MailerLite targets creators, small businesses, and lean marketing teams with a clean drag-and-drop editor and an aggressive free plan. The unsubscribe mechanism uses the PHP-style dollar-brace merge variable, auto-injected into every default broadcast footer, and MailerLite emits RFC 8058 headers automatically for all marketing sends. Legacy MailerLite Classic accounts use a slightly different tag and cannot import Classic templates into the new dashboard without manual footer rework. This guide covers both variants, the exact setup, and the migration gotcha for Classic users.
MailerLite unsubscribe link
| Tag syntax | {$unsubscribe} |
| Alternative | {$unsubscribe_url} |
| Placement | Auto-embedded in every campaign footer |
| Scope | Account-wide subscriber status |
| Config path | Account > Domains > Email footer |
| RFC 8058 one-click | Yes, automatic for marketing campaigns |
How to add the unsubscribe tag in MailerLite
Place the merge tag exactly as shown below in the email template. MailerLite replaces it at send time with a signed URL scoped to the recipient and campaign.
{$unsubscribe}For custom HTML templates, wrap the tag in an anchor to render a proper hyperlink in the delivered email:
<a href="{$unsubscribe}">Unsubscribe from this list</a>Auto-embedded in every campaign footer
Yes, automatic for marketing campaigns The recipient's mailbox provider (Gmail, Yahoo) uses the List-Unsubscribe-Post header to expose the native one-click button on the message. Requires domain authentication with DKIM and DMARC.
MailerLite Classic (the legacy platform) uses {$unsubscribe} the same way, but Classic templates cannot be imported into the new MailerLite dashboard directly. Migrating between the two products requires rebuilding templates from scratch and re-adding the merge tag in the new drag-and-drop editor.
Testing your MailerLite unsubscribe link
- Send a test message to a controlled Gmail address you own via the MailerLite campaign preview action
- Click the footer unsubscribe link and confirm the opt-out on the landing page
- Check the subscriber or contact record: the status should be Unsubscribed within seconds
- Verify the RFC 8058 headers in Gmail: open the message, click three dots, then Show original. Look for
List-UnsubscribeandList-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click
Want the full 222-platform reference?
See the pillar guide with the compliance landscape, the RFC 8058 deep dive, and the unsubscribe tag for every ESP: How to add an unsubscribe link: the complete 2026 guide →
How the MailerLite unsubscribe link works
MailerLite injects the unsubscribe link automatically into every marketing email through the {$unsubscribe} placeholder in its drag-and-drop editor. When a subscriber clicks the link, MailerLite handles the opt-out on a hosted preference page and updates the subscriber status in the account instantly. Since MailerLite is CAN-SPAM and GDPR compliant by design, the platform blocks any email send that does not include either the placeholder or a manually-inserted equivalent, protecting accounts from accidental non-compliance.
Setting up unsubscribe in a MailerLite campaign
In the drag-and-drop editor, the unsubscribe link appears in the default footer block and can be customized without breaking the underlying merge tag. To use a custom footer, add a text block and insert the {$unsubscribe} tag manually where the link should appear. For HTML templates uploaded to MailerLite, wrap the tag inside an anchor: <a href=”{$unsubscribe}”>Unsubscribe</a>. The subscriber sees a normal link; MailerLite substitutes a signed URL at send time.
RFC 8058 one-click and Google/Yahoo requirements
MailerLite added full RFC 8058 one-click unsubscribe support in early 2024 ahead of the Google and Yahoo bulk-sender requirements. When the sending domain is authenticated (SPF, DKIM, DMARC configured under Domains settings), MailerLite automatically inserts the List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers on every send. No configuration is needed beyond authenticating the domain; the platform handles header injection, endpoint hosting, and complaint processing.
Common pitfalls and testing
Two issues recur. First, campaigns that use a fully custom HTML template sometimes omit the {$unsubscribe} tag, and MailerLite refuses to send with a clear error message. Second, subscribers who unsubscribe are moved to the Unsubscribed status and cannot receive campaigns from any group in the account until manually reactivated. To verify one-click headers are present, send a test campaign to a Gmail or Outlook.com inbox and inspect the raw headers for List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post lines.
About the Author
Alaa · LinkedIn
Email infrastructure specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience in SMTP, deliverability, and email verification. I’ve configured and troubleshot mail systems across Postfix, Exchange, and cloud relays, managed IP reputation and warmup campaigns, and built verification pipelines processing millions of addresses. My work spans DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI), bounce handling, blocklist monitoring, and compliance frameworks including CAN-SPAM and GDPR. I write every article on SMTPedia to give email professionals, developers, and marketers the accurate, RFC-grounded reference they need.
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