For very large loads, MailerLite's batch endpoint takes up to 50 requests in one call, and a batch made only of subscriber upserts is processed as an import under the 5 per minute limit. [6] That route means calling the batch endpoint directly rather than using the standard Create or Update Subscriber action.
| Run size | API calls (one per row) | Minimum time at 120 per minute [2] | If each row also does a lookup |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 rows | 500 | About 4 minutes | About 8 minutes |
| 3,000 rows | 3,000 | 25 minutes | 50 minutes |
| 20,000 rows | 20,000 | About 2 hours 47 minutes | About 5 hours 33 minutes |
Task cost on the Pabbly side
Pabbly says triggers are not counted as tasks and that internal apps such as Filter, Router, Formatters, Iterator and JSON Extractor are not counted either. [7] Each MailerLite action that runs is a task. A workflow of form trigger, formatter and MailerLite action costs one task per signup.
The Standard plan lists 10,000 tasks a month and the free plan 100. [7] A 3,000-row backfill through a single MailerLite action uses 3,000 tasks, so run it early in a billing month or split it across two.
Pre-launch checklist
- Token created from a company-owned MailerLite user and stored in a password manager. [2][3]
- Correct Pabbly app chosen: MailerLite or MailerLite Classic. [8]
- Save and Send Test Request run, and the response shows a subscriber ID and email. [1]
- Custom field keys copied from MailerLite's field list; date fields tested with one record. [5]
- Any update step that maps groups tested on a subscriber who belongs to two groups. [4]
- Status field left unmapped unless the workflow is meant to change subscription state. [4]
- Bulk runs paced below 120 requests per minute, with a delay step and auto re-execution on. [2][7]
Questions before you decide
Where do I get the MailerLite API key for Pabbly Connect?
In MailerLite, go to Integrations, click Use next to MailerLite API, then Generate new token. Name it, copy it immediately because it cannot be shown again, and paste it into the Pabbly connection.
Will mapping a group in Pabbly remove my subscriber from other groups?
It depends on the API call. MailerLite's create call only adds groups and removes nothing by omission, but its update call removes the subscriber from groups not listed. Test any update step on a subscriber in two groups.
How fast can Pabbly push subscribers into MailerLite?
MailerLite allows 120 API requests per minute globally and returns a 429 error with a Retry-After header above that. One action per row means 3,000 rows need at least 25 minutes.
Does the MailerLite trigger use Pabbly tasks?
No. Pabbly says triggers are not included in the task count; each action step that runs, such as Create or Update Subscriber, counts as one task.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Pabbly: Integrating MailerLite with Pabbly Connect, a step-by-step guide Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- MailerLite developer documentation: authentication and rate limits Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- MailerLite Help: Where to find the MailerLite API key, group ID and documentation Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- MailerLite API: Subscribers Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- MailerLite API: Fields Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- MailerLite API: Batching Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Pabbly Connect pricing and plan features Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Pabbly Connect integrations directory Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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