Mailing Lists — Broadcast Messages to All Subscribers at Once

What Is a Mailing List?

A mailing list is a server-side feature that allows you to send a single email to one address and have it automatically delivered to every subscriber in a group. It works like this: you send to [email protected], and the server distributes that message to every address registered on the list — whether that's 10 people or 10,000.

This is fundamentally different from simply CC'ing or BCC'ing a group of addresses. A proper mailing list is managed by the server, handles subscriptions and unsubscriptions automatically, and scales to very large recipient lists without burdening your email client.

Common Uses

Customer newsletters — Send product updates, promotions, or news to all subscribed customers simultaneously.

Team communications — Distribute announcements or documents to an internal group without maintaining a manual distribution list.

Community groups — Allow members of a club, association, or project to communicate with the whole group by emailing a single address.

What to Look For

Subscriber limits — Some plans cap the number of addresses per list. Confirm the limit fits your anticipated audience size.

Number of lists — Can you run multiple separate lists (e.g., one for customers, one for staff, one for press)? Check how many the plan supports.

Moderation controls — Can you approve posts before they go out? This is important for preventing spam on open lists.

Self-service subscribe/unsubscribe — A well-implemented list lets members manage their own subscriptions, reducing administrative overhead on your end.