While there are many methods to collect subscribers, it's important to understand who you can send campaigns to under MailerLite’s anti-spam policy.
Allowed subscriber lists
MailerLite’s anti-spam policy allows you to send emails to people who have permitted you to do so.
This includes:
Website sign-ups: Subscribers who enter their email addresses on your website to receive specific information.
Opt-in contests: Subscribers who enter their email addresses in a contest with clear notice that they will receive emails from you.
In-store sign-ups: Subscribers who sign up via an in-store sheet or card specifically for your newsletter.
Direct business cards: Business contacts who have agreed to be added to your list.
Purchase follow-ups: Customers who have purchased from you within the last two years and have agreed to receive follow-up emails.
Banned subscriber lists
MailerLite’s anti-spam policy doesn’t allow you to send emails to people who you don’t have permission from.
This includes:
Purchased lists: Any list bought from a third party, regardless of their claims about quality or permission. For more information on this, visit our guide Why you should never use a purchased email list.
Social media connections: Contacts from LinkedIn, Facebook, or any other social network without explicit permission to email them.
Trade show attendees: Lists provided by event organizers without direct consent from the attendees.
Outdated contacts: Email addresses you collected more than two years ago and haven’t contacted within the last two years..
Web scraped emails: Email addresses from public information on websites.
Can I use this list?
Check these common scenarios to see if they fall under the category of allowed or banned under MailerLite’s anti-spam policy.
| Scenario | Allowed or banned? | Why? |
| Sarah visits your cooking blog and finds a free eBook on "10 Quick Dinner Recipes" that she wants to download. She enters her email address in a sign-up form that clearly states she will receive the eBook and future updates from your blog. | Website sign-up | |
| At a networking event, you meet Mark, who shows interest in your services. You discuss adding him to your email list for regular updates, and he agrees. | Business contact | |
| You buy a list of 10,000 email addresses from a vendor claiming they are all interested in your industry. However, these individuals have not directly given you permission to email them. | Purchased list | |
| Your company runs a contest where participants can win a free year of your premium service. The sign-up form is clear that those who enter will receive promotional emails from you, so people are aware they will be added to your mailing list. | Opt-in contest | |
| You connect with Jane on LinkedIn and without asking her directly, you add her email from her LinkedIn profile to your mailing list. | Social media connection without permission | |
| You collect email addresses from the Contact pages of various websites in your industry, assuming they might be interested in your content. | Web scraped emails | |
| Linda purchases a handmade necklace from your online store. During checkout, she ticks a box indicating she wants to receive follow-up emails about new products and promotions. | Purchasing customer |
Why permission matters
Permission-based marketing is not only MailerLite’s policy, but also ensures that your emails are welcomed by the recipients, reducing the risk of spam complaints and improving overall email deliverability. Sending unsolicited emails can damage your reputation and lead to account suspension.
🧠 Want to know more? Visit our blog article on Subscriber email list management explained (with 12 best practices).