HubSpot email marketing runs through the marketing email tool: you create an email under Marketing, then Email, pick a template, set the sender and recipients, then send it now, schedule it or save it for a workflow. The tool is on all products and plans as of October 2026, but automated emails, send time optimisation and throttling need Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise.
The setting most people miss: by default HubSpot won't send to unengaged contacts, meaning anyone who hasn't opened your last 11 marketing emails. It stays on unless you clear the box. And on a paid Marketing Hub, only contacts set as marketing contacts can receive marketing emails at all. To send, a user needs Publish permissions for marketing emails, or Super Admin.
The sending methods
| Method | What it's for | How it goes out |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | One email to specific contacts or segments | Send now or schedule a date and time |
| Automated | An email saved for workflows. Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise | When the workflow's enrolment triggers are met |
| Blog/RSS | An email for your blog or RSS subscribers | Automatically when you publish new content |
| Through an API | Sending outside the editor | HubSpot's single-send API |
Creating the email
- Click More, then go to Marketing, then Email. If More isn't there, go to Marketing, then Email directly.
- Click Create email in the top right.
- In the right panel, pick Regular, Automated or Blog/RSS.
- Use the template types in the left sidebar to browse templates by use case, such as event, newsletter and engagement, or click All templates.
- If you've set up a brand kit, use the dropdown above the templates to apply it.
- Hover over a template and click Choose template, then edit the content and design.
Subject line, sender and reply-to
Click the inbox content module at the top of the email. Add a subject line, and click Personalize if you want tokens in it. The preview text shows in some email clients; tick Hide body text from preview text so body copy doesn't spill into a short summary.
Pick a From name, or add one. You can delete from names you've added, but not the names of users. The From address only works if it's hosted on a connected domain or verified. Replies go to the from address by default; to send them elsewhere, clear Use as reply-to address and pick another one.
Choosing who gets it
Click the send icon in the left sidebar. Choose a subscription type that matches the content, then fill in Send to and Don't send to. This is how HubSpot settles a clash:
| The contact is | Do they get the email? |
|---|---|
| Added individually to Send to | Yes, unless dropped for deliverability reasons |
| In a Send to segment and not in a Don't send to segment | Yes |
| In a Send to segment and also in a Don't send to segment | No |
| Added individually to Don't send to | No |
Two limits to know. If the segments across both menus have more than 250 combined filters you'll get an error, and HubSpot's fix is a new segment that filters on membership of the others. On Marketing Hub Enterprise with an email frequency safeguard, you can exempt a single send from the cap by clearing Apply email frequency cap to this send.
The Audience section shows how many contacts will get it. Click Review reasons to see each group that won't, with a Recommended actions column and a View in segments link that builds a segment of those contacts.
Scheduling, time zones and send speed
Click the schedule icon and choose Send now or Schedule for later, then a date and time. For the time zone you've got three options: the account default, your own time zone, or Recipient's time zone, which uses each contact's record. Anyone without time zone data gets the account's time zone.
Two beta features need Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise. Suggest best time to send uses recent engagement to pick a time. Send more slowly, under Advanced settings, lets you set emails per minute, as long as everyone can be reached within 10 days.
Blog and RSS emails work differently. You pick a time, plus a day of the week or month for weekly or monthly sends; Instant has no time option. Tick Adjusted send time if exact timing doesn't matter and HubSpot will still send within 5 minutes of your slot, which helps delivery when lots of users schedule for the same moment.
Settings, footer and testing before you send
The setup icon holds the campaign, access limits, an internal name contacts never see, custom properties and language. Pick a supported language and default modules are translated. The View in browser switch creates a shareable web version. The automate icon lets you build a simple workflow that runs after the send.
In the footer you set the office location, and multiple locations need Marketing Hub Enterprise. The unsubscribe link can be Unsubscribe from all marketing emails, Manage preferences for subscription types, or Both.
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Under Preview and test, Preview as contact shows the email as a real record would see it, with dark mode and plain text views. Preview in an email client renders it across popular clients, and Image blocking shows what happens when a client hides images on first load, which many do. Send test email can also send the plain text version.
The final review
Click Review and publish, Review and schedule or Review and send. Required fields must be fixed before it'll go. Warnings and Suggestions are optional. Check total recipients, send time and any simple workflows, then click Publish, Schedule or Send.
My verdict on HubSpot email marketing
I'd leave the unengaged-contacts box ticked unless you've got a clear reason to reach people who haven't opened your last 11 emails. I'd use Recipient's time zone for any list that spans countries, and I'd never skip the email client preview with image blocking on. If you want emails triggered by what people do, that's the Automated method, which needs Professional; here's how HubSpot workflows run, and if you're still on the free tools, here's what HubSpot's free CRM includes.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I send marketing emails on HubSpot's free plan?
Yes. The marketing email tool is available on all products and plans as of October 2026. Automated emails for workflows need Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise.
Why didn't some contacts get my HubSpot email?
By default HubSpot skips contacts who haven't opened your last 11 marketing emails, and on a paid Marketing Hub only marketing contacts can receive marketing emails. Click Review reasons in the Audience section to see who was left out and why.
Can I send a HubSpot email in each recipient's time zone?
Yes. Choose Recipient's time zone when you schedule. Anyone without time zone data gets it in the account's time zone.
What permissions do I need to send HubSpot marketing emails?
Publish permissions for marketing emails, or Super Admin.
Can I use any address as the from address?
No. It must be hosted on a connected domain or verified.
