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MailerLite is a Lithuanian and Irish email marketing platform widely used in Europe by SMEs, content creators and small e-commerce stores. The infrastructure runs on EU regions of AWS and Hetzner. Newsletter subscriptions, behavioural tracking pixels and embedded MailerLite forms require prior consent; transactional emails tied to a service can rely on contract performance.
MailerLite is an email marketing platform founded in 2010 in Vilnius, Lithuania, with European operations led by MailerLite Limited in Dublin. It offers list management, drag and drop email design, automation, landing pages, embedded forms and pop ups, and basic analytics. It is widely used in Europe by SMEs, creators and small e commerce stores as an alternative to Mailchimp and Brevo.
On the merchant website, MailerLite forms and pop ups set first party cookies (ml_visitor_*, ml_subscriber) used to remember dismissed pop ups and to attribute new sign ups. In emails, the platform inserts a 1x1 tracking pixel and rewrites links through a tracking domain (eg. ml.mailersend.net) so opens and clicks can be measured. Subscriber data includes email address, optional first and last name, custom fields and the engagement history.
Newsletter subscriptions and behavioural tracking require freely given consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). Use double opt in to evidence consent. Embedded MailerLite forms set non strictly necessary cookies and require Art. 5(3) ePrivacy consent before they load. Open and click tracking pixels are non essential and should also be disclosed. Transactional emails strictly necessary to deliver a service the user requested can rely on contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b)).
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MailerLite hosts its primary infrastructure in EU regions of AWS and Hetzner. Some sub processors (eg. Cloudflare CDN, observability platforms) may operate outside the EEA; transfers in those cases rely on Standard Contractual Clauses included in the MailerLite DPA. The full list of sub processors is published on the MailerLite website and updated regularly.
Sign the MailerLite DPA from your account settings. Enable double opt in for new subscribers. Block embedded forms and pop ups behind your CMP until consent is granted. Disclose MailerLite as a processor in your privacy notice with the EU hosting and the SCC reference for non EEA sub processors. Configure data retention for inactive subscribers. Provide an unsubscribe link in every campaign and a way to request data export or deletion.
Websites using MailerLite must obtain user consent under GDPR regulations.
DPIA considerations
A DPIA is generally not required for standard newsletter use of MailerLite. It may become relevant for very large lists combined with behavioural automation, scoring, or marketing to special category audiences.
Sample consent text
We use MailerLite (MailerLite Limited, Ireland; UAB MailerLite, Lithuania) to send our newsletter and to track open and click events. By subscribing you agree to receive marketing emails and to the processing of your data by MailerLite as described in our privacy policy.
Third-party domains contacted
www.mailerlite.comstatic.mailerlite.comassets.mailerlite.comml.mailersend.netCookies placed
| Name | Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| ml_visitor_* | first_party | 1 year | Identifies a website visitor across MailerLite forms and pop ups so dismissed pop ups stay closed and conversions are attributed. |
| ml_subscriber | first_party | 1 year | Set after a successful sign up; ties the visitor to the new subscriber record for behavioural automation. |
| ml_recently_shown_form | first_party | 7 days | Stores which MailerLite forms or pop ups have been displayed recently so they are not shown repeatedly. |
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MailerLite forms and pop ups set first party cookies (ml_visitor_*, ml_subscriber, ml_recently_shown_form) used to identify visitors, attribute conversions and avoid showing the same pop up too often. In emails, MailerLite inserts a 1x1 tracking pixel and rewrites links through a tracking domain to measure opens and clicks.
Yes for the embedded forms, pop ups and behavioural tracking. The MailerLite snippet sets non strictly necessary cookies and must be blocked behind your CMP until consent is granted. Subscribing to the newsletter is itself a consent action and should use double opt in to evidence it.
Newsletter subscriptions and behavioural tracking rely on consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) and the embedded form cookies on Art. 5(3) ePrivacy. Transactional emails strictly necessary to deliver a service rely on contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b)). Suppression lists used to honour unsubscribes rely on legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)).
Primary processing happens in EU regions of AWS and Hetzner. Some sub processors (Cloudflare CDN, observability) may operate outside the EEA; transfers in those cases rely on Standard Contractual Clauses included in the MailerLite DPA. The current sub processor list is published on the MailerLite website.
A standard newsletter use of MailerLite does not normally require a DPIA. A DPIA is recommended for very large lists combined with extensive automation, scoring or marketing to special category audiences.
Sign the MailerLite DPA. Enable double opt in. Block embedded forms and pop ups behind your CMP. Add MailerLite as a processor in your privacy notice with EU hosting and the SCC reference for non EEA sub processors. Configure inactive subscriber retention. Provide an unsubscribe link in every campaign and a way to request export or deletion.
EU based alternatives include Brevo (France), GetResponse (Poland), Mailjet (France) and Sendinblue (now Brevo). For privacy first newsletters, Buttondown and Beehiiv (with EU hosting setup) and self hosted Mautic are options. The privacy outcome depends on hosting and sub processor choices.
State that MailerLite (MailerLite Limited, Ireland; UAB MailerLite, Lithuania) is a processor for newsletter delivery and engagement tracking. List the cookies set by embedded forms and pop ups, the email tracking pixel and link rewriting, the EU hosting and the SCC reference for non EEA sub processors. Include the retention period for subscriber records.