Email Marketing Just Changed Forever

Why It Matters

By swapping expensive SaaS tools for a free open‑source stack and low‑cost Amazon SES, businesses can scale email outreach affordably while maintaining inbox placement and data control.

Key Takeaways

• Open‑source Listmonk replaces costly email SaaS for bulk campaigns
• Amazon SES provides cheap, scalable sending with dedicated IP warm‑up
• Integration via Claude code automates list management and email dispatch
• Hosting on Vercel keeps infrastructure costs near zero
• Unlimited contacts, low per‑email fees dramatically cut marketing spend

Summary

The video introduces a DIY email‑marketing stack built around the open‑source Listmonk platform and Amazon Simple Email Service (SES). The presenter explains why traditional CRMs like Go High Level and premium tools such as ActiveCampaign struggle with bulk sends—shared IPs often land campaigns in spam and pricing explodes once lists exceed a few thousand contacts. Key insights include the cost breakdown: a dedicated SES IP costs about $25 per month, email‑send fees are fractions of a cent (roughly $25 for 250,000 messages), and Listmonk itself is free on GitHub. Listmonk offers basic list, campaign, and analytics features, while Claude‑powered code automates list creation, template generation, and API‑driven sending, eliminating manual workflow steps. The presenter demonstrates a live test: a Claude command triggers Listmonk to send a transactional email that lands cleanly in the inbox with professional branding and proper reply‑to handling. He also highlights unlimited team members, unlimited contacts, and the ability to host the app on Vercel at no cost, keeping monthly expenses around $30 regardless of list size. For marketers, this architecture promises dramatic cost savings, reliable deliverability through Amazon‑managed IP warm‑up, and full control over data and branding. It frees budget for growth initiatives while avoiding the spam traps and price escalations of legacy email platforms.

Original Description

FREE Self-Hosted Email Marketing Setup Guide: https://leadgenjay.com/value/self-hosted-email-stack?utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=listmonk-ses-email

I was spending too much on ActiveCampaign and GoHighLevel just to send emails. I replaced all of it with a free open-source app and Amazon SES for about $50/month - and my Claude Code sends every campaign for me.

GoHighLevel uses shared IPs that land you in spam. ActiveCampaign charges a fortune once your list grows. Here's the full setup I'm using now, and how to get it running yourself.

FREE RESOURCE:

Grab the Self-Hosted Email Stack Guide: https://leadgenjay.com/value/self-hosted-email-stack?utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=listmonk-ses-email

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Why I Stopped Paying $1,000/Month for Email

1:15 - ActiveCampaign Pricing vs This Setup

2:30 - The New Email Infrastructure (Overview)

3:00 - Listmonk Dashboard Tour (mail.consulti.ai)

7:15 - What Is Listmonk (Free on GitHub, 20K Stars)

8:30 - Two Parts: Listmonk + Amazon SES

10:00 - Amazon SES Pricing ($25 Dedicated IP + Sending)

11:00 - AWS Account and SES Console Setup

13:15 - Sending Email From Claude Code (Live Demo)

14:30 - Domain Setup With Cloudflare Tunnel

15:15 - Managing Bounces and Spam Complaints

16:00 - Download the Full Setup Guide

I walked through my entire self-hosted email marketing infrastructure - from the free open-source software to the delivery system to the Claude Code commands I use to send campaigns without ever touching a dashboard.

GoHighLevel is still great for workflow automations - purchase confirmations, call bookings, drip sequences. But for bulk email campaigns to your full list, shared IPs will put you in spam. ActiveCampaign solves that but charges based on list size. 50,000 subscribers? You're paying a fortune. And their team plan is $1,000/month for only 3 users.

The replacement: Listmonk (free, open-source, 20K GitHub stars) handles your lists, campaigns, templates, analytics, and subscribers. Amazon SES handles delivery with a dedicated IP address for $25/month plus about $0.10 per 1,000 emails. Total cost for 250,000 emails: roughly $50/month.

The best part - Claude Code manages everything through the Listmonk API. I tell it what to say, which list to send to, and it handles the rest. Creating lists, building templates, sending campaigns - all from the terminal.

TOOLS & RESOURCES MENTIONED:

- Listmonk - https://listmonk.app (free, open-source, 20K GitHub stars)

- Amazon SES - https://aws.amazon.com/ses/ (dedicated IP $25/mo + $0.10 per 1K emails)

- Claude Code (Anthropic) - sends campaigns via Listmonk API

- GoHighLevel - still used for workflow automations

- ActiveCampaign - cancelled (too expensive at scale)

- Cloudflare Tunnel - connect your domain to Listmonk

- Docker - runs Listmonk on any server

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ABOUT LEAD GEN JAY:

Cold email, AI automation, and lead generation strategies for entrepreneurs. Two 8-figure companies built. 3,500+ community members. 9+ years in the game.

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