Are you looking for a way to build a list of subscribers on the internet but do not have enough budget to join or purchase a paid autoresponder service or software? In this case you can take a look at free autoresponders. Nothing wrong with it. Using free autoresponders is acceptable in certain situations. However, it is better than not using this email marketing tool at all!

Actually many hosting services today have already provided free autoresponders and mailing lists that can be setup easily. Unfortunately most of the autoresponders can only be used for sending out one time reply. In other words they do not provide a feature for sending out follow-up emails. Such tools are normally only used for letting people knows that the site owner is on vacation, away from his computer, or has received their messages.

All across the Internet there are many types of autoresponders which can be used for free. If you want to run the autoresponder yourself, you can always go with locally hosted autoresponder programs. The programs are usually written in PHP language and only require a database and cron jobs to setup, that are the standard features of web hosting services today. Just be aware with the limitations of your hosting service such as the amount of bandwidth that you can use.

Another option is to use a free autoresponder service which is also known as remotely hosted autoresponder. Some paid autoresponder services offer a free version as well. Unfortunately, these free versions usually include advertisements in your outgoing messages. Having the small advertisements in the outgoing messages may present a problem if the ads compete with what you are trying to promote.

Another disadvantage of using a free autoresponder service is you cannot use many features which are available for paid users. However, it does not mean that you should stay away from such free services. Different companies have different rules. You might not be able to customize the confirmation pages (thank-you pages) or to setup multiple accounts. But if you do not need the more advanced features, such services are still worth considering.

One main advantage of using a free autoresponder program that runs on your server is your messages will not contain any advertisements. In addition you will have complete control over the program. However, you could have a problem installing the script, as most require some degree of technical experience. Moreover you might have to deal with spam complaints. If you use a script which is not professionally coded you will only make life harder for other netizens and in the end, for yourself.

Once again, if you are just starting out with your online business and to be on a tight budget, a free autoresponder program can be an alternative. You can use it until you make enough money. But keep in mind that you should not use it long term. As your list grows, you should definitely consider upgrading. Autoresponder messages that contain advertisements will look unprofessional in the eyes of your subscribers.

As the owner of a business, you are the only one who can decide whether you need a paid or a free autoresponder program. There are many free autoresponder services and software available and you can certainly find them by doing a search with any of the main search engines. Just choose the one which fits your requirements.