MailerLite Automation Builder Explained: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Automation is one of the biggest reasons why businesses switch to MailerLite. Instead of sending manual individual emails, you can design a full customer journey that runs automatically for every subscriber. Whether you're building a welcome sequence, onboarding flow, abandoned cart reminder, or educational email course, MailerLite’s automation builder makes the process simple and clean. This guide walks you through how MailerLite automation actually works, what each feature does, and how you can build smarter workflows without needing complicated tools.

Why Automation Matters in MailerLite

Every business needs automation — not because it's trendy, but because it saves time, increases conversion, and creates predictable communication. When customers sign up for your newsletter, download a lead magnet, buy a product, or request information, they expect a consistent response.

MailerLite gives you automation that is:

• clean
• simple
• visual
• fast to build
• effective for small businesses

The automation system is not as complex as platforms like ActiveCampaign or HubSpot, but it provides exactly what most small businesses need: reliable triggers, clear email sequences, and basic conditional logic.

MailerLite Automation Builder: Full Breakdown

1. Automation Overview

MailerLite automations follow a simple structure:

• Trigger — what starts the automation
• Action — what MailerLite does next
• Delay — how long to wait between steps
• Condition — if/else logic for branching

You combine these pieces to build a full automated journey for users.

2. Triggers: What Starts the Workflow?

MailerLite offers multiple trigger types based on subscriber behavior, time, or signup activity.

Popular Triggers:

• When a subscriber joins a group
• When a form is submitted
• Specific date or anniversary
• Ecommerce purchase (Shopify/WooCommerce)
• Updated field such as tag or custom field

These triggers give enough flexibility to build everything from onboarding flows to product-based automation.

3. Actions: What MailerLite Does Automatically

Actions define what happens inside your automation sequence.

Email Actions

• Send email #1 (welcome)
• Send email #2 (value)
• Send email #3 (offer)

Audience Actions

• Move to a group
• Update subscriber field
• Apply or remove a tag

Other Actions

• Trigger another workflow
• Finish automation

These simple actions allow you to define clear customer paths without complexity.

4. Delays: Timing Your Sequence

Delays create space between emails so subscribers don't feel overwhelmed.

Common delay formats:

• Wait 1 hour
• Wait 1 day
• Wait until a specific date
• Wait until a specific day (ex: Monday)

The delay system works well for email courses, lessons, or multi-step sequences.

5. Conditions: Adding Basic Branching Logic

MailerLite includes conditional branching — not extremely advanced but enough for useful personalization.

Common Conditions:

• If subscriber has tag
• If subscriber clicked a link
• If subscriber bought something
• If subscriber belongs to a group
• If subscriber field matches (like location or plan)

This allows simple “if this then that” automation paths.

Building Your First MailerLite Automation

Step 1: Choose Trigger

Example: “Subscriber joins group: Newsletter.”

Step 2: Add Delay

Wait 10 minutes before sending the first email.

Step 3: Add Email Sequence

Email #1 — Welcome
Email #2 — Story
Email #3 — Value
Email #4 — Offer

Step 4: Add Condition (Optional)

If subscriber clicked offer → send a bonus email.
If not → send a reminder.

Step 5: Add Tagging

Apply “Engaged” tag for subscribers who open 3+ emails.

Step 6: End Workflow

Automation finishes or sends user to another flow.

MailerLite Automation Use Cases

1. Welcome Sequence

Perfect for building trust and setting expectations early.

• Welcome message
• Your story or mission
• Resources or free value
• Soft offer

2. Lead Magnet Delivery

Send the download link instantly, followed by value-based emails.

3. Ecommerce Follow-Ups

For Shopify and WooCommerce users:

• Cart reminder sequence
• Post-purchase onboarding
• Review request

4. Mini Email Courses

Useful for coaches, creators, and educators.

• Lesson 1 → immediate
• Lesson 2 → day 2
• Lesson 3 → day 3
• Lesson 4 → day 4

5. Re-Engagement Automation

MailerLite can detect inactive subscribers and restart their interest.

• “We miss you” email
• Exclusive offer
• Survey for feedback

MailerLite Automation Pricing Overview

MailerLite Automation Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clean, easy-to-use builder
• Perfect for beginners
• Affordable pricing
• Modern interface
• Stable for small and medium workflows

Cons

• Not advanced enough for heavy CRM automation
• No deep event-based logic like ActiveCampaign
• Limited ecommerce triggers versus GetResponse

Final Verdict

MailerLite automation is perfect for small businesses, creators, coaches, and ecommerce stores that want clean and simple workflows without complexity. It offers enough power to build onboarding sequences, abandoned cart flows, lead nurturing journeys, and email courses — all without needing technical skills. While not as advanced as enterprise-level tools, MailerLite’s automation strikes the right balance between simplicity and functionality.

Continue exploring our Tools & SaaS guides to compare automation systems across platforms and choose the tool that fits your long-term strategy best.